Help with Thunderbirds Pachinko

[Weaselcheese85]

Morning all. Repairs in progress. Picked up 2 Thunderbirds machines for spares or repairs, one Pachislo, which I'm 99% sure I've sorted the issue for, just waiting on a new power cable. Also picked up a Pachinko. It's the one with thunderbird 1 and 2 on the board where thunderbird 2 drops down and spins (I know it's supposed to do this as I've seen a YouTube video of it playing).

When powering up it cycles through a sequence as they all do, but I think thunderbird 2 is getting jammed as it looks like it's trying to spin but it just tilts itself to the side a bit, gets about 20-30 degrees then makes odd noises and then pulls itself back up wonky, it then straightens out at the top. Does anyone have one, or has had one and can tell what it's supposed to be doing on startup and if it should be spinning? I suspect it is based on my star wars 3d, the tie fighter does a similar thing.

The machine was dead, I've got it working, everything else seems to be moving properly, unjammed the ball feed (hairball), re-soldered the power supply. I've had it completely apart and fixed a couple of broken wires, and whilst it was apart I opened thunderbird 2. There's obviously a motor in there which seemed fine, clean, no jams, teeth on the gears were fine etc. Tomorrow I'm going to take it apart ..... Again, and put it back together without the thunderbird 2 casing on so I can see what the motor is or isn't doing when it's dropping.

Any help or experience with this specific machine would be great. Seems a shame to end up stripping for parts when it's now down to just 1 problem.

[Drunkenclam]

Its probably something gone out of alignment.
Take reference pictures as you take it apart and have a little dish for the tiny screws. Or preferably a couple of dishes for screws from different locations. ie into wood or into plastic

[Weaselcheese85]

Hi Ian, it was doing the same before taking it apart. I do take pictures etc as I go. The mechanism for thunderbird 2 was the last thing I got to. There were no screws missing or pieces snapped off inside or anything like that.

And yes, I have a magnetic mat with different sections for exactly that reason. Made that mistake before!

It would just help to know what it should be doing, like on startup does it do 1 rotation, or multiple spins like star wars, so I can figure out what's wrong.

Thanks

[Weaselcheese85]

Its probably something gone out of alignment.
Take reference pictures as you take it apart and have a little dish for the tiny screws. Or preferably a couple of dishes for screws from different locations. ie into wood or into plastic

I'm also still getting error code 4, which translates to 'switch is broken'. Any idea as to what switch it will be referring to?

Cheers

[Drunkenclam]

Bad translation have you a list of error codes?

Could be door switch. Ball tank switch. Hopper full switch.

[Weaselcheese85]

Hi, I have a Japanese friend who confirmed that's exactly what it says. But obviously no indication as to what switch

Definitely not door, hopper or tank. I had it empty and that comes up with a separate error code for no balls (code 7).

No code list, where would that be found? And please don't say Japan in 2009 lol

[Drunkenclam]

normally on the back of the machine somewhere. printed on one of the circuit board casing

[Weaselcheese85]

PXL_20220323_010815809.MP.jpg

Here's a picture of the message. Error 2 is empty ball feed, it's 4 that's the problem.

Cheers

[Weaselcheese85]

PXL_20220323_011905028.MP.jpg

This is the machine (glass removed and thunderbird 2 plastic cover removed so I could see what the motor was doing). Neither of these have any electrical connections and the error was present before taking these off.

Thanks

[Peteybob]

I have this game but currently my Alien VS predator cell is in the frame. I can swap them tomorrow afternoon and get you some video of the startup and perhaps more info.

Don't know yet about the error code #4.

[Weaselcheese85]

That would be amazing. I've spent some time this evening and took thunderbird 2 to pieces and put it back on without the cover and the lights and I've got it spinning.

It's like the motor has been asleep for 10 years (probably not far from the truth).

Took it out and kept spinning it, then put it back in and helped it spin on startup about 40 times before it started making the full turn itself.

I think it's right now. Goes once over one way then back over the other way, so yeah, a video or something would really help, would be good to know about the things along the bottom too, the little launchpad things.

Still can't clear this error though, can't for the life of me make out what's wrong, I've taken out, checked and replaced every single connection, and can't see any switches or similar that could be the issue. Can't see any info of use on the rear either with regards error codes.

Much appreciated.

[Peteybob]

Oddly the Oval One frame doesn't show a list of the error codes on the back (or at least on mine) as so many other machines do.

[Peteybob]

Have you re-seated the dongle and reset the machine? There is a tiny yellow reset button in back located in the lower left quarter near the power supply. Hold it in while turning on the machine, hold it for several seconds. Does this clear or change your error code?

[Weaselcheese85]

Hi, I have done a reset a few times, however it doesn't clear the code. I will try removing and replacing the dongle. I also have other dongles so I will try that as well if it doesn't help.

Cheers

[Weaselcheese85]

Yeah nothing on the back, couldn't find anything online either, other than compatible cells.

[Drunkenclam]

I did an online search but didn't come back with any thing

mostly errors regarding the pachislo.

[Peteybob]

Here's a video of my Thunderbirds starting up.

https://youtube.com/shorts/H_zIjl03kSM?feature=share

[Weaselcheese85]

That's awesome, thanks a bunch. That's what I've got happening, so that's the problem with thunderbird 2 sorted. The pop up things are the same as well so that's good.

Now just to get rid of this error code 4!!!

[Weaselcheese85]

Awesome, thanks anyway. As it happens I got that with the pachinko and that's got no sound. The speakers are buzzing and the buzzing is much louder when the screen is on (unplug it and they sound normal).

The 3 way volume switch doesn't do anything other than cause a pop sound in the speakers when switching. I expect the chip has gone.

Everything else works fine and it's in really good condition which is frustrating.

[Weaselcheese85]

Awesome, thanks anyway. As it happens I got that with the pachinko and that's got no sound. The speakers are buzzing and the buzzing is much louder when the screen is on (unplug it and they sound normal).

The 3 way volume switch doesn't do anything other than cause a pop sound in the speakers when switching. I expect the chip has gone.

Everything else works fine and it's in really good condition which is frustrating.