Need help with a pinball machine /

[Ed ONeill]

OK so I scored a pinball machine and it need some work on the left flipper .

I need help fixing  it and was wondering if anyone knew of a site like this site ...for pinball machines .

Or if you are from MA and know someone who fixes them..in house

Thanks
Ed

[Ken Layton]

The forums at klov.com now has a pinball forum. So does www.vendoramusements.com

[dabone]

Not a forum site, but the best walk thru repair guides I've ever found.

http://marvin3m.com/fix.htm


Marvin is the man.

Also go to the news group rec.games.pinball for help.

Google groups link.

http://groups-beta.google.com/group/rec.games.pinball/threads?gvc=2


Later,
dabone

[Chris]

Although vpforums.com is dedicated to Visual Pinball, it does have one forum for real machines where someone can help you out.

[ChadTower]

OK so I scored a pinball machine and it need some work on the left flipper .

I need help fixing

[RetroJames]

These guys are total pinheads.  Sign up to the mailing list then ask away.

http://www.georgiapinball.org

[missioncontrol]

congrats on getting a pinball...good luck getting it working

[ChadTower]

These guys are total pinheads.

[Ed ONeill]

Thanks for the links/help guys

Chad ....It's a 1979 Stern "Magic"...here is a link with pictures
http://www.ipdb.org/machine.cgi?id=1509

congrats on getting a pinball...good luck getting it working

Make no mistake its working just not 100% ....from what I've read so far all I think it needs is a flipper rebuild kit.

Signed
Ed

[walls83]

I got a world cup pinball. My dad bought for me when I was like 6.  Its at my moms right now not working. 

heres the link


World Cup / IPD No. 2810 / May, 1978 / 4 Players
 

http://www.ipdb.org/search.pl?any=world+cup&sortby=name&searchtype=quick

I would love to get this thing cleaned up and working again. everything works but the flippers

[missioncontrol]

Mines a Williams Space Shuttle

[D_Zoot]

..It's a 1979 Stern "Magic"...here is a link with pictures
http://www.ipdb.org/machine.cgi?id=1509

Make no mistake its working just not 100% ....from what I've read so far all I think it needs is a flipper rebuild kit.

Signed
Ed

Ed,

Good score,  I own a Stern MP-100 pin too, a Meteor to be exact.  I always thought Stern pins from that era were great,  fast play and non-complicated ruleset.   

Anyway, yup, it's likely you could use a flipper rebuild.   Two places I buy a fair amount of parts from is www.marcospecialties.com and www.pbresource.com    You may be able to buy cheaper if you shop around, but both places have good inventory, ship quickly and are easy to deal with.

Take a real close look at the EOS switch (end of stroke) on the flipper.  Make sure it's not opening too early or the contacts aren't burnt.  That will cause the flipper to get weak.  Also check the flipper button contacts and make sure those aren't burnt either.   High resistance there will also cause flipper problems.   If any of the contacts are burnt or badly pitted, replace them.  Resist the temptation to file them down, they won't last if you do that.

If you get stuck trying to figure it out,  post back with what your specific problem is.

Regards,
D

[OSCAR]

I got a world cup pinball. My dad bought for me when I was like 6.  Its at my moms right now not working. 
heres the link
World Cup / IPD No. 2810 / May, 1978 / 4 Players
http://www.ipdb.org/search.pl?any=world+cup&sortby=name&searchtype=quick
I would love to get this thing cleaned up and working again. everything works but the flippers

Heh, I just played one of those a couple days ago when I went to pick up my CFTBL.  There's a place not far from me in Walled Lake, MI  (Games We Play, for those around the Detroit/Novi area) that has one on the floor.  It actually belongs to one of the tech's there, but it is for sale for around $500-$600 IIRC.  Not a bad pin... 

[Ed ONeill]

D_ZOOT...thanks for the pointers . I may need the help you offered !

Thanks
Ed

[RayB]

I don't know much about pins, but usually when the flippers get wonky, isn't it just a worn-out solenoid?

[D_Zoot]

I don't know much about pins, but usually when the flippers get wonky, isn't it just a worn-out solenoid?

Not usually.   Solenoids, or coils don't generally "wear" themselves.  Common wear on flippers is the flipper linkage,  coil stop (really a plunger stop, but they call them coil stops) and the coil sleeve.

Depending on the game/year, there will be a fiber or plastic connector at the end of the coil plunger,  these tend to wear out at the connection points.  The coil plunger rides inside a sleeve inside the coil.  These sleeves are plastic and also wear over time causing the plunger to be loose in the coil.  The stops mushroom over the years from the plunger slamming against it.   Any other point of contact can also develop wear.  Wear in all these parts adds up and creates loss in the energy of the flipper.  Simply put, energy from the coil is lost or wasted in taking up the slop.   

Flipper rebuild kits replace all the moving parts in the flipper and bring everything back into a nice, close-tolerance state.  It usually doesn't seem like it's going to make much difference,  but it really does bring the snap back into old flippers. 

Coils themselves usually only fail in a couple of ways.  Vibrations from the game can cause cracks in the solder on the lugs causing open connections where the coil windings are soldered on.  Coils can also overheat and melt.  Overheating is usually caused by something external such as locked on driver transistor, EOS switch problem, mpu board or wiring problems.  You can tell when a solenoid has overheated and melted because the plunger will drag in the coil sleeve, or if the overheat was severe, will be stuck.

Hope this helps,

Regards,
D