Data East Star Wars not starting up properly......

[Lee Towersey]

My Data East Star Wars stopped working a long time ago in a ....... oh never mind! I assumed it was a fuse but having now got the time to investigate it doesn’t look as though it is.

Everything is starting up apart from the rear display matrix. Everything else lights up and the far right pop bumper goes down and then appears to stick and you hear a buzz which sounds like some kind of power drain. Nothing else happens the machine just sits there.

I’ve not left it for long like this in case I burn anything out and cause more damage.

Any suggestions would be gratefully received!

Lee Towersey


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[Jagspete]

Have you checked for signs of battery acid leakage.......

 

[Pick Holder]

+1 to battery damage. If you have leakage you’ll be best long term to change the board.

If a coil immediately triggers on power up then that’s a shorter transistor.

 

[Lee Towersey]

Have you checked for signs of battery acid leakage.......

No battery leakage.

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[Lee Towersey]

+1 to battery damage. If you have leakage you’ll be best long term to change the board.

If a coil immediately triggers on power up then that’s a shorter transistor.

How do I resolve a problem with a shorter transistor? Is there a way of checking that’s the problem?


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[astyy]

How do I resolve a problem with a shorter transistor? Is there a way of checking that’s the problem?

This is the repair guide for your machine - http://techniek.flipperwinkel.nl/desega/

Ref Section 3b for the stuck on turbo bumper. I'm suprised it's not blowing a fuse each time.

For the display check the voltages at connector P1, section 3L in the above.

It looks a nice machine, worth getting stuck in

 

[Moonraker]

Check that the coil is not shorted before replacing the transistor...

 

[Rob zombie]

Could it be a bad RAM chip?

 

[Lee Towersey]

Thank you everyone for your help. I’ll print the guide you’ve kindly shared and I’ll work through the suggestions you’ve made. Will update in the next few days. [emoji106]


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[todler]

Looks like you need to get the metal tabs on the ramp re-welded as well. R/H side has a large gap, fix the problem before more tabs break.

 

[astyy]

Thank you everyone for your help. I’ll print the guide you’ve kindly shared and I’ll work through the suggestions you’ve made. Will update in the next few days. [emoji106]

If you're suspicious of the coil could troubleshoot using the one off the knocker they should be the same.

 

[pinballmania]

When you say everything starts up and lights up, what exactly do you mean? Does it just light up, or so the lights flash on and off like it does in attract mode?

What do the three leds do on the cpu when you switch it on ?

 

[Lee Towersey]

When you say everything starts up and lights up, what exactly do you mean? Does it just light up, or so the lights flash on and off like it does in attract mode?

What do the three leds do on the cpu when you switch it on ?

It just lights up and they stay on, not going into attract mode.
The three LEDs do not come on at all, assuming you mean the lights shown in this photo?

Having had all the kind responses and having read a lot of the maintenance manual linked in a message above, I’m starting to think this is a bit beyond me.


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[pinballmania]

Ok. You did yourself A disservice by saying everything comes on apart from the display. The cpu is not booting so nothing is working except background lighting.

You have a 5v problem most likely located on the power supply board. Most likely is a leaking capacitor below the bottom right of the large heat sink. Remove it, clean up the spillage and replace or send the board to be repaired. Also check the 3x4 plug connector for any signs of overheating and repair as necessary.

 

[Monkeyboypaul]

For piece of mind, send it to someone like Andy (pinball mania) above, or try it yourself if you have the time and skills.

 

[Lee Towersey]

Ok. You did yourself A disservice by saying everything comes on apart from the display. The cpu is not booting so nothing is working except background lighting.

You have a 5v problem most likely located on the power supply board. Most likely is a leaking capacitor below the bottom right of the large heat sink. Remove it, clean up the spillage and replace or send the board to be repaired. Also check the 3x4 plug connector for any signs of overheating and repair as necessary.

Thank you.... I will probably take the option to get someone more knowledgable in to have a look at this. I’m not quite confident enough to start poking around on components other than fuses.

I’ll have a look for a recommendation to service the machine and will arrange for it to be looked at once this lockdown is all over!

I’m near Heathrow Airport if anyone reading this can come to me?!

Lee Towersey


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[Jagspete]

Hey lee you can take the power board off quite easily, take a photo so you have reference for reconnections, then post it off, reading the replies above it looks like pinball mania can assess and do repairs for you. Pete

 

[Jagspete]

Power board is top left