Sega Star Wars Trilogy Drop Target Problem

[TeaPea]

Hey, I have a problem with my star wars trilogy,
There’s a bank of four targets, the idea is you hit them and they pop back up,
then you get to a point, you shoot the ball up the ramp it drops the ball to the X wing, the middle two targets drop and you shoot the ball into the gap to get multi ball…

However, the two middle targets no longer drop, I assumed this was some wiring problem, but then it intermittently started working, and even weirder you could drop each target one at a time using the tests function, but the game couldn’t seem to drop two at a time.

I haven’t turned the game on in a few months, but turned it on and now only one of the targets drops in the tests.

I have checked all the wires in the machine and the backbox and can’t find any problem… could it be to do with something on the boards?

Anyone any clues? I’d get an engineer out to look but don’t know any in East Yorkshire so I’m struggling a little, a few pictures below… any help greatly appreciated as I don't know where to go with it as I can't shift it on as it is!

 

[Sgt GrizZ]

Worth checking and cleaning the entire drop target mech. Could be something amiss, or generally gunked up causing intermittent issues.

Do all switches/optos associated with the drops check out in tests?

Sent from my death star using Tapatalk

 

[chris b]

i am with the sarg remove the drop target assembly strip and clean iadjust and re fit check and clean the switches more likely to be this than a board problem

 

[johnwhitfield]

Drop targets should drop when you touch them. If they don't I suspect it's one of two thing. 1) Missing spring 2) More likely gunk holding the target onto the playfield so it doesn't drop. Whip it out spray some novus over it and see if it helps

 

[TeaPea]

okay thanks guys, will give this a go, what would you use to clean them with? If i push them they drop down no problem seem reasonably free, I will remove them presumably clean any crap off them? Then lubricate them?

What's best for cleaning the crap off and lubrication? Can't seem to find any definitive answers.
Cheers.
Tom

 

[cooldan]

No lubricants. Clean the drops themselves in hot water with washing up liquid. The metal bits a good old rag will probably do it

 

[ronsplooter]

Take the drop target assembly off the game, strip it down (take plenty of photos so you know how to put it back together) and chuck all the parts in a sink of hot soapy water and give them a good scrub. Dry everything thoroughly and re-assemble but keep an eye out for any parts that look obviously broken....post on here if you get stuck

 

[TeaPea]

Okay, sorry to resurrect an old thread.... 1 year later and never got round to fixing this, I took the thing apart and cleaned everything this time last year and it all looked good, but didn't fix anything.

Just had another look, got the part out the machine everything looks okay visually and moves freely.
There's four magnets which pull a lever down so the drop targets can drop one at a time, but there's nothing obstructing them, i don't think it's mechanical.
When I run the coil test, of the four drop targets only two work (two and four), the other two magnets don't seem to be working.

I have checked all the connections and all seems well, no loose wires etc.
My thoughts are,
- it could maybe be something on the power board?
- maybe a resistor or something on the coils?

I'm a little stumped, any helps appreciated as I want to get the thing fixed so I can move the game on and buy something I actually want to play

 

[Moonraker]

With the power off pull off and put back on connector J7 half a dozen times. J7 is bottom right second connector in on the driver board in the backbox.

 

[TeaPea]

Hey, thanks, tried this and hasn't made a difference, when running the coil test in diagnostics,
Sometimes none of them will drop, sometimes 2 and 4 and sometimes just 2 or 4. It's inconsistent.
Are there any components on the board which have failed could cause this or is it more likely wires/mechanical?
I guess I could maybe test if there's voltage going to the magnets when I press test in diagnostics?

 

[Moonraker]

I'm thinking possible hairline cracks in the connector J7. You need the power on and someone pressing the test button whilst you wiggle or put pressure on J7 to see if the other magnets work or not.

 

[TeaPea]

Hey, thanks for the help, appreciated,
I tried this didn’t seem to make any difference none of the drop targets were working regardless of what position etc.
Also tried taking all the connectors off all the power and cpu board and reseating them,
Now, about half the coils on the game arent firing it seems, i have checked and all the connectors are on properly so not sure what it is, I assume it's most likely something on the power board that’s failed?

 

[chris b]

sounds like you have blown a fuse tom

 

[TeaPea]

Nah, it's not a fuse, I just took them all out and tested to make sure and they’re all fine.
It's weird as, like say you hit the fire button it makes the sound but then doesn’t fire then a few second later fires.
Same with the top vuk or any other coil, it doesn’t fire straight away theres a delay then it fires a few seconds later.

 

[TeaPea]

Managed to figure this out today...
Checked power to each coil with a bit of help from my dad/multimeter.
Realised each coil was getting power and infact i could feel it throbbing if i put my hand on it so they were pulling.
Bent the metal piece that acts as a stop on each drop target down slightly and now it all works perfectly!!
Finally got there,