Pole Position - Found at least SEVEN problems.

Steverd

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So I just sent about an hour testing things on my new Pole Position.
So I need some advice on the problems I found.

1. F2 is blown it's a 4amp sb right after the bridge rectifer.
2. A Line fuse in the image below is blown, it's a 25amp, it connects to a '~' on the bridge rectifier.
3. Burnt R29 on the AR board (I know look at the edge connectors (see #4)
4. At least 3 burnt edge connectors.
5. Battery Acid on the CPU board (I've removed the battery and neutralized the area)
6. Bad cap at C9 on the CPU board, it's a 10uf 35v
7. I have a OL on the Bridge Rectifier from the '+' on the '~' on the right.
would this blow the fuses in my #1 and #2 problem?

If not what do you think blew my #1 & #2 problems?

This is the line fuse blown also (25 amp)
pole-4.jpg

Thanks,
Steve
 
Good luck, you'll need it. My PP took about 3 days of work to get it running. Mine didn't have much for battery acid tho. F3 blown with melted wiring, that R29 resistor replaced, then bypassed main harness to power the board.
 
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Good luck, you'll need it. My PP took about 3 days of work to get it running. Mine didn't have much for battery acid tho. F3 blown with melted wiring, that R29 resistor replaced, then bypassed main harness to power the board.

Thanks, It's going to take me alot longer than 3 days, since I need to get an order into Bob Roberts. Also just found some weird corrosion on some fuses, I might want to change the fuse holders also.

Steve
 
will follow this thread, as about to get a Pole Position Cockpit that is non working, yet complete, excited to get it, just nervous about troubleshooting and getting it to work
 
will follow this thread, as about to get a Pole Position Cockpit that is non working, yet complete, excited to get it, just nervous about troubleshooting and getting it to work

I am starting the repairs tonight. I plan to replace the bridge rectifier and the burnt R29. I might do a Sense mod, but not sure yet. Non of my other Atari games has the sense mod.

What is the thought for doing the Sense Mod on a Pole Position? Is it a good step towards "bullet proofing" a Pole Position?
Wait, I'll probably skip the sense mod, and make sure all of my edge connections are fixed and cleaned..

I still haven't even powered this on yet.. Maybe tonight after I do the above.

Thanks,
Steve
 
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will follow this thread, as about to get a Pole Position Cockpit that is non working, yet complete, excited to get it, just nervous about troubleshooting and getting it to work

somehow i think your going to try to shoe horn that into my workshop and take one of my pins home with you.
 
This thread should have read something like

Pole Position only 7 problems found

:).

Argh, just alittle scarey because I still haven't even powered up this machine yet. These are just problems I found going over things.

The seller said it used to work, then just quit. I wonder how so many things could go wrong all at once like this?

Steve
 
First thing:
Pole Position power supplies are problem ridden, fix it by installing a switcher for long term reliability.

Second thing:
Make SURE you install a cooling fan on the boards if there isn't one there already.

Third thing:
Do the 1st and 2nd things!!!
 
First thing:
Pole Position power supplies are problem ridden, fix it by installing a switcher for long term reliability.

Second thing:
Make SURE you install a cooling fan on the boards if there isn't one there already.
!

Fan on the board? Anyone have a photo of that?
(As for the PS, I'm replace the bridge rectifier and fuse block tonight)
I better order an extra switcher for back up.

Steve
 
Fan on the board? Anyone have a photo of that?
(As for the PS, I'm replace the bridge rectifier and fuse block tonight)
I better order an extra switcher for back up.

Steve

Just look inside, wait. Just take one out of a computer, the one on the cpu for cooling. I am not sure of the voltage for them. Old power supplies are a good cheap source for the fans also.
 
Fan on the board? Anyone have a photo of that?
(As for the PS, I'm replace the bridge rectifier and fuse block tonight)
I better order an extra switcher for back up.

Steve

Usually there is a hole in the back door of the newer cabs. There is a cardboard duct located over the cage and a 4" fan mounted at the rear blowing outward. I would snap a picture but my cabinet has no fan (or back door), I have yet to start work on mine as the wiring is a total mess.

As far as the power supply, Atari botched the design, do yourself a favor and go for a good quality switcher!
 
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Usually there is a hole in the back door of the newer cabs. There is a cardboard duct located over the cage and a 4" fan mounted at the rear blowing outward. I would snap a picture but my cabinet has no fan (or back door), I have yet to start work on mine as the wiring is a total mess.
!


What if I just leave the back door off? Would that work?

Steve
 
As far as the power supply, Atari botched the design, do yourself a favor and go for a good quality switcher!

I try to keep all of my games pretty much original. But if I put a switcher in this Pole Position, what would to eliminate? Would it by pass the two AR-II boards?
Just run the 5v directly to the game board?

Anyone have the "polesw.pdf" on do this, that StarTeck Journal used to have online?

Thanks,
Steve
 
I try to keep all of my games pretty much original. But if I put a switcher in this Pole Position, what would to eliminate? Would it by pass the two AR-II boards?
Just run the 5v directly to the game board?

Anyone have the "polesw.pdf" on do this, that StarTeck Journal used to have online?

Thanks,
Steve

You can leave all the original hardware in place. The switcher hooks to the +5v and ground and +sense and -sense.

Simply disconnect the wires to the game boards, best to bypass the edge connector using the test points too.

Basically, Pole Positions were failing off the assembly line within 5 hrs due to heat and such, make sure a fan is in.
An "original" Pole Position is the reason so many are broken now!!

Check out the Atari Memo's, interesting case of crappy engineering.

Send me your email if you want the Star Tech journal mod
 
had my 2 AR2 boards tested in other games and they test fine, put them back in my newly aquired PP cockpit, and at the test points on the AR2 and the main board (I believe someone has hardwired the +5v on to the board) anyway they test at 2.96v so if the AR2 are good, then its has to be the PSU in the bottom of the cabinet? all fuses test fine, whats next or should I throw a switcher in there? if so how, where do I wire it into :)
thanks
 
Here's a back shot of my working Pole Position before I cleaned it up inside and painted the back. It has 2 fans with cutouts and also the cardboard on top of the game boards. A switcher has also been installed to bypass the power supply. Game runs great, boards and connectors look good also with no burns.

100_2989_zps860f8952.jpg


100_2982_zps919a260d.jpg
 
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