My new to me LW3 does not have the plastic with the cat on it. Anyone have one left over they will be willing to sell. I’m also missing the air ball preventer plastic that goes under it but I think I can fabricate that one. My mounting posts aren’t tall enough to accept those two pieces but I’ll just have to fabricate posts and spacers.

Found the piece of plastic with the cat artwork.

When that question is asked the answer I have seen is “buy one on Amazon”. So, I did, yesterday.

However if your globe is in tact I would try to replace the motor. If you decide to buy the Amazon one I will purchase your globe from you as mine is missing.

Good morning

I’m in the process of refurbishing my new to me LW3 (first real pin) My shooter coil has a plastic striker that strikes the ball sending it into play. Presently there is nothing protecting the plastic striker. However my rubber kit came with a shooter tip. If I press it on the plastic coil insert there will be some interference with the retraction of the plunger rod.

Do you guys have a shooter tip installed? If someone could post a picture I would be greatly appreciative.

Thanks

Thanks for info. It didn’t look like the rubber tip would attach but since it came in the game specific rubber kit I was curious. I’m enjoying getting this game up to speed. It was totally inop when I purchased it. Now I can play! Waiting on new VUK coil and Q2,Q4 transistors.

Making progress.

I’ve got everything working at this time except the ball launch solenoid. It is locking on when I power up. I disconnected coil and installed new coil diode. For the time being I’m leaving coil disconnected. Replaced Q4 on PPB ( it was shorted on). The predrive transistors on MPU check good. They test identical to the others. The IC 7408 driving that coil circuit had been replaced by someone and a socket installed. I screwed a leg up getting the IC out and have a replacement being shipped. It’s a Chinese 7408. I hope they are legit. Also have a vintage version of 7408, SN74F08N enroute.

I’ve also got a test EPROM and logic probe on order.

My questions are

1. Can I test the solenoid output on CN12 for a short with controlling IC removed? It seems this may be a way to make sure Q27 and Q19 are not shorted. They test with a DMM identically to the other transistors in that area. I realize there will be no logic with IC removed but maybe a continuity test?

2. Reading a wiki guide online made me realize in the upper right of the MPU I have a special solenoid output area that is not used but may yet be shorted. If I determine a diode is shorted in this area can I just remove the diode or must it be replaced? I can’t find a chart showing which of these unused outputs may be tied to ball launch. Does anyone have a cheat sheet for the unused special solenoid circuit?

I finally figured out what was ailing my ball launch solenoid (locking on).

I removed the transistors on the MPU board again and still had continuity between ground and the header pin on CN12.

I removed the CN12 pin header and found a small amount of board erosion with gummy resin residue in the pits. Some alcohol clean up and voila! I replaced the pin header and now I’ve got a working LW3. Whew what a relief. I sure learned a lot about transistors during this process.

The circuit for that solenoid was shorting to ground under the header.

Correct. The IC was not an issue although it became one when I broke a pin after removing and replacing it several times. I really don't think the MPU transistors I replaced or the diode I replaced were issues either. They always tested good on the board and off the board. But...so many wiki guides and threads say replace these items if your main transistor on the PPB shorts. This lead me to keep going back to those items and treating them skeptically. I was just before unsoldering some of the "unused" special solenoid components because a great wiki guide said this is sometimes the most frustrating component to find faulty. However, I had purchased a logic probe and as I became more comfortable with that device there is no doubt it lead me to the faulty header pin. I could wiggle the pin and hear the logic probe's tone vary dramatically.

Today I conquered my last issues.

I repaired the left subway light and blue flasher in that area by finding an open resistor on the PPB (#3). I replaced it with #11 which is not used on our machines.

I repaired a column of lights. A control wire had broken off early in the string during my troubleshooting this morning. Whew! Not a board issue.

I added the plastic guard over the drop targets to prevent air balls and replaced the left saucer plastic that always breaks. Added plastic washer as guard.

Installed my magnetic Amazon police light by fabricating a light gauge steel circular plate which uses existing mounting holes/hardware.

I have ordered the components to add a Pin2DMD color DMD to the machine. Minimum order is five circuit boards (from Chinese fabricator) so I will have a few extra if any of you guys are interested in a color DMD in your machine just PM me and we can discuss it.

All that is left now are the cosmetics. I think I will enjoy the pin for a couple of months and wait on cooler weather before I start sanding the cabinet.

trueno92 I'll put your name on a board. That leaves one additional board I am willing to sell out of the five I have coming. The info below is from a PM I just sent out.

Total to USA ran $540 for five boards. LED panels were $48.30 for two panels which completes one 128 x 32 panel.

Total for a Data East 128 x 32 will be $156.30 plus a couple of connectors.

If you would like me to build it up and test then I will need you to make the $10 donation to Lucky1 and send me the activation key (wait until I get the boards working). I would rather do it this way as some people get boards that have issues that need to be resolved. I don't want you to receive a board from me that doesn't work. I will need to order more LED panels once I see that I can get a board functioning and like the results. The manufacture and shipping of the boards from China takes about six weeks according to the forum on VPUniverse.com. If you look at the forum site and go to the Pin2DMD threads you can learn a lot about what is going on with these boards. If you install Visual Pinball on your desktop you can play Lethal Weapon 3 (or any other colored game) with the free color DMD software. This will allow you to see the actual colorization as your real machine will display it during game play. For most actual pins the authors of the colorization require a $10 donation to receive the color software for your particular game so If this is the case with Lethal Weapon factor in another $10.

I am currently coloring Batman Forever and can attest that $10 is cheap for one of these project results. I have devoted two weeks of full time work to coloring the game and still have many issues with scenes that are not transitioning cleanly. ColorDMD gets $400 for a setup and that is probably a fair price considering all the work that goes into these projects. I do like the ColorDMD product having played it in gamerooms. Sometimes these hobby colorizations like my Batman Forever are not as "clean". However, the Lethal Weapon 3 colorization was well done and having played it on my VPin I can see no issues with the transitions and it is very well done. Malenko is the author and he is still active in the VPin community.

Your pic above looks like that pin is well lit up with LED's! What game will you be installing your Pin2DMD in if you get one of mine? Last Action Hero?

The three boards I am willing to pass along have been spoken for. Thanks guys. This will work out well for all of us. Don't send any money yet. I want to get the boards in my hand and get mine working before fully committing to shipping yours out.

Is anyone aware of a replacement source for the square rubber bumper on the apron? It is just below the Data East logo. Mine looks like a melted gummy bear.

I purchased a 866TLii EPROM programmer and installed the Chad 3.01 ROM today. Pretty neat code changes.

It was fun learning how the process of programming EPROM chips works. I’ll probably never use the device again but I’ve learned how to use a new tool!

The new code makes for a tougher game as the default setting requires you collect the saucers in order. Also 911 doesn’t spot by just shooting the orbit. I like the timed ball save, especially after shooting saucer 1.

I try to give a forward nudge as saucer 1 ejects to avoid the drain. My ramp is tough to climb also. When I got the pin there were no levelers installed and you could easily shoot the ramp. I installed levelers and still could not get the table sloped to satisfy the bubble. I can only get 6 degrees. Even 6 degree slope made the ramp tough. Sticking blocks under the back legs to get 6.5 degrees and sorta center the bubble makes ramp shots way too tough on my pin. With the blocks removed I think I’ve arrived at a good compromise (6 degrees).

I built up a Pin2Dmd and installed it along with Malenko’s color files. This mod really is worth the effort. Looks great.

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I sure hope Freezy comes out with a 64 color DLL for VPins. Until then you guys operating in the 64 color world have me iced out. ;(

Unsolder the brown wire (single wire) from all your non working solenoids and see if fuse still blows. Then use voltmeter to see if those unsoldered wires have continuity to ground strap or GND test point on one of your boards. I bet you have some bad coils and destroyed transistors and diodes. Very often the issue you describe.

Three display ROM’s? Mine has ROM 0 and ROM 3. Some only have one display ROM. You can see my dip switch positions. Also if your board was 1 rom and now you have two or vice versa there is a resistor that has to be altered. I know Chad describes it on his Pinballcode.com site.
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You can see my dip switches in the above pic.

I can reprogram them if you are in USA and mail to me with return label. No charge.

PM me if you need me to try and resurrect the chips for you.

So cool! I just received LED flipper buttons “red”. Didn’t even know flippers existed.

I’m going to try to powder coat my own armor. Yellow or Blue? I’ve ordered both colors in metallic.

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gdonovan question:

I am ready to start the restoration of my LW3 cab now that the electronics are repaired. I have the decal kit in blue so I don’t have to be terribly concerned with repainting every nook of the cab. I want to repair dings with bondo, then apply a couple of coats of blue before vinyl application.

The question is how hard was it to completely separate the head and playfield from the cabinet? Is it all molex connectors or did you have to snip wires?

I am debating separating and using spray gun or taping off and using brush and roller.

Thanks
Lane

I think I have what you need. I will be home Sunday and can check.

Power Board Replacement……..Done
MPU Repair…….Done
Coils Repaired…….Done
Pin2DMD……..Done
Code…….Updated

Now on to making it pretty! Another LW3 saved from the scrap heap!

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Mine is coming along. I have taken this opportunity to learn how to powder coat. I figured I could set up a powder coating operation for about the same price as hiring it out. And afterwards I can do my other pins for “free”! My wife was kind and helped me with the vinyl wrap today.

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Thanks. I used the color code a member posted earlier in the thread. It matched the old paint almost exactly. The decals are a little darker but I don’t think it’ll be enough to bother me. I got the decals off EBay. They are very thick vinyl. Thickest I have ever worked with. Reminds me of a swimming pool liner! I had to modify my install method to accommodate them. I cut a 4” strip of the backing paper off along the top, dry stuck that border and then peeled backing paper from remainder and applied with water/detergent agent. Otherwise the decal just slid around too much.

The border visible in the top photo is not paint/vinyl. It is vinyl/vinyl. Back box decals were too short so I spliced in a couple of inches of cutoff from the sides. Don’t tell anyone

I printed off some circuit boards that plug into the power supply and then the factory connector piggy backs to my board. It allows you to use a four position molex to grab 5 and 12 volts directly off the power board and not alter factory wiring.

$15 plus shipping.
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Work has me only home a few days this month but I’m still getting some things accomplished. Powder coated the coin door and pistol yesterday.

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It’s from Eastwood. I don’t have the code with me but it’s a single coat product. My limitation at the moment is the oven size. I bought a double oven for $100 and haven’t had time to modify it into a single larger oven. I will still not have enough space for the side rails. I’m considering just using the guts and fabricating a 4 x 4 x 6 oven. The only reason I hesitate is because of the space it will take up in the shop. Powder coating has turned out to be fun and rewarding. Striping the parts of the old coating is not so much fun

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Looking great wamonkey !

Pin2DMD will perform like your requesting. Just don’t load the color pallet file. Then In the menu tweak the four color pallet to your preference.

If you want a factory DMD I have one in great shape. $150.

I’m running Chad’s code. Mine stay down until all six are down. They then reset.

I had a coil locking on (VUK) when I purchased my pin. I chased the issue for weeks. Only after buying a logic tester was I able to do some real trouble shooting. It turned out to be corrosion under the connector assembly. I had to desolder and clean up the board. That said, the most common cause is a shorted diode. You’ve got to dig into the schematics to troubleshoot your issue. If your coil isn’t blowing a fuse or melting diodes I’d say your flipper board is functioning correctly as it would seem to be switching to low voltage as a hold current which is correct response to a constant “on” command.

I received vinyl wrap off EBay. Worked great on my restoration. Cabinet art work was horrible prior to my attention. I painted cabinet with proper blue color prior to applying vinyl. It gave me a better base for adhesion.

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The original art is silkscreened onto a painted cabinet. I used acrylic latex paint. I got the color code by having Home Depot scan the wrap. The wrap came off eBay but was actually shipped from a pinball wrap supplier as it turns out. I can’t name them from memory. I wanted a good, level, sealed base for the wrap to adhere to. Also the blue paint helped hide any uncovered areas.

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The main cabinet is three decals, left,right,and front. You must consider what happens as the machine is handled. If you let the wrap meet at the corner it will curl and lift over time. Especially where hands are rubbing it. If you wrap around the front an inch the vinyl adheres well to itself, stays tight in the 90 degree turn and doesn’t lift over time. Regarding the leg areas, I have MustangPaul’s clear LED leg protectors with felt between the leg protectors and the wrap. No issues there. I’m sure there are many good ways to perform this job. Mine has performed well in the two years since completing. Disregard the leg protector wires dangling underneath. I ran out of nylon wire clips and am waiting on the time to purchase more and neaten up installation.

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I used Bondo body filler to level areas of pealed plywood. I then sanded level and painted.

I do my own powder coating and always start with the legs. I think they stand out the most. I did metallic blue on LW3