+1 for the links Rondogg provided.

Yep, start by reflowing the solder joints. Connectors go bad much less frequently than the solder. usually there's at least 5-10 bad joints on any lamp board

You just need the new cable from Andrew. Don't buy a sound board until you know it's bad, but even then, new capacitors can fix alot of sound board issues. The original ribbon cables get brittle and stop functioning properly, so start with the new sound cable. The 2 extra pins that don't fit into the cable is normal.

NVRam for the mpu200 board in your machine is specifically the one at https://nvram.weebly.com/ that says "mpu200 nvram" - the other 5101 nvram will work, but you'd need 2 since there are 2 5101 chips on your board.

Also, the switch you posted several posts ago looks compromised in the plating, you should replace it it won't be reliable once the plating is gone.

The 2 pins on the sound board aren't used, it only needs the first 32. The cable that Andrew sells I believe only has 32 positions in it as well.

Yes, I have a new friend Happy to help.

I took a look at the sound card schematic just now; needed a brain break from work. Order the cable and we should order caps. Then we can troubleshoot more if needed.

Data East standard body lockdown bars are black and will fit any standard body Stern from Ali to Dragonfist. I own both brands; This is not idle talk.

Are DE style compatible with modern stern? or did they switch at some point?

Yes and Yes

You might have a tough time due to all the values and voltages possible.

The modern Sterns I know of all have the double latch release mechanics. I doubt DE would fit.

You could order all the caps individually from Great Plains Electronics. They used to make kits, but they don't anymore. Ed still has the list up here for convenience: https://www.greatplainselectronics.com/proddetail.asp?prod=STERN-S3E-KIT

This is correct. He doesn't offer the kits but you can just buy the caps individually from his site. I just did this for cap kits for my system 11 games.

Not a thing unless you like counterfeit caps from China.

ONLY buy caps from reputable, US sources (typically with expensive shipping).

Turns out that pinball -REPAIR- can be an expensive and tedious hobby too!

You are also paying for the convenience of a kit with instructions or a cap location map, etc. Someone has to pull the stock and put the kit together. You can certainly save money buying in bulk online.

You need to go into the audits and reset all of them to 0. Nvram had bad data

Those are type 1 Stern bushings, used up until meteor/big game, I think?

Type 2 is taller, they must have miscategorized

Agreed. Residue data from testing. I would do a factory reset and then check to make sure all audits are back to 0.

Someone probably upgraded your Ali flippers to the offset plate type. From previous research the flipper swap from the flat type 1 to the offset type 2 occurred sometime during Big Game. Unless they are factory - if you pull the plates off you should see previous mounting holes for the type 1. If you don't that means that some Ali's have the offset flippers as well.

The way to clear audits is to go into audit mode and press the clear button in the coin door. It's sort of covered in the manual it says to press S33 to quickly clear an audit to 00.

You won't know until you clear the ram if the spurious reboot was caused by something else. I doubt that the ram is bad, but anything is possible I suppose. MPU200 games make EXTENSIVE use of the ram, so there would be other manifestations if so.

Been a while so might be wrong about this. I believe it's switch 33 on MPU board. Go to audits and press switch 33. Or is it you have to start audits and on each one press switch 33. I know switch 33 clears it. If you have residue data left in the Nvram it can cause game to act weird. Also post a picture of your underside of the playfield showing your flipper mechs.

Switch 33 is memory clear.

pasted_image (resized).png

It's also duplicated right on the coin door that's what the 2nd switch there is for. Very convenient (if it's working!)

That's correct. But half the time the one on the coin door doesn't work.

After the tests if you keep pressing the button you'll get the audits. The numbers should all be listed in the manual

Have you re-flowed the solder on the header pins of the display?

Have you replaced any connectors on the mpu? Is the mpu original?

Not sure what you mean by "small display" they are all the same size. If you are talking about the credits/ball in play? If so, switch it with a known working display. If the problem moves then you have a display problem. Carefully reflow the solder to the receiving pins on the display. If that doesn't work reflow the transistors/resistors related to any missing segments. You can go to the following two places for a lot of good ideas:

http://stevekulpa.net/pinball/bally_disp6r.htm
http://howtopinball.com/files/pinball/paperwork/stern-classic/stern-parts-catalog-1979.pdf (Great stuff pages 21-32)

This will clear up almost all issues.