76' Chicago Coin Hollywood skipping balls?

[Typefighter01]

Sup' Gents?

Picked up a 76' Chicago Coin Hollywood pinball machine from one of the Playdium Store's annual arcade auctions a few years ago for $150. Bought a rubber bumper kit off E-Bay (came with new balls and the play field shine up ---steaming pile of meadow muffin--- in a bottle), replaced all the fuses and a couple blown bulbs and all things considered, it works a treat.

A couple of months ago, it started skipping balls. It starts on ball one, then I gutter it, then it makes the "Here's ball two" sound and then it instantly makes the "Here's ball three" sound, and out dumps a new ball. Any idea why it started this behaviour? Don't know if the big coged wheel in the center of the bottom of cabinet has anything to do with it, but sometimes I have to reach in the coin door and turn it clockwise a few degrees for it to start a game.

Any ideas? I have a feeling the sleeve the big cogged wheel turns on either needs replacing or lubing up, this might help or solve turning it to start game, but the ball skipping has me puzzled.

[pbj]

You mention turning that wheel to get it to start occasionally, there's your culprit.  Get in there and manually actuate that thing back and forth a few dozen times.  As far as it will go in both directions, back and forth, over and over.  That will probably fix it.

 

[Silverball84]

The "coged wheel" is more than likely your ball count stepper. To properly fix this the unit needs disassembled cleaned and reassembled with a slight amount of Teflon gel lube. If that stepper is hanging up its probably not a bad idea to clean and rebuild all of them for preventive failure. Also if your not familiar with rebuilding steppers...test the machine between each stepper rebuild and document everything.

[Typefighter01]

You mention turning that wheel to get it to start occasionally, there's your culprit.  Get in there and manually actuate that thing back and forth a few dozen times.  As far as it will go in both directions, back and forth, over and over.  That will probably fix it.

 

Tried your suggestion pb and it actually did help. Now it only skips 1 out of every ten balls instead of every other one, but I still have to reach in and turn the wheel to start a game. What bugs me about this ball skipping and turning the big wheel to start a game is, it ran perfect for about a year and then started this BS all of a sudden.

The "coged wheel" is more than likely your ball count stepper. To properly fix this the unit needs disassembled cleaned and reassembled with a slight amount of Teflon gel lube. If that stepper is hanging up its probably not a bad idea to clean and rebuild all of them for preventive failure. Also if your not familiar with rebuilding steppers...test the machine between each stepper rebuild and document everything.

I am the handiest guy I know (outside this forum anyway, like, in real life) and the thought of tearing the stepper wheel apart scares the ---steaming pile of meadow muffin--- out of me. Every single bulb and target works flawlessly, just the stupid ball skipping and game starting fail. I guess you could say the cab is around 25% "shopped" (bumpers, bulbs, balls, fuses...all replaced, and cleaned the playfield and backglass), do you guys think it is worth it for an expert to come in just to repair or "lube" the wheel? I am still in it for less than $200 and being no pin expert, I would say it is a 7/10 for condition, maybe it is worth it? If I get ambitious, maybe I will take a serious look on my Christmas holidays.

Thanks for the help guys, I will report back when I grow some balls.

[Silverball84]

If your handy you can do it. Taking your first stepper apart can be daunting. Easier to do on a workbench, taking pictures and laying out the parts in order helps with reassembly. Just be thorough.