Need help bringing an EM Bally 831-ZF back from the dead

[clk71]

Oh boy. I wonder why this baby is spitting out coins in that first reel position. And the number of coins is random. 2, 3, 4 are common payouts.

[Amechanic]

This is where the extension cables come in handy, that way you can watch the hopper or feature units work outside of the machine.. I have had all 3 pieces out on a table before when testing..

[OldReno]

Look on Page 108 of your Bally EM manual, and then note if the coin kicker (part #5) is pulling in or not during these 1st reel payouts.
If it is NOT pulling in, then it is out of adjustment, and that is your problem. This over-ride solenoid assembly is what keeps coins from coming out during hopper mix, and also it is there to prevent overpays at the end of a payout.  It loses power and snaps open the blade which knocks off spare coins that are trying to exit the hopper due to the inertia of the hopper pinwheel (disc) moving after it loses power.
If it is pulling in, then you need to find out why it is during a reel mix (which is apparently what is happening)
Note that the machine should NOT start any pays untill all of your C switches on the reel mech are closed.
You could try insulating each of your C switches to see if one of them is making this all happen.
How many different symbols are on your reel strips?

[clk71]

UPDATE:


I am hoping someone can send me a set of beau plugs for the hopper so I can follow the OldReno advice above with the over pays.


The holiday weekend set the project back a little, but I did manage to rebuild the air piston on my machine. I found the other thread about it on here, but since this is turning into a pictorial guide for Bally EM newbies, I figure I would document what I did.


Ordered u-cup seal 5-pack from McMaster-Carr on line, part number 9691K53, for $4.23. With shipping it came to $10.70


Pulled my air cylinder apart and the tube was clean/rubber looked good (pic 1)


Until I touched it...tarry-gum wad (pic 2)


I used mini-nippers to trim back the middle of the seal, and trimmed little by little until I got to the point where I could use a screw driver to slide it on the piston (pic 3)


Put it on. Looks like new (pic 4) I lubed the tube up with blue wheel bearing grease with the piston inserted fully into the tube. Before I did that, I put a few drops of gun oil into the end of the tube, because the blue grease would plug the air escape hole. This is what the manual says to do as well.


Light parts should be coming soon, handle still catches at little at the bottom of a pull before releasing, anyone have beau plugs?

[Jon]

I'm sorry about that I thought you resolved the problem I will go to the post office right now and put those in the mail

[Amechanic]

When you say your looking for beau plugs, do you mean extention cables or just the plugs? What size do you need, there are 18 pin, 24, and 30 pin. I just found another light socket to replace the one that the wire came out here when packing it up.

Gary

[Amechanic]

Chris.. I tried to send you a PM, but it bounced back say mail box is full. PM me ASAP. I have your parts and ext. cables.

Gary

[OldReno]

That's a brilliant fix for the pump air plunger...
Thanks, looks just like the new ones did.

[Jon]

Clk71 I'm just hoping you're okay I haven't seen anything posted on this machine in a while did you get that set of plugs I mailed you

[rdaniel]

It is amazing that after 35 years since the last EM was produced, parts are still available in one form or another. These EM's can last forever!