I just picked up my first EM, and while it is good overall shape and appears sound mechanically, it hasn't been played in years.
I can put a quarter through the slot and the motor inside the cabinet turns but no credits get added.
I understand that this era of machine shows Tilt when it turns on, but I don't have the schematic and I am not sure where to start (or literally how to start).
Any advice on this?
Thanks.
http://www.pinrepair.com/em/index.htm
That is about as helpful as it gets.
It's a learning curve but it isn't brain surgery. You can fix it with the help of the people on this forum and your hard work!
Congrats on the El Dorado! You found one of the most sought-after Gottliebs from that era.
No 1, get a schematic at the very least and I like to get the schematic/manual package because the manual comes with the start-up sequence for the game which tells you by step by step what's supposed to happen. It's hard to help someone without a schematic. Steve Young at Pinball Resource will get you a copy - call him for that.
As Garrett said, I would "go to school" on the pinrepair site.
Then, are you going to set your game on free play (all mine are but it's up to the individual)? If so, Clay has pictures on pinrepair on how to do. After you do that, check all tilt/bounce switches to make sure they're correct. Then, you need to go through all your score reels and steppers next because these will cause you the most problems for games not resetting, working correctly, etc. Report back with your progress.........
As a follow up. I found one broken wire, the green one that grounds to the coin door and another unrelated one. Sodlered it back to the door and the machine now credits up and starts.
By starting a game, I have another task though...the chime unit is not working.
I am pleased with the first couple of hours of progress though. These seem quite a bit easier to work through than solid state machines.
Quoted from EEE:These seem quite a bit easier to work through than solid state machines.
I feel the same way.
Congrats on the new adventure into EM pinball. The pinrepair guide will be your best EM friend as you learn about this new world.
Since you found one broken wire, look for others. There are three coils in the chime unit that all share a common ground. I'd take a close look there first. Odd that the entire unit doesnt work unless it is something like a broken wire.
Another follow up, the chime unit now works perfectly.
The chime unit was totally gunked up with the detriorated rubber backstop. What I mean is that where the three chime plungers rest until activated, there is a factory (?) rubber material that they touch. The plungers are hollow on the bottom and they all filled up with the rubber material.
That backstop had deteriorated to the point where it was gunking up outside of the plungers so they could not travel through the coil sleeve as they push to ring each chime.
All cleaned up and a new backing has been installed.
KT-GCHIME-01 $7.50ea found here.... http://pbresource.com/bells.html
This is everything you need to make your chimes work like new!
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Tucson, AZ