My First Pin - Need Assistance

MrH

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I sold my recently acquired Karate Champ Arcade machine on CL today only to browse CL and come across a pinball machine. So, I called and the guy he still said it was available and to come with cash if I wanted it. I asked if he had anyone else coming to look as it was a 40 min drive he said yes but they weren't supposed to come till later and the machine was going to the first person there with cash. I played the game and won, so if the other guy who ended up showing up 15 mins after me is on this board...I'm sorry.

Anways onto my first PIN. It's a Williams Swinger EM Pinball machine. I don't know the first thing when it comes to PINs, so when I plugged it in it was continuing to cycle (I guess that's what you call it.) I took a short video wand was hoping someone could tell me where to start as I'd like to get this thing working for my kids and of course myself. I also wondered what the recommend source for rubber kits is as Bob Roberts is too CAP kits, as well as what kind of wax and how to wax. Thanks for all your help.

 
It sounds like a relay in the reset circuit isn't activating. You should read this first:

http://www.pinrepair.com/em/index.htm

The go to guy for EM stuff is Steve young at The Pinball Resource: http://www.pbresource.com/index.html

He should be able to provide you any rubber, balls, parts, schematics, etc. that you may need. There are other sources that are cheaper for certain things but he is convenient and has a very good selection (in my experience the best selection) for the EM parts.
 
I've tried to absorb what that website has said but it's still kind of greek to me. I now know not to use contact cleaner but aside from that I'm still kind of lost. I looked up some other articles on how to open the machine so I'm gonna give that a go this evening after work.
 
Well I messed around with it today and got it up and running minus the chimes. However it gave me infinite balls. So I messed around with it again and now when I press the start button it acts like its going to start and then goes to game over or if I coin it up it will sometimes let me play one ball and then game over. Any ideas? I couldn't find relays for the chimes, so maybe I'm missing something there.
 
Well I messed around with it today and got it up and running minus the chimes. However it gave me infinite balls. So I messed around with it again and now when I press the start button it acts like its going to start and then goes to game over or if I coin it up it will sometimes let me play one ball and then game over. Any ideas? I couldn't find relays for the chimes, so maybe I'm missing something there.
Sounds like the ball count unit. That should be in the bottom of the cabinet on that game. Check to make sure it's stepping up with each ball.From what you described it sounds like it may be starting on ball 5 and that's why you only get one ball. As for the chimes they are controled by points relays in the back box but if none of them are working I'll bet they are unpluged. Check the wire coming from them and it should be pluged in at the bottom right of the cabinet right under the chimes.
Glennon
 
Sounds like the ball count unit. That should be in the bottom of the cabinet on that game. Check to make sure it's stepping up with each ball.From what you described it sounds like it may be starting on ball 5 and that's why you only get one ball. As for the chimes they are controled by points relays in the back box but if none of them are working I'll bet they are unpluged. Check the wire coming from them and it should be pluged in at the bottom right of the cabinet right under the chimes.
Glennon

I found the wheel that gives me unlimited balls but haven't adjusted it to give me the exact number which is three for this game. As for the chimes they aren't exactly in a box and one of them looks to be broken the bar seems to short and looks broken off. I've traced the wires as much as I could and nothings seems to be unplugged but I'll check it again. Thanks for your input.
 
I found the wheel that gives me unlimited balls but haven't adjusted it to give me the exact number which is three for this game. As for the chimes they aren't exactly in a box and one of them looks to be broken the bar seems to short and looks broken off. I've traced the wires as much as I could and nothings seems to be unplugged but I'll check it again. Thanks for your input.
It's not the stepper unit you adjust for the number of balls. There is a plug for that.

Glennon
 
Ballsy move getting an EM pin for your first. Hey gordon if you know how to fix these things I got some work for you in chesterfield, shoot me a pm if interested.
 
Ballsy move getting an EM pin for your first. Hey gordon if you know how to fix these things I got some work for you in chesterfield, shoot me a pm if interested.

I couldn't pass it up for the price, I figured it would be fun to learn about Old Skool before moving up the ladder.
 
For what it's worth, I only have 1 EM pin (my 1st which is a "mars trek") but since have acquired SS models.
The Em's are very tempermental.
ALL contact's need to be clean and all rotating assemblies need to move easily.
Lightly use emery cloth on the contacts (available from auto parts supply) and (maybe contrary to other post's or site's) use machine oil VERY LIGHTLY on rotating assemblies.
That's how I got mine going and haven't had an issue in years even though it's played every weekend. (just make sure to keep the play table waxed to prevent wear).
 
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