Aztec
Williams, 1976I am a recent purchaser of a Williams Aztec. I noticed that it was a very difficult game to keep a ball going partly because the drains on the sides were very wide. I moved the vertical rails behind the slingshot up about 1/2 inch and it has made the game much more enjoyable. My questions are: Where were the rails on the original game? and Have a lot of people moved these rails to the position that I have them? Thank you.
IMG_2351 (resized).JPGThere are numerous adjustments available as shown in the manual: https://www.ipdb.org/files/119/Williams_1976_Aztec_Instruction_Manual.pdf
Quoted from zacaj:The rails were in their lowest position, and they're not adjustable. If yours are higher it's because more holes were drilled in the playfield
My vertical rails were just about touching the bottom rails when I got the machine. The Manual seems to show a gap and I now have a 5/8" gap between the 2 rails. The game just seems to play a lot better. Especially for my 9 year old.
I'm way too lazy to open up Aztec, but here is the manual page with the post adjustments. There will be multiple holes under the moveable posts. Sometimes wood screw posts and some machine screw. Aztec is meant to be punishing, it will make you a better player. Try reducing the play field angle with the leg levelers before you start pulling up posts that haven't moved in decades. You may get what you want. Most of all enjoy it and go-ahead and make whatever reversible adjustments you feel will improve the fun.
Don C
IMG_0884 (resized).jpgQuoted from mof:Sounds interesting.
Can you show close up pics?
Here is a close up of how I moved the vertical rails. Of course in making that adjustment and changing a few bubs on the playfield - I have somehow set up a situation where the game will play for 2 balls and then blow a fuse which will shut all the lights on the playfield It is actually the 2nd fuse down on the fuse block in the base. Does anyone know what type of fuse this is. Does not say in the Manual. Then I have to figure out why all of a sudden I am blowing this fuse.
IMG_2353 (resized).JPGQuoted from The_Great_Man:Here is a close up of how I moved the vertical rails. Of course in making that adjustment and changing a few bubs on the playfield - I have somehow set up a situation where the game will play for 2 balls and then blow a fuse which will shut all the lights on the playfield It is actually the 2nd fuse down on the fuse block in the base. Does anyone know what type of fuse this is. Does not say in the Manual. Then I have to figure out why all of a sudden I am blowing this fuse.[quoted image]
Do you have the schematic? You should be able to match the wire colors on the fuse holder to the wire colors in the schematic. If you remember which bulbs you swapped, it could be that in swapping the bulbs you shorted out the socket. If this socket only gets power after the second ball is no longer in play then that fuse would blow only when the 3rd ball is in play.
Gottlieb's Soccer has bonus rollovers in the playfield that only turn on when a specific ball is in play. There are four rollovers across the top. On balls 1 and 2, only the first rollover bonus is light. On ball 3, the second rollover turns on. On ball 4, the third rollover turns on and finally on ball 5, the last rollover turns on.
Regards,
Alberto
I changed the bulbs where it says A Z T E C above the Bonus lights and then I changed the Bonus lights. Tomorrow I will check all these light sockets and then play the game and see which one blows the fuse. Thanks.
Your rails are improperly placed. Aztec is a drain monster and certainly not a fun game for a 9 year old to play. I have come to accept that many people love Aztec because it IS such a hard game to play. My Aztec is almost a perfect 10 from backglass to playfield after I restored it. I will never sell it and play it mostly because of it’s difficulty, but I truly hate the machine and would never recommend someone buys one in a small collection.
I think you are right. That is the fuse. On the other fuse (Brown wire) - What do they mean when they say Insert Display Lites. Are those lights on the playfield or in the backlight.
Quoted from The_Great_Man:I think you are right. That is the fuse. On the other fuse (Brown wire) - What do they mean when they say Insert Display Lites. Are those lights on the playfield or in the backlight.
Insert = backbox
Thanks schudel5. And if you are still listening this is why I call this witchcraft. So I go through the whole process and find out that I had a bad bulb in the 20,000 Bonus light so the fuse would blow every time that lit up. Replaced the bulb and it seems to work fine. Buuuttt.....Now the light in front of the Z target does not light up. Game still plays fine but that light does not light. Replaced bulb - same problem. This is a picture of the bad bulb/socket. The only thing that seems different to me is that the bulb is a little looser inside this socket than the others. Any thoughts.
IMG_2354 (resized).JPGDid you check the switch that controls that light??? Chances are the switch that controls that light needs regapped or cleaned. If you checked that then look at the socket.
EDIT: Look at the Z-Relay and make sure that set of contacts are cleaned and gapped. Not sure where that relay is as I don't have the game, but I'm just looking at the schematic.
I'm also an engineer and debugging problems on an EM is fun.
There seem to be a couple other wires going from the tab of the bulb socket that is giving you trouble to other bulb sockets. Are those working?
A couple more things to check in addition to the Z-relay.
1) Reflow the GND connection at the base of the bulb socket, where it gets screwed onto the playfield. When you manipulate the socket to get the new bulb into it, if you had a cold solder joint there, that connection could open.
2) Check to see if the bulb socket is good. Use alligator jumpers and bring the 6V from one of the playfield GI lights that is working to the tab on the bulb socket (where the yellow-blue wire attaches - don't connect it to anything else or you will short 6V to GND and blow the fuse). If the bulb lights up, then you know it's not the bulb socket and the problem is with getting power to the bulb socket. Which leads back to the "Z" relay that schudel5 mentions above.
Hope this helps,
Alberto
Quoted from schudel5:Did you check the switch that controls that light??? Chances are the switch that controls that light needs regapped or cleaned. If you checked that then look at the socket.
EDIT: Look at the Z-Relay and make sure that set of contacts are cleaned and gapped. Not sure where that relay is as I don't have the game, but I'm just looking at the schematic.
It was actually the T light that was not working. So - as instructed - I went to look at the T Relay and there it was - a loose wire. Put a little solder on it and - Like Witchcraft - it all works. Thank you so much. I real enjoy communicating with people who know more than I do about something. Makes me smile. But be careful - You guys could tell me to do just about anything right now and I might try it. Thanks!!
IMG_2356 (resized).JPGThank you to all who helped solve my problem(s). I will list this problem as solved. Machine is working great - Now what - Buy another machine? Until next time....
Quoted from The_Great_Man:Now what - Buy another machine? Until next time....
Ummm...duh!
Quoted from The_Great_Man:Thank you to all who helped solve my problem(s). I will list this problem as solved. Machine is working great - Now what - Buy another machine? Until next time....
It’s a fever. I bought my first EM last October. I’m up to 5 and just missed out on a Fast Draw yesterday.
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Andover, MA
Ottawa, ON