I have a problem with my Silverball Mania.

When I put the power on, the green led flashes 7 times an everything light up (playfield, backbox and displays), the sound also but the machine is not giving the game when I hit the start button. Also, when I try to get in test mode by pushing the button in the coin door, nothing happen. If I push the test button on the MPU, everything freeze.

What should I look at now?

Thanks.

check the voltages to the driver board....

Given that the test button isn't working either then its probably an issue at the coin door connector. Otherwise if it were just not starting a game I would ask a dumb question...does the machine have any credits? Free play is not the default and it would revert to non-free play if the batteries are old.

Already did it but I'll do it again.

Yes machine have credit on it, I checked it before to post the question.

Another thing I don't understand, it have a little coil in the door which is always on?

Looks like the switch matrix wiring from the cash door does not reach the MPU.

Was there a corroded MPU at some point in that machine ?
If yes, check carefully the female pins inside the housing for J3 on the MPU.
Often broken or corroded pins in there, preventing the cabinet switches to
properly report to the MPU.

Update: The coil inside the cashdoor is called a coin lockout, and its purpose
is to reject any coins added when the machine is not booted, not powered,
or already at its max number of credits allowed. Not needed for home use,
most people here on MAACA suggest to disconnect one wire from the coil
and tape it carefully. Assuming you can gently bend the armature stop
to always have the lockout coil as if it is activated, if you still have the
coin acceptors equipped.
(I personally leave that coil connected when the machine is operated
with coin acceptors present).

Good luck !
- Sylvain.

Thanks Sylvain.

Someone give me the same advice yesterday about corrosion on the MPU. I took it off and yes, it looks like it have some at the back. The place it have the most is along the edge of the board on the side of the J2 and J3 connector. I will clean it the best I can and look at the female connector as you suggested me.

Thanks.

OK, after cleaning the MPU board, I finally be able to go in the test mode and if I play with the J3 connector, I am able to start the game. However, the machine is not giving the out the ball when starting the game. I will rebuild the J3 connector before to do something else.

Thanks for your advice Sylvain.

Check that 1A slow-blow fuse under the playfielfd.
If it blows immediately after replacing, after powering-up the machine,
then there is a shorted drive transistor on the solenoid driver board.
- Sylvain.

OK, I rebuilt connector J3 on MPU. Test mode, credit and game start work fine now.

At this moment, when the game start, it does not give the ball and I the 3 pop bumpers and the 2 slingshot doesn't work. I checked the J5 connection on the selenoid driver board and everything seems ok. I also change the 2 1amp fuses under the playfield.

Does anyone have an idea what should I check now?

Thanks.

Next: Check and replace the bad female pins in the J4 connector on the MPU.

- Sylvain.

Check for power at the coil lugs. Should be around 43vdc.

If you have power at your flippers but not at any of the other coils, then you likely have a broken wire under the playfield. The power to all coils is daisy-chained from one coil to the next.

If you have power, ground out the tab on the driver board transistor relating to any of the non-working coils you mentioned and see if it fires. This will ensure your connectors and wiring are all good from the driver board to the coils.

If you ground out the transistors and the coils fire, I would start to suspect J4 on the MPU and/or on the driver board (these connectors often need attention).

J4 on the driver board is the connector that handles coil signals from the MPU. If one or more of the pins in this connector are bad, the driver board will misinterpret the signals from the MPU and fire no coil or the wrong coil.

If your connectors are good, the wiring is good and you've confirmed that the driver board is good, the next step would be to suspect U11 on the MPU or its socket or the traces leading to/from that chip. You could swap U10 and U11 to see if things change. If so, the IC that was at U11 should be replaced. It could also relate to the 74154 on the driver board, but I doubt it. You could confirm by trying the driver board in a different game.

Are you SURE the fuse under the playfield is good? There's usually only 1 fuse there, but you mention that you've replaced two...

Done, nothing change.

I'll check the power at the coil tomorrow because I forgot to do it before to leave. I tried to ground the transistors on the selenoid board and the only one that fire is the pop of the free game in the cab. I didn't found any broke wire under the playfield and I will double check the fuses tomorrow. I have 2 fuses place in row under the playfield (I am sure it's amodification but I don't understand why 2 instead of 1).

Finally got a decent Multimeter and found one the fuses under the playfield was not good so everything is back on track.

Thanks all for your advice.