My upper flipper has been sticking in the up position a little for a long time. It is getting a lot worse now.

What do I need to check?

First, is the flipper button switch sticking ? ( Should be a switch test in the game for that )

Then I'd check if the flipper has a tiny bit of up and down play ( not back and forth ) so pawl isn't sticking under the playfield. Then check return spring is good and coil stop is on tight.

If all good so far, then I'd remove the coil stop, slide coil off. Inspect coil sleeve for wear or cracks, check if the end of the plunger has a sharp edge or a mushroomed end and wants to be replaced.

LTG : )

At this point, see if the plunger/plastic link/pawl wiggle freely.

LTG : )

Thank You!

To cover everything. If the flipper button is sticking. Remove it. Spray it with 409, Windex, and cleaner. Rinse thoroughly with clear water. Dry thoroughly. Stick it back in the game.

Dirt, salt, sweat, all kinds of stuff from hands can get in there and muck things up. On location add pop and beer to the list.

LTG : )

This actually makes me wonder whether a good proportion of machines come from the factory with the flipper set a little too far from the wire rail so that the beer barrel shot is impossible for the owners, however much they practice it. Other machines may have the flipper set closer to the rail, and that might explain why those owners find that the shot is perfectly possible, although it requires some practice to nail it.

I took the glass off mine, fed the ball to the flipper, and tried the shot multiple times and failed to make the shot - ever. There just wasn't enough power to get it up the ramp. No amount of trying to make the shot from different areas of the flipper helped. Now that I have adjusted the flipper so that it sits hard against the rail I can make the shot frequently, although it is a hard shot so not all of the time.

Could factory positioning of the upper flipper explain why some people are complaining that the shot is unmakeable and others insist that you just need a bit of practice to get it right?

It could be a Zando-Zan that's working on "The Last Starfighter" design!

Did you change out your flipper rubber to gain an extra 1/8 to the rail? Make a big difference

Great to hear! Oktoberfest will be the 4th Balcer designed game in my current collection.

It is the flipper acting up. The button is fine. I am going to look at everything you said when I open the game up later to change the flipper rubber and try the extra 1/8 adjustment others are talking about.

Thanks again LTG for the info!

The little guy carrying Nirmal around at Expo last year ?

LTG : )

Yup. And then loosened the flipper and moved it hard against the rail, and put the power to about 30

Just a thought, but what about taking the rubber off, then pushing the flipper back a bit more (so the rubberless bat hits the rear rail) then put the rubber back on... the final angle when the bat hits the end if it's stroke will be more 'pointing down', just like what you've done does... but more-so. The stroke will be limited, but by tweaking the power up a bit more you'll get the energy back... just thinking that maybe it's that final angle that's helping the ball go better up the ramp...

That ramp just does not like me. I changed the flipper rubber, and I still have no room to move the flipper closer against the metal stop.

Last night that upper flipper was hanging in the up position, I was going to start looking at what LTG told me, but before I raised the playfield I wanted to see how the new regular flipper rubber felt, and hell yeah, at least no flipper sticking at the moment. (I still can not make the ramp, but I think it is because I don't shoot worth a crap most of the time). And yeah, I am on 30 on that flipper.

Anyway, thanks again LTG!

You dont want to bump up the power to much. Five clicks up is the sweet spot for me. The way I was able to move the flipper back was pick up the play field. Loosen the nut holding the flipper bat. Than push and hold the flipper bat as far back as possible. While holding it tighten up the nut.

Maybe some people like to listen to him, but: he's nowhere near a reliable source now, is he?

Haha. Absolutely not. Entertainment only people.

This is what I think of anytime someone mentions the tool.

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Hahaha. I’d like to ASS you a few questions.

He doesn't even play pinball deeply enough to understand a game or playability, just critiques everything like the art classes I took in college. Funny if Oktoberfest is the worst game theme coming from someone who bought a Magic Girl?

Personally I think Oktoberfest is an excellent theme... as I'm sure a lot of other visitors to this thread do... basically a blank slate full of potential for inoffensive humour and packed with fun things... I find myself trying to imagine another theme that could have the same potential as this... which hasn't yet been done... I struggle to think of one!! Probably more a reflection of my lack of imagination.

A lot of the top pinball machines that are original themes were not well received when they came out in the 90’s. Some were even sold at a clearance sale. I expect Octoberfest to be one of those games 10 years down the road.

Prime example being CC... Distributors were selling them cheap to make way for the 'amazing' new Pin 2Ks that were going to hit the streets... even B/W gave up on CC to get Pin2Ks out... still sad I let my CC go.

I'm noticing on my game that quite often when I make the left loop shot, instead of the ball flying behind the upper rollovers and round to upper flipper, about 60% of the time it will hit something and either bounce back down the left loop lane or bounce partly back and then vanish from view to emerge trickling to the 'T' rollover... a good shot to the loop doesn't seem to matter... obviously a weak shot won't make it past the rollovers, but I'd have thought a good shot should always make it round... I'm guessing this is not how the game is designed to play... and was wondering if anyone else has this issue?

I have had my game for a while and this was the first thing I had to massage or Adjust,I looked to see where the ball was hitting and I removed the rail and plastic then bent it in and sanded down the plastic,I hope you can see in picture,this has Made the orbit shot around to the upper flipper so much better,hope this helps,it did me
22605FC4-3D2B-44A6-ADB2-B7221410C45E (resized).jpeg

My ball doesn't seem to be making it this far to be honest, it seems to be rebounding off the left rollover post rubber... its like something is making the ball bounce downwards as it travels under the beer barrel ramp so it's not tight against the rear ball guide... only way to see what's going on is to remove the beer barrel ramp I guess... when I get past this hurdle I may then need to make your mod too! Or maybe it IS making it round and bouncing off the place you modified and it's so quick I'm missing it... need to pay closer attention... with some glass-off testing...

Keep Us advised

Yup I've had this issue. It has been vaguely bothering me that the orbot shot doesn't seem to work much of the time but I've been busy sorting out the barrel ramp shot before moving on to it. I was thinking maybe the magnet at the top is activating automatically to trap it so I haven't looked in to it yet but it's next on my list! But I will look at the rail and plastic that rockrand was talking about.

Quick rule question. Let’s say I play Looper and get 4 shots then drain. Next ball I finish looper and only hit one shot total. Does the 10% bonus in the end of ball bonus use the total Looper score from both attempts, or just the last one?

Just uses the score from the attempt where you won. And of course, scoring in tent modes generally starts relatively low and accelerates the more shots you make in a single attempt, so in the situation you describe, the Tent Win Bonus will probably be pretty small. On the other hand, since the Tent Win Bonus is multiplied by the number of tents you won in a single ball, it might still be lucrative if you had won a few tents during the second ball.

Being more observant yesterday it seems like the issue is that the ball is falling away from the upper ball guide as it passes over the upper rollover lanes and is hitting the top of one of the rollover lane divide post rubbers and bouncing back... this upper part of the ball guide should be curved so that the ball is pushed against it with centrifugal force... but if it's straight, then gravity will inevitably take over. Can someone at AP perhaps advise if this upper ball guide is straight or curved? If it's curved, perhaps the radius is too big for the ball to stay against it...?

Check playfield pitch maybe?

I've had no issues with shots in the left orbit. Sometimes I'll try and hit a weak or ricocheting shot up the left orbit so I can save a Magnab and get it in the rollovers for a playfield multiplier or in the pops for a mode.

My pitch is quite shallow to be honest... I set the feet adjusters as AP recommended... all ramps easily achievable out of the box I'm pleased to say! I've a feeling my upper ball guide has a bad curve... May need to strip the playfield a bit to try and tweak it...

Will do! Thanks for the tip!

I have this same issue, and I'd also say it's about 60%-70% of the time I hit the left orbit. As rockrand pointed out in his post, mine also gets caught on the very edge of the curved metal. It bothered me at first but I have just gotten use to the inconsistency. Although when I have some free time I think I will try to bend the metal a bit so it's not sticking into the path.

He rescinded it. Not sure who his source was, but at least her corrected himself. I'll listen to episodes on my way into work. He's sensational and engaging. It's okay for people to like different things, and have different views. Last time I checked.

That said, as an owner of a Houdini, I'm glad that info was incorrect. I hope another game by Joe is revealed sooooooon!

I want to try and fix mine before I get used to it

bar door wont close not another problem!!!!!!!1

seems the bar door sticker peeled off in the back running into wires and causing friction to the bar door now what????

not to mention dead right flipper and ball trough

I would call them and / or e-mail [email protected], despite his BTA acronym he's actually pretty friendly and helpful.

P.S. Pinball machines break, it's what they do but the folks at American Pinball are top-notch and I'm sure you'll be back to flipping in no time.

Have you contacted technical support? If not, do so..

Remove the ball guide to the right of rollovers And role the top edge inward and then sand the plastic,like in the picture,worked for me,a good clean shot screams around orbit

I can see how bending the ball guide will help, and I'll do this... but the plastic is above the ball, no? How would sanding this help therefore?

Do what works for you,I sanded it because after bending inward the plastic needed a touchup but yours may not good luck great game

I gotcha... Will do this for sure... I already see an impact mark on the leading edge of the metal, and space for it to be bent down a good 5mm... so definitely scope for improvement