Hi All,

So please go easy on me, and explain things, if you are kind enough, will small and easily understandable words LOL

I have had a TAF for about a month and I love it, my first machine and the one I played in high school.

However, it seems the thing, when it retrives the ball from the saucer (on skill shots and ball locks and such) doesn't get quite enough clearance to pass the metal lip that it needs to clear, and so the ball contacts the lip and causes a tiny skip in the motion of the hand.

At first I didn't notice anything. Then I thought it was my imagination. Then I saw there was clearly contact every time the thing hand came up with the ball.

Then, since I couldn't stop myself from playing, came the moment I was dreading. Thing locked up completely.

I turned the machine off and restarted. Startup test told me to check Up Opto S-85.

I consulted that scary lookin' manual for the first time. It told me about the test modes, so I ran both the motor test and the operation test. "T15" as it came with the collector's edition mod (even though its a standard machine).

To my surprise, thing regained function as a result of the test mode, and is now operational. However, it is still clearly contacting the metal lip with the pinball so I'm sure its just a matter of time before there's a larger issue. Clearly something is wrong.

My pinball repair experience is nil. This is my first problem to tackle (there was an issue briefly with power that the seller was able to help me with).

Can anyone point me in the right direction?

Left to my own devices I guess I would be opening up the thing box on the bottom side of the playfield and trying to replace opto 2 which the manual says is the up opto. However, I wonder if the problem may be something else - perhaps the machine is gave the up opto diagnostic simply because the contact stopped the up operation once. Since the thing went back to operation, I don't see the up upto diagnostic. (although I'm unclear on whether I can test the switches in test mode - I think I can, I didn't have enough time last night and will do tonight).

However, if an opto is a switch (shows what I know) then I presume it either works or it doesn't? Meaning the real issue is probably the lack of clearance, mechanically, as opposed to a switch issue?

Kindly appreciate any feedback!

thanks guys! I will read through this now!

Problems are spreading Bookcase stopped working out of the blue.

Error reports now include to check the switches (53-56) for the bookcase, the optos for the bookcase (1-4), the thing limit optos, and thing up opto s-85.

oy vey.

in test mode, the bookcase is unable to operate.

I got the glass off and had a look underneath. I found it interesting to see it all from the bottom side and have a good look.

Of course, I promptly had a nice rookie moment and forgot to take the pinballs out and had them crash to the bottom of the cabinet LOL. I don't think they did any damage... fingers crossed.

Would it be fair to assume these problems (the thing and the bookcase) are independent and have nothing to do with each other?

Second as the bookcase is totally non operational, and as all four switches are out and the motor wont run in test mode, is it a fair guess that its a power issue as opposed to mechanical? I'm thinking that if the motor went or something like that, then at least the switches would still work, and that if the whole area is having trouble, it must be power?

Thank you. I'll try that. I know I'm probably not giving anyone enough info to go on , just a little intimidated as I was hoping my first project would be, you know, a clean and wax not taking apart assemblies I don't know what I don't know at this point

I will try that tonight! thanks!

Tried the J122 but no luck

Hope you guys don't mind if i document the baby steps as I go so that I remember what I've done and haven't .

I tried the j122 steps above.

After that I lifted up the playfield a few times just to get a look at things and see there are basically three wiring connections under the playfield to the bookcase. The plastic connectors have a little locking tab on them and I planned on disconnecting them to take the bookcase out for a look see. However those things were connected pretty darn tight and despite applying some pressure on the lock tab with a screwdriver the connections held and I didn't want to cause damage so I left it alone until I can have someone show me how to disconnect safely.

I noticed the cap on the motor seemed off as there was a pretty big gap. Sure enough it came off with very little effort - practically fell into my hand. I reseated it, hopefully correctly. It seemed one end had bumps and the other end dimples the bumps could fit in, so I put them together. The cap seemed like it had a better tighter fit, but reseating it did not change any results on test modes.

All of the bookcase optos and thing s85 and thing limit logos are still being queried at startup - ie the rom is asking me to check them

Thanks DA. There's no startup error for those two opto, no. I will check them tomorrow but suspect they are fine

swapped the bookcase motor, swapped the thing motor/gearbox, replaced fuse... all better... ahhh.

And thanks for the offer lurch (didn't see until today) but I'm on the west coast of canada, so not very close :/