a couple of minor issues with my star wars pin

pudluther

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first thing is that the left flipper is sticking somewhat...the game is still playable, but it's annoying. it usually just sticks for a brief second...if you attempt to capture the ball, it will usually stick longer. sometimes you have to flip the right flipper in order to unstick the left one (it always unsticks immediately when the right flipper activates).

is this a mechanical issue? i cleaned the exposed part of the flipper cylinder thingy that goes into the solenoid casing (not sure if that's the right term) with alcohol and it seems like it maybe helped a little.....do i need to take the flipper assembly apart and clean it a little better? there's no EOS switch on those particular flippers, so that's not it. oh, and it's definitely not binding on the playfield.



second issue is that i get a TON of airballs (not sure what the appropriate term is - but balls that leave the playfield, go flying, hit the glass, etc). and most of them don't even smack the glass....sometimes they'll wind up jumping the siderails all together after flying halfway across the playfield and wind up back in the plunger lane......i've even had them wind up back in the wireform return from the center ramp. that's up there.

any ideas? doesn't seem normal. i don't quite have it to 6 degrees per the built-in 2-way bubble level (leg levelers are jacked). could that be it?



any advice/suggestions/opinions are greatly appreciated.

thanks in advance.
 
Flipper issue could be a number of things.

Check:
- Return spring is installed and not damaged, as well as has good tension
- Plunger moves smoothly through the coil sleeve. There should be NO binding AT ALL.
- Check for mushrooming on the plunger
- Check that any linkages are properly adjusted and move freely. There should be no binding.
- Check that the flipper switch is properly adjusted.

If none of those help, try this:
When the flipper is sticking, is the coil still active? To test, get the flipper "stuck", then try to move it back with your hand. If it easily moves, then it's a mechanical issue (return spring not strong enough to pull flipper back, either due to resistance or a weak spring). If the coil is still energized, it's something else.
 
Flipper issue could be a number of things.

Check:
- Return spring is installed and not damaged, as well as has good tension
- Plunger moves smoothly through the coil sleeve. There should be NO binding AT ALL.
- Check for mushrooming on the plunger
- Check that any linkages are properly adjusted and move freely. There should be no binding.
- Check that the flipper switch is properly adjusted.

If none of those help, try this:
When the flipper is sticking, is the coil still active? To test, get the flipper "stuck", then try to move it back with your hand. If it easily moves, then it's a mechanical issue (return spring not strong enough to pull flipper back, either due to resistance or a weak spring). If the coil is still energized, it's something else.



what exactly is "mushrooming?" and what do i look for and where? is the plunger that rod looking thingy i cleaned earlier?
 
second issue is that i get a TON of airballs (not sure what the appropriate term is - but balls that leave the playfield, go flying, hit the glass, etc). and most of them don't even smack the glass....sometimes they'll wind up jumping the siderails all together after flying halfway across the playfield and wind up back in the plunger lane......i've even had them wind up back in the wireform return from the center ramp. that's up there.

Don't use The Force so much while playing.

Learn to control it...and stay on the playfield, the balls will.
 
When the flipper is sticking, is the coil still active? To test, get the flipper "stuck", then try to move it back with your hand. If it easily moves, then it's a mechanical issue (return spring not strong enough to pull flipper back, either due to resistance or a weak spring). If the coil is still energized, it's something else.

Another way to test this....when the flipper is stuck up, turn the machine off :).
If the flipper is still stuck, it's a mechanical issue.........if it drops as power is turned off, it's an electronic issue.

Edward
 
Another way to test this....when the flipper is stuck up, turn the machine off :).
If the flipper is still stuck, it's a mechanical issue.........if it drops as power is turned off, it's an electronic issue.

Edward



just tried that.....it sticks when the power is off. left it off for a few minutes, turned it back on, and it is still stuck. i guess it's mechanical. i'll try and check out the spring today....haven't really looked at that yet.

FYI: the only way to get it unstuck when it sticks that bad appears to be to flip the the right flipper....for whatever reason, that will get it unstuck.


any ideas on the airballs, other than using less of "The Force?" ;)
 
Last edited:
FYI: the only way to get it unstuck when it sticks that bad appears to be to flip the the right flipper....for whatever reason, that will get it unstuck.

This is probably because of the force the other flipper exerts on the PF causes the other one to unstick.
 
first thing is that the left flipper is sticking somewhat...

second issue is that i get a TON of airballs (not sure what the appropriate term is - but balls that leave the playfield, go flying, hit the glass, etc). and most of them don't even smack the glass....sometimes they'll wind up jumping the siderails all together after flying halfway across the playfield and wind up back in the plunger lane......i've even had them wind up back in the wireform return from the center ramp. that's up there.

thanks in advance.

You are going to have to take apart the flipper to figure out what is going on . Go to this website and look through the flipper rebuild section. It is actually easier than it looks.
http://www.pinrepair.com/de/index.htm
You might want to pick up a flipper rebuild kit from pinball Life and rebuild it when it is apart.

In regards to your second issue, You will never be able to eliminate the airballs from Star Wars, you can minimize them, but not eliminate them. There are several causes on this game for the airballs, the first is the stand up targets. When you hit them they flex backwards, and deflect the ball on a slightly upward path, hit it hard enough and the ball takes to the air. If you replace the foam behind the targets with new target foam, it will lessen the airballs, but not eliminate them. The second major cause of airballs on this game is the tall black rubbers that are scattered around the playfield. If these are worn, or the posts are loose, they too will provide a slight up angle for the ball to deflect off of and get airborne. There are tapered posts that can help eliminate this, pinball life also has them.

Mike
 
You are going to have to take apart the flipper to figure out what is going on . Go to this website and look through the flipper rebuild section. It is actually easier than it looks.
http://www.pinrepair.com/de/index.htm
You might want to pick up a flipper rebuild kit from pinball Life and rebuild it when it is apart.

In regards to your second issue, You will never be able to eliminate the airballs from Star Wars, you can minimize them, but not eliminate them. There are several causes on this game for the airballs, the first is the stand up targets. When you hit them they flex backwards, and deflect the ball on a slightly upward path, hit it hard enough and the ball takes to the air. If you replace the foam behind the targets with new target foam, it will lessen the airballs, but not eliminate them. The second major cause of airballs on this game is the tall black rubbers that are scattered around the playfield. If these are worn, or the posts are loose, they too will provide a slight up angle for the ball to deflect off of and get airborne. There are tapered posts that can help eliminate this, pinball life also has them.

Mike




hey, thanks a ton geese....and yeah, the airballs seem to be more frequent when they hit those tall black rubber posts.
 
new issue arose last night...the inlane plastic guide thingy broke.


i've looked, but i can't find this piece anywhere online....does anyone have a link to where i can buy a set?

here's what i'm talking about:

the bad one
DSCN2002.jpg




the good one
DSCN2003.jpg




for now, i guess i'm gonna have to find some plastic glue and hope it holds....
 
For a temporary fix, glue it. Use a solvent based cement like Pro-Weld, or the Oatey red label plumbing cement. Those parts are still available, try Marco or Bay Area.
 
For a temporary fix, glue it. Use a solvent based cement like Pro-Weld, or the Oatey red label plumbing cement. Those parts are still available, try Marco or Bay Area.



yeah....i got some plastic fix stuff at lowe's today. hoping that holds for now.



i've honestly looked for a while and have not found those plastic sets anywhere....they're not on marco, from what i can tell (and it would be great if they were, as marco is right down the road). i'll try bay area.

if you happen to find a link to them OR the jurassic park ones, please post it.....i will buy a set for both machines, even though the JP's are not broken yet.


thanks.
 
i just looked on bay area's site...i didn't see it. am i just looking in the wrong place?




and if i happen to find that plastic set for another DE pin, would it work for star wars? could i just swap the top layer (A-wing plastic) out and use the lower two level plastics (guessing i could)?
 
i've honestly looked for a while and have not found those plastic sets anywhere....they're not on marco, from what i can tell (and it would be great if they were, as marco is right down the road). i'll try bay area.

In the Star Wars Manual on page 33 is a part listing for playfield parts. The return lane guide is listed as part number 550-5037-01. Put that in the search for Marco and I found the following item:

http://www.marcospecialties.com/product.asp?ic=550-5037-01
 
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