Hi there everyone,

My grandfather has owned a Gottlieb big hit pinball machine for as long as I can remember, and I have some really fun memories of playing this machine. However, it seized up after a game several years ago and was left for quite a while because the keys were lost. I've recently gotten into locksport, so I took my pics to it and was able to get it cracked open pretty fast.

I'm no beginner when it comes to electronics, but when it comes to electromagnetic systems like this, I'm a little out of my element. I have ordered schematics in the manual from PBResource, but as this machine is located at our cottage, I only get a very small period of time to look at it each week. I'm wondering if there's anything I can do at the moment without the schematics that might help get the machine back up and running.

The state of the machine was exactly as it was at the end of the last game it played. The score reels showed 6000 points, and the runs counter showed 02 runs. When the machine is turned on, the normal back box lights go on, as well as the game over and tilt indicators. Dropping a coin through the acceptor would cause the score motor to turn one third and then stop. Manually pushing the score motor also causes it to turn one third and then stop. All of the fuses measure as being good.

I've been doing quite a bit of research into Gottlieb electromechanical systems, and it seems like this situation is related to some component of the machine not resetting to its default state. At the recommendation of some guides, I have tried manually resetting the score rotors by taking them out of the back box and incrementing them until they are all zero. I have also tried manually engaging the "S" relay. Now, whenever the machine is turned on, the score motor will spin continuously. While this is happening, the total play meter is incrementing about once every second and the bumper lights are turning on and off at the same pattern. I also notice some sparks between some of the relay switches, could that be the root cause of this issue?

Currently I'm working on reading the huge electromechanical repair guide at pinrepair, and it is great. But I'm wondering if there might be others around here who have the same machines who might be able to give me more specific advice. So far I've just been poking around, and I feel like I'm making the situation worse following these guides without really knowing what I'm doing. Any ideas?

Thanks,

Michael

So I've taken a close look and didn't see anything wrong with the mechanisms on the door so I removed the Start relay and took at look at it. And here is where my electromechanical empty-headedness starts causing problems. While trying to remove the Start relay to take a look at it, I did this:

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The front two switches actuators popped out of the slats on the relay and rested against ones further up. I think I was able to fix it be re-inserting the actuators in the spots that they came out of (indicated by the extra wear in those spots) and now I think it might be fixed, but I don't know for sure.

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Now that I have reseated the actuators, the machine comes on like normal, and incremented the credit counter to three when I put a coin through. Pressing the coin door reset button causes the score motor to engage and rotate 120 degrees, when it stops and seemingly all the play field lights turn on. The tilt and game over lights are off now.

I'm really worried I might have permanently damaged the S relay though, is there anything anyone can recommend for testing? Or someone with the schematics that might be able to help me out until I get mine in the mail? I'm going to be heading home for the week later this afternoon. Thanks a bunch for all the help everyone, this is a wonderful community.

Michael

Okay that makes sense. I take it one of the Switch Adjustment Tools are what you are talking about? How exactly do these work?

I also noticed something rather strange - when either one of the vari-targets are pressed, the ball slingshot fires! Not sure why this is happening; need the schematics to know more.

Thanks newmantjn, I've already been in touch with them and have schematics and manuals on the way for both this machine and an Asteroid Annie I'm working on as well. That video is very helpful too. I'm home for the week so I can't try anything now but I'm hoping to make it up to the cottage for at least a day over the weekend so I'll give it a shot then.

I'm really interested in this training but pinballninja.com just takes me a wordpress log in page. Am I messing something up here?

EDIT: Nevermind I think I figured it out. Found the page about it on pinrepair. I'd donate 20 bucks to this guy just for all the help he's given me so far - this is just an added bonus!