Considering an Op Wolf project

Zinfer

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I've heard these can be about as difficult as a dead Atari Pole Position to get back up and running again. Should I be scared and running away? It's quite dead, but I might be able to pick it up for $100.
 
Alot depends... I mean its a fun game when its working. Is the cab in good shape..and does it show any signs of life ?
 
It may be an interlock switch if he's telling the truth. There's probably one on the bottom drawer... with that said though, personally I won't buy Op Wolf's anymore because I've had tons of boardsets that were dead. They also are known for having serious issues with the sensor in the gun that the only cure for ends up being putting a different gun sensor in out of a donor game... so even if you get it working, the gun may end up being 4" off the sight.

Such a shame too, that's one of the coolest games from the late 80's. I wish somebody talented would figure out what the deal is with the boards.
 
I have one I bought broken for 75 bucks on craigs some time ago, Chances are his issue is the same constant issue I have. The bottom junction box for the power wires is a joke. The wires come loose all the time after moving. Even the filter PCB seems to have wires fall off. If you pull the drawer out to far or with too much force you can also snag some wires. Gun issues arent too bad. I had to replace a light sensor once and rebuild the gun DC power driver. Its just capacitors and a D-Bridge. The biggest problems are not booting, and video issues. I have 7 boards...1 working spare, one semi ....and the rest play boards. Just form buying spare boards its amazing seeing all of the repairs on each board....nothing seems to be off limits... :) The board has several Taito specific chips.

I say get it!!
 
If the pcb's are working it is worth about what the entire game is worth. They are a pain to work on and the roms don't work right outside of the original game. The end of the jungle scene will not show up in mame but will work with the original hardware. Many of the problems I have found so far are with the custom sip chips and are very hard to find (working). I have seen where there is a custom made board that goes into the sip slot for mixing the sounds and am currently working on a socket for replacing and testing the custom sips. I have 8 1/2 sets of pcb's and only got one set working 100%. The others seem to have other problems some very severe and others just a few sounds not working. Many of the sound problems I have found were NOT the sound board but the signals to activate the particular sound. The 384 khz crystal is not real easy to find buy you can use a 400 khz crystal with not much difference and I think mouser has them.

I would get the game but only if the pcb is working and would not consider it if the board set is dead. I do have a few boards that are quite different on the main board and they are the earlier versions that have only one big sip (SINGLE IN LINE PACKAGE) in one corner of the pcb, normally there are about 3 of them type chips there.

If you do decide to get the game there is some things that should be done to keep quarters from dropping onto the pcb. They get under the gun assembly and fall on the pcb. Drinks is another thing that seems to get spilled on the game, it gets used as a table quite a bit, and a splash guard is another must.

Not much is really a hard fix for that game except for the pcb's.

Good luck with the project, I am still working on mine and hope to drag the working one to Magfest.

Oh, and mine is missing the gun recoil motor and am considering using a portable air compressor for that motor. It looks just about the right size to fit in there and it is DC.
 
Taking a shower and getting ready to head out. I'll create a webpage this evening concerning it. Hopefully the weather will cooperate today and the project isn't too bad off. I've not yet turned down one after driving the miles to pickup a game. Just have to see what it looks like especially on the inside and I'm not real familiar with what the insides look like on an Opwolf.

Always afraid of custom chips and hard to find articles. I've had people practically want to give me Pole Positions in the past and I've turned them down just based on repair nightmares I've heard and read.

We'll find out what the day brings. Thanks for the input.
 
Well I finally got back. It was a 4.5 hour drive there and back. Yea it's definitely dead. I got it back and unloaded in the driveway and then went at it for an hour or so just trying obvious stuff. Removed the old burnt out marquee lamp and replaced with new as well as a new FS2 starter that was blown, so we got one light going.
As for the game. Completely dead. Cranked up volume, just a humm. No video. Lamps on coins are both dead. Put new coinlamps in - still not working. The monitor is powering up as you see the video collapse when turned off.
I pulled the board but..I don't suppose a jamma rig would test this board. Pretty groady looking
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Check out the audio board, there are pins there on the right, but nothing plugging into them.
Checked all the fuses with a meter. Checked the wiring. There were two wires just hanging. 1 I found a place for.
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I'm not sure where this wire goes - there doesn't seem to be a spot for it to plug into.
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Still dead. I pulled the boardset out for now to place on the bench.
 
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That's that crappy connector he was talking about! Download the manual and look through it... sounds like you're not getting your 5v to the game board. The hum is the audio amp, but that can run without the 5.
 
I just had a terrible thought. What if that coin door wiring harness connector plugs into some kind of vibrator or mechanism to vibrate the gun? Lord...
No that can't be right. Looks like the mechanism is inside the gun.
 
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Hrm. If that plugs into the gun, then the cable that's plugged in there now...wondering if it's reversed. There's a connector hiding from me.
I thought it was strange that when I pulled the burnt/non-working bulbs from the coin inserts and put in a new set, that when I plugged the actual bulb in - the humm stopped and I still had no power to the bulbs.
I'll have to pull the cabinet back out tomorrow - updating my website with it.
www.zinfer.com/operationwolf.htm - should be up in a bit.
 
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That connector you have showing outside the coin door is a dummy connector and leads nowhere. There are only two connectors that plug into the gun and judging by the photos, they are both connected. I know all too well when it comes to Operation Wolf. Took me forever to get mine going and meanwhile, I stocked up on a shit load of parts so if you need Sensors for the gun or a recoil motor, I should be able to help you out.

My tip is to start checking all the voltages and wiring for cracks, shorts etc. These boards are so picky that the slightest variation in voltage will make the game cranky.

Good luck.
 
Thanks man, I guess I'm going to have to start with where the power enters the board. I don't know in what condition anything is in until I get it fired up.
 
No problem. Shoot me a PM if you need help but start with voltage check at the main PCB, auxiliary board (13v) and the switcher as well. Make sure your -5 is within acceptable value etc. This should put you in the right direction.
 
Well I seperated the boards. After doing so I just couldn't take it any longer. I had to give the sound board a bath. I washed it up good with dish detergent, brush and then blow dried it clean. A day/night for drying should be fine. Just couldn't handle it.

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Soda/Beer some kind of sticky substance. Mixed with Mouse poo
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Followed by washing my hands - ugh.
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I am going to resist cleaning the main board for now. Do the Eprom positions look correct? Some blank sockets here but may be normal. I know that green oxidation on the crystals doesn't look good. I took an isopropyl alcohol q-tip to some areas on the main board.
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The N connector is just for additional speakers and mine has nothing going to it so that is not an issue. The top row of roms looks right but I can't remember about the sockets on the left. That is the latter rev. board set and has the 3 sips in the lower righ corner, the earlier ones only had one large sip in that location. It looks like some kind of liquid got spilled on the sound board and that happens quite often as this game is kind of like a table. It looks like ic32 took the brunt of the spill and needs to be tested but much later.

The best thing to do would be put a new switcher in there and unplug the aux supply for the gun recoil motor, my motor is missing so I don't use that aux power board at all. The idea there is to just power the pcb and sound board.

That spill is probably not a spill but mouse piss and that is kind of a good sign, probably was not on when that happened.

The power for the gun comes from the sound board from r9 (if memory is right) and goes to a cap and inductor.

I really really hope you don't get the dreaded 'not response from c chip' error but have a working game after the power issue is resolved.

I have a working pcb set and cab so if you need pics. etc it will not be a problem.

Good luck with the project and hope to see it working.
 
Well looks like I found part of the problem. 120v going into the switching power supply, but nothing coming back out. Split the shell, fuse tested out good, looks like a cap exploded, probably more problems.
OpWolf just uses a standard switching power supply right?
The old switcher provided +5, -5 and +12vdc.
Ordering a couple to have one for a backup for next time.
 
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Yes you are correct. Regular switcher.

Minor was shot too. Seems to be a common thing with this game. I'm sure there will be other issues after you install the switcher. There was for me.

I have s few spare switchers if you need one.

Cheers.
 
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