11/5

AC/DC TNT lights locked on , Controlled lighting middle and lower playfield out. Switches

TSPP Plunger e clip broke

Mustang Plunger Roll pin broke yes the steel roll pin, not the nylon plunger head.

TZ Ribbon cable

DR Dude stuck ball

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11/6

FG Single Drop Target, Coil stop sheared from both of its mounting tabs.

VND Lamp, Dirty Glo Balls

WH20 numerous stuck balls due to machine being out of level

TWD Well walker not registering hits.

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To be honest after the initial set up I haven't had a chance to look at the machines workings.

I am aware of the issue with TWD in general but I haven't had the chance to look at ours while the other machines were down for their issues.

As soon as I can, I will see what can be done to remedy the no registers.

I will post my finding here.

11/11

Gold strike major fail!!!!!! When I arrived at Modern I was greeted with the machine minus a playfield.

Oh there is one up against a wall in the in the back.

Its not the same playfield it is a beaten worn out playfield with many issues.

It is a replacement for the beautiful, shiny, fully functioning playfield that was in the machine originally.

It was sitting there waiting for me to install it. The wonders of Modern Pinball

T2 Small lamp board, Gun Mech. Its the guns internals that have worn not the gun switch so the pic is not accurate. That said the Gun switch mounting holes need to be reworked on the cabinet. Right flipper sticking.

FH Most of the coils went out and the fuses are fine as are the board voltages.
This will be a fun fix.

TSPP couch ball holder.

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11/12

T2 Gun Mech... small spring had two windings break off with the pieces remaining in the housing causing trigger jams and weakness. Standup Target sheared off at mount. Right flipper pawl worn through.

TZ Right Flipper would stick up … Wrong return spring was used. In the pic the top spring is a Droptarget spring the one below, a flipper return spring. Both springs appear identical but both have different tensions. The drop target spring has very weak tension as it doesn't need to be very strong.

BR Plunger

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Absolutely! Mainly when something was altered with a machine without my knowing, such as the case with the flipper spring in the prior post. Or there are no manuals or schematics which can help with an issue.

When I do get stumped, if given enough time, I can usually solve the issue and if not, I come to Pinside and RGP for assistance or use Clays Brilliant guides.

We all get stumped at one time or another without exception.

Once you think you know it all or can solve any problem on your own you already have a problem.

11/13

AF Opto wire

FH Cause of the coils failing the other night discovered! First wire in the daisy chain appeared to be soldered to a coil lug but in fact wasnt. Being the first in the chain it took out all of the coils in the string when it detached.

WOZ Stand up target detached wire and detached Diode leg. Each on different lugs of the same switch. The wire detached due to too much tension on the wire harness with no slack in the wire at all. A wire extension was added.

PTC ( Punchy the Clown ) not POTC.... Bulb socket detached from under playfield.

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The 10 opto board reappeared just as mysteriously as it vanished!

The spring that was wrong was not one that I installed someone at Modern installed it.

The owners had ordered the 10-364 springs for the drop targets labeled from Marco as drop target springs. They also ordered 10-364 Flipper return springs which were labeled as such from Marco
However the drop springs were extremely weaker no question with just enough tension to hold their own shape. Maybe a bad batch or a knock off?

Note in the pic with the springs the amount of windings and spring thickness you can see the difference.

11/18

BR Complaint that left sling wasn't working. The pics show why.

No time for more pics as the drop target on Transformers would not stay up, had to find a remedy before the league started.

FT lamp board

AF Plunger lane.

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11/19

Pinball anomaly day at Modern as there were really NO fails! This gave me time to work on prior fails.

Transformers drop target is continuing its issue and without a diagram of the assembly (Transformers LE is not completely covered in Transformers manual) no Specific Transformers LE manuals either, It is hard to tell if a piece has broken off or if a part has worn causing the issue. Without a diagram or any info on this Drop target I cannot even get a part number. Stern will have to be contacted on this.

Interesting take on the Title but I can see how it can be read that way.

Thanks for the Kudos

I hope this thread is helpful in some way, its the reason I started it.

Many times I simply don't have the chance or time to take pics and some things are not pic worthy. Burned bulbs etc. I will try harder to get more pics of issues as they speak louder than words.

Just as a reminder these posts are very basic if any questions are brought up on an issue posted please feel free to ask.

Lets see tonight if we can go 2 days in a row without one machine having a failure.

11/20

Very interesting day as Steve Marsh a pinsider here and friend came by Modern to volunteer to help with any machine issues.

Since he owns a Gold Strike and I was stumped as to why I couldn't solve the issue, he had at it.

It turns out that I had not noticed a small delay in the Hundreds reel as it continuously rotated.

This was pointed out to me by Steve that it was due to the 5OOths points being scored and not the 100s. So at every 500 points scored there was a small delay in the reel spin that I didn't notice.

I was searching for a shorted 100s switch when all along it was a 500 point switch.

Once that was pointed out it was straight forward to find the shorted 500 point switch and voila the machine is up and running.

Thanks so much Steve for pointing out something that I hadn't noticed.

A good example of often times its the simplest things.

PTC Drop target bank wouldn't reset, Due to two issues one and most important a shorted coil power supply wire and two a build up of oxidation corrosion on the assembly. The assembly was taken apart and rehabbed

T2 DMD Ribbon cable came loose

OK so I blew it again on not taking more pics but PTC and GS had to get up and running.

I did get a bad pick of another busy MPNY pinball night.

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11/25

No pics as there was no time

TZ Ramp diverter, Trough coil wire

BZ Both Slings. Ball carrier Magnet switch.

DM Trough Coil not firing possible tip 102

AF plunger due to sheared apron. This is a recurring issue until the aprons shooter guide can be replaced or repaired.

It was due to the mech being caught on its own opto as it moved.

This is a design flaw as it is fairly common.

The opto needs to have slotted screw holes for its mounting bracket so that the opto may be shifted for when the interrupter shifts from wear in its moving parts.

11/26

Wh20 two switches had both of their wires disconnect and one switch was dead.

Dr Dude POP bumper coil and its lamp base. Both lamp base wires detached

DM intermittent coil failure

TZ intermittent coil failure

BR coil

ACDC lower playfield flippers

AF thing flips but wasnt

Avitar Power ball not recognized

Obviously no time for pics.

11/27 Thanksgiving

Thought it would be a quiet day but literally as we were turning the lights on we had people come in to play.

AF Switch actuator peg wore off, coil wires detached

TOM Flipper bushing broke in half. Two switches had wires detach.

TDW had Code updated

BR Coil wire detached

KISS 3 lamp sockets went bad.

FG Sling shot ring

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12/2

Once again I failed to take pics as I was rushed to do board repair on BR in order to get it ready for the league finals.

BR System 11b two blown transistors that were replaced at one point in the machines history by a real hack. All pads were gone with Burn marks everywhere on both top and bottom of board. Traces were burned and lifted as well.

I think they used a blow torch to solder in the transistors.

No proper rework tools at modern and a rush time limit made this board repair a real challenge.

Would like to have taken photos but there was just no way.

Board was repaired and the machine was running for the finals.

Might have been my best board repair yet under the circumstance without proper tools and having someone over my shoulder saying that "you must get it done before the league starts if you can't then just put the board back into the machine and do it later only the machine has to be in the finals". Followed by is it done yet? We don't have a back up for the B division finals". said numerous times.

Nothing to clean the boards with, no alcohol, no flux remover, no brushes , no Fiberglass pen not even any grade of sandpaper. No work bench, no TO-92s I like to replace the pre drivers as well for peace of mind.

No flux, bad lighting and very inconvenient wall outlet. Not a place for board work much less with a time frame.

At least we have a Hakko !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

"Can you get it ready in time for practice we need this machine"

BK Flipper coil overheating and flipper is weak I am leaning towards an internal coil short. I will know tonight when I get to work on it.

Thanks for the compliment ! The beer is a great gesture but I don't drink if you come to NY Ill buy you a beer!

12/3

Only one new fail but its a repeat for Mustang

The odd Gi Power board has yet again cooked itself this is the second time the GI board has gone bad.

There are no GI shorts so it is a board issue. In the pics you can see a spool shaped cap this likes to fry and make a lot of smoke. Don't know if the cause is the cap supplier or something else on the board. The Bridge tests fine.

Had the chance to repair BK and the coil was shorted, not only that the sleeve was worn through.

The orange flames on the coil wrapper are just shadows my camera is terrible.

I polished up the area before reassembly.

I noticed that there are no rubber end pads on any of the flipper coil assemblies not sure if this is normal on this machine.
The holes are there the grommets are not. I ordered some just in case.
These are the shock absorbing grommets that the plunger link strikes

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12/4

As you can see by my prior post BK flipper issues have been addressed so now you will have to return to play a much better playing machine!

What failed at Modern?

I DID!!!! I failed to diagnose the cause for a row of switches that were out on WCS.

Tried all of the basic checks first Switchs, Diodes, connectors, Wires, Fuses, 12v etc and replaced bad Trough Optos then simply ran out of time for further tests. CPU ,Opto Boards etc. So the machine has been left un-repared for the other tech until I can return.

I hate leaving a down machine ugh.

12/9

Kiss switching issue.

Two machines will be moving out today in order to prepare for TBL Launch this Fri and Sat.

12/10

AC/DC Ball Trough, Coin door lock

KISS Switch issues resolved. Two Diodes were shorted on two POP bumper switches the havoc that was caused was intense. Endless scoring, POPS Popping, Insert lights going crazy, Pop bumper lights going crazy, all other switches not working, Game would start in this condition with only the flippers working correctly.
Failed switch diodes can really muck things up and can lead the search for the cause in many directions
from failed connectors to board issues etc.

Ill be attending and will take vids of TBL.

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12/11

What failed. The cordless drill battery while trying to drill out two machine locks where the keys have vanished.

While in the process of drilling out the locks I noticed and unusual sound emanating from plungers by machines being played along side me.

During my investigation I was amazed but, by now, not surprised by the cause.

Someone had replaced the Plunger shock springs on 4 different machines with washer stacks!!!!!!!

While switching out a Bridge for one of Pinaholics other location machines I was greeted by Barry Driessen Of Dutch Pinball straight from JFK .

His first visit to NY and of course to MPNYC preparing for this weekends Launch for his machine TBL.

Barry is a very pleasant guy.

I will take videos of the machine so you can count on having a good view of what it looks and sounds like.

The machines will arrive today around 3pm.

You will be given a number to play the machine so that you do not have to wait in a line and can enjoy the other 30 machines that MPNYC has to offer.

I will be there tonight only, from 5pm till?

I will not be working as its my day off but I will be helping out. The other tech will be working.

If your a pinsider feel free to introduce yourself I will be wearing my self designed NY pinball history shirt TILT/ Ball Saved

See you tonight.

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12/16

Not much to post about for once just two rings on WPT were replaced.

Here are the pics I took of the Big Lebowski Launch on FRI eve just before the sudden turn of events.

Once all is corrected I think there will be a great machine in peoples hands.

Barry told me of the new and unfinished things that they were planning to update the machines with and all looked really good.

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12/17

FG OPTO transceiver wire broke internally from "Lois" Opto on back of Stewie Pinball.

I took some pics of the underside of the Stewie playfield for those that may not have seen it.

Also some pics of the playfield without the assembly.

BR ball lifter cracked but held together with my brace. Ball guide screws dropped out and the plunger was weak.

Posted a pic inside BR at the power box.

Note all of the gray dust which is metal shavings from assemblies. This dust must be vacuumed up and the interior of the cab cleaned of all dust as well. Do not let this build up in your machines.

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12/18

A bit late on this post but have been busy.

Nothing really to speak of as far as fails except

ST left rear gate assembly.

A few plunger tips.

12/23

FG Ball save post and single Drop target.

AF Festers chair Kickout very weak, Mansion Lights weak

Wh20 Ball hang up in upper playfield.

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AF Festers kickout coil was removed for inspection for the weak shootout issue.

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Coil was fine, Plunger looked great but was replaced with a new one, Sleeve was broken at edges and was replaced. Here you can see the amount of pounding the plunger base did to the coil bracket.

Issue was not resolved after reinstallation of assembly with new parts.

Upon further inspection the cause was that the ball was hitting the bottom of the chair but why?

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The chair was still on its mounting posts as it should be it did not get bent down in anyway so the cause?

Turns out the Kickout bracket broke so the part that the ball traveled on raised the center of it up and into the chair!

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Here you can see where the bracket had been poorly repaired in the past by the burned weld marks and the new breaks.

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The other side.

I will post pics after I repair it the correct way which will also make it much stronger.

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FG Single drop target coil wire is about an inch above the lug it separated from

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The Ball save post left coil lug wire holding on by threads.

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Just finished repairing the Bracket and you can see where I welded along the edges about 2 inches this will make the piece much much stronger and most likely will never fail again in the same manner.

I also cleaned up the old hack type weld from someone else's prior repair.

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An intermittent loose switch wire.

Could have been as the wire was extremely thin and light almost no tension at all.

12/30

End of year machines trying their best to breakdown.

SM Upper Right Flipper, POP bumper, Ramp
WPT Upper left flipper
PZ Shooter Rod tip
FH Flipper, "E" switch
ACDC Trough
WCS Trough
DR Dude Left Flipper

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Non stop play at Modern the ultimate proving Ground for Pins.

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FH wire off of Flipper coil.

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"E" target hard to see but diode is off of one switch blade you can see that a lead came off of the diode itself, Diode was replaced with a new one.
Note switch is held together by two zip ties ugh.

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WPT flipper coil detached wire.

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SM upper right flipper Plunger

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SM POP bumper Yokes both broken

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SM complete left leading edge of Ramp broken off

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PZ entire front of rubber tip is gone metal rod end is exposed.

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The idea that it appears the machines next to each other are the ones that break down is just that an idea. In fact these machines breakdown evenly across the board from the amount of use they get.

On any given day it can appear that its just machines next to each other. On other days it can appear to be machines completely on opposite sides or across the room from each other. Its the glory of randomness!

Glad you like the thread I hope it helps people in some way with their machines.

Thanks for the input.