F-14 Tomcat : What is causing this? I'm so lost

[lilj8371]

Hi Everyone! I have looked all over (it's possible I missed a thread) and I cannot find any information pointing me toward what is actually causing what's happening in the video. Launch a ball, game "resets" to next ball. Process just repeats. I'm fairly technical, so i'm willing to dig into the game. Any help is appreciated!


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JXah_tubwW8

 

[ShaunDBurch]

Hi, I'm not familiar with this particular pin...but I was just watching some game play videos.

It looks to me like it's going straight to the lock for a multi-ball. It locks the ball, gives you a score, then ejects ball 2. All of the initial ball launches I saw in the videos ended up in the center ramps.

Is it possible something is stuck to open up that ramp? Maybe a bad switch or some physical piece that diverts the ball?

 

[lilj8371]

Thank you for the suggestions. There is nothing physically blocking or limiting anything. It just acts as if the ball drained but it hasn't. What is supposed to happen is when the ball lands in that pocket it ejects out as a playable ball. Now it doesn't do that.

 

[grantopia]

When you plunge ball 1, the diverter should be sending the ball to one of the saucers by the pop bumper, I believe the right one is first (although it may alternate). Run the coil test on the game and see if the diverter is firing in test mode.

For the game thinking the ball is draining when it hits the switch shown in your video - run the switch test and activate that switch. See if it's also activating the outhole switch. I don't have the manual in front of me but you could have a switch matrix short or other issue.

Those two pieces of info will help get started.

 

[lilj8371]

I have run the coil test and found that neither the top diverter nor the right eject ( the switch that cause the ball drain problem) is firing. Have not been able to do switch test yet. Will this afternoon.

 

[grantopia]

I have run the coil test and found that neither the top diverter nor the right eject ( the switch that cause the ball drain problem) is firing. Have not been able to do switch test yet. Will this afternoon.

Ok, you are on the right track. I would do a few things in addition to the switch test:

1. See if there are other coils that don't fire in test and inventory these so we can address that issue. This will help determine if it's isolated or a board/fuse/connector issue impacting multiple coils.

2. Take a look at your mpu, especially around the battery holder. Is there any sign of leakage or damage/corrosion on the board?

 

[lilj8371]

Okay so below are the assets not firing on coil test
Coil test

Top diverter
Flasher 1 "c" side
Flasher 3
Flasher 5
Right eject "a" side
Flasher 7 "c" side
Flasher 8 "c" side

On switch test. The right eject ( where the problem is) registers correctly (weird).

If I start a game and start manually placing balls, randomly(but not often) the top diverter will fire, but the right eject never changes behavior (ends ball) nor ejects the ball ever.

Attached is a pic of the battery area. It's really clean.

Thank you again for the help!

 

[grantopia]

Ok this helps. Let's work on one issue at a time and see if we can sort out the ball drain issue first. When the ball hits the right eject switch every time, it ends the ball, correct? Does this happen with any other switch or just that one? See if activating any of the other switches in the column and row circled also cause the ball to end.

Here is the switch matrix for the game. Take all the balls out in switch levels test and activate the switch. You should only see switch 21 active. Does anything else register with that switch active?

 

[lilj8371]

Correct, Everytime that switch activates it ends the ball. Only that switch as far as I can tell.

When doing the switch test on switch 21, only that switch registers.

 

[grantopia]

Alright, there could be a few things happening but I'd check the following things, although it's a bit tedious:

Check all the switches, especially that switch and the others in the column/row, for any loose wires or wire strands/lugs/etc. that could be touching something else it shouldn't (brackets, coil lugs, etc.) and shorting when the switch activates - that can cause phantom hits in the switch matrix.

Take a look at the switch wiring also, especially if the game was worked on before you got it and make sure all the switches are wired correctly.

Also check and make sure you have no loose/cracked/missing diodes on the switches and they are soldered in the correct orientation. If you have a meter, I would test the diodes too to make sure they didn't fail.

If you are comfortable, here is the procedure for testing the switch matrix at the MPU:

https://www.pinwiki.com/wiki/index....m_9_-_11#Switch_Matrix_Row_and_Column_Testing

This test removes the playfield from the equation. If your results with this test look good, you know you do have a problem on the playfield and not the MPU.

Again, this is pretty tedious but will help narrow down where the problem is. I would bet that switch is shorted to something or there is a bad diode or wiring somewhere.

Don't forget the outhole, through, slamtilt, etc. switches.

 

[mecha]

run the Switch Levels test, if any switches are showing as active when they're physically not, there's a problem in that column. from what I'm reading in the first post it sounds like the trough switch (like when a ball goes to the bottom) is closing without a ball being there.

 

[Sprout]

If you haven't already, check all the flash lamp boards under the playfield. F-14 is notorious for those resistors heating up and in some cases literally falling into the bottom of the cabinet (had it on mine). Make sure every resistor is in place. You may want to pull them/resolder them all to be safe. Very common issue on this game.

Okay so below are the assets not firing on coil test
Coil test

Top diverter
Flasher 1 "c" side
Flasher 3
Flasher 5
Right eject "a" side
Flasher 7 "c" side
Flasher 8 "c" side