Waterworld
Gottlieb, 1995Particularly in the "Dees" position. When the the mini mode starts occasionally in Dees mode the ship only flips about 90 degrees instead of the 180 degrees that needs to happen! Is this a CPU issue or motor issue? The ship always returns to the correct home position every time during gameplay the Dees mode is the only hit or miss issue! Has anyone else had this problem? Are there any good solutions?
Maybe the home switch is flaky or the actuator is damaged. Take off the plastics on the back left that cover that switch and then go to the test menu and run the ship test. Run it all the way around and check that it fires the home position only when it's supposed to. You can see when the nub hits the actuator, and see if the home is recognized when it hits the switch. Something bizarre happened to mine where the the home position was reading at the wrong spot (the ship was rotated at Home), but I was unable to remove the set screw to the shaft to re-align it. So I got out a crescent wrench and forcefully cranked it around and kept testing it until it was in the right home spot again. I think maybe part of the actuator broke so it changed when the switch registered, but just a guess.
It always sets to the home position correctly. That is not the issue I took it apart last week and corrected that problem. Is there another switch on it that I am missing?
If I remember correctly its optos for the deez. Clean the optos and you should be good. My WW had a similar problem with the ship intermittently not going all the way.
The 2 sets of optos at the bottom of the ramp are used for that and they both test fine I took them out last week cleaned and tested them as well.
Quoted from GreenMachine19:If I remember correctly its optos for the deez. Clean the optos and you should be good. My WW had a similar problem with the ship intermittently not going all the way.
The Optos are used to detect balls when in the dees position to lock the balls. I need to know what switch is used to turn the ship into dees mode. Not the home mode.
I don't remember is there a Deez test mode in tests? On Theatre of Magic I can go to trunk test mode and spin the trunk. I wouldn't think a CPU issue, these Gottliebs are pretty bullet proof. That would be my last thing to check. Maybe a connector if you know all your switches are good. I wouldn't think motor or gearbox if it goes back to home no problem. Does it do it every time or just intermittently?
The ship doesn't sit in the dees position sometimes. Maybe every 10 times it only stops half way around but returns home just fine after dees ends.
Quoted from Antennaejim:It always sets to the home position correctly. That is not the issue I took it apart last week and corrected that problem. Is there another switch on it that I am missing?
Do you have the manual for the game? they have a decent tear apart of it. I am "fairly"? certain there were 2 switches, did you remote the entire motor and deez from the game?
my old no real info, but i have the page in manual of it
Quoted from northvibe:Do you have the manual for the game? they have a decent tear apart of it. I am "fairly"? certain there were 2 switches, did you remote the entire motor and deez from the game?
my old no real info, but i have the page in manual of it
https://pinside.com/pinball/forum/topic/waterworld-deez-boat-doesnt-turn-all-the-way-sometimes?tu=northvibe
Yes I have taken the asembly completely out. And only one physical switch. I removed the switch today and noticed a crack on the plastic casing and a leg was loose so I replaced the home switch this evening and everything seems to be working ok for the moment I will report back after a few dozen games to see if this did the trick.
Quoted from Antennaejim:Yes I have taken the asembly completely out. And only one physical switch. I removed the switch today and noticed a crack on the plastic casing and a leg was loose so I replaced the home switch this evening and everything seems to be working ok for the moment I will report back after a few dozen games to see if this did the trick.
oh dang, so there is only one. Okay cool. I googled the issue and when I fixed mine, I found others with the same issue and the same switch was broke. Hope this is your fix!! 
Quoted from Antennaejim:Replacing the switch definitely fixed the issue thank you guys for the help I love this site!
Ha if it were only that easy! Even with the new switch installed it still has the same problem! Ugh! Any more ideas before I go the CPU route?
So, putting a new switch on seemed to fix it for a short time? If there are spade connectors on the switch I always cut them off and soldered the wires directly on when I start having problems such as this. The other thing to check would be the header pins where the switch comes into the board. The plug may just be making poor contact or it could be the pins in the plug itself. I would check those things before dishing out money for a new board that you may not need.
Quoted from Karetaker:So, putting a new switch on seemed to fix it for a short time? If there are spade connectors on the switch I always cut them off and soldered the wires directly on when I start having problems such as this. The other thing to check would be the header pins where the switch comes into the board. The plug may just be making poor contact or it could be the pins in the plug itself. I would check those things before dishing out money for a new board that you may not need.
Yep fixed it for a very short time I will double check the connections bit this is strangely intermittent
Quoted from Antennaejim:Yep fixed it for a very short time I will double check the connections bit this is strangely intermittent
Hmmm You could check continuity of the two wires on that switch back to the head/board. And wiggle wires to see if there is an internal break?
Quoted from northvibe:Hmmm You could check continuity of the two wires on that switch back to the head/board. And wiggle wires to see if there is an internal break?
The wires don't go directly to the backbox from the switch as I had hoped. They wander around somewhere under the playfield so I guess I have some tracing to do.
Everything checks out fine. Continuity! Has anyone found a fix for this issue? Is this common for waterworld? So much for bulletproof system 3s. Haha.
Of all the Waterworlds I have owned, every single one had ship opto problems. This is not your problem however. I do recall seeing one on location that had the issue you speak of and another I wholesaled that had the same issue. Was hoping you had maybe stumbled upon the culprit. Thought for sure you had.
Quoted from paragon66x:Of all the Waterworlds I have owned, every single one had ship opto problems. This is not your problem however. I do recall seeing one on location that had the issue you speak of and another I wholesaled that had the same issue. Was hoping you had maybe stumbled upon the culprit. Thought for sure you had.
I'm hoping this is not an opto problem! The optos are only used to recognize the ball passing through an area. Such as the ramp. I believe it reads as one ball passing under a timed increment to progress the next ball release for the dees mode. I don't think the opto itself has any influence on when the ship sets correctly to the dees mode which is exactly 180 degrees of spin on the ship motor. We need to be looking elsewhere. Optos are not an option for correction here. It's the micro switch or the CPU or a bad connection at this point I believe. If this is a recurring issue with this machine I am very surprised that it has not been corrected by anyone 27 years later.
Did you verify the software version of your game?
I know my 1st waterworld I was able to update it. I don't remember having this issue often after fixing the switch......but it has been some years 
I did all my rom purchases through John Wart or PBR
Quoted from Antennaejim:I'm hoping this is not an opti problem! .
As stated in my oringal post, no it is not an opto problem.
Quoted from Antennaejim:I just placed an order with pbr today. I will get them in a week or 2. Chips that is
They have a newer version then what is installed?
The switches are part of a matrix. It seems your issue is intermittent? Doesn't happen everytime? If so repin the connectors. Check the switches to the left and right of the ship switch you replaced on the matrix. Look for poor solder joints or broken wires that might make intermittent contact. Over the years I have found wires hanging on by one strand on switches and coils on many machines. If a wire is completely off every switch after it on the matrix will not register. If it's intermittent it's not likely a ROM issue. If it is it's simply a research issue if socketed, I don't remember on WW. I have a manual for this game if you need it, not sure if you are just shot gunning or following a plan.
Quoted from GreenMachine19:research
Reseat , sorry autocorrect.
Quoted from surfsidedetail:Did this ever get solved? We have a water world and have changed the switch and the deez is flakey
did you check your optos?
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