Mine started doing the same thing and the opto sensor was off that is in front of Sparky. I ended up having to bend the metal tab a little that holds the opto sensor. The bad thing about it is, that its hard to see and get to because of the left ramp and other things being in the way. I ended up taking the left ramp off of the game and the plastics around Sparky so i could see what i needed to do better. It actually wasnt that big of a job but after about three failed attempts of trying to get it adjusted I said F it and took the ramp off so i could have some room to work and so that i could see what to do.

I was getting sparky hits just by flipping the flippers and yes it does ruin the gameplay for sure. Maybe someone else can Tell you a better way to fix this problem but thats how i fixed mine. If you look in front of Sparky you will see where the opto sensor shines from one side to the other. There will be a round red circle of light that is supposed to shine into the hole on the opposite side of the opto and mine was way off and barely shining into that hole. I suspect that this may be your problem also. Its also possible that the switch that sits between Sparkys legs may be too close together and registering way to easy. If thats the case you will need to gap that switch open a little more. Check that switch first and then the opto. If the opto is off center though i would say that is your problem. Good luck!

Agree with above. Check the switch first then the opto. If you need to adjust the opto take the ramp off. It's much easier that way and it's simple to remove the ramps anyways. Would be a good time to install the airball protector from pinbits as well.

For the music. It's in the settings but is counter-intuitive. The higher the number the softer the music/call outs. The lower the number the louder they will be. If you want just the music to be louder turn that setting down while raising the call out setting a tad. Then you can turn the master volume up to get the desired call out volume (and in turn the music will be much louder). I forget the location of the settings but I believe they are at the end of the first group.

I think the first two problems were already answered above. I also have Flipper Fidelity speakers and also discovered the the volume needs to be raised much higher then with standard speakers. Mine’s at 45 and that’s loud enough for me.

But for your last question regarding Snake eject it quite curious myself as well! Mine ejects some balls straight into the left slingshot instead of my left flipper. Really no clue on what causes this.

Well i need to edit this comment a little lol. My MET started the false Sparky hits again so i tore into the game one more time. I earlier stated that you need to take the left ramp off to bend the bracket a little so you can get the opto aligned better. You can see the opto light move when you lightly move the rail so you will know which way that you need to bend the rail a little. You probably can just take the plastics off around sparky and take a pair of needle nose pliers and grab ahold of the rail that holds the opto and bend it a little without removing any ramps so that is nice.

Also the first thing that you can do is to unplug the opto connectors under the playfield and plug them back in to make sure that they are making a good connection. The little opto plugs are typically kind of loose and can come unplugged or become loose easily.

Im not a expert pinball repair guy so i kinda learn as i go and get a little better the more i work on these games. At any rate i was just trying to help Creepy Tom with the opto problem and now i kinda feel bad because tonight i found an easier way so im hoping that he reads this before working on his game. This game has been a huge PIA so far compared to my other new Sterns.

Beer me, just joined this week. Thank you Matt. Looks like I missed the mad rush on Metallica mods, luckily this game already had a bunch. Where can I find the spinner kit mod? Thanks!

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Depends on how much work you want to do and how far you want to take it, in kit form:

https://www.hookedonpinball.com/store/p90/Metallica-Pro-Spinners-Kit-Pinball-Mod

You can piece it together yourself with parts from pinball life, though your spinner stickers won't match that kit, you can always order the spinner stickers from the Prem/LE though and use those.

Or if you want to take it all the way and tie the spinners into the total lightkit go here...

https://redshiftled.com.au/Total-Lightshow.php

LED's sold separately

Heads up for Pro owners looking to add the rising cross mech. Marco just started stocking a more reasonably priced ($150) assembly. The full original assembly is $250. Looks like it comes as a collection of the parts and is unassembled, probably minus the cross, which you don’t need. There is no photo on the Marco store, but the part number checks out against the manual.

https://www.marcospecialties.com/pinball-parts/511-7471-00

Out of stock

That was quick. Good thing I don't see it value wise lol... Is there a way to get the prem/le hammer in there just for asthetics? I heard the ball hammer gimmick is a negative on those.

The hammer on the premium is not a negative whatsoever and the rising grave market is cool as hell, as are the spinners and the light show that comes on the Premium/LE models. Its all good, no negatives at all.

Seconded - the hammer is awesome (except when the magnet board doesn't work....). The spinners and light show are also amazing (as are the multicolored LEDs). The rising cross? Meh, I could take it or leave it, personally.

Oh man i love the rising cross! Everytime i see is come up through the playfield im like YEEEAH BABY!!! It never gets old to me ever!!

Should be easy to add one if you are ok with cutting some plastics. It's just basically a plastic tube with the hammer attached all on a lever.

Gives me a chance to take a swig!

Ok, is there a purchase source? Do I have to change my Pro code? Is there a DIY for this? Thx!

Code - Wont work. If you want it to move you will have to customer do something. Easiest thing would be to tie into the captive ball target and use an audrino board to fire a relay which fires a coil to make it move. Not easy but not over the top. If you just go with static that is what I was referencing as being easy.

The main parts:
Parts to make the hammer:
- https://www.marcospecialties.com/pinball-parts/545-7826-01
- https://www.marcospecialties.com/pinball-parts/530-7828-00
- https://www.marcospecialties.com/pinball-parts/530-5332-09
- a 6-32 x 5/8 screw

If you want it to move you will also need:
- 535-0689-09 and 535-0689-08. I don't see these for sale so a call to a dist may be needed. This is the bracket that creates the pivot points.
- https://www.marcospecialties.com/pinball-parts/535-0690-00
- https://www.marcospecialties.com/pinball-parts/511-7488-00

You'll also need a coil and the associated hardware that goes with them. You can see the assembly in the manual here starting at page 8. http://sternpinball.com/upload/games/metallica/pro/421/MTLAB1.PDF

The easiest thing to do at that point if you want that mech is to buy a premium.

Yeah, but then what would he do with the rest of the premium after he removes it?

well, he could strip the rising gravestone, spinners and articulated snake too and add those to his pro

Not sure if it's official until the game is sitting in my game room, but I just sent a payment for a Metallica Premium and will be joining the club shortly. Game is unmodded and I'll likely be adding the fangs and decal, but will likely wait for awhile before adding more. I do also have an extra subwoofer and may install that on this game.

Congrats and welcome to the club!

Congrats and install that sub!!

I recommend putting a piece of Mylar over the tongue decal before installing. I've had mine just over a month and it has pretty bad wear in the centre already. Easy fix since I was sent 2 decals but easier if id known ahead of time.

It's been over a month of mailing drama but my Cliffys finally arrived yesterday. Why do you have to have so many rollovers Metallica?$$lol

Wow, I have had my decal on for about two years and it has no wear at all. Got mine from pingraffix, maybe there are knockoffs printed differently?

same!

This game is a freaking blast. When I bought it 5 months ago I really had no idea if it was going to last in my house. And I had put today (the day I’m driving to Pintastic) as the day I would have sold it if it wasn’t fitting in.

Now that I’ve had it for a bit, I can say it’s greatness comes completely from Crank It Up. Without CIU MET is fairly average. Hit X a bunch to start it’s mode, then hit X a bunch again to collect its points. There are already a bunch of games that do that. Plus a couple of minor side things to do. However, collect enough of everything and you get yourself to CIU. And CIU is all about risk vs reward. The more you build the jackpot, the higher the risk of draining. You want to double that jackpot? Make more shots. It constantly adds pressure to make dangerous shots or fail.

It takes shots to get there, it takes good shots to complete it, and it takes good shots to get out with a big jackpot. OR it ends with swearing and giving the machine the finger as you drain. Lyman programmed it to have that nugget right where it should be. I almost feel like the game really starts when you get to CIU. The rest is fun, but that’s when you need to really play well.

Obviously the game isn’t going anywhere today

Met is the best. I bought my dream game a while back (Tron) and thought it would be my #1 game forever. Well, I still love Tron and I think it is aesthetically my favorite, but Metallica's gameplay is just a little better IMO and can't be beat. Love both the games and I don't think I will ever sell either, but if I had to pick only ONE game to keep it would be Met.

Also same!

Through gritted teeth i will admit Met Pro beats Tron for me. Just.

Mezel Mods

The tongue decal from Mezelmods is the Pingraffix decal.

Just changed out the rubber rings on mine with Titan rings, pretty sure they weren't changed in 5 years. Really like the look of the clear rubbers on the slings. Went with orange rubber for the flipper bats, I bought, blue, black, purple, orange and clear. Thought the orange looked the best. The purple Titan's didn't look good at all, the purple Super Bands look much better.

While reassembling the right ramp I lost the back left most screw the screws into a post by sparky to help anchor the ramp, I dropped it into the game while manoeuvring around the switch and the game swallowed it... anyone know the spec on that screw? The right ramp assembly in the manual appears to only show the screws that hold the plastic on

It’s the same as the left screw, I took my ramp off yesterday to change the rubbers to titans also. Both screws that hold up the back of the ramp are the same size and length.

Guess I could have tried that Thanks! I'll grab that one and take it to the hardware store and see if I can match it.

personally, I would [find] that screw before re-powering on your game. a lot of bad things can happen if it wound up in an area where it can short something out. just use a big magnet inside your cabinet and sweep around with it

agree, i spent a long time looking for it last night but couldn't find it, don't have a magnet up to the task though so that is on the list for picking up today. I'm also worried about the ball finding it and it scratching things.

My Sparky either doesn't/or just barely shakes his head when getting electrocuted. Any ideas?

Don't forget to wet the sponge!

Sorry, I'm no actual help

Check the coil behind sparky to see if there is a restriction of some sort. Could be a weak coil or dirty sleeve.

Don't think their is a sleeve on that coil, if so it would be tiny, but it could also be that the spring (that attaches to his back) could use to be adjusted to make it tighter.

check the little plate that the coil hits against. over time the little nub on it can get bent and reduce the amount of movement. you will need to bend it back

Agree. Check the little finger/tab on the bracket. It needs to be slightly bent but the sparky action bends it over time. I posted pics years ago showing the difference between a new one and the one i took outta my game.

Thanks for the suggestions.

My NIB Met Pro arrived a couple weeks ago. Have everything done except for Sparky's helmet. Added mirror blades, Color DMD and the green plastics over the lanes, along with few other little things. Wanted to let everyone know, out of box I had a bad flasher bulb, bad 555 bulb and the left leaf switch for the left ramp wasn't registering. I reached out to Stern and they are sending the parts out right away. Happy to see they are taking care of a new customer, but a little disappointed in their quality control. Anyone else seeing this on NIB purchases, I ask because I am considering another if I move some inventory at home. Cheers!

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Does this look correct? Was working fine in coil test with playfield up then I put it back down and it stopped working
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Hello
Having an issue where the last cross target always drops at start of new game and after each ball. It sounds like it’s trying to reset all the targets

Any ideas. Thanks

That almost looks like to big of a gap. That coil isn't strong so it's a fine line of far enough for good movement and to far to work. Try putting a popsicle stick between the chair and metal bracket and give it a try. If it moves now you know the gap was to big.

Agree with @85vett, may need to get a needle nose plyers and bend the little finger tap backwards reduce the amount of space. Can do this with the pf down and do a "mock game" and hit the sparky targets till MB and check if he shakes, if so, great, if not, adjust to the sweet spot.. there does seem to be a sweet spot, I had to tinker with it's position till it worked routinely on mine.

No that is not correct. There is a hidden metal tab that is bent backwards on your game and you can bend it straight again to fix the issue. See post #9012 for pictures.

Think I got it. Thanks fellas. Put a little piece of sticky foam back there and test now works with playfield down.
Should I keep the foam there or try bending something? I don't want to break anything.