Then check the white/blue wires for ac power during solenoid test.

I did basically the same thing with my High Speed probably 8 or 9 years ago. 12VDC rotating light (used stock dome) and a bridge rectifier to convert the AC to DC. Has always worked perfectly.

Now part of the club! Love this game.

Definitely getting more plays than my others these days because of the brevity of the games.

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Hi,

I’m fixing a F14 tomcat for a local museum in my hometown. It surely was a mess when I brought it home but now it’s booting again and I’m piecing things together, prob spent close to $600 in parts alone…

I’m still having problems with the diverters. When i got it both coils were fried and the lower was staying on (overfused). I replaced the tip 102 and predriver, but since I also was having an issue with the K1 relay (flippers) staying activw upon boot I decided to also replace the U50 which was acting weird when probing it.

Replacing the tip 102, predriver and U50 fixed the flipper relay and the coils for the diverters (new ones) are not staying on any more, but they don’t react in coil test or in game mode. The coils are fireing when grounding the TIPs

I also probed the U49 and all I get is hi’s except for the Vvc and ground which are low. I have no clue if this is correct or not?

My next step will be also replacing the U49, would you guys agree or is there something else I should look for? I’m kind of new when it comes to probing and I’m a slow learner reading the schematics and finding out what’s what. Can I also test maybee a PIA in coil test to determine if it’s doing what it is supposed to?

Any help in the right direction would be much helpful.

And also, if it helps, a couple of the flashers (now LEDed and ground strap gone on the resistor boards) are flashing on several of the coil test C side. Same flashers flashing on different coils - I have no idea if this has something to do with the ICs?

Also, I get different readings on the Qs (tip 102 and pre driver) and one of the legs seems to be shorted - but they are all new and tested good outside the board. I’m suspecting a IC or PIA is shorted inside and the problem follows further down the path, but I’m not sure…

Thank you guys - this forum is the absolute best in keeping these old gems alive and kicking!

Yep.

Listen to this dude. Treat him like Rufus on Bill and Ted. He knows what he is talking about.

I'm having a small issue with a bulb mod and I'm stumped.

Converted beacons to 12V. I wasn't super impressed with Comet's 13SMD towers since they're a bit short.

I bought 12V 3 watt 80 SMD tower bulbs off Amazon. They fit the beacons much better since they are longer. They do not illuminate in the beacons at all but light fine in the backbox flasher circuit. That circuit still is all incandescent and has the warming resistors.

I'm not sure why they aren't working. If anyone has any ideas, let me know. Other than "they're random Amazon LEDs" of course!

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B07M69NJ93

So you added a bridge rectifier to the circuit? If yes then you're new LEDs are polarity sensitive and you need to reverse the positive and negative wires on the bridge rectifier.

I'm using this board if you remember it. I'm going to reverse the wires at the socket.

Do my Comet LEDs have reverse polarity or are they not polarity sensitive?
F14 board (resized).png

These switches are having issues, they have a wierd plastic thing in front of the contacts and they almost never work even though they are making contact. What’s going on?

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So, Grumpy was right. Polarity was backwards and they now light!

I do like them better than the Comet LEDs, but I kind of want to search for a more obnoxious light as well. We'll see. I'm also getting 10.8 V at the sockets so I may change the resistor value if I can remember Ohms law.

I would reverse the wire on the lights connector on the board.

They are not polarity sensitive.

It wont make that much of a difference with a led.

So be excellent to each other?

Yes! Cause if everyone's F-14s work correctly, PARTY ON, DUDE!!!

I do not, but in a pinch I would try some aluminum tubing. You can get it at the local Ace hardware or on Amazon in various sizes.

K&S 3403 Round Aluminum Telescopic Tubing Assortment, 8 Pieces, Made in The USA https://a.co/d/cKLQqEN

Radium was close with ACE hardware but not the tubing, there are aluminum spacers and standoffs in the trays with all the nuts and bolts. You’ll find them there.

Swapped the U49 with a 74LS07 - Didn’t change a thing. The diverters are stone dead.

Any suggestions? CPU?

VCC, pin 14 needs to be a high, retest this since you replaced the chip.

Ok. All U49 shows all HI except ground (pin 7) that is LO. Don’t know if that is an improvement or not. The chip is now also socketed.

Tested U50 again and it’s showing
1 LO
2 HI
3 HI
4 LO
5 HI
7 HI

8 HI
9 HI
10 LO
11 HI
12 LO
13 LO
14 HI

The 8-14 side seems a little suspect to me.

The resistors R103 and R109 are shorted to ground on each side but the resistors on the other coils such as R94, R100, R106 and R97 does show resistance on the lower leg, aprox .400 in diode test.

Anyone running LED playfield flashers?

I'd like to, but it's probably quite blinding. The reds would probably be fine, blues maybe, and clears unbearable lol.

My F-14 is missing the W speaker grills, someone installed bare perf steel. Does anyone have a set of W Speaker grills?

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Do you have a 3d printer or access to one? There are places like Shapeways that will make prints for you as well.

Williams Speaker Panel:
https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:4811336

https://www.printables.com/model/61904-willaims-pinball-speaker-panel

some 3d printing services:
craftcloud3d.com
3dexperience.3ds.com
shapeways.com

The switches are isolated. The long blade does not score any points.
1) long blade to actuator wire form.
2) plastic insulator.
3) 1st contact switch.
4) spacer.
5) 2nd contact switch.
I believe this is how it works.

I think you mean pin #6 = HI

You are not testing the resistors correctly. Since you are using a logic probe to test the chip outputs, test both sides of the resistor with your logic probe.

So now you need to place the game in solenoid test and lock it on one of the diverters. Use your logic probe and test U-50 inputs and outputs for the circuit you are testing. Then test the base leg of the driver transistors. Let me know what you get.

Paint them black. Make a stencil of the Williams logo and give the grill a light coat of red paint.

Thanks guys,

Not looking for a 3D printed one or a homemade, looking for original.

Yep. Love it.

got em in mine - can see this thing from space for sure. i've got epilepsy warnings on my f14 and whirlwind.

The attract music is getting stuck on on my F-14, instead of just playing the tune for a few seconds it'll continue to play for hours. anyone have that happen? Any thoughts what could be causing it?

Mine did that once too. I assumed it was a trigger line somewhere from the MPU to the sound board, but it never happened again so I never dug into it. Curious to what the solution is...

still looking for some W logo speaker grills.

Thank you Grumpy for your effort!
Sorry, I have been out of town the previous week.
I made a fools variant of a drawing, hope you understand it. All tests are made in solendiod test with the top or bottom diverter chosen in menu. Also pulsed the zr-diodes.
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Yes! Forgot one. In attract mode U50 shows

Pin
1 LO
2 HI
3 HI
4 LO
5 HI
6 HI
7 LO

8 HI
9 HI
10 LO
11 HI
12 LO
13 LO
14 HI

Anyone have any thoughts on what could cause this?

Decided to make a little modification for my backglass to add a lightning effect check it out.

Looks good!

Is this a standard feature…? I just noticed this in another members post and I was like, yikes I don't have that. I would definitely think twice about shooting those kill/rescue targets to get the extra ball lit all the time. Just wondering if they added it on their own or if it’s standard configuration. Thanks for any replies and what a great site and group we have here….

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I don't have that post on my machine. I don't see it on ipdb either. It's the first time I see that mod.

This is correct.

Thanks for confirming… Would make things a bit interesting thats for sure.

Is this Translite real?

EB76A76D-CC57-4F65-81FC-0A7511398851 (resized).jpeg

what do you mean real

Looks like an advertising flyer not a translight to me.

The weird thing is those look like they are Motorola flags, not Williams, or at least I expect the logo to be oriented with the handle at the bottom.

Fan made photo

I wasn’t in the Air Force. But I don’t think those are standard issue shorts. By the way landing gear isn’t down at this point I think the landing gear needs to be down.

There's a plane?

Seriously considering an F14 as part of a trade. Are there any particular "be on the lookout for this" issues with F-14? Common wear or break points... unobtanium parts, etc?

Love Steve Ritchie, System 11s, and "ass kicker" games.

Thanks!

Bubbling inserts are super common, missing topper beacons, about $350 to acquire. Adding the missing 2 flashers is a must. Steve would be happy.