(Topic ID: 269342)

1975 Gottlieb Top Score, alternating light issues

By Chuckles37

3 years ago



Topic Stats

  • 8 posts
  • 4 Pinsiders participating
  • Latest reply 3 years ago by stashyboy
  • Topic is favorited by 1 Pinsider

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#1 3 years ago

Hello, I picked up my first EM last weekend, a 1975 Gottlieb Top Score. The game seems to be in pretty good shape, with two issues, although I think they are related:

1. The spinner works and scores, but the yellow lights do not advance with each spin as they should.

2. The bonus lights down the right hand side of the play field do not alternate. The same ones stay lit at all times.

If I take off the glass and spin the spinner by hand, the yellow lights occasionally advance, and the bonus lights will alternate, but not consistently.

I read through the very informative guide by Steve Fury (https://pinside.com/pinball/forum/topic/em-pinball-circuits-basics-to-not-so-basic), and I also have the schematic from Gottlieb. The previous owner said that he repairs pinball machines (and might very well be a pinside member for all I know). The game is in great shape overall, and it looks like he took good care of it.

Based on my very limited understanding of EM machines, I think that both of these problems are related to the Alternating Relay (A on the schematic). I watched the relay while spinning the spinner, and it moves but not much.

So I guess my question is this: now that I know what the problem is (or at least I think I do), how do I fix it? Steve Fury's guide was very helpful in understanding how things work, but it didn't really explain how to fix a broken relay, or how to clean one that is only slightly working. Is there a basic guide on here for how to do EM maintenance? I searched for other posts with similar issues, but most of them assume a level of knowledge above mine. Thanks in advance for the help.

#2 3 years ago
Quoted from Chuckles37:

Hello, I picked up my first EM last weekend, a 1975 Gottlieb Top Score. The game seems to be in pretty good shape, with two issues, although I think they are related:
1. The spinner works and scores, but the yellow lights do not advance with each spin as they should.
2. The bonus lights down the right hand side of the play field do not alternate. The same ones stay lit at all times.
If I take off the glass and spin the spinner by hand, the yellow lights occasionally advance, and the bonus lights will alternate, but not consistently.
I read through the very informative guide by Steve Fury (https://pinside.com/pinball/forum/topic/em-pinball-circuits-basics-to-not-so-basic), and I also have the schematic from Gottlieb. The previous owner said that he repairs pinball machines (and might very well be a pinside member for all I know). The game is in great shape overall, and it looks like he took good care of it.
Based on my very limited understanding of EM machines, I think that both of these problems are related to the Alternating Relay (A on the schematic). I watched the relay while spinning the spinner, and it moves but not much.
So I guess my question is this: now that I know what the problem is (or at least I think I do), how do I fix it? Steve Fury's guide was very helpful in understanding how things work, but it didn't really explain how to fix a broken relay, or how to clean one that is only slightly working. Is there a basic guide on here for how to do EM maintenance? I searched for other posts with similar issues, but most of them assume a level of knowledge above mine. Thanks in advance for the help.

Pinrepair basic EM repair/troubleshooting guide is the Bible. Read it first. Agree with you the alternating relay is probably miss adjusted. Also, there is likely a stepper or Mini Stepper that controls your spin lights. Look for that called out on the schematic and check it for proper action.

#3 3 years ago
Quoted from Chuckles37:

1. The spinner works and scores, but the yellow lights do not advance with each spin as they should.

2. The bonus lights down the right hand side of the play field do not alternate. The same ones stay lit at all times.

1. Have a look at the KS relay disk. They're generally small and a pita. Likely needs some cleaning.
2. The make/break on the A relay, as you suspected.

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#4 3 years ago
Quoted from stashyboy:

Pinrepair basic EM repair/troubleshooting guide is the Bible. Read it first. Agree with you the alternating relay is probably miss adjusted. Also, there is likely a stepper or Mini Stepper that controls your spin lights. Look for that called out on the schematic and check it for proper action.

Thanks for the reply. I think that there is a stepper behind the back glass, and it does seem to step when I spin the spinner.

As for that troubleshooting guide, do you have a link?

#5 3 years ago
Quoted from currieddog:

1. Have a look at the KS relay disk. They're generally small and a pita. Likely needs some cleaning.
2. The make/break on the A relay, as you suspected.
[quoted image][quoted image]

Thanks for the reply. I took a look at the KS relay disk, and it doesn't seem to be stepping. When I move it by hand, the lights alternate and the spinner lights advance. So now I just need to figure out how to fix the stepper.

#6 3 years ago

2. The bonus lights down the right hand side of the play field do not alternate. The same ones stay lit at all times

That unit on the far left in the backbox is definitely your culprit. I have a 300 I just set up and I’m having the exact same problems. I did a quick clean of that unit and the problem went away for awhile, but it’s back now. Eventually I am going to do a full restore on my machine and that usually fixes all problems.

Added over 3 years ago:

Disregard this, I was incorrect.

#7 3 years ago
Quoted from Mikala:

2. The bonus lights down the right hand side of the play field do not alternate. The same ones stay lit at all times
That unit on the far left in the backbox is definitely your culprit. I have a 300 I just set up and I’m having the exact same problems. I did a quick clean of that unit and the problem went away for awhile, but it’s back now. Eventually I am going to do a full restore on my machine and that usually fixes all problems.

Have you checked the KS stepper on the underside of the play field? Mine doesn't seem to be stepping, but when I step it by hand, the bonus lights do alternate like they should.

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