PinBobF you should update your board issue

Did you verify with a meter that the switches themselves work reliably?

Not sure if you are asking PinBobF or epeabs ? Thats a good point, I have not actually checked my coin door switches with a meter. But that brings up another question for me. Does anyone have a few pictures from different angles of the wiring at the switches themselves? You never know on a "new to me" machine what is wired correctly or not.

I found my problem on the coin door switches. The IJ4 connector on the CPU had all three wires off one spot. Locations 1, 2 and 3 were being used and #4 was open, yet #1 is the key. Moved all three wires over one spot to locations 2, 3 and 4, and the coin door switches work properly. But even setting the background sound to on, it is still not there. Do I need a new sound ROM?

My other interesting issue is that when pressing the right flipper, I am scoring 10 points (which is the amount for the slingshots). I have opened up the slingshot contacts and it is still occurring. The left flipper also scores some points, maybe 30 or 40. I have also tried banging on the playfield but not really getting anything to score.

You have to make sure you're setting the setting that matches your ROM type yellow or green look in gallery for the page that explains the differences.

Thank you @slochar. I think that was part of the problem, I had looked at the wrong page for adjusting with the green roms. Setting #31 (new number) to 01 should give me the background sound throughout the game, but it isn't still.

Can anyone help me with an issue I’m having with my Flash?

Up until yesterday, everything was working fine, I’ve been playing it since I bought it about a year and a half ago. I realized it would probably be a good idea to change out the AA batteries, since it had been over a year.

I changed those out and put the back glass back in and turned it on. I figured I would have to cycle through the settings at the coin door to get it back to free play. However, upon powering it back up, the display read “0486 2” in the top left display and “04 00” in the bottom left display.

I can’t cycle through the settings past this. If I push the switch it will cycle from “04 01”through “04 35” and not advance to 05, 06, 07 etc.

I took a volt meter to the new batteries to see if they were good and all are reading ~1.6V. I can also get the machine into attract mode. I just can’t advance past function 04.

Any tips on what the problem may be? It’s probably something simple, I just haven’t ran across this issue before.

Thanks

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Turn it on. When it ways "0486 2", toggle the power on and off again quickly. It should clear the memory and come up. You'll have to reset your settings. In the future, you can change the batteries with the power on (carefully) and not lose settings.
Also, consider putting in fuses before your bridge rectifiers. It's simple, quick, and may save you some smoke if those BRs fail.
https://pinside.com/pinball/forum/topic/vids-guide-to-bulletproofing-williams-system-6/page/2#post-945742

I do need to get around to those fuses soon. Thanks for the reminder and link.

I tried what you suggested and it worked. I was finally able to access all of those functions. Next time I change the batteries I’ll do it with power on as you said.

I appreciate the help.

Just got my first machine, Flash. It is clear there has been some humidity issues probably. The front of the cabinet has a slight warp in the plywood. Is there a way to straighten out the plywood on a pinball cabinet?

I’ve been down this road before but still can’t seem to get it fixed. My game is shutting down when both flippers are hit at the same time. Shuts down. Reboots fine and plays when I turn off and on. At least until I hit the flippers again.

I replaced all the caps on power supply board as recommended by others.

Any other suggestions? Is it worth sending all the boards out to be bulletproofed? If so, any recommendations?

Just joined due to an estate sale. Gonna do a full restoration.

Anyone know whose post this was? I’d planned on following up, but looks like it expired before I did so…

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I just ordered 10 Retro Pinball Upgrade version 102 boards. I plan on keeping 2 or 3, so I will have 7 extras if anyone is interested. Hopefully I should have the boards in early July 2023. The plan is to integrate this board into my Flash, which currently has a Rottendog MPU327. My goal is to re-theme the machine as Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure. I think I will make a new thread to track my progress.

Currently doing a restore. Bought this locally in an estate sale for cheap. No idea how long it has been since it was on and working. So did a hardtop and coming together. New lane guides on the way.

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I like how you've emphasized the black and red; it ties the cabinet, backglass and playfield together a bit. Flash is color challenged - especially in the mismatch of blues on backglass, playfield and plastics. Your game looks nicer.

Also, good idea on the wedge sockets in the pop bumpers. I'm changing mine next week.

Right Sling on my Flash is locked on at power up.
Had a super weak coil w/ a damaged capacitor on the switch. Replaced Cap and Coil.

Rottendog Board. No schematics in hand...

Anyone know which Transistor I should be testing/replacing?

Thanks.

Great work! Do you have an estimate of hours you put into this?

Guitarded. Try Q8.

Does anyone have scans of all of the labels inside of the machine, like voltage warnings, inspection stickers, etc?

http://www.pinballrebel.com/pinball/cards/

Probably 30 so far. This is my second hard top. This one went much faster now that I know what I am doing. Added lane guides, inkochnito bord to replace the bridge recrifiers, and LED’s and a mirrored backglass.
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Thank you so much! Very helpful!

Turned it on tonight, and no smoke…..so a good thing.

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Got it finished. Actually plays and didn’t go up in smoke.

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If anyone could take a nice, hi-res pic of the full underside of their Flash playfield straight on, I would really appreciate it. There is one in the images gallery already, but it isn't that clear when you zoom in. I would like to use it as a reference when I am done restoring mine. FYI, I did take pics before I depopulated the underside of the playfield, but everything was so dirty, it is sometimes hard to tell the different color wires apart. Also, there were some missing things and questionable repairs. Thanks in advance.

Ok, trying to figure this out - System 6 MPU. MPU won't boot.

That's not my question, but instead it is:

There are 6 sockets, identified as IC26 (PROM 3 ), IC22 (PROM 2), IC 21 (PROM1), again system 6 MPU. This is the 'top' row at the bottom left of the board.

Bottom row:

IC20 (ROM no.1), IC 17 (ROM no.2), IC15 (n/u)...

And looking at the IPDB site, the ROM files in that zip are a total of 4. GAMEROM.716 (2716 sized), GREEN1.716 and GREEN2.716, and finally SOUND.716.

When I got the board, it was populated with five roms, the top row and two left on the bottom row. The two bottom row ROMS were flipper green 1 and 2.

I know PROM3 was hosed, busted legs and put on upside down. AMP sockets. Have to replace those.

But my question is..after all this rambling....how many ROMs does this game use and where do they go on a Sys6 MPU?

I'm referring to Manual Addendum "No. WMA486-2".

I have viewed the readme from the ZIP file on IPDB, but can't follow as the IC locations are not 1 for my Sys6 MPU board. For example, GAMEROM shows location is IC14, which is not used on Sys6 MPU.

If I don't have a complete set (4 vs 5) - where are the rest?

THX!

Hi! Bottom row is from left to right: IC20 - IC17 - IC14
In your case IC14 is not populated because PROMs are installed in IC21, IC22 & IC26.
So, since you have PROM #3 to be replaced and also you already have both green ROM version, you can burn the Gamerom.2716 on a 2716 eprom and place it in IC14 socket. That's all.
A single 2716 is more reliable then 3 PROMs.
Of course, Sound1.716 will be not installed on the CPU board itself but on the sound board located in the cabinet.

Beautiful! Thanks for the reply!

I found the archive from Leon Borre's blog on PinWiki, and I was able to follow a little bit. Your explanation made more sense to me.

I'm beginning to have a better understanding about the ROMs, but having trouble gaining understanding of the different PROM/EPROM/EEPROM capacities from the part numbers printed.

Does someone have a link to this?

Probably wrong forum.

TIA!

Anyone know where to get a replacement speaker for this game? Don't need anything fancy, just need a replacement as my cone has a rip.

Just wanted to share the paint colors I used to repaint my Flash cabinet. I think it turned out close to the original. Hard for me to tell as the original cabinet paint had been worn down and painted over with the wrong color red.

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If someone has the chance, I could use some good pics of the Wiring to the Right Slingshot Switches.
Having issues getting mine working properly and it looks like I am not the first guy to try!

Thanks in advance

Joined the club this weekend. I wasn't looking for a project as I'm just starting an STTNG restoration (which will take me to summer 2024) but a pinsider local to me was passing this Flash along for a friend on the cheap. Going to stick it in the corner of my garage for the time being - I'll get to it after I finish STTNG. Flash, Black Knight, and Flight 2000 were my favorite games as a 13 year old hanging out in the arcades.

Playfield is surprisingly nice - a little planking, but hardly any paint loss at all, even around the inserts. All the plastics are there and flat with no chips or cracks. All mechs are complete. Side rails, coin door, and lockdown bar should restore to a stainless shine with a little effort. Might be interesting to clearcoat the playfield and lock in the patina. Would seem a shame to hardtop this if I go the full restore route but they did make over 19,000 of these in 1978 so it's not like they're rare or anything.

Cab is rough. Back of the lower cab and the back of the head unit have significant water damage - both back panels will need to be cut out and replaced. The neck is busted, I'll need to fashion a replacement there too. The floor is solid but the supporting trim on the underside is starting to break away so that'll need some reinforcement. Otherwise, the rest of the cab seem pretty ok - a little bondo here and there to fill in some gouges and a Pinball Pimp stencil and it could be good as new.

Backglass looks ok from a distance if you don't look at it too hard. Some not-so-great attempts by previous owners trying to make up for the flaking artwork. CPR makes a nice mirrored repro of Flash if, again, I decide to go the full restoration route.

PCB's "don't work" according to the previous owner - will go thru those on my bench first and see what we have. The System 4 MPU and Power board look pretty clean except perhaps for a slightly toasty area on the Driver board.

I did strip the backbox already today to get ready for figuring out how I'm going to replace the rear panel....the water damaged MDF is long past trying to save. The backbox shielding is very, very stained from 70's and 80's nicotine....nasty as all get out. I was thinking I'd have to recreate the shielding (galvanized roof flashing cut to size) but my can of Crazy Clean is doing a nice number on the stains. I may be able to keep the originals which would be nice - it's a hassle cutting down the roof flashing to fit and getting the holes just right (even with the originals as a template).

I don't know yet if I'm just going to get this thing sturdy and running as a player's condition machine as-is and move it on or give it the full restoration treatment. I've got several months to think about it.

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Hi all,

I'm thinking of joining the club. The one I might be getting has lots of cupped inserts so I was looking at getting insert leveling mylar by the pinball scientist.

Thing is, if we get it we only have two weeks to get it playing nice before a competition (and we live in the UK so shipping takes a little time)

So if possible could someone measure the diameter of the main bonus inserts above the flippers and the others pictured so I know what mylar to order?

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I picked up a project Flash last week and I'm getting it ready for a playfield swap. Couldn't find a playfield wiring diagram on ipdb.com and, much to my dismay, I can't seem to find one anywhere with a Google and Pinside search. Starting to think one doesn't exist? My project Flash is inop and while I'm working on the board repair and waiting on parts, I figured I start on the playfield. I don't trust a lot of the wiring hacks I see and would really like a playfield wiring diagram / single source of truth to go by.

Does such a thing exist? This is my 8th restoration and the first title I've run into that doesn't appear to have a playfield wiring diagram.

I just drilled out the lock on my new Flash project last night. Looks like I have a lot of documentation. I’ll look for a wiring diagram tonight.

OK.

Since nobody has pics to share, can anyone confirm the wiring on their slings for me?

On the Flash I am trying to finish up:
The Left Sling wiring comes from the Harness to the Tab on the Sligshot Switch with the Capacitor.

On the Right, however, the wiring is mirrored. Harness feeds the opposite switch without the Capacitor on it.

I am thinking that sometime in the past, it has been rewired incorrectly? I know someone changed out the coil, previously and the solder work is definitely not factory.

Here are some pics of my right and left slings.

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If anyone is interested in following a new Flash project restoration, I started a thread this evening:

https://pinside.com/pinball/forum/topic/1979-williams-flash-restoration-1

I am out of the club. Mine is up for sale. Players condition. One hour south of Chicago Pinball Expo.

Machine - For Sale

Williams FLASH 1979, Players Condition OBO or trade

Functional - needs minor work - “Williams Flash Overall clean. Coindoor is beautiful, Backglass below average, someone sprayed green near the face. I will include a second also terrible backglass (not pictured). ...”

7 months ago

New Lenox, IL

Mope161616

Expired!

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Thanks Spinout!

Much appreciation.

Picked up our new Flash.

Few minor issues

The score displays on the right of the backglass don't sit in the windows centrally.
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The door behind sits lower on the right as if it's not straight. Can it be levelled?

The backglass also doesn't lock in for some reason.

Other issue is the high score reset button doesn't appear to do anything, I held it for upto 10 seconds and the high score remained the same. Is there another way to zero the high score?

The flippers feel really weak.
The main two have been upgraded to wpc89 with external return spring. They have enough wiggle between bat and bushing but the shot to the spinner rarely feels powerful and satisfying.

Any ideas on the above appreciated!
This is our first early Williams so I'm not experienced with the service menu or settings.

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(Return guides are off because the holes were stripped and I was trying to eliminate flipper hop)

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Yes the backbox door can be leveled you loosen the bolts/screws on the left.
The hstd reset resets it's value to the backup hstd entry not zero you set that value separately see your manual for list of settings.

I can't get into the settings no matter what I try.

If I follow the manual I get the display test but nothing else, i can't move on from the display test to anything else.

Sometimes when going into the service menu the credits display shows 04 like the manual says but I can't get any further, pressing advance does nothing with the toggle switch on auto or manual.

The switches obviously work as I can enter the menu and in display test they cycle if auto is selected but stay still if manual is selected.

What am I missing? All I want is to turn extra balls off and set to freeplay
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Next!

My flipper coils are these
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Definitely not the spec from the manual, are these the cause of my weak flippers or a suitable substitute?

Also I don't have two EOS switches on my right flipper mech. The upper flipper still works but I don't think this is correct?

Has anyone upgraded the upper flipper to the later flipper mechs? If so did you get a left or right and how did you place it?

Thanks

I'm in the process of restoring a Flash and will be upgrading the flippers to later mechs (x2 Right, x1 Left). Following these examples:

https://pinside.com/pinball/forum/topic/flash-flipper-upgrade#post-2629351

https://pinside.com/pinball/forum/topic/resto-flash-mof-20220619/page/2#post-7100498