Disclaimer: First posting, newbie, beatings and trash talk will be accepted and tolerated...thick skin, broad shoulders. Here we go:

Picked up the game a year ago, all was good, flipped the switch one day, music played, and the message "U41 PIA Failure" appeared. Display went blank, message popped up, repeat. Ordered a new chip and socket from Marcos, decided not to tackle chip replacement, went to a retired electrical engineer, and he went through the board, replaced the parts, plugged everything in. Turned on the machine, music played, the display was scrambled letters (if that's what you want to call them), display went blank, scrambled letters, repeat.

I know ask for your thoughts, comments, snickers and suggestions. I have asked others with games and experience, and the response is "huh, weird." Not what I wanted when talking about "my girl".

Thank you all in advance.

I didn't but will hopefully have a moment tomorrow. I'll be back and report.

Checked the TP. 3 was 12.6, 2 fluctuated, but landed 4-4.5, & TP 4 was 14+.

Hmmm, well, I said I was new! Ok, this is good and bad, but I'm in this for the long haul. Pics attached. Used a little different lighting in each in case something shows up differently. I look forward to your thoughts. Thanks for your interest in this.

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I knew I should've listened more in my electronics classes in college, but Nooooo, I went mechanical!! Anyway, I will get on it. Brings up my next thought and you can all weigh in on spending my $. If you were putting together a small "kit" of parts so I don't get into the loop of "have a problem, order a part, wait, put in the part, find another issue, repeat." Might be too broad of a question, but I think there are more pins in my future and I'd rather be prepared.

Side note, I'm the guy that has more doubles of other tools (power or hand) then someone should have. Between home and a metal fab business, it's a little silly!!

Thanks for input and look forward to more.

If I wanted to get the machine up and running, and look at fixing the power supply later, what about replacing with a aftermarket? Now, I want this as original as I can, BUT I also want to play. A thought might be to get a new supply, from what i've read, plug and play, but I am only going from reading, not experience, then fix the original and swap back out at a later time. That way, I will have a chance to set up my repair bench properly and do it right the first time. Just a thought, but you've been kind enough to offer advice and I appreciate it. I am making notes since either way, it will be repaired. Also glad that someone hasn't hacked into this thing.

A little about this title, I bought this last year after 15 years of searching. When I had the $, they weren't around, when I was broke, a few were available, but price was high. This title was what my wife and I played at a bar while dating, and that was 26 years ago. This one is a keep...so is she. So, it's important that I do this right, also while getting it back up and running so we can continue to enjoy. A little down time is ok, but too much is dangerous...just like marriage!

Good to know. Regarding Rotten Dog boards, is your feeling that way with all boards? I've seen threads and talked to some locals about them, 50/50 on the votes. A few use them to get the machines up and running, then switch back out. At $400 for a MPU, not cheap, or even $80-$100 for a PS, but a few guys have quite a collection and time is always at a premium.

I just sent you a PM. Let's talk.

A little update on my problem:

I was working with Grumpy offline just because it worked out that way for the moment and was going to reply to forum with update, so here it is
As it stands, still not working. Replaced old chip with socket and new chip, garbled display, changed chip, clear display, same u41 error, checked power supply, seems to be doing what it is supposed to, maybe (?) As luck would have it, friend of a friend has a rotten dog board for this, brand new, thinking of swapping, look harder at mine, but see if new cpu fixes problem. Now I am contemplating my next move...which may be bourbon! Not giving up.

A huge thanks to Grumpy for his continued advice. Learning something each time and studying the machine a little more each time.

I appreciate the offer and I am at this point going to replace the CPU with a RD board, shelf the original and get into it at a later date. Then hopefully get the original back in. I'll post again once new board is in.

Grumpy, common denominator across the counrty! However, over the years, I've learned mine has every right to get mad, I usually deserve it.

Where would be without them?..I know my answer and it isn't pretty...you are all on your own.

Gents, and ladies if you're on here, a year ago I found pinside, I'm glad I did because "phone a friend" will be needed and appreciated.

"Cleaning" garage and then maybe a few rounds with some electronics.

Update:
At 11:31 pm, EST, the game roared to life after replacing the CPU with a "rented" rottendog board. I am now enjoying a beer and playing to see how it's working and I'm reminded that before this went wonky, all I wanted to do was replace a few bulbs and rebuild a flipper. I will do those after Glutoney Fest on Thursday, but will also begin looking at my old board or have it repaired.

Thank you to all who jumped in and provided advice. This is the start and definitely not the end. Looking forward to more. My other hobby is brewing beer, if this keeps up, I'm upping my qty of that!

Another update:
After playing the game for a while last night, I noticed the call outs and general sound were all at the same level and couldn't be turned down. While noticeable to me since I've played this title so many times, not sure if someone new would. Grumpy said it was an issue with the RD boards and a resistor is the cause, this RD is currently not mine, but a loaner and I won't be looking into changing it. However, if I do end up with it as my own or have one in the future, I would be interested in knowing where it is and how to change it.

After this experience, I can see having a RD as an option if you had multiple machines of similar type or were repairing boards and used it as a loaner for the person who wanted their game up right away until the original was repaired. However, at a cost of $350-$400 a board, you'd be one high class board repairer!

I think I'm going to work on my skills and repair boards as they require, but right now, I'm about to "ride the ferris wheel!"