(Topic ID: 265587)

Target Alpha Won't Start Game

By Gryszzz

3 years ago


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2020-04-03_105534.pdf (PDF preview)
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#1 3 years ago

Hello! Well, after a year and a half of almost daily play and no problems, I finally have one. TA will not start up a game. Score reels are all at zero, lights are on. My pinball tech skills are pretty non existent, but my EM repair skills ARE non existent. I've heard that messing around tryin g to fix an EM could possibly make things way worse, so I'm hesitant to even start. If I knew where to start, that is.
I do have the manual and schematics.
Hoping someone can help, thank you.

#2 3 years ago

Me hitting start button furiously like an NES controller.

#4 3 years ago

Sounds like my car starter when the battery is getting low... but guess that's not much help. I'm just a SS guy hoping to buy a TA sometime. I'll be following for the solution in case I ever get one and in case it ever does that. Good luck!!

#5 3 years ago

We could use a little more data. Does it reset the score reels if they're not already 0? Does it subtract a credit or reset the targets? Answers might help determine whether the game won't start its reset sequence, or if it thinks it's already done and it just doesn't see the ball in the out hole.

/Mark

#6 3 years ago
Quoted from MarkG:

We could use a little more data. Does it reset the score reels if they're not already 0? Does it subtract a credit or reset the targets? Answers might help determine whether the game won't start its reset sequence, or if it thinks it's already done and it just doesn't see the ball in the out hole.

All that. Did you check if the ball is in the outhole?

I would clean the outhole switch where ball rests in drain, hit it with a flexstone and make sure it has good contact. Maybe you’ll hit a home run, if not, might be ax relay.

Do any of the playfield features work and score if you pull the glass off? Then you can see if they reset as well(score reels)

#7 3 years ago

Might also be player unit in the back

#8 3 years ago
Quoted from Gryszzz:

Me hitting start button furiously like an NES controller.

haha!! OK, read thru Clay's superb guide before proceeding, esp. the part about the AX: http://www.pinrepair.com/em/index1

Here is the start sequence from the manual. It doesn't seem that 'S' is even starting, based on your vid.

TA start up (resized).jpgTA start up (resized).jpg
#9 3 years ago

The final three paragraphs here may be important.

2020-04-03_105534.pdf2020-04-03_105534.pdf
#10 3 years ago

THANK YOU guys for your replies and help. Got a little too Titoed too early yesterday so I'll take a look tonight.
Curriedog I do have the manual and schematics, but it reads like Chinese arithmetic to me. I just remember someone here saying when I bought it " If you have a problem, reach out, because a novice can turn a simple fix into a much bigger issue messing around"
I'll pop the hood and try to figure out which one is the S relay.
Thanks again guys.

#11 3 years ago
Quoted from Wickerman2:

All that. Did you check if the ball is in the outhole?
I would clean the outhole switch where ball rests in drain, hit it with a flexstone and make sure it has good contact. Maybe you’ll hit a home run, if not, might be ax relay.
Do any of the playfield features work and score if you pull the glass off? Then you can see if they reset as well(score reels)

I get you're joking bud, but it isn't firing the ball into shooter lane, if that gives you any clue as to the problem. I sure hope it does lol.

#12 3 years ago
Quoted from Gryszzz:

I get you're joking bud, but it isn't firing the ball into shooter lane, if that gives you any clue as to the problem.

It “could” be the actual switch the ball rests on. This is your easiest and best hope! I’d try that first. Then move on to the other suggestions. Get that glass off and go to work!

#13 3 years ago
Quoted from Wickerman2:

It “could” be the actual switch the ball rests on. This is your easiest and best hope! I’d try that first. Then move on to the other suggestions. Get that glass off and go to work!

Yep that switch is the first thing I’d be looking at .

#14 3 years ago

Welp. Lifted the pf to take a look. Squeezed on the outhole switch a little. Now my entire pf lights are out and no ball eject.
SEE?!

#15 3 years ago

It probably just tilted on top of whatever other issue is causing it...”probably” not a new issue!

EM’s!

You gotta play those suckers frequently or this rando crap happens.

Did the score reels reset prior to all this?

Could be ax relay, start relay, hold relay, player unit maybe...

You could manually engage the S relay as well to see if the score motor starts running. I have a few oddball things I try before I dig in to the schematic and go in order.

Maybe you could get someone to do a zoom conference? Stupid virus.

It’s tough to diagnose and recommend especially if you haven’t cleaned/adjusted switches before. If it’s the ax relay, those are tricky to get just right even for seasoned EM people.

#16 3 years ago
Quoted from Gryszzz:

Welp. Lifted the pf to take a look. Squeezed on the outhole switch a little. Now my entire pf lights are out and no ball eject.
SEE?!

Are your score reals going back to zeros ?

#17 3 years ago

Score reels were at zero when the shit went down thanks.

#18 3 years ago

Fuck. I really wanna play this.

#19 3 years ago

Why did all my pf lights go out?

#20 3 years ago
Quoted from Gryszzz:

Why did all my pf lights go out?

Like wickerman2 said
it’s probably just tilted , but it needs the other problem resolved before it will come out of tilt .

#21 3 years ago
Quoted from currieddog:

haha!! OK, read thru Clay's superb guide before proceeding, esp. the part about the AX: http://www.pinrepair.com/em/index1

Don't know if you looked at this, but it's a must. My TA sometimes gets into a weird cycle involved the AX, BX, and O relays. They're all the bottom of the cabinet and all have a cotter pin holding them. You have to get your face right down in there to see the blades, esp. on the AX and BX make/breaks. Give them all a good look and the contacts a light sanding with 600# or so paper. Then you have to play with the latch/unlatch a bit as you try starting.

#22 3 years ago

WOO HOO! SUCCESS!
I'll be damned if I know what I did, just lightly wiggled the relays in cab and heard it click like it wanted to start game. I'm starting to see the logic here though...finally.
One thing I did do was I noticed the outhole switch was not sitting properly, see pic. Put it back its "carriage", lightly sanded contact points, and, well, nothing. Had to play with the relays a little, took it out of tilt,and then I heard that "ball ready" click.
UUUGE thanks to Trilogy for his texts and to you guys for your help!
THANK YOU!

20200404_160125 (resized).jpg20200404_160125 (resized).jpg
#23 3 years ago

Also, I told myself I wasn't gonna pour my 1st drink until this was fixed.
Talk about lighting a mf fire under my ass....

#24 3 years ago
Quoted from currieddog:

Don't know if you looked at this, but it's a must. My TA sometimes gets into a weird cycle involved the AX, BX, and O relays. They're all the bottom of the cabinet and all have a cotter pin holding them. You have to get your face right down in there to see the blades, esp. on the AX and BX make/breaks. Give them all a good look and the contacts a light sanding with 600# or so paper. Then you have to play with the latch/unlatch a bit as you try starting.

This was some of the best advice I've gotten. Thanks man!

#25 3 years ago

Play like a 100 games to get all those contacts clean.

#26 3 years ago

Besides the "reach out before you go fixin anything" the other advice I got here was PLAY IT OFTEN. It actually is my most played machine, usually daily. Like I said, almost 2 years of zero issues....these Gottliebs are TANKS. I'd like to have 2-3 more.
I wish I knew what I did to fix this lol.
So what Gottlieb EMs do you guys think would pair well with my TA?
El Dorado?

#27 3 years ago
Quoted from Gryszzz:

I wish I knew what I did to fix this lol.

That’s EM repair 101!

#28 3 years ago
Quoted from Gryszzz:

So what Gottlieb EMs do you guys think would pair well with my TA?

'76 Royal Flush

#29 3 years ago

LOL.
So should I go through and lightly sand all leaf switch contact points? I mean, now that it's working, I ain't fckin with it anymore but it's a nice thought yes?

#30 3 years ago

We played a Prospector at LAX and man...I fell in love. Want one.

#31 3 years ago
Quoted from Gryszzz:

So should I go through and lightly sand all leaf switch contact points?

Lol That’s a 100% guarantee fuck up! You have the Fonzi touch, leave it at that!

#33 3 years ago

If it’s working leave it alone .I mean play the shit out of it ( but don’t try to fix anything )

#34 3 years ago

And yeah prospector is pretty damn good . My friend has a nice one and I have some serious offers on buying it but they have been rejected . One came up for sale on pinside recently at a good price but it it way too far from me .

#35 3 years ago

Theme-wise, as well as another great Gottlieb EM IMHO, Jet Spin would be a great match for your TA. Mine are right next to each other.

image (resized).jpgimage (resized).jpg
#36 3 years ago

Fun game. Had a nice prototype one for a few years. You’d have one with a ton of drops and one with none.

#37 3 years ago
Quoted from Wickerman2:

Lol That’s a 100% guarantee fuck up! You have the Fonzi touch, leave it at that!

STILL LAUGHING

#38 3 years ago

Dammit Wickerman. I'm in Denver about twice a year, absolutely love that city. I've been meeting Yuri at the 1Up Colfax for the last 3 or 4 years bro. Usually at Thanksgiving, so MARK YER CALENDER YOU ABSOLUTELY HAVE TO COME OUT buddy.

#39 3 years ago

I’m there if the viral load is manageable...and if the 1up makes it? Hadn’t thought of that, wonder how they are managing?

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