(Topic ID: 123698)

Bally Trail Drive BCU Reset Coil and 'Letter Score' issue

By biscuit

9 years ago

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Latest reply 9 years ago by EMsInKC
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Trail Drive Bally, 1970

Hi all,

I'm new to this forum and to "pinball mechanics". I'm hoping someone can shed some light on a couple of issues which appeared this morning..... Hopefully the below makes some sense. My pinball terminology is still at a beginner level

My family has had a 1970 Bally Trail Drive EM pinball machine for quite a few years now. It's had a few simple issues which I have resolved but the latest issues are a little beyond my current knowledge.

Once all balls have been played (3 or 5 depending on what it is set to) the machine goes into game over mode, like it is supposed to. When starting a new game the Ball Count Unit no longer resets. I have to manually press the plunger on the Ball Count Unit Reset Coil to reset the machine. What would be causing this?

The other issue is with the scoring. Usually when you hit a target letter it's lamp turns off and its corresponding letter lamp on the playdeck turns on. Successfully spelling the words Trail Drive gives you a free ball.

It seems since the BCU Reset Coil issue has appeared that the target letter lamps no longer turn off when hit and they're corresponding lamps do no turn on. Could these issues be related?

Can anyone help me?

Got the schematic? If so post it here. I'm guessing the trail drive lights make break switches are on relays that trip on the motorised reset bank. Try tripping a few manually, see if they swap the lights then.
I would check the Jones plugs are clean & well seated. Check the coil connections on the ball count unit.
I would guess the ball count unit is reset through the reset relay and impulse cam on the score motor. Without a schematic, it's a guess.
A look to see if that motorised trip bank is working (relays tripping as you play the game, motor turning to reset the bank when you start a new game).

OP
Quoted from biscuit:
When starting a new game the Ball Count Unit no longer resets.

If an EM is left un-played for a while the stepper units often need cleaning of old sticky grease.
If the coil is firing, then clean the stepper drive pawls on the ratchet side of the unit. remove old grease. should do this even if the coil is firing.

OP
Quoted from biscuit:
It seems since the BCU Reset Coil issue has appeared that the target letter lamps no longer turn off when hit and they're corresponding lamps do no turn on. Could these issues be related?

dought they are related, but could be. First fix the ball count reset issue.

Is the motorized reset bank actually still trying to reset?

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Bally Trail Drive BCU Reset Coil and 'Letter Score' issue

By biscuit

9 years ago

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biscuit

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EMsInKC

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