Reels Don't Always Spin Fast! Need Help Again!!!

[steinslots]

Ill give you a tenner for it! ....................Only joking.

Assuming the clock is completing its travel every time between each play.

Is the kicker arm free to move? It's held to the casting with a large shoulder screw which sometimes ceases up. You may need to remove the kick arm spring to get it off in order to remove or clean the arm shoulder screw. Be warned the spring is held under a lot of tension and its a right b*****d to get back on. Access to the kicker arm is only possible after removing the payout tube.
If thats all ok, I'd be inclined to first check the main operating pawl on the RHS of the mech near to where it engages with the arm. Its an anvil shaped lever held in place with a bolt and nut. Check if this part is held in tightly. It should be adjusted so that when the handle is pulled the mechanism releases just as the reels are clear of the peckers, kickers and reel stoppers.

Can anyone think of anything else? .......Jeremy?

[badpenny]

The pawl on the right hand side is a good suggestion as its fine tuning is critical to the general smooth operation, however if it's out or loose then I'd also expect oodles of other horrors.
I think by now, if everything is checked and appears ok then I'd be coming at this from a different direction. Instead of trying to find out what is going wrong occasionally I'd be trying to replicate the problem every time.
I'd use an old fashioned bottle of Tippex (the marks wipe off metal easily) and mark where things come to rest like the arm on the clock, the kicker etc. I'd also mark the positions of the reels so that when it does misfire you can repeat the play exactly by turning the reels back to the exact starting position and see if it repeats the error. That way you can search the common denominator for wear or a bit missing off an edge.
Questions: -
Does it sound the same when you get a misfire? (apart from the speed of the reels)
Do the brakes and vertical fingers etc. come in at their usual time? Or quicker?

[markymark]

Well... read the most recent posts.. thanks guys. Not sure I understood the terminology used, but... tonight I told the wife she may not see me for a while, I was determined to have another crack at this problem (well I have to, I can't sleep!!!!)

Again, sat and watched closely all moving parts as I pulled mechanism through its wind up mode.
Finally, I noticed the kicker as it pulled back across the pay disc cutouts, that when it engaged on the end of its travel, it dropped fully into the cutouts, which gave it that mighty kick spin on the reels. But it looked as though sometimes it didn't come back enough, as such, didn't fully drop into the cutouts, so almost pushed the reels without getting that kick spin (almost like 2 cogs not engaging correctly!!).
At this point I apologise for my poor description!!!
Anyway, if I could find how to get the kick plate to get pulled back just a fraction more then that may solve the problem... I loosened off on the right hand side a nut and bolt that holds a rod in place, so I could slide it out a little which would cause the kicker to come back further before being released. See the attached picture.
But thanks to all of you who helped solve the trouble.. the reels spin beautifully each and every time.. sorted!!! I'm happy now. Hope this may help others too in the future.

[badpenny]

Well done - that was the little gizmo that Carl was describing...............

[steinslots]

Heres a good tip for next time Mark:
Lay out some old newpaper on the living room floor and you can work on the mechanism spread out on the floor whilst the wife is enjoying Coronation Street or The Bill. Tell her this is your way of spending valuable time with HER whilst also persuing your hobby!

It worked for me until I got grease all over the carpet.

[badpenny]

Carpets!!!! You can afford carpets?

[steinslots]

They came with the house, I don't BUY carpets.