All my current games are EM. So brand new to SS so be gentle on me.

I picked up a Stellar Wars pin last week, so I am new to SS. It had the piece in the cabinet where the back box attaches broke. I made a new piece, and when I did I took the playfield out of the pin and put on saw horses to disassemble for cleaning and waxing, and to go over to look for anything wrong.

I put everything back together, and when I switched on the pin all the playfield lights were flashing all around and such. I assume this is normal some type of light test.

I pressed the start button and one pop bumper stuck on ( cant figure this out, these were all dissembled for cleaning and appeared to be free on movement)

Any way shut down pin right away so I wouldn't burn up coil. Took apart pop and reassembled to make sure it is free. Now when I press start, nothing happens, nothing on playfield activates and scores, flippers don't work. Press start nothing happens, I can not get into diagnostics, and or settings.

There is a yellow wire with a diode or resistor hanging from coin door it looks like its from on coin switch. there is two green with brown stripe wires tied together not connected that looks like it went to the score reset switch, this switch is broke where it looks like these wires may have been. Wires are still soldered to the small tab. I can not find these switches or these colored wires on my schematic. but it looks like that's where these wires were at one time.

Player one has points, all others are at zero. I have the back glass off so the other two displays have 03 00. don't know if this helps at all.

Sorry for the long post, but I am looking for a starting point on how to trouble shoot the issues.

Thanks in Advance!

Forgot to mention, All fuses checked out OK.

Thanks Buzz, I will check things out tonight after work and post back.

Thanks, I will check this out also!

Top Left hand POP I do not know the number. Being I have EM's, I checked the contacts under the playfield.

As I said, I am very new to SS machines.
How do you test the coils drive transistor/circuit?

Like I said, first SS game and I have tons too learn!!!! I only checked the opening and closing of the switch contacts. I will be getting the DMM out after work. Thanks again everyone for your help, I will post back how O make out!

I replaced the batteries, and now I can get into diagnostics, lots of failed solenoid and switch tests failed.

The main thing happening that makes trouble shooting more difficult is,,,,,The right top pop bumper coil is being pulled in and scoring and not releasing. The switches under the pop bumper are not made when this happens.

Thanks I appreciate that

Hi wayout, thanks again for the help, problem is right now I can not do switches first because top right pop bumper is constantly firing. It pulses as soon as you get into the switch test mode, or when you try to start a game. Should I take one lead off the coil for now and do the switch test?

Also three of the drop targets solenoids are not working. All the coils are brand new, the person I purchased the pin from just had them installed.

Thanks Buzz!

Thanks Wayout, What is the testing procedure for new coils that are not firing?

Hi wayout, I am at work now, be home around 6:00pm. I will post my results when I test further. Thanks for checking!

I have some failed switches, they are making contact, I really am at a lost now on how to fix some of these things. top right bumper is fine until the coil is fired then it stays energized.

Here is something I noticed, The items with the white and yellow colored coils are the items not working correctly.
The items with the orange colored coils are working correctly.

The previous owner just put on the white and yellow coils.

My pictures did not show up I will try again

untitled (resized).png

picture2 (resized).png

Does it matter if the numbers don't match exactly? I tried to search and find the videos but no luck.

Thanks

Hi Wayout, The game never fully worked in my possession. The things that did not work are the items with the yellow white coils in my pics,

I watched the videos, but sorry They did not help me much, I think because my game is nothing like them.????????

The videos were mostly changing bad molex plugs. I don't have material to see what are the correct coils...still looking...but if you look at my pics, the coils that work are SG=23 850 DC the coils that don't seem to work are SA=23-850 I do not know if the letter makes a difference or not.

Sorry I am dumb, but how should I test for power at the coils?

I guess the SS games are harder than I thought, EM.s seem easier

Ok, I read in a thread in here that you could force the coils to fire by putting a jumper from one of the coil lugs to ground. I did this test, and the coils fired. do I need to figure out where the wiring goes?

I notice looking at the schematic, All the items not working go to the same plug on the driver board. Can anyone help me on what I should do next?

Does anyone happen to have a picture or drawing of how the wires are on the right 3 drop down bank? I do not thing mine is correct. one orange wire was broke off.

Thanks!

Still looking for some help please

Thanks mswhat!

Here is one thing I noticed when trying to figure out things. When the 4 bank center target needs to reset, the top center pop bumper is firing. I cant figure out wiring colors on my schematic to check things are wired correctly.

When I do the diagnostics on the main board, the two red led's flash twice and go out. according to the manual that means my boards and chips are OK, is this correct?

On another note, should I replace the printed circuit boards on the drop targets to the new ones that are out there now?

Any help is greatly appreciated. I am very new to this so bear with me.

Anyone have any thoughts on my questions above?

Thanks for your reply. I did not have a reply for a while, so I ordered the new boards.(oh well) when I do the solenoid test, the only drop targets that worked was the 3 target left side bank. middle four and right three are not resetting, how ever they do score.

I have been searching and reading everything I can find on how to trouble shoot. since I bought the boards, I am going to put them on this weekend, but I agree, they may not fix the issue. I did take apart the right bank and cleaned everything like you posted, but I have not tested it yet because of time constraints. I will know more this weekend.

I jumped one lug on the coil to ground on all coils and they all activate. Is this what you are referring to?

Thanks a million!!!!That's why I have been searching and searching for guides. I cant find any with maybe a picture on how to do this. One thing bad, I have seen other examples of pics of boards and they will be labeled like Q24 Q12 etc. there are no numbers on my boards that I can see, unless they are on the other sides.

does anyone one have a pic on where to put the test leads and what the transistor looks like> sorry for the dumb question but I seen some where these items were called different things. I do not want to screw up my boards.

Will do, Thanks again!

Well, I think I am totally screwed now. I was running tests

Q2 Fired Left Kicker
Q4 Fired Lower Left Pop
Q6 Fired Top Left Pop
Q8 Fired Top Right Pop
Q10 Fired Top Center Pop
Q12 Fired Right Kicker
Q15 Fired Out Hole
Q17 Fired Left Drop Target
Q19 Fired Kickout Hole
Q21 Fired Left Center Drop Target
Q23 Fired Right Center Drop Target
Q25 Fired Right Drop Target
Q27 Nothing I could See
Q29 Nothing I could See
Q31 Sound
Q33 Sound

I did not make it to the last row because I could smell something hot. I immeditly shut down and lifted playfield.
The bottom right Pop Coil was hot and smoking a little. I then looked at driver board and it did not look good.

I think Q27 or Q29 is for this pop, but I can not trace that in the schematics. funny thing is, coil was hot but not activated?????

Can I repair the driver board or do I need a new one?

driver board (resized).png

thanks for your reply Wayout

I ordered boards for the drop targets, I am going to purchase some transistors and resistors and give it a go way cheaper than a new driver board)
I found in the schematics the part numbers and descriptions.

I purchased both, I will update when I get the parts and try this. wish me luck!

I have a Time Warp driver board coming in case my repairs do not work. The boards look the same, anything I should know about using the Time Warp board in my Stellar Wars?

Hi everyone, I installed the Time Warp board. Nothing stuck on, nothing getting hot, and no blown fuses.

However I now do not have any score lights, and no game over so I can not get into diagnostics mode.

I can fire all the solenoids by grounding transistors to ground.
both red leds are lit on MPU.

Any suggestions on how to proceed? Thanks in advance.

Can Anyone Help? Please

All the lights are working on the playfield, all the lights in the back box are working. the score displays are not. If I press the diagnostic button in back box, I get every other digit lit in the score displays

I will continue to check out these things mentioned. Thanks all.

I replaced the 40 pin female connector on the Time Warp board. I put my old board in just to see if my score displays would come back and they did.
But it has too many other issues.

One thing I noticed on the Time Warp board the large brown resistors on the lower right of the board are getting hot, could that be the problem?
I could take the ones of the original board and put on time warp?

I can take the PIA's off the original board but the Time warp board does not seem to be socketed, ???????

Anyone have a driver board for sale, cant afford some of the ones I found online.

That's correct, The board I bought was not a new board, it was a used board from a Time Warp.
The Time Warp lights everything up but the score displays, it works the same as when there is no board installed.

I am very sorry, I meant it works the same as far as the score displays go, with or with out driver board, two red led's on CPU board lit and no score displays.
If I press the diagnostics button on CPU board I get every other digit on display.

If I put in original board I get scoring displays correctly.

I ordered some mosfets as per vids guide, if it still don't work, I will have to try to find a new board.

Yes it does, some of the coils fire, I can not leave it on long cause some of the transistors are over heating. The only item I could not get to work when testing is the flash lamps under the playfield (2) and the center drop targets will not reset, and the right drop targets will not reset, and the right bottom pop bumper scores points but coil does not fire.

I agree, I replaced 5 of the transistors already, Do you know what to look for when they get hot? The 5 I replaced are OK. Its like the heat moves around, I know that probably sounds dumb, but I am when it comes to these SS games.

I am going to concentrate my efforts on repairing the original board for now.

Hi all
I just got a rebuilt board from EBay. It seemed to make every thing work that was not working befor. Mainly pop bumpers and drop targets resets. I am not sure how this pin works exactly. So here is what I noticed. Hitting some pop bumpers activates other ones and drop target resets. Is this normal?

Should I start a new post for this?

I will check that later today thanks

I tried what you said and some items still reset drop targets some pop bumpers and two stand up targets I am seeing now. Maybe it’s supposed to be that way????? There is the same colored wires tie these items together.

Will do

Ok by watching the you tube I don’t think my game is working right. Does anyone know when you put in a new driver board if you should reset the MPU? I don’t have s clue on how to fix this issue.

They all work correctly in test mode

I will do this later and post my results

Here is the results from the switch test I am listing the ones that are not correct

14, bottom left jet bumper
14,6,22,30,38,46,& 54

24, upper top left standup
6,24,22,30,38,46, & 54

38, right bulls eye target
38,,6,22,24,30,38,46, & 54

46, top right jet bumper
46,6,14,22,24,30,38,36,54

54, 4 bank series
54,6,14,22,30,38,46,53

After the 4 bank drop targets drop the machine is humming like something is stuck on

Natuarly if I reach in through the coin door and lift up on the drop target to reset the right two, the humming stops.

Number 6. Coin door doing the same thing. No switches stuck when tests start. Can any one please help. Thanks.

I will check it out. Thanks!

Wire colors match the switch matrix chart, what do I look for next?

Thanks wayout440, I will do the tests tonight after work, and post my results.

Ok, before I start these jumper tests I just take my jumper wire and touch a pin on the row section and a pin on the column pin right on the board. Is this correct. I don’t want to mess up anything so I am looking for clarification

Ok I did the jumper test it only gave me one switch number for each pin and they were correct. So back to switch tests. No mater which switch in row 6 I activate, it shows all row 6 switches cycling through the display. I don’t know what to do next.

Anyone?

First off, thanks for your continued help with this pin.

Not sure what you mean by common switch matrix problem

What is the procedure for checking shorted or partially shorted switches with a meter?

I can do this.

Thanks! That is very good information!

I hope it doesn't turn out to be bitter, I need it to be sweet!

Last night I working on machine, and with the playfield up I was leaning on right side metal side rail for the glass and I could feel the tingling of electricity through my forearms. could this be causing my problem? some type of short? I guess I should of tried left side, but didn't think of it until now.

Its a little confusing considering nothing electrical appears to be touching the rail, its mounted to the wood with a ground strap under the head.

Ok for anyone still following this thread I made big progress the items in the in row 6 (blue and white wire) are not firing together. Each item is working as should. But now row 4 yellow and white are not working at all. Right coin switch (which don’t matter on free play). A rollover. 3 roll over. Top right stand up. Left 3 bank stand up. Right kicker. 4 bank right center. I put my new boards on the center drop targets which has yellow white on 4 bank right center. I double and triple checked thes solder connections because that’s the only yellow white wires I touched. If there is something wrong here, would that affect the other items in the row? If I connected the two white yellow wires at the 4 bank right center would that make the other items work? Really lost again but this far I don’t want to give up.

I will try that

I have continuity

When I go into switch test 4,20,22,28,36,44 and 52 show on the display.

22 is because of captive ball forgot to take it out

I went back to the jumper test row 4 is not working what to do now?

I have a logic probe but no sure how to use it, can anyone help me with that? I have extra transistors

Ok. I see what you mean on my schematic IC 15. Correct? I hat soldering these things with all these legs. Should I go ahead a nd try to change it?

Driver board is working. Switches in row 4 still do not work. Think I will fill full of contact cleaner and light it up.

Do you have a place and part number for the socket? I think the driver board is working now but still can’t figure out why the switches still don’t work.

Great News !!!!!!

Stellar Wars 100% working correctly finally!

I bought a 40 pin straight IC socket on Flea Bay for a couple bucks, snapped it into two 8 pin rows. Soldered them to board, inserted a 4049 chip I had, and Bam, it worked!