Aztec player unit GRRRRR

Compute

Well-known member
Joined
Jul 5, 2010
Messages
1,087
Reaction score
67
Location
Appleton, Wisconsin
Finally had time and money to not only buy the parts, but install them to try and get my Williams Aztec pin up and running. The things that the parts fixed are fixed, but now I'm coming back to the issue with the player unit not stepping or resetting properly. I've replaced the springs, tried lubing it (maybe not enough), and voodoo. The mech is clean as far as I can tell, nothing gumming it up. It will step up, but not reset. I thought the springs may have worn out, but the new springs I picked up are about the same strength. Is there a chance that the fingers are on too tightly? I feel like I'm missing a big piece of this puzzle, but I have no idea what that could be.

Is this unit supposed to be a 50-count reset, or 50-count single-step reset stepper? My only thought is that maybe there are parts missing, but it looks like everything is there for it to be a 50 step reset unit. Any ideas?
 
I never lube steppers. All that does is gum them up in time. I DEGREASE them when I get a machine in that has had a stepper greased or lubed. Did a shuffle alley not so long ago and every score reel needed torn apart and cleaned. Few of them worked but they all worked after degreasing and a good cleaning.
 
That's good to know. This unit has been wonky since I bought the machine almost 10 years ago, just never got around to figuring it out. Always assumed it was the springs, but those are all new. For whatever reason it won't move one way or the other without a fight. At least not consistently. I don't remember if I ever ripped apart the unit like I did the others, but the other units with the copper fingers work fine. This uses those damn "snowshoe" contacts, and 6 digits/player.
 
Last edited:
I'm with Karetaker never wet lube if anything use graphite but be careful it will conduct! If you have the ladder diagram: look for the contact(s) that control the player unit and make sure that they are clean, flat and spaced correctly. I would try to manually manipulate the player unit to find resistance to movement. It could be the sleeve of the coil or wear on linkage. I have an Aztec that has a similar problem with the game over unit that has yet to be found.
 
Zeroing on a Williams EM

I feel your pain. My em is the same era: Space Odyssey. If you check the switch stack behind the reels one of them is the zero switch, telling the machine the score reel is at zero. By any chance does yours have labels? if not let me know I can check mine for a few pics. Even without knowing though, you should be able to manually set at zero, check the switch that should be engaged using a multi-meter if need be. Let me know if you need more. This was an intermittent problem on mine when I first set it up.
 
Hopefully I'll get to working on this before I go on vacation. It really feels like the arms need a lot of "power" to do anything when I push them manually. For a while I was playing with the torsion spring, but then I'd end up with a unit that either would not reset or the spring would be so tight that the unit would not be able to advance. I'll try measuring the amount of torque on the other units when I clean and rebuild this on to see if it does anything. It could very well be dirt in the sleeves making it sluggish, too. Thanks for all the tips, guys.
 
I agree with all others any lube creates dirt build up and is not worth using. Like most of us I'm a self taught technician. I've drove myself crazy last year when I purchased a CCSki and the flash card game stopped working (that's where I stopped last summer and will pick up this winter).

I prefer to spend the time to tear the games down for my resto and cleaning everything mechanical. The gentlemen from pinrepair warns against complete tear down and adjustment but few times has it cost me more issues and I feel it's the only way to learn about the inner workings of your game.

I'm begining to learn to keep the PTFE away from the contacts as even a small amount will create dirt. The shafts are the same minimize it if possible.

From what your stating in some of these posts it seems your steppers need torn down completely and cleaned with alcohol. This is a time consuming job but rewarding when their completed.

Your score reel mechanics being dirty could be another issue. Dirt and oil is a terrible combination for these games. Sometimes you come across the fix by luck...and so I wish you luck!
 
Tore down the player unit, found the elbow on cam for the step-up mech was seized. Cleaned that, put the unit back together. It stepped up and reset just fine until I put the contact board and the snowshoe wiper assembly back in place. Then it wouldn't step up or down. I ended up cutting down the spring on the step-up arm by about 75% so it would have enough tension to bring the arm back and lock it. It feels very hacky to me, but games actually end now so I suppose that's what matters.

Now to figure out the freeplay hack so it will play games with fewer than 4p. And a ton of switches to adjust on the playfield. Always something to fix, I guess. Good thing I don't have more games, I'd have to get rid of a hobby!
 
Compute - Happy Thanksgiving

I'm glad that your figuring this game out. EM takes patience and believe me I've been there. I have a few questions for you regarding the unit you cleaned as if this was functioning properly when you hit the credit buttom once only player one should play not all four.

So I have a few suggestions. Did the shaft move freely. There was a spring wrapped around the shaft of this step unit (clock spring). Did you count the turns before you unwound it? If you don't have the same amount of turns in the clock spring your machine won't switch players. Therefore when the plunger(s) activate up or down the shaft does not have enough tension to snap back thus not switching players.

Next thing - the gentlemen at pinrepair has placed his document out there again to help guys like you and I and prevent some headaches along the way. He now has a video regarding step units. Maybe take a look I've had a lot of ah-ha moments over this past year.

Here's the link for various step units:

http://www.pinrepair.com/em/index2.htm#emsteppersvideo

Note I notice that when you go to the main site and try to use the EM link it does not take you to the correct spot for the above link. Go to page one (bottom page) - click on that link the same outline comes up. Then click on the step unit page again.

You can also find the free play set up on this site too. If you want to PM me for specific questions please do so. I'm back into restoration picking up where I left off on the ski ball in my avitar.

Again good luck...
 
Here's the thing: It's already set up for free play. Unfortunately, the doofus who set it up that way did horrible, horrible things. Near as I can tell, one credit switch wire is bridged, and the other is hooked to the power for the coin lockout coil. I'd pick it apart but the dumbass also yanked the coils out of the credit unit, along with the stops and the doodads that the coils propel. I would like to fix all of the wrongs and bring the coin door and credit unit back to factory state, but it at least plays now.

As far as the player unit goes, from the day I got the machine it would only reset sometimes. Whether I have the "correct" amount of turns I don't know, but it steps and resets now.
 
Compute

It's ashame that people butcher games because they don't know what the hell their doing. None of that required removal for that game to function on free play. I'm glad your step units are functioning and that your able to enjoy your game.

I had the same thing happen to me with my 67' Midway Cobra Puck Alley. It was "modified" by the church that owned it before the guy I purchased it from. All coils remained thank god.

Have a great holiday season...
 
Back
Top Bottom