This is what I saw in the read-me file for the updates. It really depends on who is playing and their preference. However, I did find it really annoying to be playing, getting the Tortuga multiball and then the next game I played would need to send several balls up the ramp to get the first multiball. Finally after starting a new game, almost finding it impossible to get the first mulitiball if I didn't shut down the game and re-start it.

(From Read-me file)

Pirates of the Caribbean
Release Notes.

POTC V6.00 - January 21, 2008
SYS 1.38
- USB back up will now dectect a full thumb drive.

Changes from 5.00
- Increased a few of the incendential scores.

POTC V5.00 - September 27, 2007
Changes from 4.00
- FIX the tourtuga difficulty was not reseting properly between games.
- Added chest award redundancy. If the enter chest opto isnt working
the chest will do its work.
SYS 1.31
- default 75 cent play

'That's it for the updates from V4.00'

Also, the read-me file is part of the download. Makes it hard to find at first.

Hope that helps.

Yeah, They make those updates for a reason. Most contain fixes for bugs. And it looks like this one is a big fix on the Tourtuga multiball. Never played mine on 4.0 I updated it as soon as I got it in the house. Thanks for posting.

When I got my pin, it was an older version (4.0?). I found out about the update and tried to install. My board has a wire jumper on it (assuming from factory) that was soldered poorly and didn't allow the update. Found it, fixed it and installed the update with the pin working great.

Except, it just doesn't want to give me crazy points for no reason.

I found a solution to this. Since the part is non conductive and cleaning just temporarily (like 1 game wise) resolves it I waxed it very lightly with the wax I use on the playfield and then cleaned it so no wax was visible. Now no squeaking for the last week or so.

Reading back through the posts I saw someone talking about using vinyl auto detailing clear to protect the tortuga spinner. Since mine is still pristine I was thinking of giving it a try since it's cheap and easily available.

https://www.amazon.com/VViViD-Clear-Protection-Choose-Including/dp/B01LWPKZCF

Has anyone given it a go? I was thinking mylar wouldn't be grippy enough. I was also thinking this could possibly be used for protecting the right ramp one way gate in a pretty invisible way. Might give that a try too.

I ordered a new compass decal for the spinning disc as mine was completely gone. I got it home yesterday and it looks just aweful. Should it really look this bad? Can someone please post a photo of the original compass?

20200730_201948 (resized).jpg

If you are talking about the texture, it's supposed to be there. It helps grab the pinballs so they can hit the targets. Plus, that texture crap will go all over the play field with future game plays.

So that’s the “snow” that is constantly coating my pinballs and playfield? I long suspected it was the spinning disc. It’s constantly shedding flakes of plastic. Is there a better decal?

I emailed pinball life back and forth a few times about this and I couldn’t convince them that the decal was causing it. I put Mylar over the new disk decal and it magically stopped snowing

is the mylar grippy enough for the spinning disk? The original decal appears to have a nice texture to grab the ball. It's one of the reasons I'm going to try the vinyl. No snow on my machine yet but want to protect the graphic.

Actually, I was referring to the low res quality and bad colors. Is the original like that too?

I think so. I believe all the compass decals, including the original, are pretty low res. The clearest version I’ve seen is from Mad Amusements, but it’s pretty much the same. To me it looks slightly clearer. You can read some numbers on the compass.

I had to get a decal for mine when I got my machine. The original decal on my machine at the time was about the size of a quarter. So I had to buy elsewhere and it looked about the same as yours. Sorry, that that's not muck help.

Not that I know of, but the mylar option sounds pretty good. My current decal is worn pretty good. I took a copy of Jack's compass, printed it out and laminated it. I want to give that a try and see how well it does. I'm currently cleaning and adding a few more mods so I don't expect it to be done soon to tell you how it is. But will update on the good and bad.

Where did you order that? I have ready many don’t come with the textured surface and that key to have yo get the ball circulating around the compass feature. Below is a picture of my original sticker. My machine was hardly used since new and was all original when I got it.

The original stickers do create that snow unfortunately. Mine was real bad when I got it. I vacuumed the playfield out weekly for a few months and I played the game very often. Now I hardly get any. Seems if you use and vacuum the game often you get caught up the the snow shedding eventually. I was considering getting a new sticker to hopefully have less snow but I am good now. Just took some time.

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I just ordered one from Pinball Life. I’m hoping the current one will stop shedding the snow like yours did. I vacuum the pf and clean the balls every few weeks, but we don’t play it too often. Great game tho, we love ours. It was one of the pins my wife and I started out playing 10-12 years ago.

So I kinda lied about the Mylar. Another collector/operator said he had really good luck using the clear gorilla tape to protect target decals and other impact areas so that’s what I used.

The ball flies around great and usually makes it a couple rotations after the post drops.

Thanks for the pic. I think yours looks way better than mine. I ordered mine from a swedish site free-play.se but it's the same p/n 802-5001-92 as the one that's available from marcos.

I'm curious if it was common back in 2006 for the art work to be a bit off. My machine is absolutely pristine and plays beautifully but I have noticed that the inserts are not even close to being lined up with the playfield art. Most noticeable on the circle inserts.

While going through old tech notices from Stern it looks like I'll need to do some oiling of the gearbox for tortuga as mine is a mid 2006 model.

https://sternpinball.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/sb169.pdf

and I've definitely found a number of these guys loose.

https://sternpinball.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/sb168.pdf

IMG_20200810_133919255 (resized).jpg

IMG_20200810_133928530 (resized).jpg

My left flipper recently started sticking in the up position. I know it's a mechanical problem because it stays up after I turn the power off. I think I need to get one of those rebuild kits and rebuild that flipper. Is this a good guide for me to follow or is it only applicable to older games? https://pinside.com/pinball/forum/topic/vids-guide-to-upgradingrebuilding-flippers

Vids guide works. As does Butch's video.

LTG : )

Thanks LTG, that video was really helpful!

Are you the original owner? I got mine from a Chuck E. Cheese and a lot of it was in terrible condition, to include the shooter lane. Mine was made Oct 12, 2006. The Technical Manager at the store I got it from definitely did not take care of it properly. However, in his defense, he had to take care of over 100 games/rides as well as the kitchen equipment in the store.

Plus, only someone like us would really take care of these properly than having to get it fixed quick to ensure they keep getting money. I wished the broken things were fixed before I got it. Could't beat the price though, about $1700. But put in several hundred to fix up and mod.

This is after I removed almost all items on the playfield for the extensive cleaning and polishing that was sorely needed. While the shooter lane does have wear, it seems a little deep on the left, plus the damage along the right side wall. I installed a stainless steel plate on the wall to stop any more damage.

Took about 6 months to repair and clean. Of course, that was weekend and some after work time. That was 3 years ago.

DSC_8181 (resized).JPG

Here to ask fellow owners if this screw has a home and where I should look. I found it laying in bottom of my pirates games when I flipped up playfeild found in area below tortuga spinner. Did look around some but nothing jumped out. Game had been in storage state for awhile so it may have come from elsewhere.

IMAG1494 (resized).jpg

On coin door inside holding a coin chute in place.

LTG : )

Thanks LTG your were correct. My game was routed in its past so just started going through the game making a list of issues and things that need tlc. Replaced about 7 bulbs so far that i found just looking around. Did notice a few leds in this game that aren't very bright. All 3 pop bumbers look to have one or more surface mount leds out. The upper right ramp dividers at walk the plank look really dim. As per factory manual i see the are supposed to be led.

The treasure chest lid opens but closes slowly/jerky will check out plunger assembly to lid probably dirty sleeve. But the one i going tackle is the sails on pirate ship they don't got down but in test mode you here a clicking and they wiggle some. have left them in down state because ship will not sink otherwise. Seen some posts about coils issues but more suspect dirt are some sort of binding.

LTG. Your The Man!!! Pinside should send you a check weekly. For all the times you help us pinsiders out.

Much appreciated sir.

Ted

Remove the ship. Clean everything. Grease or oil where needed. Run new wires for the ship sail coils, raise and retract, from coil lugs to connector. They break internally where you can't see them. May pass a continuity check, but when moving problem remains.

LTG : )

Does anyone who painted the back of the heart in the chest have a picture showing how much white paint they used? I would also like to see a picture of the heart being illuminated after this mod. Thanks.

I did not paint it, I used baking paper to difuse the light. Works great and easy to get out if do not want it anymore.

I did the same. Tried two and three layers and I liked three layers. Just taped it in. I'm going to get some model paint to touch up the gold on mine as the letters are not very readable due to the paint.

This is not about the HEART lights, but about the trunk in general.
Matt at Back Alley painted mine. He does such great work on all his stuff.
Not sure if he is still doing these or has time.
It's a nice upgrade

IMG_6117 (resized).jpg

I painted it myself, get some good acryllic paint markers. Works great.

6D74BB71-762D-4D93-821C-57474A0E9547 (resized).jpeg

Those both look great

Where did you get that wine barrel spot light? Looks great.

If you dig through all the posts there are some pictures. It looked like they put a thin coat down on the back. Like others I used Parchment paper and four layers. It helped a lot and was easy to do. Just keep adding layers until you are happy.

Made that myself. Used playmobil barrels, paint and added element of mini spotlight in it.

7015225 (resized).jpg

mini_flashlight__51815.1354809148 (resized).jpg

The mod couples are doing a great one. But not cheap.
https://pinside.com/pinball/market/shops/1080-the-mod-couple/00821-hobbit-pinball-new-custom-barrel-spot-lights-mod-upgrade-kit

I think they used to sell only the barrels. I bought mines a couple Years ago and add regular spotlights inside

D57DE24D-DD37-41C8-96C8-2CDA479391F0 (resized).png

Thanks for everyone's suggestion on using 3 or 4 layers of parchment paper. I used 3 layers. Before & after and doing the mod pictures.

POTC Heart Mod02 (resized).JPG

POTC Heart Mod03 (resized).JPG

POTC Heart Mod05 (resized).JPG

POTC Heart Mod07a (resized).JPG

I am going to need to do that mod.

The chest parchment paper mod is by far the best cheap improvement to the game.

Does anyone know how to troubleshoot a stock DMD? I have one that the display is very dim compared to my other older Stern pin (TSPP). I've read it's to do with the voltages, but not sure where to check.

Manual would help. Measure power to the big connector on the DMD.See if any are low.

Or swap it with your other game. Then you'd know DMD or power to it.

LTG : )

one of these on facebook for $10500 if anyone is interested.

This is the Stern forum and not JJP.

10500 for a Stern POTC, I will sell mine