Mr. Pinball Repair Tip Archive


Miscellaneous Tips

44/47 Bulb removal tool
A benign way to set up machines for free play
A bucket of sand
Adjusting blade switch contacts
Another leg leveler fix
Bally EM Coil identification
Basic tools needed
BEST Metal Polish PERIOD!
Be Sure to Mark Connectors
Blade switch quick repair
Bolt head polishing
bulb/lamp socket fix
bulb removal
Bulb removal tool
bulb socket cleaning
Calm Repair
change the coil sleeves
Changing display color
Cheap desoldering tool
Cheap fuses
Check coin path
Checking for bad fuse holders
Chicago Coin EM Coil identification
Chime rubbering
Chimes hum slightly but do not ring
cleaning adhesive from under old mylar etc
Cleaning Glass
Cleaning light sockets
Cleaning metal parts
Cleaning metal parts
Cleaning Plated Parts
Cleaning playfield glass
Cleaning Playfield Posts
Cleaning WMS Twilight Zone Power Ball
Coil identification
Coil modification and substitution
Coil Repair
coin door storage solution
Coin lockout buzzing
Coin mechanisms
Color matching comparisons
Color mixing guide
Creating your own mini vacuum
Debugging intermittent problems
Debugging with jumper wire
Desoldering braid substitute
Dim lamp
Dim lamps
Dim or unlit lamps
Documentation for your game
Document Your Game
Do not overtighten lock nuts
Don't blow new fuses
Don't use an emery board to clean switch contacts
Earthshaker shaker-motor
Easy way to go through a machine completely
Easy way to move machines very short distances
Electrical shorts...
Emergency contact adjuster
Evaluating an electromechanical pinball for purchase
Extending scoring reel life
Factory errors
Fixing those dreaded Bally light sockets (without replacement)
Fix them mechanical bells
Freeing frozen coil plunger
Free repair tools
Frozen leg levelers
Funhouse general illumination blown fuse problem
Fuses can save your components or fry them
Fuses that look okay but are bad
Game does not turn on
Game goes immediately to game over or shuts off
Get a dentists mirror in your toolbox today!
Glass cleaner
Gottlieb EM Coil identification
Gottlieb flipper button quick fix
Great tool for handling small parts
Hand protection
Hard to find 7.5w 110V light bulbs
How to play when the baby is asleep
Improve coil action
Intermittent lamp sockets and connectors
Isolating blown fuse problem
Keep from stripping hole threads
Keep your hands clean
Key safety
Keys and locks
Lamp Socket Fix
Leg levelers
Leveling a machine
Light bulb efficient replacement
Light bulb insertion/removal
Lights dim when solenoid fires
Lock removal
Longest lasting bulbs
Long lasting lamps
Machines with 2 different keys
Make any screwdriver hold screws
Make knocker louder
Many uses for weather stripping
Missing a solenoid
Missing ground on A/C cord
Mixing epoxy
Mixing paint tools
Modification notes
More easily test circuit continuity
Motor care and repair
Mylar thickness
Never lubricate solenoids
Never use tape to close doors
Ordering Data East or Sega parts
Ordering parts from suppliers
Other excellent on-line pinball repair guide
Overheating lamp cause
Parts machines
Pinball machine dimensions
Pinball toolbox
Plastic pieces cleaning tip
Polishing
Polishing balls
Polishing chrome parts
Preventing broken coin lockout from locking out coins
Preventing lost cabinet keys
Preventing small gauge coil wire breaks
Prevent total damage!
Protecting score and instruction cards
Protecting Theatre of Magic magic trunk sticker
Regluing stickers and relay labels
Reinstalling Screws Through Harness
Remember to unplug your game
Removing glue and other residue
Removing stubborn bolt
Replacing fuse clips on circuit boards
Reproducing score and instruction cards
Restoring metal legs
Reviving burnt coils
Safety tip
Service plug hot when machine is plugged in
Setting up a game of unknown condition
Shortage of bulbs
Shorting protection
Solder handling
Soldering dangers
Solder removal
Solder Selection
Solid state test bed machines
Sticking pop bumpers and residual magnetism
Sticky coils can be a bad coil stop
Sticky solenoids
Storing Schematics, and Other Documentation
Substitutes for Novus
System down
Temporary fuses
Temporary reusable fuse
Testing gas plasma displays and boards technique
Testing lamps
Testing relay coils made quick and easy
Testing solenoids on EMs
Test Probe
Tiny scraping tool
Tracking down a shorted circuit
Transformer failure
Troubleshooting tip
Use air cans
Use a power strip
Use cooler lamps
Use E-clips on plunger
Use Mother's Alumininum Polish For Lots Of Stuff
Uses for old pinballs
Welding or brazing can produce toxic fumes
Where did this screw come from?
Which Side Of Playfield Glass Was Up
Williams EM Coil identification
Williams main line wire is sometimes too small
Wire Identification
Wire ties rule (when cardboard doesn't work)
Worklight Improvement
Zaccaria EM Coil identification

Tip Archive

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