Gottlieb "Solar City" Counter Question

Archived from groups: rec.games.pinball (More info?)

Hi there:

Just got my EM Solar City today. Not working fully, but the backglass
and playfield were in better than average shape so I couldn't turn it
down for $100.

I'll be putting in an order with Steve Young soon for a manual and
schematics, but I thought I would ask for a little advice on a few
matters.

1) When I start a game, the score motor turns and does not kick off. It
stays in this loop. If I hit the Reset Control Relay, it stops and I
can play.

2) All this time, the counters do not reset. They seem to work
perfectly when a game is in play, but do not reset at the start of a
new game. No movement at that point whatsoever.

3) After one ball, the "game over" light is lit and the game ends.

If you prefer e-mail, please send any replies to "armada@isn.net"

Thanks - any advice for this 'newbie' would be appreciated.

Dave

Archived from groups: rec.games.pinball (More info?)

Clean (and only adjust if needed) your "0" switches in the score reels

Archived from groups: rec.games.pinball (More info?)

>somewhere a switch that should be open is closed.

Wow, that is the least helpful thing I think I have read in some
time....correct, but not helpful.

buying a manual and schematic is the way to go. Why the manual? It has
the startup procedure in it. It tells you what relay does what at what
time. This is helpful to know where your game is not getting to (not
resetting reels is a good hint).

My suggestion? Take the bottom board out of the game (3 large screws, 2
PF connectors, 1 coin connector, flipper button wiring, tilt wiring,
chime unit. It's super easy and you can go through each contact and
relay on the bench. Read Clay's guide here:
http://www.marvin3m.com/fix.htm

THe head should be gone through as well. Clean and check gaps of those
relays. You can also flip the PF upside down in the cab and work on
those switches (be careful of plastics and such). I hardly ever go
through a game without completely tearing apart each score reel and
cleaning them. The contacts and pivot grease needs to be addressed.

Bottom line- go through the whole game so you are not chasing your tail
for 2 months wondering "why this stupid gtb game isn't working". GTB
gets a bad rap for multiplayer games, but they are far more advanced
than most of the day and are not that hard to get running right. Don't
cut corners and you should be fine. Resist the urge to "get it working"
just to play a ball or two.

Kirb
(owner of 10 games from GTB in this era)

Archived from groups: rec.games.pinball (More info?)

Agree with the above 2 posts, bottom line on an EM....clean , check and
adjust where needed everything, all contacts, mechanisms etc, and then turn
it on and see what it does. Many problems will be found in the initial
cleaning and adjustment and then be helpful in tracking down any remaining
problems.

GRY

"ctsteps5" <ctsteps5@yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:1124993789.614988.69400@g43g2000cwa.googlegroups.com...
>I agree with kirb, you have to go trough it all, all the score reels,
> all the contacts, all the steppers, your ball issue is a stepper issue,
> go slow, it will takes you days. it usually takes me 4 to 6 hours just
> to do the playfield. go trough it one contact at a time, and when your
> all done with that then come back and ask your questions. you will
> have figures out 95% on your own by then, and let me tell ya, that is
> what makes us do what we do here
>
> oh by the way as an owner of gottlieb, their a pain in the ass to get
> going, but they are the best!!!
>
> Ctsteps5
>
> owner of
> 71 Bally Expressway, 72 Williams Superstar,
> 74 Williams Star Pool, 75 Gottlieb Fast Draw.
> 68 Williams Student Prince
>
> Moderator of EM Pinball Group
> http://games.groups.yahoo.com/group/empinbalmachines/
>

Archived from groups: rec.games.pinball (More info?)

clean out the player unit.

--
billb
<toshradio@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:1125013630.759412.111920@o13g2000cwo.googlegroups.com...
>
> ctsteps5 wrote:
> > I agree with kirb, you have to go trough it all, all the score reels,
> > all the contacts, all the steppers, your ball issue is a stepper issue,
> > go slow, it will takes you days. it usually takes me 4 to 6 hours just
> > to do the playfield. go trough it one contact at a time, and when your
> > all done with that then come back and ask your questions. you will
> > have figures out 95% on your own by then, and let me tell ya, that is
> > what makes us do what we do here
> >
> > oh by the way as an owner of gottlieb, their a pain in the ass to get
> > going, but they are the best!!!
> >
> > Ctsteps5
> >
> > owner of
> > 71 Bally Expressway, 72 Williams Superstar,
> > 74 Williams Star Pool, 75 Gottlieb Fast Draw.
> > 68 Williams Student Prince
> >
> > Moderator of EM Pinball Group
> > http://games.groups.yahoo.com/group/empinbalmachines/
>
> Funny enough, after fiddling with my machine a bit, I now seem to have
> an infinite number of balls in a game, where before it ended after one
> ball. Does that help to pinpoint this issue?
>
> DG
>