Back again Nascar garage issue

[BMHouze]

Nascar seems to have a few intermittent issues. The main one being the garage. It was not always raising. My tech buddy came by and this machine is newer than anything he has worked on from his days as an arcade tech 20+ years ago.
We swapped out the switch on the side of the mech that was identified by the portals menu.
The switch was reading intermittent contact when tested after removal.
Now tje garage will raise but will not stay raised.
I have removed it and am having my tech swap out all the micro switches in the garage. The logic being that all the vibration in this area could be affecting other switches in this area.
I also have the test car attached by tie wraps and felt the ones I put on after breaking the existing ones during playtesting. I tightened them up some after felling they were not making enough contact with the switch they work.
Wondering if I should bother ordering the original screw/bolts or if the tie wrap is going to do the job just as well....
Anyhow, a few minor problems but I do want the garage to work and work correctly. Thanks for the input.

 

[BMHouze]

Followed up on the only advice I received on my piside thread on this issue and cleaned all the coil sleeves in this mech.
I will update after I get my mech back with replaced micro switches.

 

[luch]

do you have the replacement bracket assembly for the garage , stern had a recall notice and have beefed up the bracket because it would break and crack the welds . http://www.marcospecialties.com/pinball-parts/535-9604-00 call stern ask for chas and they should send one for free

 

[BMHouze]

Yes it has the replacement bracket.

 

[luch]

try filling where the bracket slot is that holds the garage in the up position , the solenoid plunger fits into a slot then is retracted to allow gravity to drop the garage see if the plunger is fully catching in the slot

 

[BMHouze]

Now thinking the replacement switch may be wired up wrong. Its not the same lugs as the switch for the open close switch.
Going to experiment with it tomorrow morning.

 

[BMHouze]

Seems that moving the wires to the same configuration as the open close switch has solved my issue.
Oh well, seems like I get what I pay for with free service from my former arcade tech buddy.
You should see the hack on my checkpoint motherboard looks a bit nasty having a little pony board off to the side but it works and a new board is way too much when I already can't find a replacement ramp

 

[BMHouze]

Garage is again not staying up when it is suppose to. Played with the glass off and lifted it and it still fell back down. All assembly parts appear to look good.
Anyone out there with this machone post me a pick of the switch on the side that controls my up/down. It will be best to see a working one. Maybe I shouldn't have moved those wires back a set of lugs....

 

[Fifty]

Sorry you're having so many problems with the garage BM. The only issue I ever had with it was the SDTM issue which I resolved using a piece of metal. Post some pics and I can help you. I took the garage apart about a dozen times. The Stern manual has an entire section on the garage which is excellent. You need to study up on it for sure.

FYI, Starburst received my order from Marco. I'll pick up the new bearings I promised you during the Ottawa Show. It's been so long since I placed the order that I forget what else is in there for you.

 

[BMHouze]

The game is just 'playing around' the garage issue this time. So it's not a show stopper.
It happens with any machine. In the worst case I may have to send the garage out for a double check after installing the parts you are getting.
Still have had plenty of non issue games. Not a lemon by any means.

 

[Fifty]

Not to brag, but I know that garage inside and out and could probably have it working in under 10 minutes. I wish you were next door. I'd have this fixed lick-a-dee-split for you. Let me know if you get stuck. Pictures would help too!

 

[BMHouze]

I had a chance to do a little troubleshooting this morning.
First I checked the up/down garage coil and it metered out fine. Then I swapped the wires on the garage side (holds up the garage switch) as it's the only thing I have replaced in the area. No luck and further the game did not 'play around' the garage issue as it had done before I started messing with it. So, I put them back where they were.
Next I swapped out the fuse on the garage. It actually raised the garage three times and now the garage doesn't raise/lower and the gamw does not play around the issue.
Looks like a short somewhere. I only have a few fuses left bur with school back in my tech should be able to slip by before we go in to work......

 

[BMHouze]

The switch on the side of the garage. As it currently is.

 

[Fifty]

Have you tried doing a coil test and/or switch test? I am very familiar with this game and I'm still having difficulties understanding what is not working properly. Could you answer these questions for me'

1) When you turn on the game the test car should be down. Is it?
2) After you hit the test car with a pinball the test car should go up revealing the garage. Does it do this?
3) When a ball drops into the garage it should start one of the modes? Does it do this?
4) After the mode starts the ball should be ejected (depending on the mode). Does it do this?

 

[BMHouze]

Game starts fine. On the first hit to the garage it raises, doesn't stay up and keeps trying to raise around 5 times. Then it stops trying and plays around the garage.
My first test game I actually got in the garage and it just kept going and going. I am starting to get better at foshing the ball out with a wrench and a pair of magnets on the end of it. It's kida acting like it did when I had those wires in the pic up a set of lugs.

 

[BMHouze]

Unplugged it and tried again.
This game the garage didn't move up down at all and it is playing around the garage. Still does the modes without opening.
Well, off to work now......
Will not be overly suprised if the new fuse is blown as it is playing around the garage like when I started today.
Spoke to my board repair guy at work and he is thinking the board is the most likely culprit and he may have to swap out some components after checking the manual.

 

[Fifty]

Game starts fine. On the first hit to the garage it raises, doesn't stay up and keeps trying to raise around 5 times. Then it stops trying and plays around the garage.
My first test game I actually got in the garage and it just kept going and going. I am starting to get better at foshing the ball out with a wrench and a pair of magnets on the end of it. It's kida acting like it did when I had those wires in the pic up a set of lugs.

If I remember correctly there is a switch that triggers when the garage is up. If that switch doesn't trigger the garage falls again.

What does a switch/coil test tell you?

 

[BMHouze]

So I don't know why the up down switch is displayed in the 5th column from the left while all the other switches are in the 2nd column.
I can tell you it crispy fried the fuse I put in (nice big black mark veey obviously cooked). I definitely have a short somewhere.
Fifty memtioned the sheathing looking torn maybe I just need to insulate everything in the area more. Otherwise loks like the board is the most likely next area to look at.
Still haven't started on my other minor issue of the auto kicker "malfunctioning" when there is no ball in the trough. Still don't know why it wants to fire when it shouldn't be....

 

[BMHouze]

I had my fromer tech buddy from work look over the manual and he gave me a list of pages to make copies of so he can mark them up as he may want.
Looks like I have a transistor going that powers the garage up/down. From the chart it makes sense as I was also having a minor issue with pit row not working right in multi player games. If it had a ball or more in it and another player put one in it the machine would sit idle and do the overall stuck ball check to release one. It's in the same row as the up/down so it looks lile I am going to fix the top 2 issues at the same time.
Only one odd issue left and it's no show stopper. I occasionally get an auto launcher coil error when there's no ball in the trough and there is not suppose to be a ball in the trough, so no real biggie.
Now to just identify the proper components and see if either of us has one or if I am off to London for some parts.
Game still plays around the garage with the fuse out and pit row works fine without the extra draw of the garage up/down.
Machine is 10 years old, gotta expect an odd issue here and there.

 

[Fifty]

I'm glad you are getting this sorted out. I never had any issues with Pit Row, just the garage. The auto launch malfunction is a new one to me as well. Any chance it could be tied to the same transistor? If not, my guess would be the plunger lane switch is malfunctioning causing the auto launcher to misfire, but that would be the simplest solution.

I'm sorry you are having so much difficult with this pin. Please let me know if you decide to sell it. I would happy to buy it back from you as long as my bank account (and wife) approved. Just this morning my kid asked me to get it back. I asked him if I sold F-14 if he would miss it and he told me no and to sell it and buy the "car" game again.