Hello Pinside,

Interflip Dragon

After spending a few days cleaning it and fixing what I can I have run into an issue! I welcome any thoughts on where to start.
I would like to get to a point when I hit the start button it does something. Then at least I can follow the schematic....

• Game will not start a game when you push the start button.
- Button works and measures all the way to the start relay correctly.
• In order to get a game going I have to manually activate D(Pre-Start), SJ (Players Selection), and AJ in the cab, AH "Aux Relay H" ...Then it will kick out a ball.
• AE (Aux Relay E, score reset) will lock on from time ~ time and will not disengage or disengage "E".

Questions
Schematic has a "Game Regulation" section. What is this? Where is it on Dragon? Do not all dragons have this?
Where would you start?

Notes
- Game will start and play through all three balls.
- AH "Aux Relay H" also has this strange issue at times it will lock on.
- I have checked B, C, K, D, H, E, J, O, Y, AJ, BO ---- I assume micro contact is coin door.
- All score reels have been adjusted and cleaned.

Got the AE to lock on all the time. Decided this is a good place to start.

B - Left micro (what this is I don't know, coin door?)
C - Center micro (coin door?)
K - Right micro. (coin door?)
My coin door only has two coin mechs both work as expected and tested at switch.
-------
D - Pre-Start
H - Ball Release
E - Start (locked on)
J - Kick Out
O - 5000 pts
Y - AUX Bonus
AJ - AUX Player Bonus
BO - Bonus Recount

AE_relay (resized).png

Manually disengage E, ball kicks out. strange...

V - Locks on. Getting closer....

Ball counter, MJ5, Bonus counter, are up next. CO score counters all at 0 and not cycling.

All good. Stuck again. [M] still running. AE still locked on. Welcome any thoughts!

Turns out it was the Ball counter. Strange spacing for the ball counter unit. Basically, the bottom switch is almost always closed. Cool. Also fixed the credit unit (among other things) with some help from a good friend.

Next up.
• Dragon Sounds
• Center Kickout

And the main issue.

This machine will not start a game! I think it's an issue with the pre-start, but AE is not locking on anymore. Something does lock on from time to time, the free game unit.... disconnected for now.

If anyone can post a photo of the pre-start I would appreciate it! I can start a game with pre-start and then start, but it auto starts a game. No way to add more players.

Bump!

Still looking for help with this one if anyone has any ideas!

Can you post a photo of the Pre-Start (D)? Thanks! Looks like some modifications on mine that might be causing the issue.

UPDATE - Found a photo online. Now I just have to find out WHAT the MICRO CONTACT is...

• Why PRE-Start requires me to manually engage to start a game.
• Why the P1 1,000 doesn't always reset properly. (only moves if its on the 9 position)
• Why the Free Game Motor doesn't work as intended. (Looks like bad traces)

And then I can work on scoring and fine tuning.

MICRO CONTACT I think is coin door switch. Still don't know why the start button doesn't work all the time, but engaging PRE-Start does.

Can anyone walk me thought this part of the schematic?

From what I understand, and I could be 100% wrong here. For D to engage. SJ needs to be closed. Push button (Start Game Button) closes and 6 on the score motor needs to be closed. The other line talks about E (Start) and the A.O Counter Free Game? needs to also be closed? Perhaps it's a bad trace there..

dragon (resized).png

Attempted to jumper past the Free Game counter. Same result.

Jumper over the start button, and the ball eject. Opened one gap on a score reel to keep the score motor running. Adds a 4 player game and starts when gap closed. Looks like something on the score motor needs adjusting.

Does anyone have a DRAGON-4 Canada schematic? It's different than the one on IPDB

After re-cleaning and re-adjusting the score motor it will still not start a game with the start game button on the coin door. Also, somehow now the coin switch no longer works. That said when I manually add a credit the knocker works now. So that's a bonus. It will play a game when pre-start and start are manually activated still, but the ball kick-out no longer works.

Pulled everything out of the cab so I could work on it. I don't like working upside down.

• Now the game starts when a credit is added, almost like the start button switch is closed... It's not, but hey, I can work with this. My guess is that the connection on the main motor is closed now always and when the credit is added it starts a game. Just need the correct schematic and I'll find out what is to blame.
• Dragons don't pop up, looks like this is the kickout relay that sends to the dragon pop up relay, again I can work with this. Welcome thoughts on finding the cause of this.
• Scoring is almost perfect, one switch isn't scoring at all, but it's not the switch. It's upstream, welcome thoughts on finding the cause of this.
• Anyone know how to set a 3/5 ball game?

So... overall... happy that I was able to get this somewhat working in 2020!

If you have the same problem...

• Check the springs on your Game Over and Start relays. **** I think this was the main issue.
• Check the bonus counter unit
• Check the F.G. counter. Currently I have this wired to 0. *could be my game start issue.
• Check the dragon switches
• Check EVERY switch on the main motor

Otherwise I have no idea exactly_ what fixed this, and it might come back. Due to it still not working perfectly I'll continue to work on this and report back. Would love to find a Canadian schematic for Dragon.