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Flipper Help

Spandangler

Spandangler

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Joined
Jul 21, 2011
Messages
6,522
Location
Suffolk
Hey group.
The taxi I just got has a weak right flipper. The mech is clean and new and I've swapped the coil and its still weak.
Is there a component on the board I should now be looking at changing?

Also, half the back box GI has gone together with the lamps in the topper. I still have flashers though. I'm sure they were working yesterday!!

Any ideas?

thanks in advance

Gaz
 
did you change the end stop?
what about the plunger-link?
is the pawl gripping on the shaft of the flipper bat?
is the flipper button on the cabinet connecting properly to the switch inside the cabinet, or could it do with a clean (business card swipe)?
 
All the mechs good. Would the flipper button make any difference to the power in the flipper? I haven't cleaned that switch
 
i dunno, i spose a bad contact could mean an intermittent 'go' order to the coil. but if it's weak, it is surely mechanical. either a spring is catching, or the bat is scraping on the playfield, or it's stuck too tight on the bottom of the bushing, or the plunger is mushroomed, or the link is egged, or the bat isn't being rotated. it should just snap to attention. is the end of the new sleeve caught up on the round thingy?
 
Every thing seems good mate. I'm wondering if there is a board problem. Might need a new flux capacitor or something!!!
 
End of stroke switch? Just check it isn't closing too soon (or stuck on, or backwards!)
 
Gaz ....lifted from the bible ;)


  • If one or both flippers are weak...
    • Rebuild the flippers. Play and wear in the flipper parts is the primary reason for weak flippers. A mushroomed flipper plunger dragging against the coil sleeve is a classic cause of weak flippers.
    • Make sure there is about 1/16" up and down play on the flipper. To test this, from the top of the playfield, grap the plastic flipper and pull up. There should be some play. If not, the flipper could be binding on the nylon playfield insert. This gap is adjustable from under the playfield by changing the flipper pawl's grip on the flipper shaft.
    • Clean the EOS switch contacts and the cabinet flipper switches. These are high-voltage tungsten switch contacts, and you'll need a metal file to clean them. These switch contacts often become pitted and tarnished, and resistance develops.
    • Check the fuses. The right and left flipper fuses could be Ok, but if another 50 volt fuse is blown, that could make the flippers weak (this will effect both flipper equally). For example, on games with an Auxiliary power driver board (Big Guns and later), if fuse F7 is blown, both flippers will be very weak, but will still operate.
    • Check the bridge and capacitor that supplies voltage for the flipper coils. An open diode in the bridge rectifier that supplies power to the flippers can cause weak flippers. A fatigued or cracked solder joint on this bridge (or its associated capacitor) can do that too. This is rare, but does happen. This problem will affect BOTH flippers equally.
 
Thanks Ive.

On a separate note does anyone know which fuse would control the switches. I can't even start a game now as the start button doesn't work!!! Can't see any wires off.
This would coincide with a blue spark I saw from the flipper button leaf switch. This ****ing machine is a nightmare. I've bought a lemon
 
Check good end of stroke switch. Must be properly closed and clean for good contact. No fancy circuitry on this system, no transistors. Just power contacts at flipper switch , eos switch and on/off circuit board to flipper enable relay.
 
Thanks Andy. Looks like it might be opening the switch a bit early in the stroke.
Now any ideas how I can start a game to test it????
 
Gaz Shiells said:
Thanks Ive.

On a separate note does anyone know which fuse would control the switches. I can't even start a game now as the start button doesn't work!!! Can't see any wires off.
This would coincide with a blue spark I saw from the flipper button leaf switch. This ****ing machine is a nightmare. I've bought a lemon
Click to expand...

Quite common to see a 'flash' at the flipper switches on those era games. Some are more noticeable than others. Nothing to worry about.

No fuse for switches. Have you checked the start button switch - make sure it hasn't failed mechanically or wire off ?

Looking at the manual for Taxi, the start button has White/Orange going to cpu connector J10 Pin 7 and Green/Brown to J8 Pin 1 . Reseat these ? Check continuity from board to switch for each ?
 
Very kind of you to research mate. I can't see any wires off. I've cleaned the switch contact. I've reseated J10 and J8, and still nothing.

I have noticed the micro switch armature on the right flipper button is touching the underside of the apron when the pf is lowered. Not sure if that might have caused something.

Well thanks for all your advice. I'll have another look tomorrow and get my mate round with his multimeter!! I must get one of those!!
 
Start with the simple stuff. Assume you've got credits. Do a solenoid test. You've had a flipper problem, so possibly the main solenoid fuse is blown. So when you press start no solenoids kick , so the game appears not to start. If all the solenoids work in test, then go on to switch tests. Identify whether the start switch responds in test. Are other switches missing? Look for a pattern or a singularity. THEN get the meter out and work out what to measure once you've narrowed down the possibilities.
 
Thanks guys. Probably be Sunday night before I get a chance to look at it. I'll update on my progress.
 
Right. I had a little tinker and noticed the micro switch armature (guessing was touching the shooter lane switch when the pf was lowered. So I adjusted it all and hey presto, I'm playing a game. The flipper is strong since I adjusted it and I'm well chuffed.

And then all of a sudden nothing. I lifted the pf and it seemed to fire with pf lifted. Then it wouldn't!! Then I noticed it would work with the left flipper button depressed.

So now I'm snookered again. And still half the back box GI is out and the topper lights and the bell doesn't ring.

AAAAAAARRRGGGHHHH
 
Blimey Gaz. You have had some bad luck with that game. By the time you actually get to play it you'll be sick to death of it. :(
 
Worst mistake I ever made was not buying yours. Apart from the PINLED its firewood. I'm threaders with it
 
Right the saga continues.
When I press the right flipper button 9 times out of 10 nothing happens. You can see it wants to move but it doesn't flip. However if whilst you have the right flipper button depressed, then press the left flipper button. The right flipper fires!!

Any ideas.
 
Cheers Dan;-)

i think I won one of those on a coconut shy back in 86'!! I flushed it down the toilet when I got home though;-)
 
Whay hey. Getting there.

In a SGT Grizz manor, I invited myself into my office, for a no coffee chat!! This problem had to be solved and only I could get myself out of this ridiculous situation!!

So the flipper would only work when the button was depressed then the left flipper button was pressed.
Then by accident when I had the pf lifted, I hit the right flipper button by mistake and it fired perfectly. Looking at the EOS switch by the coil I could see day light between the contacts, obviously from when i adjusted it previously to get the flipper stronger. So I closed that gap.
Now it works perfectly and it's nice and strong. Happy days.

Ive also soldered a new micro switch on the flipper to allow the lane change, as that wasn't working.

All that remains is the bell and GI.

Whats people thoughts on the GI. Fuse or dry joints. It's half the back box GI and the topper. All flashers and pcb controlled bulbs are good?

Cheers

Gaz
 
Gaz Shiells said:
Whats people thoughts on the GI. Fuse or dry joints. It's half the back box GI and the topper. All flashers and pcb controlled bulbs are good?

Cheers

Gaz
Click to expand...

Check the connector on the right hand end of the long skinny interconnect board (in backbox at the bottom ). All the Sys 11 games I have had have had at least some burning of the GI connector there.

Check fuse of course too
 
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