Hello everyone, i've enjoyed reading the forum every day while trying to restore my Stern Wild Fyre pinball but now I am in need of some guidance. I have just about finished a full restoration of the game, having gone through most of the boards, cleaning and waxing the playfield, and replacing molex pins. The game worked alright before the restoration but had some issues that needed fixed, it would stop working intermittently, some displays were non-functional, and the sound didn't work right. Now down to the issue I am having.

I turned the game back on following the instructions on several websites but notably techniek.flipperwinkel. The rectifier test point voltages were wrong at first but after replacing all components and all molex connectors, it is working great. My issue is when I apply power to the MPU. The MPU was working before any restoration was performed on the machine and it still works just fine on a test fixture using a power supply. In the pinball machine with my rectifier and transformer is the problem.

Based on everything I have been able to read, the MPU needs 5vdc and 12vdc (plus the 43 volts) to function and start the flashing sequence. When I test the 5 volts, test point 5 on the MPU, it reads something like 4.9. Is this close enough to 5 or does it need to be right on? The 12 volts is 12 volts at test point 2, which makes sense since the LED comes on just fine. Usually when starting up the game it will do the initial flicker, then flash something like 12 times, all the while a relay on the sdb clicks and the displays pulse each time it clicks. After the flashing, it will stay lit. Pressing the reset button after this on the MPU will sometimes change the lights that are lit on the playfield.

I'm driving myself crazy with trying to figure out this problem. All test points on the rectifier board test fine and all test points on the sdb test good with the possible exception of TP4 which reads something like 255 instead of 230 vdc. Could this be indicative of the issue? My gut tells me it is probably the wiring between the MPU and the rectifier or sdb but it all seems to check out. Using the wiring schematics the colors all match up right and the solder joints look good on both the rectifier and sdb. Maybe from all the plugging and unplugging on the MPU, J4s molex pins no longer engage well? I am open to questions and would love nothing more for christmas than to get this game up and running to enjoy some pinball!

Thanks

Thank you for the reply. I did sand the prongs on my ROM ICs and reseat them, but I haven't tried that after fixing the power supply so I'll give it another go tonight. I am thinking that since it worked before, it has to be something I have changed on it, and I didn't change much. Does it sound like the voltages are correct and I can rule out everything but the MPU?

I see you are in Columbus. I am just a few minutes from there. Do you do house calls? haha

Thanks

I hope to figure this out myself before trying to send it out as I want the satisfaction of restoring it completely by myself, thanks though for the contact and I may take you up in the future. Thinking over the last two replies, it doesn't make sense that ICs are the culprit or a new board is needed as the board tests fine on the test fixture. Its just when applying power through my wiring and power supply boards that the issue comes up. Does anyone have any experience on what to check with that in mind. There must be a test point that would indicate a problem with voltages for it to not work when wired like this.

It seems to start up ok with J4 disconnected, the lights come on and I hear things energize. I'm not sure what should happen though as I haven't been around pinball very long. The lights on the MPU don't flash of course because there is no power.

Can you describe a proper boot for me with J4 disconnected? So are you saying that the test points are showing that the issue isn't the wiring from power to MPU? Because if I can rule that out I can start to diagnose other things on the MPU.

Thanks

Ahh, I had misunderstood you. Disconnect everything BUT J4, I was thinking the opposite. I will try that and follow your method of connecting things back one at a time.

Thanks for the advice! I was able to narrow down the problem to the sound board and with it unplugged, I got to play the first games after restoring it. You're a lifesaver