Issues with my TMNT pinball machine (Video included)

JedahDoma

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Issues with my TMNT pinball machine (Video included)

So I just got myself a brand new TMNT machine. I really like it, but after hours of calling fellow pinball friends and looking over it myself, it's got a few problems I'm at a loss for how to fix. I've made this short 3 minute video going over the issues in the hopes you fine folks may have an idea or two. Thanks!

http://youtu.be/Ir-SUddwta4
 
GI things first , congrats on your first pin. Second the coil in the bottom that's disconnected is a knocker coil, it makes a knock noise when you match for a free game. Have you gone into the test settings and checked your switches ? There should be bottoms on tvd coin door that will access you into the menu on the dmd ( small screen that shows score). There is a switch test in that menu that when you press the switch with your finger it will make a beep sound to know that it is closing circuit . My guess is your ball trough might have a bad switch, check them by rolling a ball into the trough and see if all your switches beep, it seems to me that clicking noise is its trying to keep popping a ball into the game . As for your weak flippers it probably needs a transistor replaced in your flipper board. Not sure what that plug belongs too that's loose , I don't have a tmnt hopefully someone who does can chime in. Good luck and keep updating
 
GI things first , congrats on your first pin. Second the coil in the bottom that's disconnected is a knocker coil, it makes a knock noise when you match for a free game. Have you gone into the test settings and checked your switches ? There should be bottoms on tvd coin door that will access you into the menu on the dmd ( small screen that shows score). There is a switch test in that menu that when you press the switch with your finger it will make a beep sound to know that it is closing circuit . My guess is your ball trough might have a bad switch, check them by rolling a ball into the trough and see if all your switches beep, it seems to me that clicking noise is its trying to keep popping a ball into the game . As for your weak flippers it probably needs a transistor replaced in your flipper board. Not sure what that plug belongs too that's loose , I don't have a tmnt hopefully someone who does can chime in. Good luck and keep updating

I'll go into the test settings and see what I can find. Though I only have two buttons to control everything. If the left, black button, is clicked in I go to one menu. If it's not clicked in I go to another menu. Though I can scroll forward and backwards I'm not sure how to actually select the menu item I want to edit.

I bought a few fuses to replace what look to be bad fuses and a new plastic molex for the old brown and bad one.

Will update after I get this all put in. Thanks again for everyone's help. Pinball machines are a lot like cars, there could be any number of reasons why it's messing up. Just got to be vigilant and patient. ^_^
 
Do you have the manual that tells you how to get into the switch test mode? You've got to get to switch test. Not sure how this game works but you can probably use the flipper buttons to move in test mode. A lot of games you can "select" with the start button..... Not sure on Data East though.
 
Last update for the night. Ended up finding the switch test menu. Went through a couple of the switches and got some interesting results depending on if the playfield was upright or down flat. If I had it flat, pressing the left flipper gave me not only the left flipper switch, but two to three other switches go off as well. Now if I turned the whole playfield upright and pressed the left flipper button, only the left flipper shows up on the switch test with no other switches (as it should be).

It does the same thing with the right flipper when flat, but when upright, the right flipper will activate but nothing shows up on the switches test display.

Also my start and credit switches have stopped working. So one step forward and a few steps back. The flippers are now working, but they are still weak. I'd say they are operating at about 60-70% of their max.

Here's a video of the problems in action:

http://youtu.be/cmF6F-DAcCM
 
What are you getting for readings at the Power Supply Board? There seems to be discussion of Power Supply issues - http://pinside.com/pinball/forum/topic/wtb-data-east-power-supply-bd

Do you have a diagram of the switch matrix in the manual. If so, check the switches in the same row and column as the credit button. Then check those connections. You should be able to find the correct color wire for the same switches in the row and column.
 
Well what started as a simple missing pin in the right flipper assembly has turned into a major repair job. I'm already up to about $50 in parts and at least 30+ hours of work put into this machine.

I went through about half of the diodes with my multimeter and they all had a strong acceptable reading.

I'm going to be taking a break from trying to fix this thing as I need a breather. I think I've come to a sad realization: I'll never be able to own a pinball machine. I can work on arcade machines all day and night, in fact just repaired my Lucky & Wild machine. When it comes to pinball machines, there could be 100 reasons why something is wrong. It's like a car.

I called up the local place that last serviced this machine. For one they no longer do house calls so I'd have load it up and bring it to them. Second they charge $75 an hour with no guarantees they would even be able to figure it out.

At this point I think I'm better off simply selling it to someone for parts. There's no way I'll ever be able to fix it as I don't have the technical know how nor time to put into this machine. Oh well, it was good while it lasted.
 
Nobody is born knowing how to fix pinball machines. You have to read lots, and get your hands dirty...

Don't part the game out, just cause you can't fix it. Someone out there can..

I agree, but with a wife, two kids, and a full time job, time and money are not something I have a lot of. Now if this would have been ten years ago, I'd be in heaven tinkering around with this thing. ^_^

I won't part it out myself personally. I just know someone who wants the machine for the same price I paid for it and will part it out himself.
 
I agree, but with a wife, two kids, and a full time job, time and money are not something I have a lot of. Now if this would have been ten years ago, I'd be in heaven tinkering around with this thing. ^_^

We all have those same life obstacles :p

The playfield hitting switches going up and down...are those switches related to a captive ball or the ball trough? Balls could be rolling over a switch, related to that circuit? Are all the wires clear of the table coming down? It's not pinching any wires? I'd check those possibilities first.

If you have a manual with schematics, obviously, that will help a TON. Vids you can kinda get away without that info unless there is a board issue. Pins the schematics are pretty damned essential. :p
 
Don't sell that thing! I am in the same boat you are. I am working on a NASCAR and I am about to the point of straightening out what the last person did to create 100 more problems than the original problem. I agree take a break but don't give up on it! I only get a few hours a month to work on mine but I am not going to give up. I would suspect everyone on KLOV has been at your point some time or another.
 
Don't sell that thing! I am in the same boat you are. I am working on a NASCAR and I am about to the point of straightening out what the last person did to create 100 more problems than the original problem. I agree take a break but don't give up on it! I only get a few hours a month to work on mine but I am not going to give up. I would suspect everyone on KLOV has been at your point some time or another.

I'm with you. I honestly don't want to give up. I'm simply frustrated and just want it to work. I feel like I got shafted by the guy who sold it to me, on purpose or by accident. I'm afraid of how much more time and money I'm going to have to put into this thing before it even playable. That and the amount of research and time it will take to figure it all out.

Now I wish I would have taken that pinball elective in college. ;)
 
self promotion, but i highly suggest you get TOP7 dvd video on Dataeast/system11 pinball repair. it would really open your eyes and give you some confidence in doing repairs. none of the problems you have documented in the videos seem that difficult to handle. it's pretty standard stuff that you'll have to deal with when owning a 20 year old pinball game.
 
self promotion, but i highly suggest you get TOP7 dvd video on Dataeast/system11 pinball repair. it would really open your eyes and give you some confidence in doing repairs. none of the problems you have documented in the videos seem that difficult to handle. it's pretty standard stuff that you'll have to deal with when owning a 20 year old pinball game.

Yea? I would be very interested in that. You got a link?

Thanks for all the support and words of encouragement. As some of you have said, we've all gotten to this point when repairing a pinball machine. I'm not so much annoyed by the machine having issues as I am with my own ignorance and the daunting task of learning it all. I really need a pinball sensei. :)

All joking aside I think it would help if I had someone here next to me guiding me through the process so I could learn it more efficiently. I'm a very visual learner, so reading all these tutorials and looking over schematics is not as productive for me. Though I'll keep pushing through and get this figured out. I'm still learning to be patient when it comes to these machines.

Have an electrician friend coming into over Saturday and he should be able to help me understand the*technical*side a little better. I shall remain vigilant my pinball*brethren!
 
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Short story, the pinball machine is back up and running!

Long story, first and foremost I have to thank a friend and fellow member on these boards for his expertise and kindness. I'm not sure what his handle is on here, but he is a local pinball enthusiast who just so happens to also be the resident arcade tech at a local family fun center.

He offered to help me fix my machine without hesitation. He came over around 4:30 on Saturday and we started to get to work (I use "we" lightly as he was doing most of the work while I sat back trying to follow what was going on). We traced the outhole kicker problem to some faulty pieces on the back board PCB. Luckily he happened to have those parts at home. So he swung by his house and brought them back.

After a few hours we found the problem with the flippers. Seems the extra game kicker coil was bad causing a fuse to constantly blow every time hence not giving enough power to the flippers.

I have to say I am very thankful and appreciate to Quinton for his help and expertise. We got done at around 8:30. Meaning he spent nearly 4 hours servicing and repairing my pinball machine, and you know what, he didn't expect a dime. Guy took 4 hours out of his afternoon, gas in his car, and most importantly his expertise (which would have easily run me $75 at the local arcade shop). I barely got $20 in his hands as a token of my appreciation. He was just glad to see it running and back in working order.

So all in all, I learned a bit more about pinball and got the chance to watch an expert at work. Again, a big thanks to Quinton. I couldn't have done it without him!
 
did you buy this game at the auction in kc last week? I was there..
 
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