Picked up a Superman recently as I've never worked on an Atari game before. Game powers on and boots up. New game is started and plays through the game as it should, but there are some coil and switch issues I'm trying to figure out.

First, as a matter of standard procedure with ALL early solid state pins, I removed all circuit boards, re-flowed all connectors, cleaned connector pins, removed all socket chips, cleaned the chip legs, and reinstalled, making sure all connectors and ground wires were re-installed properly as well. There is no acid damage what so ever on any of the boards as they look pristine. New batteries installed as well.

Now that we have good solid connections everywhere and no cold solder joints, I can see where things stand.
Unfortunately, none of that work made any change good or bad to this game. I've had so many bally/williams games turn out to be 100% working after doing those procedures, with the exception of some burnt out bulbs, that I just do it on all early solid state games before I bother trying to hunt down "issues".

Game boots up and plays. Put the game in test mode, displays are all good, lamps are all good after replacing a pair of bad sockets and replacing some burnt out bulbs. I ended up just putting new 47's in the entire game since the ones that did work were pretty dirty and old.

SOLENOID ISSUES:

2 pop bumper coils (11-top pop bumper, and 4 top left pop bumper) do not fire in test or game mode. The drop hole kicker (13) works in test mode, but does not work in game mode.

I'm assuming the switch for the drop hole kicker is an issue mixed in with the other switches I will mention below that don't work since the coil fires in test mode, and that the 2 pop bumpers have bad transistors/pre drivers on the I/O. board since they don't work in test OR game mode. I have not replaced these transistors yet (in the mail on their way though).

SWITCH ISSUES:

There are a TON of switches that do not register. 13 in all. I've gone through and checked for anything that was stuck closed, out of adjustment, dirty, or loose connections and none of those things were issues with the switches that aren't registering. In the switch/lamp test there are no stuck closed switches, and there isn't anything going on like having a score put on the board as soon as you start a new game, or contacts to close due to vibration of a coil and scoring when they shouldn't. I also noticed Atari used micro switches on the drop target bank, so I removed those and tested them with a multi meter to make sure they were still good, and they are.

Must be a board problem somewhere..... but where?

Switches 3, 4, 11, 12, 19, 20, 27, 28, 35, 43, 52, 59, and 60 do not work.

3 - left coin chute
4 - right coin chute
11 - drop target #3
12 - drop target #4
19 - bonus lane #4
20 - all 50 point switches
27 - "N" target
28 - "A" target
35 - "E" target
43 - drop hole kicker
52 - top left thumper bumper
59 - top thumper bumper
60 - left spinning target

Any suggestions on this one? I've looked for loose/broken wires on all of the connectors, in the wire harness, at all switches thinking maybe it was a ground wire somewhere.

No idea if all of these switches are linked together in a chip on the mpu or i/o board or not somehow.

I have not however, soldered the wires to the bridge rectifiers in the back box, as I've seen suggested on a website somewhere with Atari pinball machines. That was suggested as a solution to take care of intermittent issues though, and these are not intermittent, and there are no issues with missing/bad voltage on the power supply board. I do plan on doing that in the future though as a precaution for intermittent issues that could arise in the future.

As suggested on pinwiki, if you have an issue with many switches that don't work, or an issue with a switch that registers another switch and vice versa, it says to change chips H7 (74LS244), E6 (7407), and D6 (7407). I've just removed all 3 chips, installed sockets, and installed new chips and there is NO change with any of the switch or coil issues.

All of the solenoid transistors test good on the board, so I'm going to give changing the MC14514B line decoder a try to see if that resolves any of the coil issues (2 not working and 1 only working in test mode as mentioned above.

If anyone has any other information or suggestions on what I can check or try please let me know.

Thanks!

Changed the MC14514B today.... not a change with anything.

Got to looking at the schematics. Found them out roaming the net. The switch driver chips E4 and E7 on the I/O board control all of the switches that are out. It just so happens that all the switches that each chip controls, are out. Probably the culprit! Duh!

2 chips are on their way.

I saw Mouser has them, but they are surface mount, not through hole. Found a pair of NOS on eBay. Should be here in the next few days and I'll give an update when I get them changed out.

Probably should have looked for the schematics from the start instead of just for a solution with out them. That was super easy to notice that all the switches that aren't working, were concentrated between 2 chips, that are completely out.

Progress!!

I replaced E4 and E7 (MC14512B). All play field switches are now working! The top top, and top left pop bumper don't pull in, but the switches make the proper scores. Next step on the 2 pop bumpers is to look into which transistors on the I/O board control those 2. I'll report back on that later as well.

I went into switch test mode via the coin door button, and the coin door switch #4 (left coin door) is locked on. Both micro switches on the coin door tested good, and switch 4 is locked on even with them disconnected. Switch 10 (right coin door) doesn't register at all. At least the micro switches test good I guess.

I'm going to have a look at the schematics and see if I can't find something that doesn't have continuity.

Any suggestions on a stuck on switch?

Getting exciting though, almost done with this baby!

2 pop bumpers to get the coils going
2 coin door switches not working right

Changed the mpsa06 transistor and rca transistor (replaced with tip107) for both pop bumpers. Still no action on either pop bumper.

One of the mounting brackets for one of the pop bumpers that aren't working was broken and the coil had been duck taped onto the bracket. Pulled off the bracket today and replaced it with an early Bally slingshot bracket. Near perfect fit. Just had to hog out the slots for the stop at one end about a 1/16 so the screw would go in straight.

There is one other chip I see on the driver board that is associated with the solenoids.

Not much love from the Atari games is true. Most of the time there is information out there on the issues and it's not too hard to put things together and figure them out. Unfortunately I don't have a probe, or an chip burner, so I haven't tried to go the route of the test chip and make the little LED fixture and all that.

These Atari pop bumpers don't have the contacts that close when the coil pulls in. There is one set of contacts that the bumper skirt pushes together and that's it.

I'm nearing the end of my patience on this one too. I hate to do that.

I had picked up a Black Sheep Squadron the other day too..... early Bally ripoff boards by Astro (the maker of the game) were in the machine. 6 hrs later the thing was up and running 100%........ Ugh......

What are all the issues you're having with your machine?

So I'm down to this:

solenoid 11 doesn't move (pop bumper)
solenoid 4 doesn't move (pop bumper)
switch 3 stuck on in test mode (coin door)
switch 4 stuck on in test mode (coin door)

I was just out looking at the machine and switched the 2 wires from the working pop bumper to the other 2 pop bumpers, and one worked and one didn't. There was a bad diode on one of them. Replaced the diode and got them both to work now when I moved the working pop bumpers 2 wires to each of the other pop bumpers.

I'd just have to check for continuity from #8 to #11, #11 to #4, and #8 to #4 to make sure they are all ground good then right? That would seem to be a simple fix if that was it, run a new wire from one right to the other, right? Got a photo of your pop bumper area so I can make sure my wires are all in the right place too? THAT would be awesome!

I could probably live with those 2 coin door switches locked on in test mode. They don't cause any issues during play. In fact when you turn the game on and manually trigger each switch, it makes the proper sounds to add credits. It is currently set on free play. I wouldn't think it would, but maybe having the dip switch on for free play triggers those 2 switches to always be on in some way to keep the 1 credit on the machine? I'll take it off free play and see what happens.

Back tomorrow!

More progress today!

The coin door wires were on the common closed terminal (the one with no wires on it in your photo). I moved both of them to the proper terminal and we are 100% working on all switches all the time now. Thanks for the photo, that made it painfully obvious.

I looked in to chasing the "hot wire" on that bank of coils. There was no continuity between a couple of the pop bumpers. I undid the zip ties in the pop bumper area and noticed something was wrong right away. There were 2 hot wires on one of the non working coils and 2 of the switch to ground wires on the other non working coil. Previous owner must have moved them around, trying to get them to work, is my guess. Now that all the wires in the game are in the right place...... The only coil that doesn't fire is the center left #4. I'm out of solder, but my guess is either Q101 or Q72 on the I/O board are bad. Even though I had already tried to change them, things were not wired properly. I'll check for continuity in the wiring and on the board as well. The MC14514B at B2 is good.

That only leaves the one center (top) left pop bumper that doesn't activate. It scores properly, but doesn't pull in.

Almost got this one licked!

Thanks for everyone chipping in on this one. It was certainly needed! I'll update once I change those 2 transistors on the I/O board.

For that light issue, I'd bet there is a bad socket somewhere. I had a bad one on this game too in front of the drop targets, but it was obvious since it had been taped back together. I forgot about that one.

If you're going to change the lamps anyway, just pull them all and turn the machine on. If it doesn't still blow a fuse, start putting lamps in until the fuse pops. Last one you put in is probably the issue.

If the pop bumpers are firing but not scoring I'd look at those chips in the E row on the I/O board and their resistors. Chip E3 has the center right thumper, E4 has the center left thumper, and E7 has the center lower thumper. I have a few extra of those chips if you need a pair. I ordered 2 off eBay and the guy sent me 10. Just float me a few dollars for the shipping and I can get them on the way.

Not sure what to do about the flipper issue.

Checked continuity through the hot coil wires and all is good, checked continuity from the #4 pop bumper solenoid switch wire to the corresponding pin on connector J19 (pin 10) of the I/O pcb and all is good. Replaced the 2 transistors Q101 and Q72 for said coil with new ones and buzzed out the solder joints. Still have nothing at the one pop bumper. The switch scores correctly, 100 when not lit and 1,000 when lit, and the lights move between the 3 pop bumpers properly and the other 2 are scoring and activating properly with the right switch numbers for each coming up in the switch test. I've replaced B2 and E4 on the I/O board with no change. I've replaced F7, E6, and D6 on the MPU. No change. I also changed the diode on the coil and have triple checked that the banded end is on the hot side of the coil to match all of the other coils in the game.

Then, I moved the 2 wires from one of the working pop bumpers, to the non working one and the 2 wires from the non working one to a working one. The wires from the coil that doesn't activate, activate the other coil, and the wires from the coil that did activate don't activate the other coil.

Obviously I have a bad pop bumper coil. Time to order one for replacement and get this baby 100%!

I don't think I've ever run in to a coil that just doesn't fire. Yeah... they get burnt up and swell and plungers get stuck, but they still activate..... at least I know that everything in my board work is good and all the wiring in the game is now correct!

I'm sure it will be just fine, but I'll update when I get the new coil in the mail installed and it's all up and running.

That should do it for all of the issues I had on this one.

Thanks a million for the photos and suggestions and helping me get this baby up and running again. If you guys need anything let me know!

Sure! Hah!

Well, I wouldn't mind trying to get your boards going for you, for a fee plus parts, but I can't make any promises as this was my first experience with Atari pinball boards. Now that I have one, I know there is quite a lack of information and people who will work on them out there too.

What are the issues with your Superman game?

New coil installed for the pop bumper and we are up and running 100%. Project complete! Pretty fun game with lots of action once you get it all going!

Sure does! With some feedback and photos from others it turned in to a great game in the line up.

No problem! Holler if you get stuck with something and maybe we can help you out or get you pointed in the right direction.

I know it's been a bit, did you ever figure out the noise issue when the lights come on and off?

I have a Bally Playboy that made noise during attract mode when the displays would change from the last games scores to the current high score. It would buzz when the displays lit up with numbers again, stop buzzing when they went off, and buzz again when it lit up with numbers In game, it didn't make the noise. I found some information online about isolating the sound board that would fix the issue. In the Bally game, there are 2 plastic standoffs and 2 screws that hold the sound board in place. I backed out the 2 screws and put 2 plastic nuts on the back side of the screws so that the plastic nut separated the pcb from the metal bracket that holds it in place, which is also, ground. The screw was only screwed into the plastic nut just enough to hold it in place on the backside of the board so it didn't touch the metal bracket, and the plastic nut wouldn't fall out.

This fixed the buzzing noise completely.

Maybe that will work in the Superman too?