Star Wars stuck

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greystones
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Star Wars stuck

Post by greystones »

Hi newby here. I have a data East Star Wars pinball. How do I release a stuck ball from one of the holes? !PUZZLED!
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yaksplat
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Re: Star Wars stuck

Post by yaksplat »

welcome aboard!

Have you ever raised the playfield? If so, you may have to test out the solenoid that supposed to be kicking the ball out. There could also be something jammed in the outhole preventing it from ejecting. Sometimes pieces of the rubbers get lodged in there. If that's the case then you might have to take some things off the bottom of the playfield. The screws usually take a 1/4" socket.
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gameswat
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Re: Star Wars stuck

Post by gameswat »

The first thing to look at would be the switch that senses when the ball is in the hole, also a common problem are wires breaking off the coil because of all the vibration, the flippers were worst for that. Always worth checking fuses as another common issue. Then you start getting into more serious problems for a newbie to deal with like dry solder joints on the plug pins on the circuit boards, and then further complex with electronic component failures on the boards. That's an old machine in electronic terms so unless an expert has recently fully restored the boards and gone though the playfield inch by inch then it could be any of these issues or more!
greystones
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Re: Star Wars stuck

Post by greystones »

Thanks. Yes I have got into the works of the machine but it all looks too much for me. I have had a home pinball man come and do various things now and again but I wondered if I could clear the occasional ball jam myself as it can happen on various holes a few times, maybe just get the ball out would be ok until the machine needs an expert visit.
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gameswat
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Re: Star Wars stuck

Post by gameswat »

I've always hated dealing with older electronic machines, my father started operating them from 1975 until 2000. When the components age they usually lose a percentage of their ability to do whatever it is they do. So while each part will be working ok by themselves, when the electrical signal is passed through 10 components and each one is losing 15% of the signal it becomes a domino effect, and then there's a glitch at the end of the line! I've wasted many many hours tracking down stupid faults like this on too many machines. Thankfully I've barely touched anything newer than 1965 in several decades.
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yaksplat
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Re: Star Wars stuck

Post by yaksplat »

I've got a White Water pinball machine, so I'm familiar with the mechanics of the newer ones.

Have you tried going through the test procedures to confirm that the switches and solenoids are working properly?
greystones
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Re: Star Wars stuck

Post by greystones »

No not tested yet. Will get son to do that - he is a design electrical engineer. Was hoping to fish ball out somehow for now.
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bryans fan
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Re: Star Wars stuck

Post by bryans fan »

I know nothing about pinballs, other than a misspent youth playing them at college. It was how I met my wife though, so I have always liked them, and been very grateful. Anyway, is the ball stuck in the hole or just down it? If it's not stuck, could you fish it out with a magnet? :!?!:
greystones
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Re: Star Wars stuck

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I will give it a go. I have one of those mega powerful magnets, thought a bit of steel and go fishing if I can get it down the middle of the hole as magnet is very powerful.
greystones
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Re: Star Wars stuck

Post by greystones »

Got the ball back ok. Hasn't been used for months so takes a few hours for everything to work, sound and other bits. It's always done that while I've owned it about 5 years. Suppose that's normal? Paid £500 5 years ago. These seem to make good money now. Not sure how much a full electrical update would cost to make it more reliable. It costs about £150 every time I have a man out to do a repair.
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gameswat
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Re: Star Wars stuck

Post by gameswat »

greystones wrote: Sat Mar 09, 2019 10:45 am takes a few hours for everything to work, sound and other bits. It's always done that while I've owned it about 5 years. Suppose that's normal?
No, not normal, very wrong! Should turn on and be ready to go. The only thing that can improve within a short amount of time is the mechanical moving parts, once the lights and transformers etc have warmed the interior to make the oil and grease less viscous, then the gameplay improves slightly. Most evident on older electro-mechanical machines. I know this from a lifetime of experience after having fully restored literally hundreds of pinballs in my time. Once done I would play the hell out of them for testing and enjoyment purposes, and not once did I set a high score in the first handful of plays after turning a game on.
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