(Topic ID: 50221)
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Congo
Williams, 1995
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Quoted from bigd1979:I dont think anything is in it? A double diverter goes above it? Im confused on what your looking for
My game you can look down in the bottom of the game! There is a switch below the hole but there seems to be some sort of saucer thing that must go there...
The round black bottom of the hole piece...yes all these descriptions are terrible and ready for feces puns
Quoted from bigd1979:I dont think anything is in it?
I think I stole that pic from your shop thread while trying to figure out what looked wrong
Quoted from bigd1979:I thought there was a switch and 2 coils
There are 2 coils under there I think and the typical switch, but mine is missing whatever those coils plunge in to...I think...if that makes sense. Some sort of cover for the hole?
Quoted from bigd1979:I thought it looked familiar and not many people tear into a pin like me lol
Well I guess it's correct then...the other pic looked like something should be in bottom of saucer. Mine is correct. Thanks for the help. This is a full on teardown job too unfortunately...with lots of ultrasonic and buffing action
Thanks!
Edit: I keep finding more broken plastics so I sucked it up and bought a full set...along with a few dozen other things 
Quoted from mwong168:! What does the inside of your cab look like?
It's actually not too bad--a couple scrapes...I'll sand it and smooth it out. Somebody was doing something with that flipper...
Quoted from leesparts:The mounting plate for the upper flipper has a different part number than the lower one.
From some limited research, that upper bracket is not available anywhere. I planned on cutting that off with a dremel if that was the case--kind of suspected it.
Plunger divertor rod...can somebody explain the proper function? I think it's supposed to twist somehow to divert to the other ramp. This is accomplished somehow when that coil fires? My coil seems to be seized or something so I can't get a handle on how it's supposed to look/operate.
Anybody have a shop pic of that area handy?
EDIT: sleeve was melted in to a blob inside preventing rod from moving.
Quoted from swinks:are you talking about the diverter under the palm tree on the ramp on the rhs, a little confused...
yes...I got it. It wasn't pulling in because the sleeve had been changed to a blob of melted plastic inside. I think I will have fixed every component by the end of this...
Quoted from gliebig:Here are the plastics I have...
Thanks. I edited my post above...I found at least 5 broken plastics so I bit it and ordered a full set. I'm taking a bath on parts anyway.
Has anybody repaired their volcano?
http://www.flippers.be/congo_volcano.html
Wondering how well that technique works/any tips before I dive in...
Quoted from monkeyboypaul:I didn't do the Volcano repair myself, but the previous owner did a great job and recorded his progress here:
Thanks! Those pictures are much more clear. So that is you machine now? Looks great. Question--do you have a spotlight on the side of your volcano? I didn't see one in those pics. The one I am restoring had a couple wires hanging there where I have seen a spotlight on others. Wondering if there was a reason yours didn't have it as well. Thanks
Quoted from monkeyboypaul:the GI blackout for backbox
What's this all about? Something else I should blow some money on?
You guys grease your gorilla? 
I normally leave everything dry, but I'm rebuilding the mini playfield and there was all sorts o grease on the shaft for the gorilla. I'm assuming that wasn't supposed to be there.
1 week later
https://www.amazon.com/clouddrive/share/MxLV4WMu6uuLNmvsKrEpRV7tez372K4g3XldcN4LSOs
Congo Shop Pics...hundreds. Should be able to d/l from that link, not positive.
Quoted from monkeyboypaul:the GI blackout for backbox
Could not get this to work on mine...and my GI works fine
1 week later
Quoted from gliebig:Just got my new high score. Only 2.3bills.
Haven't had a lot of plays yet but 2B was my best so far...still learning the rules.
I had "skill fire" and thought the machine died! By the time I looked up at DMD I only had 8 seconds left
3 weeks later
Quoted from Chosen_S:which ones look the best to you guys?
I put in mirrors...looks great.
2 weeks later
Quoted from Mitch:Just bought this NOS
??/! Where in the world did that come from?
2 weeks later
Quoted from AlexSMendes:first time I bumped into Midnight Multiball Madness!
still haven't got that...finally cracked 3 billion though
Quoted from GRB1959:weldment from Mantis Amusements.
replaced all my scoops with mantis, no issues
Quoted from jawjaw:It does not look bent out of shape or broken anywhere. I will give the mantis a try. Thanks.
Post a close up pic...sometimes those welds can "look" good but when a ball is launched they separate a little
Quoted from trufflepiggy:The ball gets trapped under the plunger when it is all the way up, and will not retract! The screw holding the plastic plunger was a bit loose, but the problem continues.
Here is the only pic I have from my shop job of that area--I took that trough off and cleaned it and the optos but can't remember the setup exactly. Are you certain the plunger retracts with no balls in there(I would assume so).
Quoted from trufflepiggy:Weird, eh?
yeah, as I said, I can't recall from when I cleaned it the exact way it works. Seems like maybe the firing of the plunger should be fast enough that the other ball doesn't roll down--and/or maybe the plunger should shove the balls backwards on the return trip if it rolls down? Is there any issue with piece on top of the plunger? Can it be installed upside down or anything like that? Any piece missing on that unit? Pulling this straight out of thin air...
Somebody has to have looked at this recently. I'd pull mine out again but I installed mirror blades and try to keep the full playfield lifts to a minimum to avoid scratching 
Quoted from trufflepiggy:I'm wondering if the spring is no longer powerful enough.
sort of the line of thinking I had...something mechanical is going on maybe
1 week later
Quoted from TouchingEvil:original sound from the movie like Amy want green drop drink
yes and no
2 months later
Quoted from Crispin:I removed the rails and rubberwheeled off the brass plating that was starting to pit
What's the technique for that? I was thinking of getting my rails chrome plated.
Quoted from swampfire:The plating will also come off with Flitz and a t-shirt. Works well if your goal is a shiny stainless steel wireform with no brass plating.
You just buff by hand with that stuff and it removes the plating?
Quoted from swampfire:Yes. I didn't mind, since the plating was pretty tarnished already on mine.
OK, going to give that a shot. Mine are tarnished as well.
2 weeks later
Quoted from TomGWI:Hi All,
On my Congo, the ball falls off the habitrail off the right volcano ramp. It doesn't happen all the time, just on fast moving shots.
Anyone have any ideas on how to fix this or is it normal?
From 8 months ago in this thread, page 18 or so...there were a couple people with same issue.
3 weeks later
http://www.marcospecialties.com/pinball-parts/03-9419-500XX
You cut the holes...custom lighting!
1 week later
Quoted from bigd1979:Yea the lower playfield cld of been designed much better lol.
It's not too bad to completely rebuild though..I put in all new parts and sanded down and replaced/mylared new decals
Quoted from lpeters82:Ramp Diverter stays engaged once triggered.
Mine had same issue when I got it--the coil was fried and plunger stuck inside. I replaced all my ramps and had to trim a bit with a dremel to make the diverter move smoothly--also adjusted beneath playfield.
MPF is an easy overhaul, just buy all the parts for it while you are at it and you'll never have to worry about it again.
Quoted from PBFan:I suspect a routed (nice players) one could be had for $2500
That's about right. I bought a total disaster in that price range and then dropped a grand+ getting it back together.
Quoted from bigchief99:Looking for the part number for the volcano ejector coil(I guess that is what it is called). The balls barely get ejected out of the hole( ejects most of the time).
Might be the volcano metal tube: http://www.mantisamusements.com/congo.htm
If the welds break it can do all kinds of weird stuff.
4 months later
Quoted from gliebig:Anyone install the color dmd yet?
It's in the box sitting next to the game...hoping I can get to it this week.
1 week later
Quoted from Wickerman2:Quoted from gliebig:
Anyone install the color dmd yet?
It's in the box sitting next to the game...hoping I can get to it this week.
Installed and played a couple quick games. Looks great...colored lava!
1 week later
Quoted from Wickerman2:amazon.com link »
Congo Shop Pics...hundreds. Should be able to d/l from that link, not positive.
https://www.amazon.com/clouddrive/share/MxLV4WMu6uuLNmvsKrEpRV7tez372K4g3XldcN4LSOs
3 months later
1 month later
Quoted from ninjabones:disregard... found the whole set at marco.
also:
http://www.pinballdecals.com/PartsByGamePages/Congo_Page.html
Quoted from ninjabones:a new volcano??? probably stupid question.
nowhere I know of. There's an online tutorial of how to rebuild. Basically fill the inside up and then goop a bunch of silicone on and shape it.
EDIT:
http://www.flippers.be/congo_volcano.html
EDIT EDIT: While you have it off be sure to add some extra volcano lighting!
2 weeks later
Quoted from Robertstone0407:Volcano shaker motor.
Where can i find a good reference for that
There is no "Congo" shaker. I used an AFM pinbits shaker and hooked it up to the Volcano flasher. It's pretty confusing to hook up(for me at least), I ended up getting help from a local tech to get it right(and had to tame the shake a bit).
That said, it's awesome! Shaker/Color DMD/plastic protectors especially in the volcano area, MIRROR BLADES!!! They look great on Congo.
Quoted from Robertstone0407:Anyone use the pinbits AFM shaker for the volcano mod
Yes. It's not as easy a hookup as the STTNG that is referenced in another thread(at least they made that sound easy). AFM seems to be the only one in stock.
I couldn't get it to work and had a tech help figure it out.
It was a while ago and I can't remember exactly what we did.
The AFM kit has the shaker/board and a couple harnesses with connectors. None of it is a plug and play for Congo.
The red/green/white/black/blue goes from the mini board and gets plugged in to the other connector they include and adds a purple wire(?) I think. Looks like we used the purple to go to a flasher(the blue crimp connector changes it to some extra green just to lengthen it), it looks like we used the red to go to another flasher. There's a black wire that I think is a ground that went to the head. Looks like the white and green are not used(that's where we got the extra green wire from).
Confused? Me too.
So, it CAN be done if someone with some smarts is involved.
I rotated the weights in the shaker to tame it and I added some felt strips to snug up the playfield glass rattling.
Quoted from Chosen_S:Right on, I bet that can get us pretty close, which flasher does it Connect to?
I'd have to look again but I'm pretty sure there's a flasher under the volcano and maybe another to the right of the volcano? The shaker goes off whenever anything happens with the volcano. Whenever you fire a ball in there and it spits it out etc. It goes nut during multiball.
Quoted from ufiti:PinballSideMirrors.com - Regular = $75, Black/Blue = $195
PinballDecals.com - Regular = $99, Black/Gold = $199
I have regular mirror blades and they look great on Congo! Save the cash you won't notice the difference.
5 months later
Quoted from Platypus:I remember seeing a post where someone offered a link to a large collection of teardown/shop out pictures I just went through the whole thread and could not find it. Can anybody help steer me?
amazon.com link »
Congo Shop Pics...hundreds. Should be able to d/l from that link, not positive.
https://www.amazon.com/clouddrive/share/MxLV4WMu6uuLNmvsKrEpRV7tez372K4g3XldcN4LSOs
Quoted from Mitch:I prefer mirror blades.
Have them on my Congo and they look awesome
1 year later
Quoted from Alamo_Pin:I would appreciate any wisdom anyone can share, here. I was having zero problems before I unscrewed the volcano to clean underneath it. But since putting it all back together, every single time a solid shot enters the volcano ramp, the ball falls off the habitrail to the right before connecting to the plastic ramp. But when a ball is released from the volcano or a shot softly makes it around the volcano, it has no problem staying on course. I cannot figure out what change I might have made to cause this, but it’s driving me nuts. My best guess is that the ball is banging too hard off the metal railing on that left side, but I don’t see how to change that. Thank you.
[quoted image][quoted image]
Maybe just how tight/not tight you have the screws for the trail? Any washers missing or in wrong place. If I understand what you are saying I think somewhere in this thread this has been addressed. Search "habitrail" in the find in topic box at top and see what others have done--hopefully a solution is hidden here somewhere. Good luck.
2 months later
Quoted from wamonkey:Can anyone take a picture
https://www.amazon.com/clouddrive/share/MxLV4WMu6uuLNmvsKrEpRV7tez372K4g3XldcN4LSOs
Shop pics
Quoted from Platypus:man, that was a dirty game. I suspect it looks better now.
It was a top to bottom clean job...basically had to buy a new version of every part that is still available. I got a "fair" deal on the game and then spent a load of cash and time getting it looking great.
It was at that point that I decided I will just spend more money on games that are already shopped/rehabbed
4 months later
Quoted from per3per3:1) I'm hearing a loud buzzing sound when the lock post above the upper left flipper is up...the one that stops the ball during Amy mode and when you're playing in the lower playfield. Not sure what the sound is but haven't experienced it before. Is the coil that powers the post going bad? The post functions properly
I would guess it’s definitely coil related like coil stop or something. I rebuilt all mine when I rehabbed my game...along with vuk and ball trough
1 month later
2 weeks later
Quoted from GoldenOreos:anyone know why my congo has these targets? lol
I think your game is racist 
4 months later
Quoted from toyotaboy:headlight restoration kit
I think a new window is $70 or so but if you can reuse that kit that’s probably more economical
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