We call that 'faulty ball'...happens on a friends F2K. I figure it is a switch matrix issue causing the top left switch entering the ball walker to register a hit, which sends the locked ball down. There are flat round caps on some switches that hold energy to extend the 'closed' time when the switch is hit so the cpu can register the hit. A leaky cap on that top switch could theoretically trigger a hit. I replaced it, didn't fix the problem. Have tried to duplicate the anomaly to figure out the switch matrix error but no luck. One of these days I need to test and/or replace diodes on every switch and replace every switch cap too, and who knows if that will fix the gremlin.

Yes, unfortunately it really does make it unplayable, especially a 2 player game as the game does not know you have 2 balls in play and when 1 falls out it counts bonus and switches players with 1 ball still in play. Very frustrated owner at this point.

I will swear when it happens we have usually hit drop target 3 or 4. The drop target switches are 'closed' when down...i think a certain pattern of closed switches combined with a failed switch diode is causing a switch matrix problem with one corner of the 'box' in the switch matrix being that top ball walker entrance switch that gets triggered falsely. Diagnosing this problem is new to me and really just a hunch. If I had the game at my place I could tinker with it easier. I suppose it could just be a board/connector issue, but i would figure that to cause a switch to NOT trigger.

Maybe someone out there has solved this issue???

Can I test all the switch diodes with them in place, or do I need to remove one leg first? Power on or off?

I love F2K, just something about it. Mine was a dirty garage find that needed a good home and alot of tinkering. Has it's bumps and bruises, I don't do crazy restorations but just get them cleaned up and working as close to 100% as I can. I do wish I had a better backglass, mine is faded and flaking but it could be much worse. Here is a gameplay video...worst multiball in history but I got there so a good game in that regard...

It's beautifull!! And a much better multiball than my video, nice job.

FYI a new condition CPR backglass for Flight 2000 is on Ebay right now. Would love to own it but mine is a player pin not worthy of the expense and I can live with my faded cracked one.

Same here, and I hate when you rip the spinner and the ball falls back and stops it.

I am in need of the right flipper 'in'lane plastic. Please let me know if you have one you can part with or know of one for sale, it would be greatly appreciated.

Steve

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That is a great score! Especially for a three ball game, good job.

Well I have mine set progressive, so the spinner and bonus carry over to next ball. I like how the scoring rewards you the longer you play, especially after multiball if you can hit the standup reliably(I cant, lol) and earn the extraball. Mine is set to 5 ball, that's my current hi score...

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Just thought i'd share my pinball repair success today. My good friends F2K top right ball kicker in the ball corale seized up awhile back. Finally found time to get to his place and investigate...coil sleeve was melted badly, iron plunger could not move. Replaced the coil, powered game on, no solenoids working. Fuse under playfield burnt...calls for 1 1/4 amp slow blo. 2 1/2 amp was there , I replaced with a 1 amp slow blo, close as I had without going over. Power on, 2nd kicker locked on. That explains the grill cheese coil sleeve sandwich. Q17 driver transistor on the solenoid driver board tested bad. Not having a TIP102 handy, I swapped Q19 ( coin lockout coil driver) to Q17, he doesn't use coins anyway. She is back up and running!! We played a few matches, what a fun game and my friend was so geeked it was working again. Apparent board problems always scare me for a minute, than you think it through and work the problem. Love this game!!

No bonus carryover that I know of. Stand up target and clearing right 3 bank both increase the bonus multiplier and there is a setting to carryover the multiplier between balls. Same for right spinner.

http://mirror2.ipdb.org/files/887/Stern_1980_Flight_2000_Manual.pdf

Starting pg 8 is scoring rules

If coil locks as soon as you power on its likely that driver transistor.

Played one game tonight, had the best single multiball ever on this game for me. So much fun.

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Holy crap, I am selling my games and never playing again.

The drops are confusing. There is always one lit (arrow blinking) starting with 5. Hitting any non lit target causes it to stay dropped. Hitting a lit target or hitting either inlane causes lit target to drop (lets say 3) and next target to left (2) is lit...if any lower number target is already knocked down (in this case 2 or 1) than the bank will reset and drop the targets to the right of and including the last one hit (in this case 5,4 & 3) leaving 2 & 1 up with 2 lit. This way it can keep track of when you have hit drops 5-1 in order.

In 2-4 player game, the lit target carries over to your next ball and resets the bank, dropping the targets to the right of lit target so you can continue trying to clear the drops counting down to 1 before locking the 3rd ball to start multiball.

Whew, i'm tired

Starts where it's at...so 3 in that case.

Tricky adjustment on that first switch wire...you want it vertical enough that it stays 'triggered' despite the balls rolling back a bit when one is kicked into plunger lane(ball rolls forward again, retriggering switch so game thinks you plunged and went sdtm without scoring any points, and gives you back another ball). However wire too straight up and a ball coming in behind flippers at a left to right angle can slip in front of the first switch. There is a modification recently pointed out where a screw or post is added at the outhole entrance on the right. This forces the ball to come in outside that first switch wire so you can set it more vertical thus increasing wire travel when ball rolls over it and it will stay triggered. Not sure this made sense...here is a topic with picture of screw at outhole...

https://pinside.com/pinball/forum/topic/ball-trough-on-flight-2000#post-4344900

I find myself just trying to keep multiball alive and target the right spinner and getting the balls to the top LAST lanes. Once blastoff is spelled than go for the left spinner to lock balls. Also after multiball the center standup lights up the special, and alternates on off when slings are hit. It can be set to award extra ball, or 100,000. I have mine on extra ball, I figure I can beat that 100,000 with a good extra ball everytime but it is a crap shoot. A good multiball can set you up for another one quickly.

I too cannot sweep the right drops. I have not really made any effort to realize a solution. I wonder if changing to a looser or tighter rubber ring behind the drops might make them sweepable...

Here are a few pics...
Trough switches
Left flipper
Right flipper

Hope this helps, shout if you need any other pics and I will do what I can.

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Ball jumps over the right flipper for me more than the left. I assume it is the physics of the game layout. It likes to punk you once in awhile, part of it's charm. I play 5 ball on this one, still it kicks my ass more than not.

Mine are set to the pins.

The tip of that plastic takes alot of direct hits and was prone to breaking, the added metal guide is to protect the plastic. I like cottonm4's idea to make a double plastic rail with lexan alot.

The 5 bank can be rather confusing. It remembers what targets you have down at end of ball and will reset the whole bank but then drop those. Also when trying to clear 5-4-3-2-1 after locking 2 balls and clearing 'blastoff', if you hit for example target '3' it will reset if '2' is down to make it available.

That is looking really good, keep us updated as you finish it, amazing skill to be able to do that.

I agree, that purple really 'pops'!! That is amazing to me, I hope that goes into a machine instead of on the wall.

Mine looks just like yours as pictured.

I call that faultyball, lol. Once in awhile my game does one step of the ball walker, and you end up eventually with 2 balls in play and the pressure is on to re-lock one before a ball falls out and goes to next ball in play or worse, game over if on the last ball.

I often suspected or think i thought it happened when hitting drops 4 or 5...interesting. I did gave to adjust my first trough switch when i first got the game.

I figured a matrix issue was causing my issues...you have me rethinking this. Mine does not go to next ball, it occasionally advances the ball walker one step. Maybe the roll over switch wire at the entrance to the walker is adjusted too close and vibration from an upper sling or pop bumper can trigger it...game thinks a ball was locked and steps them down like it should. Will have to put it in switch test and see if i can duplicate it...happens maybe once in ten games so might not be easy to replicate

That is a nice looking fix. If you find replacement non broken guides I think I would keep that in place. At least the missing art shows thru from the playfield below.

On the flipper alignment I have played a friends which is aligned with inland guides and mine which are drooped. Drooped is easier to hit the walker and right spinner for sure, though I do find it more difficult to hit the middle standup target. Overall I prefer drooped for this game.

Do these ground mods have the effect of quieting excess game noise? My game plays fine but has a noisy humm while on. It’s not horrible but all my other pins are basically silent while on and compared to that it’s a bit noisy.

I have fixed a long hated problem with my F2K, what I call faultiball. Occasionally the ball walker would randomly advance a locked ball/balls which would result in two balls in play and once one dropped out it would advance to next ball or player while another ball was still in play. Drove me crazy. Anyway i dropped the top rollover switch at the entrance to the ball walker to inspect. The heavier metal blade separating the leaf switches was bent down almost touching the blade the rollover moves. Also the wires for the resistor and capacitor on the switch were crossed over each other as to almost be touching as well. I moved those wires apart and reshaped the switch leafs apart from each other to what seemed appropriate. Now after thorough testing the walker mech is behaving perfectly. Finally!!

Agree 100%. Had multi ball errors like this for years on mine and a friends F2K. I recently took apart and cleaned/adjusted the entrance switch for the ball walker and finally the problems on both games have gone away.

That’s a great score! Glad you’re game is behaving, so fun especially when it is working properly.

Had blown solenoid fuse on a friends F2K. A pop bumper solenoid was toasty. Replaced it and after the board startup sequence the pop bumper immediately locked on. Shut it off quickly. It was a failed driver transistor on the driver board. Quick fix I swapped the coin door lockout driver transistor with the bad one and has worked for years now.