I’ve had many similar issues mentioned in this thread, but I’ve managed to get my game running smooth quickly.

1. Ramp got stuck in up position: checked the mech and realized the back fold of the ramp has a sharp edge and was momentarily sticking on the ball guide below the back of the ramp. The mech would trigger the release coil, but the ramp would miss it as it was momentarily stuck. I used a qtip and a tiny bit of 3in1 oil and lightly oiled the ball guide behind the ramp. Problem solved. After 50 plays or so, the ramp no longer rubs the guide as far as I can tell. Strange.

2. Switches in sarcophagus lock: I just had to do a bend adjustment to find the sweet spot for the front switch. I also depressed the switch forcefully many times to loosen it up. I’ve had to do this with replacement cherry switches on w/b machines in the past.

3. Both captive balls: gapped them about 0.5mm each and all is well. Left orb needed a second gapping as the bumpers would occasionally trigger it. Remember to thoroughly test the gapping with the glass off and one ball in switch test. This will save you time as getting it right may take a few tries.

I’m hoping stern mods the captive ball rods to mimic pop bumper rods more closely. The hex metal is too wide to be sensitive enough. Plus the switches are mounted away from where the most common hits/momentum would come from.

All in all, I’ve found it not too bad for adjusting. That being said, stern, as always, could have done a better job.

It’s a non issue imo because it’s pretty easy to fix. My DILE has had issues and adjustments too. It’s the nature of pinball.

That being said, I went to adjust my plumb bob and the screw adjuster stripped with very little pressure. The bob threads literally turned to powder. I tapped new, thicker threads with just the tap in hand and it was way too easy. The bob is made of some crap powdered metal. I’m amazed at how Stern is able to skimp on almost every part they source.

Totally agree. For those holding back on a purchase due to switch issues, I wouldn't bother. Is this pin a little more finicky? For sure, but you'll learn a lot more about switch adjustment and shooter rod positioning. You need to know this stuff, even for w/b machines. I don't mind tweaking at all as I've done so much of it over the years. This game will get thrown out of whack during shipping, almost guaranteed. My only complaint is having to reinforce the cabinet... Oh, stern....

I think I have a opto issue with the large loop. Can someone verify proper scoring? When I ride the loop repeatedly super fast, my loop count only goes up about half of the loops I score, and the score lights often do not raise as I think they are supposed to. When I push the ball around the loop slowly, the scores go up with each loop. The physical switch on the right is fine, but the left opto seems to miss occasionally when I'm in switch mode. Any one have any experience adjusting the newer stern optos?

I was referring to positioning. I’ve worked with quite a few optos, but these are really far back from the holes in the quite rails... seems like a bad design to me.

The lube will take 1 min to apply, so it won’t hurt to try...

This sounds like nasa equipment. I’ll have to look into them!

You dont need to remove the plastics. I just took off the right gate screw and loosened the left nut and slid it out of the way. Then I took off the nut under the wire form that secures the plastic. I then then lifted the plastic and slid it to toward the outside of the cab with the pf up on the rails. Be sure put some paper or something between the plastic and the post or you’ll scratch it. You can now get in there with a flathead. This saves a ton of b.s.

Dammit! I'm just heading out the door. Can someone post the list of additions/changes???

Can someone verify the wiring for the upper left opto. Mine's missing switch hits, and I've heard the it might be mounted backwards. Does yours look the same as mine?

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Figured out my opto issue. Ignore this post and the next one.

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Warranty doesn't officially cover almost anything anyway. You're always dealing with Stern's goodwill. They appear to be quite generous.

#woodgraingate

Bend the prongs on the board slightly outward so that they fit into the plug tighter. Then test. When it's working well, use a hot glue gun and put a dab of glue on the connection joint. Then play the game until you get carpel tunnel in both hands.

Normal. Left is a flasher.

Just the connector and the board, to hold the connector in place.

My DILE looks about the same with regard to dimpling. Don't notice it on either unless I bend down to get the perfect angle of light. While I'm down there, I usually find some scratches too!

Both companies could dry their ply longer, but to me, it's a non-issue.

Def check your mech. My flippers are on the side of being too strong for the game, and mine is prob around 7 degrees.

I concur. My DILE had a ton of issues too. That being said, JJP does not cheap out like stern, so stern does deserve their lesser reputation.

Please do let us know if it's the same length. 5 minutes on the grinder is all I'll need.

stern meme

New issue: When in mummy multiball and revive is lit, if two balls drain at the same time, you only get one back. Not sure if this happens in other multiballs, but I'm assuming so. Anyone else experience this?

Sorry that I missed your post. Thanks for confirming.

QC is at typical stern levels. No better, no worse.

Set it up so the ball shoots slightly high and hold up the top flipper. This gives me about 85%. Works well enough. I always shoot for the center target skill shot, so the manual plunge doesn't matter much. There will never be a fix because it's basic physics. If you nudge, which you should, the level on your game will change each time. That is what I find makes the most difference, and it's just not fixable.

Reinstalling software could def fix the issue. Check all audio settings as well. Switch ohms back and forth too.

Switching the Ohms won't hurt anything. Stern had it set wrong before updates.

I've solved my auto plunger woes.

To the autoplunge crew: you're never going to get it to work 100%. It is a simple physics problem. The machine has very little leeway or space to nail the loop with the upper flipper in the way. On top of that, this machine needs more nudging than a child entering a haunted house, so the machine is always going to essentially change shape, and the table will never maintain a perfect level. If you have rubbers on the legs it will be worse because the legs cannot slide strait again after a nudge.

SOLUTION: hold the upper flipper up whenever balls launch. I get 90%+ balls around the loop with this simple learned adjustment. Hell, some even make it around when the flipper is down, but I don't expect them to. I also leave the flipper down when I want to gain control quickly to score a soul shard etc. To me, this is part of the game and is perfectly fine.

As for the manual plunger, it will change too. I find the light plunge skill shot the best bang for difficulty, so I never plunge for the loop. In my eyes, my game works wonderfully.

Think of all the ball'n beer time I have!

While this bandaid may work, it is not the correct solution. Your flippers should barely need springs at all. If the spring is not pulling it down, you should find the cause of the unwanted friction. Friction wears on parts quickly. Fix it correctly and be done with it!

Also check the angle at which the plunger enters the coil. I’ve seen coils installed at angles that cause tip of the plunger to rub on the sleeve. You should be able to test this by flicking the flipper under the playfield. There should be no resistance aside from the spring. Removing the spring will allow you to feel any resistance even more. Lastly, disassemble the flipper and check the plunger and sleeve for specific wear. Sometimes just reassembling clears up resistance issues.

If you nudge often, it is unfortunately true.

I never claimed that it wouldn't work for periods of time. My claim is that it will never be consistent for the long run due to the geometry of the game changing constantly. Very little change can change the autolauncher significantly. I went through the adjustment process twice and finally realized the reality of the situation. If you can get yours to be consistent, please share your secret with the group.

I don't want to sound combative, but you do understand what "barely" means, right? The springs are very weak springs for a reason: they "barely" need to pull on the flipper to bring it back to position as gravity helps as well. I didn't say that everyone should pull off the springs in all their machines and throw them away - far from it. And to assume that people that are new to understanding flippers understand how to check friction is a big assumption. Many new pinheads are scared to raise the playfield.

If we're arguing that the spring is defective or the incorrect size, then yes, the spring should be replaced. From what I understood, the fix posed was to replace a correct spring with a stronger spring. As for the sleeve and plunger, sometimes even a slight angle in the way a screw was screwed into the PF can cause the direction of the plunger to be off, hence causing friction. You'd see this in the sleeve right away. On a new game, the wear would be minimal, but with a bright light, you'd see it. I'm only suggesting that a close check for friction has fixed this type of flipper issue for me 100% of the time with a working spring. I'd guess that I've come across the issue about 20 times or so.

I do powered subs on all my games. It's night and day, honestly. I always buy mine used and local online. You wouldn't believe how many people sell really kickass subs for dirt. For IMDN, I just turned the settings of the cab speaker down to nothing, so it's pretty much eliminated from the sound system. It is, by far, the worst sounding cab speaker I've ever heard. From what I've read, it's the cheap amp. I may replace the amp and put in a good cab speaker some day to eliminate the powered sub.

You can use pliers or a wrench to get more torque on the hex. I just find a metal bracket, like a coil stop or something, to hang onto with part of my hand. Then I scream ADRIAN like Stallone as the hex digs into my fingers. Then the bolt comes loose. Everytime.

Order them straight from stern. I never bother going through a dist. Why add a middle man?

Bummer, dude. That's just bad support. Another reason to reconsider dealing with Stern.

Neither are problems.

Common issue. Back of the ramp catches on the loop rail below and behind it momentarily. Use a tiny bit of lube. Problem solved.

I just lubed the bottom of the ramp bracket where it was catching on the ball guide below. If you manually pull up the ramp, you'll see where it catches. It's just because the metal has a sharp edge and slows the ramp dropping. It goes away with time as it dulls.

Any tips and tricks for these two issues?:

1. Ball balancing at the back of the PF after resting on right post. Have to wait for ball search to fire the post to send the ball to the upper left flipper. This is happening more and more lately, enough that I need to find a fix. Really sux when 3x is going.

2. Ball balancing on on a lowered drop target. This happens when 1, 2 or all three are down. Have to wait for ball search, and the ball is launched to perfectly bank into the right outlane. Drives me nuts when I'm doing well. Need a fix!

Gotta install a better amp. You're powering a Ferrari with a four cylinder engine.

The sharp edge at the rear of your ramp is hanging up on the ball guide below. Put a little 3 in 1 oil on the ball guide where the ramp is rubbing. It will eventually dull and won't be a problem. I had to only oil it once a long time ago.

As stated above, you're worrying too much. Restore a few older machines so that you can see games that had the same balls in them for 20 years and show wear that isn't bad at all. Many of these games are full of sharp metal too. Yes, you should change balls here and there and keep your games generally clean, but it's going to take 10+ years of horrid neglect before you see any sort of serious PF wear.

I find the new clear to be thicker and clearer, making new pfs far more vivid, like rain on a car. This makes every dimple and scratch stand out. My older machines all have dimpling and scratches everywhere, albeit they are more difficult to see because the pfs are old.

You do have a point about pre diamond-plated games like earthshaker, but i'd still say it was likely routed for most of its early life, completely neglected and played to shit. I'm currently fixing aToM for a friend and recently finished a CBL, both routed and neglected. Both games came with rusty, scratched balls and a thick layer of crusted dirt covering the inlanes. Both cleaned up great.

You would have a tough task on your hands to wear even half way through current clear with the worst balls in a home environment. Tumbling can help if you're really worried about it. I tumble all balls once per year if I get around to it as I don't see scratches on balls and playfields as alarming as some others do. All this said, maybe my IMDN LE will look like a turd in ten years and yours will look pristine.

Stern reengineer a cheap part? Pure comedy. Vote with your wallet. IMDN is my last Stern, no matter what theme/design comes in the future. IMDNLE was the same price as DILE, and I'd argue DI has 30% more value and plays just as good if not better. Plus it has replaceable transistors. Wait till your IMDN breaks. When the node boards start failing, peeps gonna be pissed.

Ah, good point. I don't know the node system too well yet. Hoping that I never have to learn it!

To me, it looks like the outside corner on your wire form is low. Video isn’t clear though. I’d be looking to raise it or devise a way to slow the ball down prior to the corner. I slowed ball travel on my DILE ramp return to fix a similar issue.

The problem is the ball guide at the first corner. If you watch closely, that is where the ball goes off the track the first time. This creates a back and forth motion, causing the ball to have the perfect momentum and timing at the final corner to fly off.

Two easy fixes:
1. Raise your machine at the back to slow the ball travel up the ramp. Makes the game better anyway.
2. Slow the ball travel by putting something on the track.

One hard fix:
1. Use two pairs of vice grips with shop toweis to prevent scratching. Bend the wireform at the first corner to keep the ball on the center track.

I used sticker foam on my DILE to prevent jumps. 2mins to fix, no bending and works like a charm.
IMG_20181026_124445 (resized).jpg
Here is where I would do the same, if I were you:IMG_20181026_124532 (resized).jpg

Why not run the amp off the post-switch power?

Ahh, good answer. Playing more pinball is probably better

On a side note, you need to keep up on cleaning and waxing the PF. If mine gets dirty at all, the misses start happening. After I clean and wax, she's back to 100%.

Piss-poor design by Stern, but not a surprise.

They just needed to make adjusting it easier. I may put a notch in the plastic so that I can access the adjustment nut on the fly. A higher post screw would be better as well. Many machines have this feature, and Stern should have planned for this issue.

We should create a masterclass video: "50 ways to fix your brand new Stern."

My DILE has none of the issues of ball travel that you speak of with the loops.

DILE: Large LCD, Servicable PC under the hood, Better speaker design, more servicable, Phone LCD, Theatre LCD, 5 magnets, real sewer with trap door, LED ramps, Mechanic arm diverter, Stunning animations on ALL THREE lcds, selfie camera, headphone jack and external volume control, Bluetooth app control, lower right switch, proper leg brackets, full color manual that weighs 5 pounds...

IM: Sarcophogus lock mech, two captive balls, simulated mirrored backglass, an LED Tower thing, half size LCD with incomplete animations that will likely never be finished, foil side art.... Hmmm. Struggling here, so help me out.

Gameplay: IMDN plays wonderful when the autolaunch decides that it will work for a while. DILE has it's issues, but I find it plays a little smoother. Still love the IMDN gameplay though.

Now that I've thought out loud, I can clearly see that choosing DILE as better value for the dollar is the biggest bunch of shit I might have ever read on this site myself! Stern for the win!

Just gotta adjust that ball guide. Play while it lasts, and do-er again!

I chose to adjust mine after a clean and wax. The game reminds me when to clean and wax when the launcher starts to miss. I prefer to make my own decisions about when I work on my machines, but IMDN has a mind of its own. I expected far worse quality from Stern, so I'm pretty happy with the machine, even with its general Stern cheapness.

Yeah, but then every time you clean the game it will be screwed up. I'd rather just keep it clean. I don't need to wax each time. I just give it a quick wipe down.

As for your lights, I'd test the voltage from the sockets to get a clear idea of what you're feeding the bulbs.

The reason I suggested the voltage check is to see if you have a problem with the board sending the incorrect voltage. Knowing how to use a meter is handy as it takes literally 20 seconds if the socket is available and powered.

If cheaper ones that run on the same voltage work fine, it sounds like an issue with the bulbs. Maybe they are physically different in size (the bottom bit) and the socket isn't connecting well?

Strange issue. Warm white sounds like the better choice for that GI zone anway!

See if shifting the PF to the left or right fixes the issue. I had a BH that would shift and go out of whack. I put a screw in one of the hook slots so the PF had to sit in the same exact place each time.

Do you plan on routing the machine where it will get at least 100 plays per day??? Sounds like a pf protector is what you're looking for. You won't need it either though.

That's pretty strange. I'd say you more likely moved the PF. You'd be talking 1mm max difference, and your ball would have been hitting it way more if it was only missing by 1mm. Try cleaning the PF. When mine starts screwing up, a good cleaning fixes my issues.

Mummy newton is gapped too close mostl likely. Vibrations are actuating it twice quick and opening the tomb. This would pick your song and eliminate all skill shots. Newton may be sticking as well. Check the mech.

I would recommend getting the screwing started now. You’re going to have to learn it anyway.

I had to adjust three times to get it right. Wasn't that long, considering how long adjustments can take on various machines. Now I'm confident that I can adjust it in about 5 mins. Gotta go through the pain, so may as well get it over with.

It's not on the hinges. Put a couple drops on a q-tip and lube the lower edge of the ramp. The ramp is like an L-bracket, and the bottom part of the L rubs against the ball guide behind/under the ramp. The edge is sharp and sticks long enough that it misses the ramp release. I oiled mine and the ball guide below once and that's it. I'm assuming the sharp edge has dulled enough that the problem is gone for good.

My measurement is the same as all my pins: steep as hell.

Had this issue with my BBH. I put a screw in one of the slots to keep the pf in place. The hook seated snug every time. No threading needed and completely reversible. Don't remember the screw size though.

Mines at 95%. I just adjusted with the screw. I don't see the screw holding forever though. Wedge would help with that.

Anyone else that puts the more powerful coil in, let us know if it works.

I'm too lazy to order the coil. I think I'll just unwind three layers of wiring on the coil and see how she goes. If I screw it up, I'll be motivated to order a new coil.

Finally had an issue with the sarcophagus lock switch. Was going to replace it with a roller until I realized that the switch is simply bent incorrectly for proper functionality. I just pulled the actuator off, clipped it a little shorter to avoid the tip hitting the end of the ball guide slot, and bent it upward so that the ball comes into contact with it earlier. The original shape of the actuator was bent upward too late and resulted in the ball not depressing it far enough. My alteration will make this bombproof until the cheap Stern switch actually fails.

While I had the glass off and balls out, I decided to tackle the autolauncher. Mine has always worked well after my initial adjustment. I'm at about 90%. I took some layers off the coil, which seems to added a few precent to my consistency.

Switch:
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Coil:
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I put the paper back on perfectly for people that might care in the future. It actually looks better than it did with the uneven wind that it had, not that I care. Why would I unwind in the first place? Because it works and I don't need to bother buying another coil. Less waste and it took me 10 mins total. Yay me!

I've fixed and replaced many switches in my time. The original switch was bent in a way that required too much pressure from the ball. After my fix it takes feather light pressure to trigger it, just like the upper switch. I'm extremely confident. I'll let you know if and when it fails though!

I would have liked to see a horizontal adjustment bolt system so one could adjust on the fly. Thinking of rigging one up when I get the time. I mean if I get the time.

If you find that you can't adjust under the playfield, send pics to Stern. That ramp should have never passed QC.

Try cleaning the PF. I have to keep mine squeaky clean or Satan starts f-ing with the trajectory.

And that right drain after successful skill shot doesn't cancel ball save. It's such a contradiction: the shot has the perfect rebound for a right outlane drain, at least on my machine. I'd say mine drains 50% of the time immediately after I make the skill shot. What's the point of the extra time for ball save if it just drains and cancels it?

I farted about 3/4 foot from my ball guide and quickly spit on the adjustment screw. Then I tightened the screw half a turn. Now my ball guide hits the upper flipper every time. What did I do wrong?

Looks like the sides of the socket might not be grounding the bulb. If tape is working, just use pliers to gently squeeze the socket so that the bulb will fit tight.

I'm not sure on newer sterns, but on older machines this also happens when the spring inside the socket becomes corroded or compressed. Seeing that it's a new socket, the spring probably didn't have the right specs out of the Chinese factory. What I would do in this case is remove the socket (no need to disconnect wiring) and use needle nose pliers to pull the spring in order to add more compression. Be careful not to pull it too hard or you'll pop it out of the socket.

Commonly reported. Mine is the same. Pretty sure it's just that it's so close to the cab that the cab functions as a boom box. You can dampen it, but it's nothing out of the ordinary, unless someone else is reporting differently.

Edit: oops. Didn't read the replies

My solution for shooter:

1. Used a pen to mark where my pf brackets latch to the PF. It's is very important that your pf sits in the same position each time you close it.

2. Cleaned and waxed the pf.

3. Replaced the post rubber at the end of the ball guide with a thicker one.

4. Put gorilla tape around the rubber post to make it bigger.

5. Cut a piece of old flipper rubber and wedged it between the ball guide and the oversized post rubber. I adjused the amount of tape to dial it in so the ball makes the loop dead center.

I've essentially eliminated the adjustment screw as it is ineffective, piss-poor design.

I am at about 98%, assuming I clean the pf every 100 games, give or take.

It's unnoticeable on the game. Only potential issue is the pressure on the post, hence the rubber.
IMG_20191026_121732 (resized).jpg

The switch near the Newton likes to bind. I pulled off the leaf of the switch and trimmed and adjusted it. See my previous post a while back. Way easier fix.

Edit: you're already done. Oops!

I'd check my previous fix. Don't rely on the adjustment screw. It's only a wood screw ie. Piss-poor design. Once I took that out of the equation, I'm at 99%.

You can use a fingernail file if you want. Any rough surface will work for such a small file job. If you look back to my posts about the shooter lane, I found a fix that doesn't involve a new coil or a new Lane or cutting anything. You need to take the adjustment screw out of the equation. Mine has been at 99.5% consistency for months. This is the first time my playfield is actually getting dirty as I don't have to keep it perfectly clean to appease the stupid ball guide.

For those with launcher problems, my previous post about eliminating the adjustment screw altogether has me at 99.5% for months. Easy fix.

Anyone else having their jump ramp protector curling up on the back side?

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If I understand you correctly, it sounds like you have a switch issue related to the 3 switch target beyond the jump ramp. Off hand, I would check underneath for a connector for those switches. It may be loose or have a defect/short. Check the solder points as well. Also, the switches themselves may be binding on something. Put the game in switch edges test mode and trigger the switches with your finger. They should move freely and trigger the test when pressed. If not, examine the back of the switches and adjust them if needed.

Follow the switch edges test for your loop switch. It also may just need adjustment or possibly some soldering.

As for your jump ramp, it does look a little more left of centre than mine and other images on Pinside. It might be your camera angle though. Have a look at the images on the game page. Stern isn't exactly known for their QC, so you might have a defective build.

You should get the pf protector that goes behind the jump ramp. The jumps beat the shit out of it.

Mine does the same thing. Shim works for a long time, then suddenly it needs to be removed. Then, after a long time, it needs to be added. I've made the post larger by wrapping it with Gorilla Tape. Then I use a square of rubber flipper as my shim. Works great.

Check the raise mech under the playfield. Manually raise and release to see if you have loose/binding parts.

Others would then have the same issue. It's definitely hardware. Check connectors on the mech and connectors on the other end (board). Sounds like a loose connection somewhere.

Don't have to take it apart. The search function will bring you to previous discussions and a simple solution. Just use some 3in1 oil on the back of the ramp. The sharp edge will dull over time. One time fix.