(Topic ID: 118866)

Dirty Harry gun issues/Gun won't "calibrate"/FIXED

By indypinhead

9 years ago


Topic Heartbeat

Topic Stats

You

Linked Games

#1 9 years ago

I'm having issues with my gun on Dirty Harry.

When I fire up the game, the gun starts to initiate, but it just continues to turn back and forth.

I checked the micro-switch under the playfield. It works fine in switch edge test.

Any ideas as to what I should look at next?

#2 9 years ago

Run the gun test and make sure the switches are reporting during that test. The cam under the gun pushes on the switches and it might not be pushing far enough to activate the switches. The actuator arm on the switches may need to be adjusted.

#3 9 years ago

The switch registers fine in gun test mode. I only see 1 switch though.

#4 9 years ago

Yeah probably one switch. I get STTNG confused as I think there are two on that one. I assumed maybe you were testing the switch with your finger. Maybe something with the motor board not turning the gun off. That would be my next guess.

#6 9 years ago

If it is the board, I think I'll get this one instead...it's a lot cheaper:

http://mad-amusements.com/product.php?id_product=1453

#7 9 years ago

It might not be the motor board but Q36 on the power driver board that's locked on. Test that transistor first. But yep that's the motor EMI board.

#8 9 years ago

When you go into gun test mode in the settings, is the gun turning without you pressing the +/-? If the gun only turns while you are asking it to in test, I don't think it's a problem with a transistor.

#9 9 years ago

When I go into gun test mode, the gun is idle until I push the "+"

It continues to run until I shut it off by pressing the "-"

#10 9 years ago

I don't remember, is that normal or is it only supposed to run while you are holding the button down?

Quoted from indypinhead:

When I go into gun test mode, the gun is idle until I push the "+"

It continues to run until I shut it off by pressing the "-"

#11 9 years ago

Also, you let the gun initialize for 3 or 4 minutes, right? It's not that quick a process....

#12 9 years ago

That's weird. In switch edge test does the switch under the playfield register as switch 76 'gun position'? Just seeing if that is in fact what it's registering as so as to eliminate a diode or switch matrix issue. If you press it 20 times does it always register as switch 76? Does a game start? Any credit dots?

#13 9 years ago

When I fire up the machine...there are no credit dots.

I remember it cycling once, maybe twice...bfore.

Now it continuously cycles...each time getting slower and slower...as if the motor is wearing out. I'd be afraid to let it cycle for too long...I'm sure, eventually, the motor will just stop working all together.

#14 9 years ago
Quoted from acpinlover12:

Also, you let the gun initialize for 3 or 4 minutes, right? It's not that quick a process....

That's a good point. I don't think it's that long. But after I run the test it does a fast sweep, followed a slightly slower sweep and keeps doing this 7 or 8 times (maybe a minute tops) until it's a slow sweep.

#15 9 years ago

It won't start a game...it just says gun initializing, please wait.

I went into settings/disable gun...The game plays fine...even the gun, (even though I just set the machine to disable gun).

I'm not sure if this is related...but my slingshots aren't working either.

#16 9 years ago
Quoted from indypinhead:

I'm not sure if this is related...but my slingshots aren't working either.

OK so did you check fuses?

I would surely check your backbox connections.

#17 9 years ago

The slingshot switched were closed...I've adjusted them.

I have deeper problems...

Every time I turn the machine off, then back on...it goes to "factory settings installed".

None of my settings are keeping.

I'm going to take a look at the battery holder...see if maybe it's a bad solder joint. (I JUST put in new batteries).

#18 9 years ago
Quoted from indypinhead:

Every time I turn the machine off, then back on...it goes to "factory settings installed".
None of my settings are keeping.
I'm going to take a look at the battery holder...see if maybe it's a bad solder joint. (I JUST put in new batteries).

Look for simple first. Sometimes all you need to do is move the battery holder points out a little bit with a screwdriver to make better contact.

#19 9 years ago

I went ahead and replaced the battery holder...

The factory reset issue is solved.

I ordered the motor board.

Hopefully, that will solve that problem.

#20 9 years ago

When my gun initializes, it gets slower and slower then springs back to life. I think it's normal. I think it's taking a bunch of readings and then making adjustements from there.

Turn the game on, let it initialize the gun for 10 minutes. The motor going for 10 minutes won't do any harm to it. Also, my gun fires a bunch as well, seems normal.

Sounds like you are not letting it initialize long enough, that could be the only issue.

Quoted from indypinhead:

I went ahead and replaced the battery holder...

The factory reset issue is solved.

I ordered the motor board.

Hopefully, that will solve that problem.

#21 9 years ago

Make sure you don't have a bad opto(s) in the gun or a broken wire.

#22 9 years ago
Quoted from schudel5:

It might not be the motor board but Q36 on the power driver board that's locked on. Test that transistor first. But yep that's the motor EMI board.

I had this same problem with my dirty harry and i replaced Q36 and everything started to work fine again.

Talking to person who makes the emi motor board, they said that there should never be a problem on that board since there is so little going to it.

#23 9 years ago

I know it takes minutes for that motor to configure itself, as everyone else has mentioned.

#24 9 years ago

Before my shop job, the gun calibrated itself pretty quick...It's never take "minutes" before.

I'll replace the Q-36 soon....I have a lot of transistors lying around.

#25 9 years ago

UPDATE

I changed the Q36 transistor.

Still no luck in getting this repaired.

Do you guys think I need to change the pre-driver transistor as well?

I'm still waiting on the EMI motor board I ordered from Mad.

#26 9 years ago

I don't think you needed to replace Q36, or the pre-driver, or the EMI board.

Quoted from indypinhead:

None of my settings are keeping.

The machine lost it's settings and also calibration information.
Already said by other people... just wait till its finished calibrating.

#27 9 years ago
Quoted from zaza:

The machine lost it's settings and also calibration information.
Already said by other people... just wait till its finished calibrating.

Thanks zaza

My fear is that when I fire up the machine, the gun rotates somewhat fast...but it keeps getting slower and slower as it continues to rotate.

If I just let it continue to rotate, I'm afraid the motor will "burn up" and no longer work at all.

This gun re-calibrating can seriously take several minutes to accomplish the task of calibrating?

#28 9 years ago

Well....you guys were absolutely right.

It took about 2 minutes, but the gun is calibrated now.

Guess I should've listened to you guys...(us "old-farts" can be kinda hard-headed at times).

I was just paranoid that the gun motor was going to burn up.

Thanks again guys...it looks like I'll be playing a lot more DH now.

#29 9 years ago

Now I need to work on my Mousin Around issue.

The ramp ball diverter isn't working...says to check switch 49, (which I've replaced).

Switch tests OK in edge test...the ball diverter works fine in coil test.

#30 9 years ago

Patience is rewarded !
After successful calibrating, the next time the machine starts up, it should only turns a few times

#31 9 years ago

Yep zaza...you're right.

It only rotates a couple times...and it's ready to play....(ah...just like old times).

#32 9 years ago
Quoted from indypinhead:

Now I need to work on my Mousin Around issue.

The ramp ball diverter isn't working...says to check switch 49, (which I've replaced).

Switch tests OK in edge test...the ball diverter works fine in coil test.

About the mousin' around,

is switch #49 the one who triggers the software to open or close the divertor ?
Or is the diverter normally opened when switch #44 (right ramp enter) is activated ?
Too long ago that I've seen this machine so not sure how it worked

#33 9 years ago

glad you got your dirty harrold playing Tim! now go get some arrests (I was 1 shot away from 2 arrests last night).

Promoted items from the Pinside Marketplace
$ 37.50
Boards
Pinball Haus
Boards
From: $ 27.00
Boards
KAHR.US Circuits
Boards
From: $ 209.00

Reply

Wanna join the discussion? Please sign in to reply to this topic.

Hey there! Welcome to Pinside!

Donate to Pinside

Great to see you're enjoying Pinside! Did you know Pinside is able to run without any 3rd-party banners or ads, thanks to the support from our visitors? Please consider a donation to Pinside and get anext to your username to show for it! Or better yet, subscribe to Pinside+!


This page was printed from https://pinside.com/pinball/forum/topic/dirty-harry-gun-issuesgun-wont-calibrate and we tried optimising it for printing. Some page elements may have been deliberately hidden.

Scan the QR code on the left to jump to the URL this document was printed from.