I have wanted a Williams Olympic Hockey for a very long time, amd had repeatedly posted looking for adds here, but was unable to find one that worked.

That changed a couple weeks ago-

A fellow Pinsider contacted me a while ago and we began discussing a game he had. Fast forward a bit and after a drive of a few miles to the Fastenal Store - I was happy to plug in and start work on my brand new (to me) 1972 Williams Olympic Hockey. A Texas transplant has arrived in UT and found a permanent home.

I have a NOS playfield I will be clear coating soon and eventually will swap. For now- I want to play this until I finish my King Pin restore. So its in the game room and I am giving it a total mechanical overhaul-

I grew up playing hockey most days of the winters and this is really something I have been looking forward to.

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Thank you- I cannot wait to grab a friend and play some hockey!

Good to hear- I have been admiring from afar for so long I have to go look at it every so often.

I began mechanical refresh by taking out the mech that runs the puck. Ya gotta clean the rink before you can play

Check out the grime and dust! Holy cow- tumbler is 12 hours in now and it will all be back in the game minty fresh this evening. I will remove all mechanial assemblies from
Back box and tumble. Then it should play.

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I am finding gold under the grime and dirt and dust and all the ancient lubrication someone helpfully doused- ha! NOT helpful even in 1979), a few components with.

Here are a few assemblies ready to go back into backbox. I will do score reels this weekend.

Need to order a coil or two and a mess of sleeves but this far nothing broken and all shiny now!

The puck mech and coin are already done.

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I figure I will document the head mechanical restoration. Nearly done. Tumbler is running now with all hardware to mount all score reels. Will disassemble and polish up individual reels and replace all sleeves. Then it goes back together and game should play. I ordered full LED for inserts and back-glass, should look good and play fun for a good while. This will get a NOS playfield that is clear coated. But that will be after my two ongoing project games. So this will be played for years. I will also add new pop caps and color matched rollover guides etc. Should play fantastic. Existing playfiled has a big insert that is literally loose and falling out. Will fix it to be as right as the that can be and then play the crap out of it!

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I say the game is worth it- enjoy yours! I cannot wait to play this.

I like them fast and snappy. This should fit the bill!

And one later deeper- now all coils can be cleaned. All hardware added to tumbler. A very large PBR order shipped to me yesterday- hoping it makes it by tomorrow so i can put it back together!

I will do right side coils tomorrow. It gets a litte monotonuous to strip them down this far.

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Update with some progress.

I managed to put in some hours this weekend and slogged through the score reel mechanical and cosmetic restoration. I have two left and the head will be done!

Got a big PBR order delivered and new pop caps, legs etc are here as well as a Comet order with color matched LED for all inserts and some backglass (GI stays incandescent). Hope to have this playing in a week or two!

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Everything shines up real well between ultrasonic and tumbler! Check out prior post to see what the mech for the backglass animation looked like when received!

This is a Texas game and my guess is wherever it spent its prior life- it was windy and dusty as hell. There are thick coatings of old grimy dust everywhere- only some of which is the typical coil dust- this had some serious desert in and on it!

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I have a
10L TruSonik (Amazon.com)

I disassemble everything into nuts and bolts so for the most part I am using a small glass jar full of cleaner to dump all the parts in they are cleaned in that sitting in a tank filled with water. For the ocassional larger piece that is actually bigger than the tank I either polish by hand or stick one end in and run the cleaner and do it again with the other end dipped in. It would not hold a lock down bar- not even close.

I got it on Amazon a few years ago and its really good but for one significant flaw. The heater does not have an overtemp protection circuit (or mine failed). I discovered this because I was an idiot- left it dry and turned it on with heater on (not the sonication- just heat).

It got so hot it melted the glue that was holding the heating element onto the tank and smoke was coming out of unit. I took it apart, clipped leads on the fried heating element (it has two so happily mine still works fine- if slow to heat). I now am hyper vigilant to ensure tank ALWAYS has water in it before I even plug it in.

I do have to say- this has been a very good unit but for that flaw- and the price for its cleaning capabilties was very reasonable and I honestly will buy another from this company as true commercial quality is absolutely cost prohibitive for me. This has 4 big transducers and is powerful- I have had a couple of these cleaners over the years and I like this one the most- very powerful very effective. 5 minutes is usually enough to get very effective cleaning- 20 mins is my std default as it ensures every last bit is cleaned up and I cannot usually get another component stripped down ready to clean any faster- much less put the last cleaned parts back together.

Looks near identical to what I have visually. Should be plenty big for pinball work.

I hope its big enough. Was just thinking if your asking in an EM thread and its for this era your good. If you have long ramps etc then you may not be able to reach the middle.

Else- I want this game finished for a coming party. So trying to be regular and work it through.

Progress: All backbox mechanical has been stripped and is rebuilt. I am waiting on a couple coils so have not placed a few of the assemblies yet but they are together and waiting. Will run through this big switch stack next and then put rink back and mechanisms and add a lock and close the door! All switches very carefully polished and adjusted.

Dirty switch stacks are last bit to do.
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I also enjoy Hockey. Played it a ton growing up and really looking forward to coining up and watching the reset sequence (fingers crossed)!

I like it! Nice set of games!!

Ok Friday night pinsiders- the Olympic Hockey question of the night is as follows.

My manual indicates there is a volume adjustment for the goal buzzer feature. It cleary shows the part as a phone plug type fitting common to all games of this era where you move a connector to a jack to specify a high score etc. it shows as a two plug receptacle. It is described as “Acessible by opening front door”

Question is. Where the heck is it? I admit I have not yet cleaned the bottom board or really inspected it I dont see anything that looks right anywhere in my game.

A little help.... would be appreciated. Can someone post a pic of their adjustment jack and location??

I feel like I have to be blind because its almost certainly in the game- there are no unaccounted for wires etc.... so be kind when you inform me it was right infront of my dang eyes.

Sorry- should have added the obvious two receptacle in the very front of the bottom board is labeled as the “5c ADJ” so its not that. Close up for clarity. I think I am looking for another of these- thats the part I am not seeing.

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All that has yet to be attended to. Tonights task is to wrap up the back box (still need one coil but can get it 99.9% done.

Here is starting point. I hope to have power on test with LED color matched to backglass and playfield in game very soon. If I dont start a game It will be a fine test of cosmetics and I am eager to see it with the rink shiny and backlit by long legged 90degree green LEDx8. I used a comet superflux. I love those LEDs for this. I only hope they dont shine through too much- we shall see.

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Ha! Thank you very much! I managed to find mine

That was not the third place I had looked! It has been set to “HI”.

Took a while to get fiddily final assembly and careful adjustment for rink animation, but back box mechanical is done and it lights up real nice with selective color matching behind backglass and some flashers across Olympic Hockey lettering. LED and camera are never friends but I think the fact this pic does not look totally blown out speaks to be generally subdued final look. Glass is filthy- I will clean another day.
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It plays a little like a pinball machine!

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The left flipper is so weak its laughable. The right flipper has one foot in the grave... there is a self hold switch on a reset relay or possiby score motor thats not making contact because it does not fully reset score reels or rink and I am a litte confused by my rink mech as all parts are perfect and clean but it struggles a bit to advance and so I need to think on that a bit. Oh... and its not showing if you select one or two player games nor ball in play nor match (I think)...

Almost there! Most of that is nothing other than a bad switch and I have touched nothing under the paint on the playfield yet so honestly- its looking good!!

I also noted that the buzzer is not working but the chime is... will need to find the buzzer first! Hahah!

Lots to do but not much really- back box is the hard part but thats done now and it looks good enough to power!

I also magic eraser cleaned the playfield and replaced pop caps and cleaned all plastics and metal etc. Looks ok- My NOS playfield will be some years in the que- so this will be played a ton. Surface is great! Cleaned up nice with only spots of paint damage.

A little help please!

My puck mechansim (20 position stepper) is not working well and I suspect its because I have some non standard parts or a nonstandard configuration. I have it put together exactly as it came to me- but that was a gummed up hacked beast so i have replaced springs as appropriate etc but there are still a few things that seem wrong- but all I have are the parts it came with.

In the pic attached I am showing the switch that reports the reset coil. Note that in the picture the end of the long blade is forked. Thats weird as it implies to me that the end of 1/2 of the reset coil mech is supposed to pass through the fork as its thin enough to do so and is more or less the configuration if you center and tighten everytjing. But that dont make much sense as nothing works... how is it supposed to work? I dont recall seeing a forked long switch blade prior and do not see one in the parts catalog for this era so not sure if that factory (certainly looks original) or what. A photo of the switch and then a photo of the switch as the reset coil is fully pulled in (manually) would be SUPER helpful!

I am not finding any pics but this is super hard to search for.

If you can get into the head of your game- I am asking for photos of the bottom of the rink mech! Should be able to take them with it in game and without touching anything other than to push reset coil plunger into coil with your fingers to take the second shot

Any help greatly appreciated.

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Here is what I am talking about. I drew an arrow pointing to the fork gap on the long blade. And another pointing to the end of the reset coil mech that contacts the switch blade.

Note how the fork gap is wide enough for the mech to pass through- is it supposed to? Cause if it does the switch is never accuated- so thats clearly wrong, but if thats the case why is the switch forked? Mine had the switch assembled such that it was torqued over to the side so the mechansim actually impacts with the tine of the fork on the blade (and not through the middle) but thats almost certainly wrong- its not the case that factory would have had to carefully hold something out of alignment and screw it down! Also- if thats how its supposed to work why use a forked long blade for the switch!!

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This post is very relevant. Looks like my forked switch aint how the factory intended but may be the result of years of wear! Thats perhaps why it was pushed over and assembled a bit sideways. Me thinks I need a new switch blade but jury is still out as I dont know of that really fixes anything for me! Oh well- any additional info will be appreciated

https://pinside.com/pinball/forum/topic/help-needed-olympic-hockey-mystery-switch

Since I have asked for a bit of info I figured I would update with progress. Based upon info in thread I linked above I have determined that my long switch blade on the puck unit is infact worn through. I will replace this.

I got a few reays adjusted and as expected the series self hold switch on the reset was gapped open- game now resets and mostly plays! Puck unit is operating well and match also as well as ball in play. Currently not starting a two person game but that should not be difficult to fix. Going to call it good and will get back to this over the weekend. It feels good to have some real progress and a working game!

I noted that pretty much all pop bumper bodies are cracked! Thats a beastly arrangement with 5 clustered up there and the ball can come out with some juice on it! Even as mangled and semi operational as it is currently- this is going to rip once it is fully restored!

Almost there!

Flippers rebuilt as is score motor and all switches and relays below playfield. I have an issue where any score by player two result ls in a stuck relay- either the ten or hundred or thousand relay sticks. I am investigating score motor switches and player unit wiper discs tomorrow. Else game also seems not to quite reset and start a game on its own- but if I hit Replay relay I can start a game and its playing pretty decent. Much progress. I need to rebuild all 5 pops. Many are broken at multiple places and three seem to have worn through the old school couplings to the ring and these will all be rebuilt with the PBR kit and all new rings and springs and bodies and bases.

Gotta order rubbers and with a couple more switch adjustments and the pops and it will be screaming along. I also high tapped it

I wish I knew why on player two only- the points relays all stick- regardless of which one. If I simply close any with my hands they stay closed and score reel coil sticks. Gotta look at end of stroke switches as well I suppose. But would have to be bad on all reels so i kinda doubt its that.

Ok- asking for help.

EDIT: I solved all this- some was self induced error on assembly of second player score reels. If you put the EOS switch on the wrong reel the relay locks on! DOH. Anyhow...

No need for help here- but leaving this alone for the record as its kinda funny! I even say I dont think it could be score reels cause they would all have to be wrong!! Indeed- if you put them together wrong they in fact- ALL can be wrong

I dont know that I have made any progress in the last 4-6 hours. I am fighting a number of possibly related issues.

Player one- when goal is scored the reset to center ice lights ofteb do not light and it seems like the reset is briefly triggered- like the puck scores and then is bounced back one or two steps. When the reset lights are lit- if rollover is triggered puck does not complete a reset. It seems like a single rotation of the score reel is all it resets (maybe 3-4 positions). Yet- when ball lands in outhole it seems to reset normaly to center ice.

Then even weirder.

Player two- every time you are awarded points the score reel relay for the point value locks on. Its weird. If I pulse a 10 relay the ten reel advance coil stays on until I pry apart the 10 relay. Same for 100 and 1000 and also true of 9th position switch advances- if the 100 roles the 1000 sticks. I have been through the schematic and the trabsfer and player relays. I can stop it from sticking if I place paper in the player unit switch stack for those score relays but those need to be connected to score so thats not much of a fix. I dont really have a clue.

At this point the entire game has been disassembled and put back so literally anything could be wrong. I am careful but I do make mistakes and I could even have score motor together weird. So will double check all again. But any suggestions would he great.

Wowo!

I also have a Grand Prix! Its a keeper- ripping spinners is soooooo enjoyable. Its like crack! Quick- gimme ANOTHER quarter!!!!

RE Olympic Hockey:

Beware this game is a bit of a devil. For mine- getting puck unit to work has been a bit of a struggle.

Also-

I figured out why second player has issue locking up score reels. Face PALM!

I had the EOS switches on 100-10000 reels- should have been on 10-1000. Hahahah

That only took me four tries to repair. I spent way to much time on the schematic. DOH

I had to adjust the position of the main spring on the sprocket to adjust tension- also had to adjust height to track perfectly in rink channel and back off slightly of tight for main wiper disc tension. Now its springy and fast both directions but extreme ends are extreme. I dont know of another game with an actual 20 position mechanical stepper that turns physical things. Its got a ton of work to do.

And it plays! I think 100% functional with a few odds and ends to attend to (gotta rebuild pops and slings and post). But electrical is done, all contacts polished and switches adjusted, puck unit is snappy and smooth!

I played a few one and two player games and am enjoying it. Playing the game for goals is a blast and you can keep it going a while. I suspect wirh rebuilt slings and pops it will get another level of speed and ball times will come down- fun game!!!

Here it will sit for some while as other games in shop eventually are completed and I can swap playfields on this one for the NOS!
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So the play test worked for me to get head fully working and the game starting and mostly playing. Playfield mechanical was bad.

So- new flippers in and tested at high tap. Nice but not as powerful as my Grand Prix- a later Williams EM. So feels right- strong but not lasers.

Then I tore into everything else. All 5 active pops were functional but all had broke. Linkages in the coupling to the plunger for the ring. I am replacing all with the PBR gottlieb style linkage coupled to the right plunger lentgth to work here- or thats my interpretation as my Gottlieb uses the same link style. Anyway- I then dug into the down post mechanism. Thats a complicated bastard. I took plenty of photos I hope! Haha!

Here is playfiled with all pops out, all slings and switches out and the down post out.

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FAEB73BC-F5A2-424F-BA26-98EACAA10D49 (resized).jpegAnd here is the down post assembly in all its glory. Several layers to dissect and plenty of grime but not really that bad. It will function better renewed thats for sure. Still had aluminum coil sleeves everywhere. Plastic I think is better.... But honestly its a little unclear to me which is really better or if they are even exactly the same dimensions?

Anyone know?
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Thank you- thats how I have been operating for years. I may have read it at some point but nice to hear it!

Plan is to put this all back together today and play this evening with the idea that I can use that time to find gremlins. It is getting very close to completely mechanically redone.

Almost done!

Assembly line for new pop mechanisms....

Got one in and now replicating it for all 4 additional powered. Already have bases replaced and bodies as well as new sockets. Slings are done!

Soooooo... close..... just the gate mech and three stand up then total mechanical rebuild of game will be complete. Amazing- ALL pop bodies and bases were also broken- this game must have insane pop action to have broken literally every one, but Williams pops are known for some mechanical fragility.... still.

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With all Mechanical now done- there is a big ass pile of broken parts and four or five orders from PBR to account for the game.

Game play is fun- flippers are different than my later Williams EM. Very hard to cradle the ball! ALSO- 5 pops are otrageous- loud as hell and like small arms fire. No wonder all mechs were broken. These things absolutely kick!

I have LED configuration where I want it and its playing well with a few adjustments needed but very few. I have been play testing it most of the day and picking off random weird stuff. I played a number of two olayer games and playing for goals is so fun! I am rather amazed at how much that changes game play.

I doubt this looks much different than last- but its really mostly done now. I need to put a tilt in and will do so when i rebuild coin door- but not in any major rush now- it LIVES! And its fast and furious and fun!

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Will post a few pics of it with glass off to show lights and details- but game is beautiful!

Nice and shiny!

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Start a thread!!! And enjoy!

I am very pleased to announce that the game now plays 100% and has been mechanically rebuilt. I ended up with about 4 PBR orders at least two of which were large.

I had been chasing a nagging ground issue with some controlled lights but got that solved and suddenly I love the game.

I am weird- once I tear into a game and then fet it backtogether, if its not working 10000% correctly I take it personally and it absolutely pisses me off to play it. Everytime it hits the broken part I have to shut it down and pursue.

Now that I have had a chance to play this- let me say the addition of score reels to this game was entirely useless. Playing for goals is amazing- the game becomes this redemable bonus counter with a fun fan layout of bonus shots that advance the puck and step across the playfield. Its so fun- the post is awesome because it is so easy to get- but also soo easy to loose. I played it 10 times in a row and sat back and thought - Wow- this game kicks butt.

The hockey animation is so good and the game is loud as shit- super lively and the pop bumper swarm action is hilarious. I need to get a buddy over to trash talk and play some hockey!

I also need to rebuild the coin door... but thats not bad and can be done later. For now I do not require a Tilt nor do I need to coin up- opening the door and adding 8 credits is fine with me for a bit!

I completely agree. I had a chance to play a number of games as 2 player versus. To the point that I wanted to share a scoring system we worked out to enable a 3 point tournament between two. Winner of a game gets a point. First to 3 points is victor. Simple rule twist using an invented home field makes it super fun.

Winner of a game gets home field- and shoots first on next game. If tie occurs person with home field advantage gets the point. After a time home field advantage switches- so a second tie goes to the other person but if that happened home field switches back.

We actually played these rules out inventing them over a number of games. Then agreeded to a 3 point match. Ended up using every rule- two ties in a row, and each had 2 points so last game was winner take all- and we tied but I had lost home field by tying the previous game and thus lost as my friend won the final point from a tie. It felt awesome- those rules require you to win games and punish ties.

I entered my rating and indeed- it is my highest rated game. I know the entire rule set- it takes 5 minutes to learn it. But its amazing as a 2 person game and also is really well done from a theme/art perspective. The animation is awesome (I may have mentioned that before).

Anyhow- this was a pin I had been looking for for many many years- so long I finally paid to ship it and it was worth it. Game is so snappy and fun.

You need black hockey tape on your stick- change your flipper rubbers up!

As I believe I had mentioned, I found a NOS playfield for this game. It got its first coat of clear today. Here is after scuffing and repaint of a very few black areas that had a crack. Amazing conditon.

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Sorry- been away a while. But yes. I *think* I will sell the old playfield. Its going to be a while but PM if interested. May be years. Work is not compatible with Pinball now but thats OK!

Also- the goal light mod is inspired. Me want!