1967 Chicago Coin Criss Cross Ski Flash Issue

OHEMIO

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1st time poster - long time viewer

Have an issue with my 67' Chicago Coin Criss Cross Ski Ball EM and would like to ask for some advice.

I purchased this em from a collector and like many they don't work once they travel. So I followed the pin repair guide as I did with my 67' Midway Cobra Puck Bowler.

A few days ago I completed my mechanical restoration and played about 10 games with the family in flash mode when the game began to stop registering the numbers on what I call the "1-9 flash card". The Flash game therefore does not work any longer.

Knowing I invested time (total of a month and a half) to meticulously clean the flash motor, fingers, bake light, fingers, flash relay bank, tested the ohms on the relays, looked at all of the wires and connection, score motor, relays. I'm at a loss.

I do have the schematics but have my knowledge is limited regarding the lauguage and if I'm even reading them correctly. I'm doing my best to learn on my own.

So here is how I believe it works after a week of trouble shooting:

1. game is started (game reset in relay bank activated) by the credit button...set up for free play.

2. criss cross is selected (flash game)

3. 1st ball relay is activated

4. the motor scrolls and the 1-9 flash lights one at a time across the bottom of the front back glass.

5. ski ball enters the ball pocket (lets say it lands on 1)

6. flash motor relay pulses - stops the motor at a number 1

7. score motor begins to turn

8. pulses the flash control relay on back door.

9. flash control relay pulses the #1 relay in the relay bank.

10. The #1 relay in the relay bank triggers #1 light on the flash card on back glass.

11. player control step unit moves forward one for the next ball.

12. Score motor stops at 0 position.

Here is what I believe where the problem is. When the flash control relay pulses it's not activating the #1 relay in the relay bank. This is the sequence that I have witnessed over and over again.

One of my thoughts are as I found no broken connectors on switched was to unband the wires and follow them through the game to see if there is a short or issue but not sure that it's worth taking that route.

I know this is a hard core question for the first post. For the first time I don't have an answer and again would like to ask for advice.

Your time and help is appreciated in advance...going to work on it now I'll check back later.
 
The em games are tricky - I had a recent issue with my ball bowler that I tried to troubleshoot myself for over a month (no I can't read the schematics). Like you, I thought it might be a severed wire, but those are a nightmare to trace and there look to be miles of them.
After all that, I paid someone to look at it and found it to be a simple contact switch. What looked to be making contact on a switch was not (it was open when it should have been closed). Check your contacts....and if no luck check your coils.

Not sure if the Criss Cross game has them, but also check your machine plugs for good contact.

Good Luck!
 
I wouldn't unband the wires. I've never seen a wire get shorted like that. I'm not saying it can't happen but it would be highly unlikely. It's probably a switch somewhere. Make sure all the switches are clean and adjusted. You probably already did by the sounds of it. But, they can go out of adjustment or weren't quite adjusted properly and aren't making a good enough connection. Also check and make sure you didn't lose a point on one of the swithes. The points fall out of those leaf switches from time to time. It could also be something mechanical. Like a spring off a coil or a a dirty stepper not getting all the way to home. Also a clean stepper can be a problem. I always clean my steppers around in a circle as the way they travel with 220 grit sand paper. If you go across the stepper it gives it a bit too much drag and may not always return all the way home. I am not familar with this machine but that's a few general things that can go wrong with these old EM machines.
 
Much Appreciation!

Daddyboo & Karetaker

Thank you both for the advice. Still working meticulously through the game. Decided not to unband the harnesses at this point. Since I wrote the original post I've gone through the schematic for the score motor switches making sure every switch is open or closed as it should be in the reset position.

Furthermore have checked the wires attached to the score motor and stepper units as I found a loose one on both. Each time thought it was the ahh ha moment but after resolder it proved not to be the culprit. Still glad I found those wires as they were another problem waiting to occur.

Karetaker that's great advice regarding how to sand the step units. I did break them down however I didn't sand in a circle and now wonder if that could has caused the issue. The weird thing is the regular ski-ball game continues to work without an issue.

It's something that I've overlooked...I'll keep looking until I get it right...Can't stop now the family loves the Ski-Ball!

Thanks again!
 
Flash Game Still Not Working

I've checked the contacts, and the Jones Plugs, Score Motor contacts, and the step units, no dice...now I'm going to replace the coils that are related to the flash game.

Past that point???

Everything activates as it should with exception of the 1-9 relays? I'm going to keep working at it believing at some point I'll figure it out...
 
Last edited:
Eureka! Criss Cross - Flash Game Working Perfectly

Final post on the 67' CDI Criss Cross Ski Ball

Note to everyone on the EM side of this hobby never, never, never drop your boards. It will cause you great pain and a lot of gray hair.

Bottom line by dropping those two boards cost about $150.00 in coils, jones plugs, schematics, and worst of all literally 200 hours of switch adjustments, checking solder joints, looking for broken wires, making stepper unit adjustments.

Although I replaced 7 coils that we're reading low ohms or that I cracked when I dropped the board it all came down to one switch on the score motor that was literally 1/16th of an inch off and the face of the contacts were not aligned.

One good note it forced me to learn how to read schematics.

The best part about this feature is you could be in last place light up the right numbers 1-9 and end up the winner of the game. You earn 100 pts on top of your rolled score if you complete a diagonal in either direction. 200 additional points for a diamond. 300 pts for lighting up the entire card. The regular ski ball option is great. The flash game is a great twist on regular ski ball.

If anyone out there has one of these and you need help with an issue send me a PM!

Onto the WMS Space Mission restoration!
 
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