I'm having an issue with the varitarget of my System 80A 'The Games'.

In normal play, you need to hit the varitarget further than the previous locked in position. So it starts off with the first light flashing, and you need to hit it to the next switch or higher to light the first light, and start the second flashing. You then need to hit it harder (to the third switch) to light the second light, and have the third flashing. You do this 4 times to complete that event in the game.

What's happening on mine is that the final varitarget position isn't registering in the game, so it's not possible to get that final shot to complete the event. In switch test mode, all of the positions register correctly (switches 30, 40, 50, and 60 - see matrix from manual attached).

I'm not sure if this is an adjustment issue? I have attached some pictures of the varitarget in various positions. The first one is when it's reset all the way to the start. Should the ratchet there be sitting lower? The second picture is where it sits when ratcheted all the way - you'll notice that the wiper is sitting on the second last rivets, which is switch 50. The third picture shows where the ratchet sits when I manually move it up to the last set of rivets (switch 60). Even if I manually hold the switch in all the way so it touches the last rivets, the game still won't give me the final shot...

I've cleaned it up, very light lubrication with teflon lube, and adjusted so that the switch wipers sit right in the middle of the rivets. In switch test mode, all of the switch positions including the furthest one come up (switch 60)

I have performed all the recommended ground mods for the game.

Any tips would be appreciated

IMG_4543 (resized).JPGIMG_4542 (resized).JPGIMG_4545 (resized).JPGIMG_4544 (resized).JPGswitch matrix (resized).PNG

Awesome, thanks for linking and thanks to Todd Tuckey!

The key adjustment I had missed was the coil bracket, and making sure that the ratchet part was sitting down in the notch when in its first position.

This part of the game is now working 100%

Ok, I've gone through the game a bit more, and after replacing one of the flipper coils, it's playing pretty well!

There is one frustrating issue that's got me stumped though, there is a random lock up of the cabinet that seems to happen in attract mode. Here are the symptoms:

- Controlled lights on the playfield lock on
- No cabinet switches work (coin or start)
- CPU seems to still be running as displays cycle between high score and last score, and game over light flashes in backbox

What I have tried:
- all ground mods
- disconnecting reset board
- slam tilt switch disabled at cpu board
- reading pin repair guide and pinwiki
- studying the schematic

It just has me puzzled how it can lock up the playfield lights and switches, but still tick over the displays and flash backbox lights... Something to do with one of the relays? Pushing the start button with no credits will cause the playfield lights to lock on for half a second, maybe something there (although it will lock on even if there is credits...)?

Anyone had a similar experience with a System 80?

Some more thinking, but no progress as yet...

How can all of the playfield lamps be locked on, that would require somehow all of the flip flops that drive them to be locked on, or further upstream...

Upstream of the flip flops are some 7404s, and then U6 (6532 RIOT chip) which could in theory be the culprit...

The cabinet switches (coins and start) run through another RIOT (U4), so more likely to be upstream of both?

But if it's a problem with the main cpu (6502 U1), then that doesn't explain why the backbox displays and game over lamp are still running ok...

Speaking of the game over lamp flashing, that would be driven by the U6 RIOT chip mentioned above, so it can't be completely crashed...

Arrgh, round in circles, no current potential theories...

Bump! anyone seen a System 80 crash like this?

To close the loop on this crashing in case anyone else has the problem - it was the 5101 RAM that was the issue - replacing that and it's all up and running nicely

Next stop, some playfield painting - turns out there isn't meant to be as much black around these inserts as there is...

Inserts black paint (resized).jpg

Finally got around to working on this playfield, here’s a few more of the “before” pics

264CF682-2A98-4EBC-A728-2DA387383591 (resized).jpeg

4094C4C8-C9D5-4770-8B90-C6C504D90E7F (resized).jpeg

A30830BC-1B1E-4AB7-B6F1-4CBB645808A8 (resized).jpeg

B5EB9234-3EA4-4FED-8097-14931D45B5AB (resized).jpeg

C516B986-6ECC-4B20-8D3E-CDEB284BC6E7 (resized).jpeg

CF85760B-DF02-473A-81EF-A81B41CE60C0 (resized).jpeg

And some after! Not quite good standard, but there’s soo much more purpose to the game now that all the text is back and not just a big swathe of black! Waterslide decals were used for the white text and the inserts (printed by a company in white on clear decal by a local company).

29309FCE-5380-4272-A8FA-4680AF8EA8F5 (resized).jpeg

59B6FA47-524B-4BCD-9D32-191CE03EE71B (resized).jpeg

7CC6D857-B4C5-4329-A44F-E0860F4433A4 (resized).jpeg

E49D344E-FC28-4B17-B066-F6F758C44F83 (resized).jpeg

E7839516-A9F0-4396-AE18-59DC0DA9323E (resized).jpeg