STERN Simpsons Pinball Party

[Fozzy The Bear]

Hi Guys!! 

               Does anybody have a manual scan or know the location for a download of the full service manual for a STERN "Simpsons Pinball Party" please??

I was kind of hopefull that some of you pinball guys may be able to help me here.  It's not normally my field.... but I've got one that's giving me a bit of grief right now.

Best Regards,
Julian (Fozzy The Bear)

[modessitt]

I don't know of one off-hand (although with 421 pinball manuals on my computer at work, I may have this one - or a hard copy).   You can always order a CD with the manual on it, and there are lots of free service bulletins available - one of which may apply to your problem.

Don't know how knowledgeable you are about pinballs.  This game is only 5 years old.  The manuals were shipped with the games and are usually in a plastic bag stapled to the inside of the cabinet about halfway back on the left, just in case you didn't know where to look.  Doesn't mean it hasn't already been removed, though.

What seems to be the problem with the game?   We may be able to help you fix it without thge manual....

[SirPeale]

Agreed.  I worked on one not long ago, and remember quite a bit from my tussle with it.

[Ken Layton]

www.sternpinball.com and click on tech support.

[Fozzy The Bear]

www.sternpinball.com and click on tech support.

Thanks for your assistance guys.......

I know the manual was with the machine about a year and a half ago, some idiot has removed it and not put it back or put it in the file cabinet..... and yes, given that I work with machines all the time, I do know where to find manuals in them. 

I was just trying to get it fixed quickly, because we're into tourist season and I can't really wait 4 to 5 weeks for a manual to arrive from the USA. So although I could order one from Stern it might not be here in time.

The problem I'm having is that for some unknown reason it's firing balls onto the playfield when it's not supposed to. It seems to be having two distinct problems. 1) unable to find pinballs and 2) going into multiball mode at the wrong times.

Both of the problems are intermittent..... some days it'll work fine. Other days it's constantly firing balls into the playfield even when there's no game in progress.

Checked the ball rack, checked the microswitches on it, checked the opto sensors on the exit. Buzzed the wiring in that area.  Still can't find the fault.

Portals, Tech Report, Diagnostic: is reporting all sorts of unrelated faults. Things like lamps out and relays out... even though they seem to be working perfectly out on the playfield. I'm starting to suspect a fault on the main board. It may be worth pulling and re-seating the chips.

any suggestions??

Best Regards,
Julian (Fozzy The Bear)

[SirPeale]

Try a factory reset.  I had a problem with a SPP that could only be cured by this, because according to Stern it gets 'confused'.

[modessitt]

Sometimes this happens if you have a bad opto or switch out on the playfield, as the game thinks there is a ball out there, usually in a "lock" or VUK position.  It can't "release" the ball, so tells you a ball is missing below (when it isn't) and kicks out balls randomly - all as a result of a fault in the switch matrix.

Otherwise I would figure it a problem with your ball trough switches (optos).  Of course, it could be the plunger lane switch (doesn't SPP have one) not telling the game a ball is out and to kick out another....

I suppose you've also checked the opto-board (ball trough) connectors and opto LED's for bad solder joints?  I've seen that as a problem also.  Make sure to remove and check both sides...

[Fozzy The Bear]

Try a factory reset.  I had a problem with a SPP that could only be cured by this, because according to Stern it gets 'confused'.

Yes... Thanks for your help. I think we've tried this one before, but it might be worth another go.

Sometimes this happens if you have a bad opto or switch out on the playfield, as the game thinks there is a ball out there, usually in a "lock" or VUK position.  It can't "release" the ball, so tells you a ball is missing below (when it isn't) and kicks out balls randomly - all as a result of a fault in the switch matrix.

This might well be worth a look, given that Portals, Tech Report, Diag, is showing so many faults out on the playfield, that in reality just don't seem to be there. It may be that you are spot on the target here. I'll take a look. Thanks!

Otherwise I would figure it a problem with your ball trough switches (optos).  Of course, it could be the plunger lane switch (doesn't SPP have one) not telling the game a ball is out and to kick out another....

I suppose you've also checked the opto-board (ball trough) connectors and opto LED's for bad solder joints?  I've seen that as a problem also.  Make sure to remove and check both sides...

Again it could be in this area.... But I have already had the ball rack out and checked all of the solder connections and cables in that area.

Thanks again for your assistance with this one guys. I'll post again and update you if we find it.

Best Regards,
Julian (Fozzy The Bear)

[clanggedin]

My Judge Dredd was doing the same thing by shooiting too many balls out at a time and saying that balls ar missing. It happened to be the opto board. Someone had built a better designed board so I just opted for the upgrade instead of trying to fix my old board.