The switch that detects the ball in the shooter lane is probably not working or flaky.

Thanks, was just about to edit post and saw your reply. Contacts on leaf were dirty, fires like it should now.

Looking for a little advice before buying a new driver board for my Strikes 'N Spares - everything had been working 100% on it. Today I turn it on and it boots correctly and the displays and GI work correctly, but none of the controlled lights, flashers, switches or Solenoids work at all. (I've checked fuses and that doesn't seem to be the issue)

This leads me to believe that my driver board took a crap. I was going to buy a new ribbon cable and see if that is the issue before spending the cash on a replacement driver board. Anything else I should be looking at or trying to replace before just replacing the entire board?

I was having a lot of similar issues with my Silver Slugger. New ribbon cables fixed 95% of my issues.

Thanks, I'm going to try that first!

Alright dumb question, I'm wondering how to adjust Cue Ball Wizard to a 3 ball game????? Right now the ball just keep coming at ball 15.

15 balls per game sounds like the memory is corrupt, that should be impossible.

Open the coin door. Push the diag button on the left side. You will get a list of options on the dmd. i forget which one you want to pick exactly, but I think the first step of adjustments will ask if you want to do a restore factory settings. Say yes.

Then get back into the test mode and you can choose your options. It will probably default to three ball.

So.... I'm at a bit of a loss as to what the issue is with my Strikes N' Spares. Everything was working 100% until recently.

Game boots, makes the "bong" sound, both displays work 100% and the General Illumination lights works. Nothing else is working at all.

All of the controlled lights, switches & solenoids DO NOT work at all. This also means that I cannot access the test menu correctly without the flipper buttons or start button working.

Here's what I've done already:

1. Switched the 20 pin ribbon cable for the driver board/MPU with the 20 pin ribbon cable on the display board. Both ribbon cables work fine for the display board but neither work for the Driver board.
2. Purchased a replacement Driver Board and installed it. All of the issues remain regardless of which driver board is installed. The new driver board had LEDs that turn yellow when the game is turned on. (not sure what that means as the original driver board didn't have LEDs on it)
3. Checked the fuses for everything I could that seemed related to the driver board or components used by it. (I'm not sure if there is some master fuse that I'm missing somewhere?)

I've ordered a set of replacement fuses for the entire game and will install them as soon as they arrive, but I don't think this is the issue, based upon everything that the driver board controls not working. (Please someone tell me I'm wrong and "it's likely just a fuse") - lol. Should I be looking into the MPU for issues?

What else should I be checking? Anyone have a similar issue with a system 3? Any help and/or suggestions is really appreciated.

Thanks in advance.

Triple check that all your socketed chips on your CPU are inserted correctly, especially the Game ROM.

Thanks, I went into the settings and changed it to three ball and it's working good now.

Checked on this and it doesn't seem to be the issue. Thanks for the suggestion!

Anyone else have any thoughts?

I have no idea what’s going on with my Cue Ball Wizard cue stick shooter coil assembly. I can’t seem to remove it and it looks like there should be some sort of hex set screw there but this is what I have in place. I think it looks like a hex screw head was sheared off and somebody tried to drill it out? Any suggestions on how to remove this coil assembly from the motor rod?

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No switches AND No controlled illumination -> strobing of switches and controlled illumination is shared in Gottlieb system 3-> probably the 18Volt supply line is missing. Check the fuse for the 18V line at the transformer assy. The rectifier can be the culprit for blowing the fuse so check this one as well.

Scored the ramp, now I just need the VUK that goes over the ramp!
Help me put this Shaq Attaq back in action, shattering backboards!

SOLD!

Parts - Wanted

WTB: Shaq Attaq VUK wireform Archived

Wanted! - “Looking for the VUK Wireform from Shaq that goes across the ramp. Any condition, if I have to patch it, I will.”

2022-06-21

Saratoga Springs, NY

Isochronic_Frost

Wanted

Archived after: 129 days

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Status: Sold (amount undisclosed)

his new driver board should have a yellow voltage indicator LED in the top middle, make sure that is turning on.

The LEDs on the driver board are just voltage indicators. I think you have one for logic, lamps, and solenoids.

If you have tried two driver boards and new ribbon cables with the same result, the game is likely not communicating properly to the driver board. I think I received your exact symptoms once by bad ribbon cable between the MPU and driver. Game would boot, display showed stuff, but nothing worked, no switches because they drive them from the driver board. In that case it was the ribbon cable was bad. I put a new one in and it started working again.

On the MPU side inspect the ribbon cable pins. Make sure none are bent over. No solder joints are cracked. If you have a logic probe, power up the game and check that every data bit and signal at the MPU ribbon cable pulses like it should, having a spare MPU helps to compare to if you are unsure exactly what each signal should be doing. BD0 - BD8, LDATA, LTSB, LCLR, !MR, LDS important signals leaving MPU J2. I think is !MR signal is floating the driver board will act dead. MPU U14 enabled MPU U7 to send all BD signals to the driver board. I would make sure that is working.

So, that LED is not turned on (I didn't even know it was there until you posted) - the other 2 LEDs are lit yellow. I'm assuming this means it is not getting correct power? I tried to look for the correct fuse(s) on the transformer assembly, but not certain which one(s) I need to look at or what I should be checking at this point? Maybe the power supply too? Really appreciate the help, I'm learning!

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F6, controlled lamps and switches. 10 amp slow blo. Find it. Remove it. Check it with a meter.

Check all power supply components with meter, especially bridge rectifiers and supply voltages.

Will a system 3 game like Street Fighter II start if it doesn’t detect all 4 balls?

In the US what voltage selection is everyone using on their machines? Do you have it set to 110V or 120V? Looked like the default is 110V in the manual.

Hi everyone, just picked up a Gottlieb Car Hop. Something odd I noticed that during the “Bullseye” round. The center target is supposed to score 1 mil, 2 mil, 3 mil, etc.. but when I hit it, it only scores like 100,000 and nothing more.
Any ideas or suggestions would really help.

Thanks!

Working on my first System 3 machine and need to re-pin a few connectors. It looks like Gottlieb System 3 uses the 4.2mm Molex minifit connectors. Can anyone confirm that? Want to make sure I order the correct pins and extraction tool.

Thank You

Check your game adjustments. There could be a setting that will limit the amount that it pays out that isn't clearly labeled.

Yes they use the mini fit Jr connector system. These connectors are quite robust. I have some i have cycled hundreds of times and still seem to be okay. Unless you have some plugs cut off, smashed or burnt they are probably okay. Same kind of connectors used on computer mother board and some vlideo card power connectors

If you do replace the pcb socket side keep in mind they are sold in two row spacing, 5.5 vs 4.2mm. You want 5.5mm. The wire side plugs are all the same sized and universal.
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Thanks for the confirmation! Actually after looking over the game they all look good. I am going to need to install a new power cord and will probably need to crimp pins on the hot an neutral and reuse that connector shell.

I've got this nagging problem that I'd like to get figured out. Hopefully someone with a better knowledge of the CPU/Driverboard/Switch Matrix system can help out here:

The top left saucer is doing all sorts of phantom shit.

On my Silver Slugger, the shooter lane switch makes the top left saucer kick out constantly. Looking at the switch matrix, they share a row, but I can't quite figure out where, just from looking at the switch matrix, that would make both of them register but not top right saucer (which is also on the same row).

I've noticed, additionally, that when I have a ball LOCKED in the top left saucer (thanks mystery award ) I notice that the whole system runs a little bit slower. Everything registers a little bit sloooowwwweeeerrrrr. The standup targets are registering a bit slower. All of the sounds activate with a noticeable delay.

The biggest symptom is that if you get an extra ball while you have a ball locked in this saucer, the extra ball feature will just never clear and you will continually get extra balls.

My brain's thought process tells me that it should be something along the lines of "the switch is just connastntly registering and 'opening back up' and re-registering which is bogging down the switch matrix search every time it passes by it, but not exactly sure what would cause that.

I have a brand new Sys3 diode board from barakandl (and only one) but when replacing either of the diode boards, I don't see a difference when the new board is in either position (all diodes on the original boards test out fine).

I have a new ribbon cable for the driver board to cpu interconnect. The driver board is a rottendog (replaced before I got it) and the cpu is one from Boston Pinball Company (replaced by me).

5v is rock solid everywhere.

I have yet to do any of the ground mods for the Sys3 games, but I'm curious if the ground strap that is originally applied to the backbox foil (or at least that's where it was attached to mine) could be connected to the ground spot on the new CPU and see if that would make a difference.

Kind of at a loss of where to start honestly.

...RESCUE 911 ...hi all im wondering if there is any owners of this great machine ,that have the helicopter apart that could take a photo of the metal arm that the helicopter rotates on and fixed to.eg from motor pivot to helicopter.hopefully (in red on picture) with a ruler next to it. im missing the whole assembly and have tried for years to find one so will have to make one.. thanks

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Update on this issue since it's been solved.

Clearly, I had a switch matrix short somewhere. As it turns out, all of the switches on Column 1 were affected every time a switch on column 3 was closed (or 0 and 2 respectively if you choose to read it like the manual lists it out as). Going back to the A1J5 connector, the pins for return 0 and 2 showed continuity continually. All of the playfield switches looked good. No visible shorts. Diode boards much the same (even if you unplugged the diode boards it'd still show the short).

Turns out that the left coin chute switch was wired incorrectly. The "normally open" and "normally closed" wires had been flipped. DOH. Flipped those and the short resolved itself.

A few people reached out to scratch their head with me on this one so thanks for the help.

Gladiators not on location a Pubs N Pits in Atlantic Beach FL!
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Hello group! Never owned a System 3, so I'm going to have to learn.

Got a Bell Ringer (just for fun at local shows!). It had no Control Board, Ebay Boston Pinball came through. Had a friend burn a Bell Ringer ROM and powered up the game.

I'm stuck here as I cannot figure out if this a ROM error or a diagnostics code. (It also flashes "Break") I cannot get into the test mode from the one switch inside the right of the coin door ( there is no elaborate Test/Tournament/Volume board to the left).

I do have the manual from PBR and can look up things if necessary. And yes I have seen the Pinwiki on System 3, but am stuck right now.

Hints are appreciated thank you!

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Hmmm, no hints by all you experts?

There are several revisions of the A1 MPU board. Bell Ringer, being an early Alphanumeric game, uses the early revision System 3 MPU board with a 6116 RAM chip at U3. Verify that the MPU board you have installed has this particular chip. Count the legs. It should have 24 legs.

If you have a later revision board with the 6264 RAM at U3, it'll have 28 legs. As far as my (limited) knowledge goes, this will not work with bell ringer unless a 6116 RAM is installed and the jumpers are changed to accommodate it.

mbaumle Thank you very much for the detailed help!

You are right on the mark with this. The NVRAM installed is indeed a 6264 chip: https://www.marcospecialties.com/pinball-parts/RAMTRON
The board that I have from Boston Pinball is a Revision 5, so I need to contact them to see if I can get the version of the board that will work with Bell Ringer.

Again, thank you!

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Jim is a standup guy to work with and will definitely be able to help you with board troubles like that.

Also thanks.

I did contact Boston Pinball and am working with him on the solution. As I find out something, I will post it here to help the group.

I am a little confused as I am supposed to do a System Reset - Factory Defaults on the machine. As Bell Ringer only has the one test button, I have pressed it and cannot get into the System Diagnostics. That is the only way I can reset the machine, correct?

The Reset buttons on the Control board and the Sound board do nothing to change my issues.

A little more detail with Bell Ringer. A friend of mine has a Vegas, so we kept the ROMs and swapped A1 Control Boards. Bell Ringer came up with the older Control Board from Vegas with the 6116 RAM. I have a working game now with the original Vegas board.

The Boston board and the Vegas ROM in my friend's Vegas machine kept going Beep, Loop, Beep. Unable to enter test mode and just keep rebooting. His game was working before the board swap. So I suspect that the Boston board might be not working. I am in contact with Boston Pinball to give him all these updates.

Stoked to hear to got it figured, Jimmy!
You gonna bring it to CAX?

Ah no. Not completely working yet.

Hoping to bring it to PAGG however. You can do your wagering on that little machine!

And to figure out the Test Mode on this System 3, that one Test Button goes right into the Test Menu with the working board.

But of course, all you System 3 experts already knew that!

Update to my Bell Ringer issues: Jim did come through and sent a replacement board. This board worked!

mbaumle it looks like the same revision (5) as the other board. I placed the 27512 ROM with the BR code on it (left the jumper at 512) and everything is booting so far. I have other issues with the game not kicking up the ball when the credit button is pressed (set on Free Play), but hope to have these solved as I work with someone local next week.

I appreciate all the help from the group here!

Just scored a beautiful Lights Camera Action but one thing is broken. I’m looking to see if anyone has a resource for the villain’s gun arm. It’s broken here. Thanks in advance!

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Hi all , i'm looking for the 4D rom for xue ball wizard. this rev add a fourth ball in case of stuck ball. I searched everywhere but impossible to find.. if someone have the rom file, please contact me, thanks

That's a game I've always wanted to pick up, but damn, that does look like one shit show of a project. Hope it was the right price!

Can anybody tell me wy there are on my stargate flipper buttons leafs like ceramic capacitors? As I see that 1 is broken and 1 is missing complete . Game is playing fine. Do I need them?

They prevent sparking so that the contacts don't wear out as quickly

Great!! Thank you . I will get new ones in then

up

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Congrats on the LCA. I got one a few months ago that I have been working on. Luckily, mine had the villain’s gun and I just needed the Cop’s arm. No topper though. I’m still looking for measurements to try to make one.

The only suggestion I would have would be to call Steve Young and see if he happens to have it. I know it wasn’t listed online.

Does yours have the paper that lists what fuses are which? I have been trying to figure out what goes to what by wire color, and it is a pain.

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