My TZ fault - ejecting 2 balls on multiball lock

[lostinthezone]

My TZ pinball has a very strange fault. When you lock a ball for multiball, 2 balls are ejected from the trough into the shooter lane. This happens around 50% of the time and only when a ball is locked. All switches test OK. Any ideas? Chris

[Caveoftreasures]

If i have a similar problem on any B/W machines, I check and clean everything assosciated with the ball trough cause it is likely the game can think a ball is missing because the trough switches/optos need cleaning or adjusting.

The switches will work when triggered by a finger hard, but sometimes a ball rolling accross isnt enough, hence clean, clean n clean then adjust anything u can get your hands on if need be down there. I have also purchased new switched before and it has overcome the intermittent issues.. I just cant remember the exact set up on a TZ, but I am sure it is similar to widebody Indy Jones. Check you ball lock switches etc whilst u are mucking around if it it easy to clean n also check.

If anyone has anything else to offer, they will jump in for sure n post if I have missed anything or stuffed up anything in my advice.

[pinsanity]

Just cover the basics first for my own satisfaction.

Correct number of balls in the machine? 6 (5 plus 1 ceramic)
Correct number of balls in gumball machine and ball trough at startup? 3 for each




If these are correct then it will be a flaky opto (upper or middle) in the ball lock, a faulty lower switch in the ball lock or as Cavey said a faulty switch in the ball trough.

Got into switch edges test and fire a ball by hand into the ball lock and watch the matrix on the DMD to see if the optos/switches register (both of them, there is an upper and lower) and that there is no flickering.

[lostinthezone]

Hi, Thanks for the help. I have been messing around with it all night. I did what you suggested and cleaned and adjusted the ball trough switches. Since the clean and adjustment I can not get the machine to fault, so fingers cross that was it. Thanks again, it was driving me crazy.

Cheers
Chris

[vanhos]

Hey hi. I think i may have same problem on f14 tomcat.

Im just not sure how many balls i should have in the machine to start with.

Any suggestions.

[lostinthezone]

Hi, cleaning and adjusting the trough switches seems to have worked for me. If the problem comes back I will be replacing the trough switches. I did have the correct number of balls though. Cheers

[casperthefriendly]

Hey hi. I think i may have same problem on f14 tomcat.

Im just not sure how many balls i should have in the machine to start with.

Any suggestions.

4

Page  4 of the manual found here gives you the answer http://mirror2.ipdb.org/files/804/Williams_1987_F_14_Tomcat_Full_Manual.pdf

[vanhos]

Thanks casper