Looks like the autoplunger mechanism is worn and allowing the plate that strikes the ball to sit at an angle that makes it tough for the rubber tip on the end of the plunger to get through.

For now, I just pulled the rubber tip further down the rod to allow it to come through a bit more. It did the trick...at least until I decide if I want to dig into things further. Not sure it's worth replacing the whole mechanism if it works now as-is by sliding that tip further down.

Upgrade to the newer style autoplunger, it makes a huge difference.

Replace the auto plungers nyliners. And new coil sleeve while your in there.
For adjusting he shooter you will have to remove the wood screw securing the plate. Mine wasn’t centered in the lane from factory on Tommy and SST

Fellow Tommy owners...

Moved the game and now all insert lights are out. Very odd....

Where is the first place to look?

Most likely a connector came loose. I'd start there.

Looks like the eight amp fuse in the back box is blowing. So it's got to be either that Or the bridge rectifier. Which one of these two are more likely to go?

On my Tommy I once had all the insert lights out. When I would replace the fuse it would blow immediately. It was the bridge rectifier. You can remove it and test it with a meter.

I have the same problem. It blows right away. I am going to replace Bridge and see what happens.

Question - I am working on my blinders and when I plug in the small servo wire to the servo control board, the servo will click rapidly (appears its trying to close when its closed already). When I put the game in test mode, and press the start button in the blinders test, the blinders open but the servo is jittery. When I release the start button, the blinders close but then click. Is this a pot issue? bad motor control board?

Try adjusting it so that the 'closed' position is more CCW

Adjusting the pots on the board? CCW?

they are on the driver card under the apron on the LH side.

Jitters = sounds like the feedback pot in the servo has gone bad.

Near the back of the manual it explains it, but pretty much: one of the two tiny pots is for the 'open' position, and one is for 'closed'. If you just give them a turn, you should see how one affects each position, and then just get it so both positions are correct and not hitting anything. No need to worry about turning either pot too far during testing. By CCW I meant the blinders themselves. If they're hitting the apron then you need to make it so the rest position is further away (CCW)

Thanks guys! Ill report back tomorrow.

I have upgraded my EPROM to the newest - unofficial version. There are some nice changes. But I still do not see the kind of action that I saw in Pittsburgh at PAPA. At PAPA, during game play, there were times when the blinders would quickly open then close. I do not remember a lot of the specifics, but it almost seemed like there was a sensor that the blinders knew when the pinball was approaching the flippers. Frequently, they did not open all the way. The opening was brief, not like what I see on mine during a specific multiball.

With my game now, when they open, they stay open completely through an multiball like "Tommy can you see me". Last night, for the first time, they opened during the middle of a multiball - almost like if I kept multiball going longer than a certain period of time, they opened. But they opened all the way and stayed open until multiball was over.

This is a great game. And the blinders are one of the best features ever. But to use them so rarely during a game seems a shame.

I do not see a selection in the software other than to disable them. Am I missing something?

I am getting dramatic airballs off the pinball target. I have disassembled it and bent the bracket forward, but that did not seem to fix it. I am wondering, considering it is a 3D round target, if its height is insufficient? And the pinball is hitting above the center of the target and flying up? It is so bad, than under occasion, the ball flies all the way over the flippers and down the drain.

Also, the left scoop solenoid shoots the ball just to the end of the right flipper - sometimes down the drain. I have cleaned the solenoid and checked the wiring. It seems to be firing OK, but might be a little weak? Angle of the game is set properly - I think the manual specifies 6.5 deg. Back feet are almost all the way up while front are down - level reads the specified value.

It opens after the time turns out on cousin Kevin, and when you reach stage 2 of the main multiball. Once you drain from Kevin it'll close again, or once you complete stage 2. Opening and closing quickly just a coincidence.

I personally wouldn't want them to be used any more. I agree that the blinders are an awesome feature, but if you saw them too often it would ruin some of what makes them so special. I think Chad's code strikes a perfect balance where they are used more than they are in the stock code, but not overused.

Is your pinball target missing the foam? If it is, replace it. Will help kill airballs.

As for the scoop, does it have the proper coil in there? Have you replaced the sleeve? Is the bracket straight and everything tight?

Yep, make sure your foam is good. I also installed modern Stern anti-loft hardware on the targets in my machine (the silver ball and the 3 white standups) and I hardly ever see airballs. Might be worth a try...

http://www.pinballlife.com/index.php?p=product&id=1673

If I recall correctly, the back plate won't work with the silver ball target but the bottom bracket fits and makes a big difference in stability/sturdiness. All of the pieces can be used on the white targets.

The left scoop trajectory seems strange - that kicks out to the left flipper on my game (about 2/3 of the way down it). Ejecting to the right flipper seems drastically different - I'd definitely check what dsuperbee said check the steel guide to see if it's bent or turned somehow.

That PAPA game sounds more like the blinders were malfunctioning - they should never be semi opening then closing during gameplay.

It'd be pretty cool if the blinders could just be rotating across the flippers during play though..

Thanks, I will check the foam. I have never had air balls like this before in any game. Except, ironically, Stern Star Trek drop target below Vengeance.

I see Pinball Life has the foam, too.

Of course I just received a big order from Pinball Life. Figures......
Not sure about that Stern add on for targets. I think all three of those switches have the back plate. What does that Stern anti-loft hardware replace / do?

Good to know about the left scoop hitting the left flipper. I stripped that entire assembly down and cleaned it. Maybe the screw holes are off. I thought if the coil was stronger (poor connection at the board?) that it would throw it further to the right? That was my plan. Now I will try for the left flipper.

Another question: Getting the ball to the right VUK results in a lot of bounce outs. Is there supposed to be a rubber pad or something in there? I put a blue end of ramp pad towards he back and it helped a little bit.

Those kits are replacements for the brackets and back plates - they're structurally a lot sturdier than the originals. I replaced both the bracket and back plate on the 3 white standup targets and they are much stiffer, don't move left or right (the original brackets and plates tended to lean to one side after a while), and don't cause airballs. I could only replace the bracket on the silver ball target (since it has less clearance fitting through the playfield and different screws). It still helped to really tighten it up and stop airballs along with new foam.

Just get a roll of foam (weatherstripping) from your local store for 3-5 bucks. You will have enough to last for years.

Anyone got a spare translite they'd sell? Mine is pretty bad...

How can you tell the difference between the old and newer auto plunger? Part number or link did the new one?

Thanks!

Old one will have a hole in the middle of the launcher, while the new one is just the current stern style. Google Tommy auto launch upgrade pinball and a link will pop up to action pinball. They have the parts needed and a decent how to there.

So my temporary fix to launch the ball hard enough is no longer working (rubber tip has pushed back and isn't coming thru the autoplunger plate far enough to send it all the way around no matter how far back I pull the plunger).

Started to look on pinball life for what I need, but I figured I'd ask for recommendations on what I should be replacing...and with what.

Edit: It looks like the plate that actually strikes the ball is sitting back at an angle slightly that doesn't allow the plunger to go thru it cleanly.

Edit #2: No matter what I do, the plunger rod doesn't come through the hole of the auto plunger far enough.

IMG_1146 (resized).JPG

IMG_1147 (resized).JPG

Are you sure it has the correct shooter rod? It will say DE on the end of it. I think they were slightly longer than a standard shooter rod. I had a similar issue on a TMNT and it had the wrong shooter rod.

I think I did replace it at one point, but I'm assuming I'd have picked it up at PinballLife (though I don't see it in past orders).

The ones they have seem to say they're fairly universal (and list Data East/Stern):

http://www.pinballlife.com/index.php?p=product&id=130

Like you though, I thought the same thing (as far as it being too short).

Get the Stern kicker, follow the info here:

http://www.actionpinball.com/tech/deautolaunch.php

I was trying to level/pitch my machine and noticed the Tommy I have came with two different types and sizes of legs on it. Does anyone know which legs originally came with it, crinkled black or smooth? And the manual looks like they should be 28.5" legs. Does that mean a set of B/W legs will substitute? Or is there somewhere to buy the "correct leg" as Pinball Life and others I checked only show 30.5" legs for Stern which appear to be for newer models? Thanks.

The original legs were black crinkle powder coat.

I thought the different length in back was normal. Hard to get enough incline otherwise.

Longer legs in back is normal for Tommy.

I don't know. Looking earlier in this thread there was previous discussion about it too with no clear answer as some folks had the same pitch issue and others didn't using the same size legs:

https://pinside.com/pinball/forum/topic/the-whos-tommy-club-can-you-hear-me-members-only/page/11#post-3565565

It seems like it depended on how they made your cabinet. But if longer legs in the back is working for some, I'll probably give them a try on mine. I can't get past ~5.5 pitch as is.

Thanks guys for the responses.

Can anybody here burn the 5.0 roms for me for a fee? PM me. Thanks.

You're referring to Chad's code, right? I'd be happy to burn the chips for you, but I'll have to check to see if I have the right sizes. I think I just used up the last of my last 4 meg chips burning all the swear ROMs for my Demo Man.

Thanks, it would be greatly appreciated. No hurry on my end.

Could anyone grab some pictures of the clear air ball guards? Not sure where some of mine go after my teardown.

This thread, topic #259, has clear plastics map.

Here's a link to my post - hope it helps!

https://pinside.com/pinball/forum/topic/the-whos-tommy-club-can-you-hear-me-members-only/page/6#post-3052416

If you need a replacement servo & arm assembly to operate your blinders send me a PM.
Currently my parts for sale ad is down until I have them ready to ship.
I will be making some more in the next few days after Christmas.

I will take a "pre-order" by PM. But NO money until I am ready to ship.

Bob

Arm Tommy 001 (resized).JPG

Did anyone put a shaker in ?
I've tried to add a fuse, a motor on connectors 1 and 6 and did the link on the shaker board, but nothing happened

EDIT : additional question. I've flashed Chad's latest rom but my EPROM where not listed in the flasher's soft, i took a close reference but i have sometime no music, as if the sound was bugging. Can it be the reason ? If so, can you give me EPROM specs or chip reference so that i can dig in the flasher's database and be sure that's ok to flash ?

See Post #606 in this thread. Someone tied a shaker in to the propellers.

As the game code stands now there is no support for a shaker motor. I *think* the proto had it but for production Tommys they abandoned it.

Yes, that's the post that i am reffering too, but did not succeed. So i was wondering if anybody managed to do the same on his own machine

Does anyone have a source for the prop motors? Marco seems to be out. My left prop isn't spinning without a little push. Thanks!

Just in time for the Superbowl

27331951_1883076758377442_4772524936182993393_n (resized).jpg

I know they're rare, but you forgot the topper.

pattommy (resized).png

Freakin hilarious (and I'm a Pats fan).