Twilight Zone intermittly resetting problem

[Chad]

A couple of months ago a friend of mine purchased a twilight zone from a dealer, after repairing numerous faults on it we have one fault left where while playing a game, the machine will intermittently reset.

I have replaced BR2, C4 & C5 but the fault is still there.

Does anyone have any tips on where I should look next ?
Any help would be appreciated.

[rads]

I had reset problems because of the connector between J114 on the power board and J210 on the CPU.  The giveaway was a slightly lower voltage at J210

[MartyJ]

Are the diode on the flipper coils OK?

Before any more major board work, I would start by re-seating J101 and J102 & J114.  Give them half a dozen or so re-seats and report back.

Might be your voltage regulator or even the C4 cap which often gets overlooked.  Try the connectors first and next would be to test voltages on various points..

http://users.esc.net.au/~boots/Pinball_Guides/default.html

Go to the WPC / Game Reset section and start working your way through.

Who was the dealer?  Should be covered by warranty.....

[Chad]

Who was the dealer?  Should be covered by warranty.....

I don't want to name & shame him even tho he deserves it (lets just say his pinball business is his secondary business, which he operates from the same building as his main business which involves 2 wheels),  my mate rang him up regarding the faults and he didn't want to know about it other than saying he could send a tech out but my mate had to pay for it.  There is a long story to this pinball with its faults and problems with the dealer but this is not what this thread is about.

I have read the WPC / Game Reset section and have decided the best thing to do is swap my power driver board from my twilight zone with my mates board to help see if the fault is with the driver board or elsewhere.

Marty thanks for the link to the repair guide and I will let you know how I go.

[Strangeways]

Who was the dealer?  Should be covered by warranty.....

I don't want to name & shame him even tho he deserves it (lets just say his pinball business is his secondary business, which he operates from the same building as his main business which involves 2 wheels),  my mate rang him up regarding the faults and he didn't want to know about it other than saying he could send a tech out but my mate had to pay for it.  There is a long story to this pinball with its faults and problems with the dealer but this is not what this thread is about.

I have read the WPC / Game Reset section and have decided the best thing to do is swap my power driver board from my twilight zone with my mates board to help see if the fault is with the driver board or elsewhere.

Marty thanks for the link to the repair guide and I will let you know how I go.

That's VERY poor service ! I would be advising the seller that he has an obligation to repair the game. At worst, the game should be returned to their "workshop" for warranty repair.

[Chad]

That's VERY poor service ! I would be advising the seller that he has an obligation to repair the game. At worst, the game should be returned to their "workshop" for warranty repair.

Totally agree with you Nino but the problem was my mate just accepted whatever the dealer said & didn't want to push the point the dealer should be repairing the game as it was faulty from day 1. Mine you this was the third pinball he brought of this dealer the other 2 being AF & IJ (he had no problems with them), he paid top dollar for all 3 machines but yet the dealer wouldn't fulfill his obligations on the faulty one.

[Caveoftreasures]

I would ring Rob from Bikecity and the first thing i would say would be "listen prick, I am not asking you, I am telling you, fix my machine, or I will come down there AND"
(well u get the story !) 

p.s -
 I would make sure the game roms are sitting in tightly.
I had a game resetting the other day, pushed on the roms, and the loose one seated properly, and then I had no more resets. 

[Strangeways]

That's VERY poor service ! I would be advising the seller that he has an obligation to repair the game. At worst, the game should be returned to their "workshop" for warranty repair.

Totally agree with you Nino but the problem was my mate just accepted whatever the dealer said & didn't want to push the point the dealer should be repairing the game as it was faulty from day 1. Mine you this was the third pinball he brought of this dealer the other 2 being AF & IJ (he had no problems with them), he paid top dollar for all 3 machines but yet the dealer wouldn't fulfill his obligations on the faulty one.

OK - So I guess we "live and learn". I would be at least calling him to let him know that he will not be getting any more business from your friend.

Swapping the boards might isolate the issue if you have tried the connector trick Marty mentioned. Let us know how you go (with the board swap).

[pinball god]

I had reset problems on a TZ but this advise goes for all wpc. A good tech guy told me 99.99% of reset problems are connectors. I found after replacing heaps of stuff a connector wire was not making properly until the game/wire heated up.

So I'm not saying br's don't fail but this tech is honest and said all his problems have been connectors. So maybe you can start there. I remember mine was the connector on the right hand side with 2 red wires I think. I'd check for sure but have problems removing stuff on pinballs at the moment 

[ddstoys]

but have problems removing stuff on pinballs at the moment 


But can you hold a can yet???

[pinball god]

but have problems removing stuff on pinballs at the moment  


But can you hold a can yet???

You're laughing but at first no can, then use two hands to lift can, and now I can do it with one. But can't pick up a six pack for at least another month or two   I tried to remove a #555 globe the other day and failed. Sad state of affairs. Told the wife to put the glass back and I still have a dead globe  

[ktm450]

That must suck, I feel for you mate

[pinball god]

 

That must suck, I feel for you mate

Heaps of other people worse off, I'll get back not too far down the track. Thanks for your thoughts Matt

[silverball]

I had reset problems on a TZ but this advise goes for all wpc. A good tech guy told me 99.99% of reset problems are connectors. I found after replacing heaps of stuff a connector wire was not making properly until the game/wire heated up.

So I'm not saying br's don't fail but this tech is honest and said all his problems have been connectors. So maybe you can start there. I remember mine was the connector on the right hand side with 2 red wires I think. I'd check for sure but have problems removing stuff on pinballs at the moment 

Good advice Rob, I have repaired hundreds of pins and never had to change a bridge due to resetting. Connectors have always been the issue. Change with trifurcon connectors/reflow solder and or change header pins on the above mentioned connectors. Most people think that changing the bridges/caps have fixed their problem but the removal of the board and re-insertion of the connectors was the real fix.