DE Star Wars Death Star Target not rising NEW PROBLEM: VIDEO ADDED

I'm trying to help my friend and don't know much about this machine. What's going on is the Death Star target isn't coming up. I go to test the bar motor and on the screen shows:

BAR MOTOR UP OFF
BAR MOTOR DOWN ON

I hold the start button to test it and nothing happens. Would the motor be bad and need replacing, or could it be something else? Any help would be appreciated. Thanks!

---UPDATE---NEW ISSUE---

The motor was bad, so I replaced that and it actually moves now (thank you for that help). However, the new motor is incredibly...choppy. It doesn't operate smoothly. And when in place, it'll bring the target down, but won't raise it back up. It seems to get stuck...the motor 'runs' but won't move the target. Any one else run into this? Does it mean the new motor is bad as well?

#2 10 years ago

GAM

gambit

Inactive member

Unknown

10y 11,400 276 6

Friend of me have same problem with his game, so i will follow this.

#3 10 years ago

BoP

Pinside member

OP
Quoted from jdpilot:
I'm trying to help my friend and don't know much about this machine. What's going on is the Death Star target isn't coming up. I go to test the bar motor and on the screen shows:
BAR MOTOR UP OFF
BAR MOTOR DOWN ON
I hold the start button to test it and nothing happens. Would the motor be bad and need replacing, or could it be something else? Any help would be appreciated. Thanks!

When I first brought my DE SW this was a problem with mine. Not saying it couldn't be something else with yours but the problem with mine was a burnt out motor. Replaced it and all good.

#4 10 years ago

JEF

jdpilot

Pinside member

I'll give that a shot then. Was it this motor?
http://www.marcospecialties.com/pinball-parts/14-7941

#5 10 years ago

CNH

ChadH

Pinside member

12y 92,400 2,859

Here is the motor:
http://mad-amusements.com/product.php?id_product=385

#6 10 years ago

CNH

ChadH

Pinside member

12y 92,400 2,859

Double check the existing motor first and make sure there isn't a loose connection.

#7 10 years ago

BoP

Pinside member

OP
Quoted from jdpilot:
I'll give that a shot then. Was it this motor?
http://www.marcospecialties.com/pinball-parts/14-7941

Yes that's the one. Though the one Chad has listed is cheaper and good advice to check for loose connections first.

#8 10 years ago

JEF

jdpilot

Pinside member

Thanks all. Yup, checked the wires before posting...everything seemed secure. He ordered the motor, so when it comes in and I get it installed, I'll post an update. Thank y'all again for all the help

2 weeks later

#9 10 years ago

JEF

jdpilot

Pinside member

#10 10 years ago

JEF

jdpilot

Pinside member

The original motor had a little capacitor connected to it. I reinstalled that just how it was originally...did that need to be there? That would be causing that issue, would it?

image.jpg

#11 10 years ago

CNH

ChadH

Pinside member

12y 92,400 2,859

That capacitor is normal.

Is there anything mechanical about the mechanism that is binding and preventing smooth operation? Make sure all is clean and smooth. I usually take apart these mechanisms and clean them up and put them back together. There should be no grease or oil on these.

It is also possible that the new motor is bad.

#12 10 years ago

JEF

jdpilot

Pinside member

Quoted from ChadH:
That capacitor is normal.
Is there anything mechanical about the mechanism that is binding and preventing smooth operation? Make sure all is clean and smooth. I usually take apart these mechanisms and clean them up and put them back together. There should be no grease or oil on these.
It is also possible that the new motor is bad.

Nothing binding or touching the motor arm, other than the round piece and the set screw holding it on the arm. The round piece isn't touching the plate.

#13 10 years ago

dkpinball

Inactive member

Algonquin, IL

12y 36,650 707 2

That motor has gears inside of it to get the RPM correct. It looks very much like they're slipping for some reason. If you bought the motor as new, I'd send the video and ask for a replacement.

If for some reason you can't get a replacement, I vaguely remember there being bent tabs holding the cover on. You might be able to get it open to see what the offending part is.

#14 10 years ago

JEF

jdpilot

Pinside member

It was a new motor. Ok, I'll get it traded out. Hopefully it's just my bad luck of the draw again

#15 10 years ago

BoP

Pinside member

From the video it does look like the gears are slipping. The only other thing I I can think to check if you haven't done so already. Have you raised and lowered the target with the death star top removed so that you can see for sure that there is nothing physically stopping the target coming through?

#16 10 years ago

GAM

gambit

Inactive member

Unknown

10y 11,400 276 6

Sorry for highjacking the post, but a friend of me also got problem with his Star wars. The motor works in testmode, but not when you play the game. Motor is always "down" and not going up... not sure where to start checking for him.

#17 10 years ago

JDS

judremy

Pinside member

Farmington Hills, MI

13y 67,800 2,213 5 8

Quoted from gambit:
Sorry for highjacking the post, but a friend of me also got problem with his Star Wars. The motor works in testmode, but not when you play the game. Motor is always "down" and not going up... not sure where to start checking for him.

Probably a bad motor as the OP had.

#18 10 years ago

dkpinball

Inactive member

Algonquin, IL

12y 36,650 707 2

Quoted from gambit:
Sorry for highjacking the post, but a friend of me also got problem with his Star Wars. The motor works in testmode, but not when you play the game. Motor is always "down" and not going up... not sure where to start checking for him.

Do the upper and lower limit switches register?

#19 10 years ago

JEF

jdpilot

Pinside member

Quoted from BoP:
From the video it does look like the gears are slipping. The only other thing I I can think to check if you haven't done so already. Have you raised and lowered the target with the death star top removed so that you can see for sure that there is nothing physically stopping the target coming through?

Nope, it moves up and down by hand. I'll put the replacement new motor in and see if that's the issue. Any one have any leads on the yellow target itself? My friends has a round one in it, and after finding out it isn't correct, he wants the original one. Those little buggers are extremely hard to find...

#20 10 years ago

BoP

Pinside member

OP
Quoted from jdpilot:
Nope, it moves up and down by hand. I'll put the replacement new motor in and see if that's the issue. Any one have any leads on the yellow target itself? My friends has a round one in it, and after finding out it isn't correct, he wants the original one. Those little buggers are extremely hard to find...

You don't see them all the time but the targets are about. The real catch is the price, very expensive. Keep an eye on eBay and you'll find NOS ones do come up. To my knowledge no one has repo'ed them yet but there was a recent thread here on Pinside with someone looking to do these.

#21 10 years ago

BoP

Pinside member

He's the thread, http://pinside.com/pinball/forum/topic/de-star-wars-death-star-target
Doesn't look like this went anywhere though. No word from the OP in 12months.

#22 10 years ago

JEF

jdpilot

Pinside member