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Baywatch - SEGA - 1995 - Repair & Service Log


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After completing the remaining work on the Williams Whirlwind recently (for those who missed it, full write up here - http://www.aussiearcade.com/showthread.php/86383-Whirlwind-Williams-1990-Repair-amp-Service-Log) and the owner taking it home, it was time to move onto the next machine for repair & service. This time I'm looking at a Baywatch machine. Released by SEGA in early 1995 and able to be played by 6 players, it's got a fairly decent playfield layout and is a lot of fun to play. The game play caught me by surprise as I'm not a huge fan of the theme (I'm sure my teenage self would have been..), but I find myself saying 'just one more go' when playing it. That's a good sign for any game. The machine has been in the owners collection for awhile, crying out for a full service. As you've seen in my other threads, I get in and rebuild everything. It's not a restoration, nor is it just a quick wipe down and fresh rubbers. Each assembly will be stripped, cleaned and worn parts replaced. The playfield will be stripped and everything properly cleaned too. Any game play issues will be sorted out and I'll also spend some time doing presentation improvements (mostly things the owner has pointed out he wants addressed). Anyway, time to get started.

 

http://www.enteryourinitials.com/images/baywatch/baywatch_day_1.jpg

 

When the owner dropped the machine off, he pointed out various issues he knew about and wanted me to look at. Overall the game is in pretty good condition and appears to be fully working (apart from a few minor mechanical issues). It's main fault is filth across the playfield and assemblies. Before I get too far into servicing the machine, there are a few small things I want to address and also ensure the game passes the lamp, switch and coil tests. That way I know if anything isn't working at the end, it's very likely something I've done and I can retrace my steps in that area of failure. The first issue I wanted to resolve was the GI on the backbox door. At present, only half the backbox is lit up.

 

http://www.enteryourinitials.com/images/baywatch/baywatch_backbox_gi_faulty.jpg

 

I inspected a few of the globes just to be sure they weren't all dead. It's not a likely scenario given they are all on one side, but is a quick thing to check and could save time if (by pure chance) that was the case. As expected though, the globes were fine. I next had a look at the wiring leading to the sockets on the door in case it was a loose wire or connection as this could easily explain half the GI out. The wiring all looked good however. My next suspect is a blown fuse as this is a very likely scenario too. I pulled out the manual and had a look to see which fuses are for the backbox GI. There are two Fuse #2 and Fuse #4 on the PPB.

 

http://www.enteryourinitials.com/images/baywatch/baywatch_backboxdoor_fuses.jpg

 

On inspecting the two fuses, F4 was found to be blown. It was replaced with a new 5A SB and the game switched on. The globes on the right side switched on this time, but were extremely dim. After about 10 seconds, they went out and the fuse at F4 was dead. My eye was caught by one particular globe on the backbox, it was completely blown. I didn't spot it before as all that was left was the metal base in the socket and all I could really see was the socket. With the machine switched off, I removed the remains.

 

http://www.enteryourinitials.com/images/baywatch/baywatch_backbox_gi_dead_globe.jpg

 

After fixing a similar issue recently on another machine, I had a hunch the globe carcass was the fault. A new globe was installed and a new fuse added. The machine was switched on again. This time the right side lit up brightly. The game was left to run for 10 minutes and no more blown fuse. The game was powered off and five globes replaced that no longer worked. The remaining globes and flashers were wiped clean with isopropyl alcohol and a soft cloth to remove built up dust. Switched back on, the backbox lamps now shone brightly. The first issue was now sorted.

 

http://www.enteryourinitials.com/images/baywatch/baywatch_backbox_gi_fixed.jpg

 

Next on my to do list was to create and install a remote battery pack for the CPU board. The game still has the original AA battery holder on the board and I plan to leave it there. The beauty of the remote battery pack is it leaves the board untouched and can be removed in seconds. Also, if the batteries are forgotten about and leak, the owner only needs to replace an inexpensive part. The battery packs are very cheap to make up, only setting you back around $4 each in parts (not including the batteries).

 

http://www.enteryourinitials.com/images/baywatch/baywatch_remote_battery_pack_1.jpg

 

Happy the battery pack was ready, it was installed into the machine and tested. Satisfied the remote pack was functioning correctly, it was set aside out of the way at the base of the head box.

 

http://www.enteryourinitials.com/images/baywatch/baywatch_remote_battery_pack_2.jpg

 

Before moving away from the backbox, I wanted to clean up the translite. The reverse side was wiped clean. It was coated in more grit than I had thought when looking at it. The orange cloth was clean before starting on it.

 

http://www.enteryourinitials.com/images/baywatch/baywatch_cleaned_translite_rag.jpg

 

The result is worth it though as the translite now lights up nice and bright.

 

http://www.enteryourinitials.com/images/baywatch/baywatch_translite_bright.jpg

 

Next thing to do was run through the test modes on the game. I ran through the lamp, switch and coil tests to ensure everything was functioning correctly. I came across several globes that were no longer working, which is fairly common. There were also a handful of flasher bulbs that no longer worked. They are all located under playfield parts though and not accessible at the moment, so will be inspected and replaced once I get the playfield stripped. All switches passed however, as did the assembly coils. The lamps and flashers that failed were highlighted for further inspection.

 

http://www.enteryourinitials.com/images/baywatch/baywatch_testmode_results.jpg

 

While I can't do anything about the failing flashers at the moment, I can get the faulty lamps working. Most of the insert lamps are run off small lamp boards under the playfield. These things can get quite filthy over time (along with the bulbs). I remove each one, which lets me clean the bulbs, board and also the underside of the inserts. Any bulbs that work, but are burnt or on their way out are also replaced.

 

http://www.enteryourinitials.com/images/baywatch/baywatch_dirty_lampboard.jpg

 

Once cleaned, they look much nicer. There are 8 boards like this under the Baywatch playfield. The same cleaning process was repeated for each one. Having the board removed is also a good chance to inspect the header pins and ensure there are no cracked solder joints. I did take photos of the other lamp boards, but won't bother posting as they are all the same - dirty to start and clean to finish.

 

http://www.enteryourinitials.com/images/baywatch/baywatch_clean_lampboard.jpg

 

As I go through cleaning the lamp boards and all the bulbs, I also take time to clean the underside of the inserts. You'll often find quite a bit of black dust has managed to attach itself there, which dulls the light getting through when the insert is lit up. For example, you can see a layer of black dust covering the surface under these inserts.

 

http://www.enteryourinitials.com/images/baywatch/baywatch_inserts_dirty.jpg

 

Using isopropyl alcohol and a soft cloth, the underside of the insert is wiped clean. The dark patch used to be spread across that insert and glad to have removed it.

 

http://www.enteryourinitials.com/images/baywatch/baywatch_inserts_cleaned_cloth.jpg

 

Now, the underside of the inserts are cleaned up and ready to let more light shine through during play. I do this cleaning for all inserts across the playfield.

 

http://www.enteryourinitials.com/images/baywatch/baywatch_inserts_cleaned.jpg

 

A good running example seen on this game are the two green flags that sit in front of the drop target bank. Before any cleaning, they can barely be seen when lit.

 

http://www.enteryourinitials.com/images/baywatch/baywatch_inserts_dull.jpg

 

After the bulb and insert are wiped clean, the insert lights up brightly. That light will look even cleaner once I get around to cleaning and polishing the playfield. So it's worth spending the time cleaning the bulbs and inserts as it's a way to lift the presentation of the machine without spending a cent on parts.

 

http://www.enteryourinitials.com/images/baywatch/baywatch_inserts_bright.jpg

 

While waiting for parts to arrive, I was looking for things I could do on the machine meanwhile. Since there were a few dead insert globes I had not yet been able to replace due to the ball return tunnel under the playfield, it seemed like a good time to remove it for cleaning. This would then give me access to those remaining inserts and bulbs so I could tick that task off as completed. The return tunnel runs almost the entire length of the playfield, which returns the ball from Baywatch tower to the ball trough.

 

http://www.enteryourinitials.com/images/baywatch/baywatch_red_ramp_start.jpg

 

Before removing, I inspected the state of the tunnel plastic. I found there were two screws missing from one section. Not a problem as I've got some spares that will suit it perfectly. (Note - the tunnel plastic looks really clean in this photo as it was taken after being cleaned and reinstalled. I forgot to photograph this before removal).

 

http://www.enteryourinitials.com/images/baywatch/baywatch_red_ramp_missing_screw.jpg

 

Further down, there is one section broken which would normally be used to attach it to the playfield. There is still plenty of strength keeping it attached to the playfield, but wanted to document it for the owner.

 

http://www.enteryourinitials.com/images/baywatch/baywatch_red_ramp_broken.jpg

 

The tunnel was removed from the playfield and set aside for cleaning. With the ramp removed, I replaced the remaining dead bulbs and cleaned the last of the inserts. This task could now be ticked off as completed.

 

http://www.enteryourinitials.com/images/baywatch/baywatch_red_ramp_removed.jpg

 

The tunnel plastic was a little dirty, but not as bad as I had expected it to be. On some machines, these under playfield "ramps" can be so dirty they look to be spray painted black ;)

 

http://www.enteryourinitials.com/images/baywatch/baywatch_red_ramp_dirty.jpg

 

The plastic was cleaned up and then a little bit of novus applied. It was ready to go back onto the machine.

 

http://www.enteryourinitials.com/images/baywatch/baywatch_red_ramp_clean.jpg

 

The tunnel plastic was installed back onto the playfield to complete the task. There are two flashers that need to be replaced that are not blocked by playfield parts - these live at the very rear of the playfield and are attached to the plastic channel the playfield glass slides in to.

 

http://www.enteryourinitials.com/images/baywatch/baywatch_rear_flashers_start.jpg

 

This can be removed via 4 screws, which attach the channel to the cabinet. The rear of the panel is quite dirty and will get a wipe down.

 

http://www.enteryourinitials.com/images/baywatch/baywatch_rear_flashers_out.jpg

 

The bulbs were removed and found to be dead. New flashers were installed. One of the flasher domes had melted in a section, so it will be replaced. The panel was put back together and installed back into the machine. The game was fired up and the flasher test entered. The two now lit up, so I'll mark these off my to do list for later.

 

http://www.enteryourinitials.com/images/baywatch/baywatch_rear_flashers_melted.jpg

 

Another item on my to do list in this update is the coin door and also the front panel of the cabinet. I normally leave this until last, but since I was waiting on parts, I may as well get stuck into it now. The coin door itself is actually in pretty good condition. There are some scratches and scrapes across it, but I've seen far worse. Still, I think we can make it look better.

 

http://www.enteryourinitials.com/images/baywatch/baywatch_coin_door_start_1.jpg

http://www.enteryourinitials.com/images/baywatch/baywatch_coin_door_start_2.jpg

 

The coin door was removed from the cabinet and the chipped sections gently sanded. The door and bolts were then sprayed with satin black. I'm actually not happy with this photo as it makes the door look flat and not textured. But I didn't realise at the time, so didn't bother to take a better one.

 

http://www.enteryourinitials.com/images/baywatch/baywatch_coin_door_sprayed.jpg

 

The coin door was then installed back into the cabinet. While I have the buttons removed, I want to touch up the paint around the button holes. Next step will be to create some custom pricing plates.

 

http://www.enteryourinitials.com/images/baywatch/baywatch_coin_door_installed.jpg

 

The owner mentioned the possibility of having Sonic (the Sega mascot) on them and I thought it was a good idea. It works well with Sonic appearing on the flipper bats and appearing in the attract mode animations on the DMD. I created up some new pricing plates in Inkscape, which were then cut out of black vinyl to stick onto the coin reject button. I went with a Sonic head, flipper bat and the words free play (since that's what the game was set to). The free play text was created using the SEGA Saturn font to keep with the SEGA branding.

 

http://www.enteryourinitials.com/images/baywatch/baywatch_custom_pricing_plate_1.jpg

 

These are the same sort of custom decals I've done on other machines. The vinyl cutter removes sections, which will allow the light to shine through. There is a clear layer of contact on top for now, which will help transfer each decal in once piece.

 

http://www.enteryourinitials.com/images/baywatch/baywatch_custom_pricing_plate_2.jpg

 

The new pricing plates were installed and the coin reject buttons ready to go back onto the machine. Much better than foreign pricing on the machine. Part of my thinks I should have mirrored the Sonic head for the right button - but it didn't occur to me until after it was done.

 

http://www.enteryourinitials.com/images/baywatch/baywatch_custom_pricing_plate_3.jpg

 

Before I had installed the coin door back into the cabinet, I removed and cleaned the 3 cabinet buttons from the front of the machine. This is something many people overlook when cleaning, but I like to make the machine as presentable as possible. Once the buttons were removed, they were disassembled down to their individual pieces and cleaned. Some Novus was used to polish before they were rebuilt and installed back into the cabinet.

 

http://www.enteryourinitials.com/images/baywatch/baywatch_cabinet_buttons_clean.jpg

 

The next step was to touch up the paint damage around the button holes. I matched a blue that was pretty close and painted the two buttons holes on the left. You can see in one of the earlier photos there is some wear / damage in the area. The cabinet buttons were installed back into the machine and the coin reject buttons were put back onto the coin door. The two bolts above the coin door were also cleaned and painted with satin black.

 

http://www.enteryourinitials.com/images/baywatch/whirlwind_coin_door_complete.jpg

 

One last change I made was to the lamp used to light the ball launch button. The incandescent bulb gave the white button an off yellow light, which didn't look nice. So I switched this over to a cool white LED, which lit it nicer and looked more natural. The start and buy in buttons were left with regular bulbs though.

 

http://www.enteryourinitials.com/images/baywatch/baywatch_shoot_button_led.jpg

 

That's enough for the first update. I'm just waiting on one parts order to arrive so I can begin servicing the assemblies. I expect that will arrive in the next 7 days. I'll be starting at the bottom of the playfield and working my way up. That means my next update will most likely be focusing on the apron area or flippers and sling shots. There are a few issues to look at along the way, most are mechanical things though which I'll address as I go through their respective areas of fault. Still a long way to go on the machine, but good to already see some improvements.

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Great thread and appreciate the detail/photos, will follow this for reference whenever I decide to do a full overhaul. Fantastic game that I still love to play three years on.

 

"Earthquake!!!" [emoji2]

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

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One thing I find really great when cleaning inserts, get your air compressor with the blower nozzle and blow the day lights out of each insert.

 

The dust goes everywhere, then wipe with the desired cleaning product and rag - often there is nothing left to remove!

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I've been busy working away on Baywatch over the last week and a half, making some really good progress along the way with it's overhaul. Enough progress that I've split the content up into three updates so you're not bombarded with it all at once. I just haven't had time to do all the write ups yet. But that's OK. The priority is getting the machine done. This update will focus on the sling shots, lower flippers and cleaning of the lower playfield area. The game is in real need of a clean - which is why it's with me. The dirty playfield stands out and you can actually spot a small circular area at the base of the right sling shot mylar patch where I have wiped away the dirt (I was interested to see how easy it came up). A nice yellow can be seen - so I think this is going to clean up great!

 

http://www.enteryourinitials.com/images/baywatch/baywatch_flipper_sling_start.jpg

 

Quite a lot of dirt had formed on the playfield and the return lanes showed a thick line, indicating how often the ball had carried dirt along there in the past.

 

http://www.enteryourinitials.com/images/baywatch/baywatch_returnlane_dirt.jpg

 

The right side was very much the same. There was a faint black dirt line on the out lane on each side, but not as bad as the return lanes. The two sling shot plastics are not broken, which is excellent. There are a few very small artwork scratches on the under side, but nothing worth taking a second glance up. They will clean up nicely.

 

http://www.enteryourinitials.com/images/baywatch/baywatch_returnlane_dirt_2.jpg

 

First step is to get the plastics off. The typical layer of filth is found beneath - it's not too bad though. I'll be replacing these old metal washers with nice clear ones. A couple of the bulbs are close to death too and will be replaced. The return lane plastics were also removed and set aside for cleaning. The bulbs here are not too bad and will be given a wipe down. The black plastic posts on the return lanes will be replaced with transparent blue, which I think will give off a better appearance and colour with a freshly cleaned playfield.

 

http://www.enteryourinitials.com/images/baywatch/baywatch_slingshot_plastics_removed.jpg

 

With the lower playfield area stripped, I got to work cleaning and then polishing. Nifti did a great job and I also used some eucalyptus oil on the more stubborn areas. The sling shot mylar was vary carefully lifted and the left over goo removed. I decided to remove these because after cleaning, they were showing some signs of wear and it was noticeable against the clean playfield surrounding them. New patches will be installed in front of the sling shots before I'm done. The left return lane now looks nice and clean. Also to note, there was a small mylar patch below where the ball drops from the rail. This was carefully removed and replaced with a new mylar patch as it too was looking out of place against the cleaned playfield. The new one blends in well.

 

http://www.enteryourinitials.com/images/baywatch/baywatch_lower_playfield_cleaned_1.jpg

 

The right return lane also cleaned up nicely. No more dirt trail. The surrounding playfield area cleaned up well also, with only a few marks from the black plastic posts remaining.

 

http://www.enteryourinitials.com/images/baywatch/baywatch_lower_playfield_cleaned_2.jpg

 

The playfield from the drain hole all the way up to the drop target bank was cleaned and polished also. When you look back at the first picture, you can see the difference a good clean makes. When you get down low and look at the playfield, there is a nice reflection that can be seen. Can't wait to get the rest of the playfield cleaned like this!

 

http://www.enteryourinitials.com/images/baywatch/baywatch_lower_playfield_cleaned_3.jpg

 

Before I start putting star posts and plastics back on, I wanted to look at the sling shots.

 

http://www.enteryourinitials.com/images/baywatch/baywatch_slingshot_start.jpg

 

The sling shot assemblies were removed from the machine for cleaning. There were no nasty surprises here. The coil sleeves are always filthy, as are the plunger and link. Nothing a good clean won't solve.

 

http://www.enteryourinitials.com/images/baywatch/baywatch_slingshot_dirty.jpg

 

Both sling shot assemblies were disassembled and each component cleaned. Nothing warranted replacing, apart from the rubbers and coil sleeves.

 

http://www.enteryourinitials.com/images/baywatch/baywatch_slingshot_cleaned.jpg

 

The sling shot assemblies were rebuilt and installed back onto the playfield. With the sling shots completed, I wanted to get the lower flippers rebuilt next. It's interesting to note that the right flipper coil is stronger than the left - no doubt to make that ball lock shot.

 

http://www.enteryourinitials.com/images/baywatch/baywatch_lower_flipper_start.jpg

 

The flipper assemblies were removed from the machine for cleaning.

 

http://www.enteryourinitials.com/images/baywatch/baywatch_lower_flipper_assembly_dirty.jpg

 

One thing of note is the wear on the return spring bracket. I saw this same issue recently with the flippers on my Last Action Hero (hopefully I'll get around to updating that thread with a few things soon). With the spring rubbing on the bracket over and over, it's begun to eat away at the metal to the point where it has almost worn through. On my Last Action Hero, it ended up making it all the way through, so the return spring would just slide out from the hole. I will need to order new ones. Better to replace them now than a few months down the track.

 

http://www.enteryourinitials.com/images/baywatch/baywatch_flipper_returnspring_bracket_worn.jpg

 

The flipper assembly was taken apart and cleaned. A new coil sleeve, nylon stop, return spring, plunger, yoke and bushing will be installed.

 

http://www.enteryourinitials.com/images/baywatch/baywatch_lower_flipper_cleaned.jpg

 

The game shipped with flipper bats that have a Sonic the Hedgehog head on them - much like the Williams logo on their bats. The game arrived to me with the flat boring flipper bats and I was able to track down a set, so these will be installed. It's how the machine shipped and looks much cooler :) New blue rubber will be used on the flippers too, which will go nicely with the blue in the lower playfield area.

 

http://www.enteryourinitials.com/images/baywatch/baywatch_sonic_flippers.jpg

 

The second flipper assembly was given the same treatment and in much the same condition. I won't bother reposting almost identical images. The same wear was present on the return spring bracket, so that too will be replaced. With both flipper assemblies rebuilt and installed back into the machine, I then installed new star posts and blue posts on the return lanes. The globes were cleaned up and the crappy ones replaced. The owner wanted to again stick with black rubber around the playfield, which was installed. New sling shot mylar patches were installed to keep those areas protected. It's looking pretty nice now!

 

http://www.enteryourinitials.com/images/baywatch/baywatch_lower_playfield_complete_1.jpg

 

Lastly, the plastics were cleaned and polished. Clear washers were installed below the sling shot plastics to give them protection - they look nicer than the metal ones. The lower playfield area was now complete. Quite a lot of dirt was removed from the playfield surface and the fresh rubber, lamps and translucent posts help give the area a much cleaner, brighter feel.

 

http://www.enteryourinitials.com/images/baywatch/baywatch_lower_playfield_complete_2.jpg

 

That's all for this update. As mentioned at the start, I've got enough progress and photos for another 2 updates. I just need to find time to get the write ups done. So far the machine is coming along nicely. The next update will go over the apron area and all the assemblies within. After that, I'll work my way up the playfield for the drop targets, vertical up kickers and upper flippers. That will then cover of all the assemblies I can get to below the playfield. I'll then move on to stripping the top two thirds of the playfield for cleaning and servicing the remaining assemblies that live top side of the playfield.

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As mentioned in my previous update, progress has been moving pretty smoothly so far on the Baywatch overhaul. Part of the reason for this is due to working on a few things at the same time. I had been waiting on a couple of parts to arrive for the flippers in the previous update, so started work on the apron area. That way I kept making progress and it ended up being completed around the same time. It doesn't always work out that way, but I like to keep things moving forward as much as possible so the owner isn't without their machine for too long. As a result, you'll see some photos in this update which contain progress from the flippers and slingshots in the previous update :) Anyway - this update is solely focused on the apron area. This includes the ball trough, ball serve, shooter, up kicker and ball save assemblies. There is one problem I need to look at too, which is the ball not being served to the shooter lane correctly. Often it takes 3+ attempts to get the ball into the shooter lane. The metal apron is in excellent condition, as are the decals. A few small scratches are present on the SEGA logo, but nothing worth worrying about. The old instruction card (in Italian) will be replaced by the time I'm done. Two very minor scratches on the metal (just to the right of the SEGA decal) will be touched up with a very small amount of satin black, so you'll never see them.

 

http://www.enteryourinitials.com/images/baywatch/baywatch_apron_start.jpg

 

First step is to get the apron off the playfield, so I can access the various assemblies below. It's a straight forward process as the apron is attached with two screws at the end of the playfield. This area is great for collecting filth and crap on any machine, although it's not too bad on this one. It can certainly do with a clean, but I've seen far worse.

 

http://www.enteryourinitials.com/images/baywatch/baywatch_apron_area_filthy.jpg

 

I proceeded to remove everything off the playfield in this area, so it could be cleaned and serviced. That includes all the ball guides and assemblies. The ball trough and ball return VUK will be removed later as they are attached on the underside of the playfield.

 

http://www.enteryourinitials.com/images/baywatch/baywatch_apron_parts_dirty.jpg

 

First assembly to get serviced was the ball save. This sits on the left out lane and kicks the ball back in to play when activated. The assembly was cleaned up and a new rubber grommet and coil sleeve were source to replace the old ones. Everything else cleaned up nicely and is fine to reuse.

 

http://www.enteryourinitials.com/images/baywatch/baywatch_ballsave_parts_cleaned.jpg

 

The next item to get my attention is the ball lock assembly. This guy is responsible for keeping the balls in the trough until one is needed to be served up. This too was disassembled and each part cleaned. A new rubber grommet and coil sleeve were sourced.

 

http://www.enteryourinitials.com/images/baywatch/baywatch_ball_serve_cleaned.jpg

 

I then moved on to the ball shooter assembly. This too was given a clean, along with a new rubber grommet and coil sleeve.

 

http://www.enteryourinitials.com/images/baywatch/baywatch_ball_shooter_cleaned.jpg

 

Now on to the ball trough. This is attached to the playfield from underneath. An IDC connector needs to be disconnected first, as this is what the coil and trough switches all run through. It's good design since it allows the trough to be removed as a unit instead of having to remove all the switches and coil.

 

http://www.enteryourinitials.com/images/baywatch/baywatch_ball_trough_start.jpg

 

The base of the trough had collected a nice layer of filth over the years and will need to be cleaned. It's not as bad as I was expecting though.

 

http://www.enteryourinitials.com/images/baywatch/baywatch_ball_trough_start_2.jpg

 

Since I had the trough out, it was time to look at the VUK which is part of the assembly. This coil and plunger are responsible for kicking the ball into the shooter lane to be played. The problem is it often takes 3+ attempts to get the ball out into the shooter lane. Looking at the plunger, I can see why. The plunger on the right is what I'd expect to see - the plunger on the left is what was there. It looks like the large nylon tip had come off, so this will be replaced. The broken plunger wobbles around inside the coil sleeve and as a result does not make good contact with the ball - hence why it requires repeated attempts to serve the ball up.

 

http://www.enteryourinitials.com/images/baywatch/baywatch_ballserve_kicker_plunger_wrong.jpg

 

The ball trough and VUK assembly were cleaned up. Trough switch #5 was loose and it's screws tightened so it sat in place correctly.

 

http://www.enteryourinitials.com/images/baywatch/baywatch_ball_trough_cleaned.jpg

 

The last apron assembly to look at is the VUK that lives at the end of the red tube, returning the ball from the tower to the trough.

 

http://www.enteryourinitials.com/images/baywatch/baywatch_ball_trough_vuk_start.jpg

 

It was removed from the playfield for cleaning. Part of the coil sleeve broke in my fingers as I removed it. Not a problem though as it was headed for the bin anyway.

 

http://www.enteryourinitials.com/images/baywatch/baywatch_ball_trough_vuk_dirty.jpg

 

The assembly components were cleaned up and a new rubber grommet and coil sleeve will be installed as it's reassembled. Note also the thick tip on this VUK plunger - this can be seen on the other VUK plungers across the machine. Which is why I believe the replacement plunger for the ball serve will eliminate the multiple attempts to serve it up.

 

http://www.enteryourinitials.com/images/baywatch/baywatch_ball_trough_vuk_cleaned.jpg

 

I wasn't yet ready to get everything back onto the playfield as it still need to be cleaned up. It actually looks a lot filthier with all the assemblies off the playfield. Note that this photo was taken before the trough has been removed for cleaning above.

 

http://www.enteryourinitials.com/images/baywatch/baywatch_apron_area_stripped.jpg

 

The playfield in the apron area was cleaned up and then polished. All the filth came up except for a small patch just before the ball trough. This bit has been ground strongly in to the playfield.

 

http://www.enteryourinitials.com/images/baywatch/baywatch_apron_area_cleaned.jpg

 

Before reassembling the last of the apron area, the two plastics were cleaned up and polished. The flat black piece sits around the ball serve chute and isn't really visible during play. The art piece sits above the shooter assembly and is attached directly to the metal apron.

 

http://www.enteryourinitials.com/images/baywatch/baywatch_apron_plastics_cleaned.jpg

 

I gave the remaining swirl patch another clean, which removed some more of it. The ball guides were installed, along with the various assemblies. The area was now looking much cleaner than when I started.

 

http://www.enteryourinitials.com/images/baywatch/baywatch_apron_area_assembled.jpg

 

The apron itself was cleaned up and new apron cards installed. I printed out some custom apron cards from http://www.pinballcards.com. I don't like these as much as the other custom cards they have made because they don't feel "baywatchy" enough. But it's better than the old Italian one and generic cards you can print off. I also used a small dab of satin black on the two scratches on the apron to cover them up. The ball serve was tested across a few games and now the ball is put into the shooter lane first time, every time. Which is great as that was annoying when playing - especially during multi ball and you've got 3 - 4 ball sitting in the trough struggling to be served up.

 

http://www.enteryourinitials.com/images/baywatch/baywatch_apron_complete.jpg

 

That concludes another progress update on Baywatch. The lower playfield area is now looking clean and lights up nice and bright - thanks in part to the work done in the previous update. It's a great improvement and I can't wait to get the rest of the playfield spruced up. Next up i'll be doing the two upper flippers, two vertical up kickers, drop target bank and knocker. That will finish up all the assemblies I can access under the playfield (excluding the pop bumpers - which i'll do once the playfield is stripped). After that i'll be stripping the playfield, servicing the remaining assemblies that live on top of the playfield, cleaning everything and putting it all back together. Still some way to go - but moving forward :)

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What's better then two progress updates on a pin repair & service in the same week? Another one to go with them of course ;) This update rounds up the final assemblies I can get at from under the playfield (besides the pop bumpers), before I move on to stripping the playfield. To kick this update off, I'll start with the mini shark fin flipper on the right side of the playfield. I see this and think JAWS could be a neat Pinball theme. Some fun trivia - there was an Italian conversion by Europlay of an EM pin called Jaws - with a digital display and sound card added. Linky: http://www.ipdb.org/machine.cgi?id=5080. I'm thinking something more modern would be neat in terms of JAWS. Anyway, let's service that flipper.

 

http://www.enteryourinitials.com/images/baywatch/baywatch_shark_flipper_start.jpg

 

Under the playfield, we find it's a bit dirty - which is not surprising. The assembly is almost identical to the lower flippers except it has no switch attached to the assembly and it's return spring is handled differently.

 

http://www.enteryourinitials.com/images/baywatch/baywatch_shark_flipper_start_2.jpg

 

The assembly was removed for cleaning.

 

http://www.enteryourinitials.com/images/baywatch/baywatch_shark_flipper_parts_dirty.jpg

 

Everything was disassembled and cleaned. A new coil sleeve, bushing, coil stop, nylon stop and plunger were sourced. The flipper bat was cleaned up and polished with Novus. A new blue mini rubber ring was installed. The playfield area under the flipper bat was cleaned up and polished. With everything now clean, it was ready to be rebuilt and installed back into the machine.

 

http://www.enteryourinitials.com/images/baywatch/baywatch_shark_flipper_parts_clean.jpg

 

Next up is the final flipper - located half way up the left side of the playfield. Being bright pink - you can't miss it. The bat has the Sonic logo, like the lower flippers. I love this little touch from SEGA on their machines.

 

http://www.enteryourinitials.com/images/baywatch/baywatch_pink_flipper_start.jpg

 

Under the playfield, it's the same set up as the shark fin - just a little cleaner.

 

http://www.enteryourinitials.com/images/baywatch/baywatch_pink_flipper_start_2.jpg

 

The whole assembly was removed from the playfield for cleaning.

 

http://www.enteryourinitials.com/images/baywatch/baywatch_pink_flipper_parts_dirty.jpg

 

As with the other assemblies, everything was disassembled and each piece cleaned. The flipper bat was polished with Novus and new rubber added. Luckily this bat was not cracked or broken as they appear to be impossible to replace. A new coil sleeve, plunger, stop, bushing and nylon stop were sourced for the rebuild.

 

http://www.enteryourinitials.com/images/baywatch/baywatch_pink_flipper_parts_clean.jpg

 

The playfield area around the flipper bat was cleaned up and polished before reassembling the flipper assembly and installing it back onto the playfield. All four flippers are now complete. The next major assembly for me to look at was the 3 drop target bank, which sits directly across from the pink flipper.

 

http://www.enteryourinitials.com/images/baywatch/baywatch_droptarget_start.jpg

 

The assembly contains 3 switches and a coil, which are connected to the playfield wiring via an IDC connector. This makes it easy to remove the whole unit in one piece for cleaning. It sure does need a clean.

 

http://www.enteryourinitials.com/images/baywatch/baywatch_droptarget_start_2.jpg

 

The drop targets themselves are filthy. Luckily though, none are broken as is often the case.

 

http://www.enteryourinitials.com/images/baywatch/baywatch_droptarget_dirty_targets.jpg

 

The the drop target bank was disassembled and each piece thoroughly cleaned.

 

http://www.enteryourinitials.com/images/baywatch/baywatch_droptarget_parts_clean.jpg

 

New decals were installed onto the drop targets. These were replaced as the old ones had a wear mark across the middle from years of use even after cleaning.

 

http://www.enteryourinitials.com/images/baywatch/baywatch_droptarget_new_target_decals.jpg

 

Before I reinstall the drop target bank, I want to clean up the slot the targets stick up through. A nice collection of black dust had formed there.

 

http://www.enteryourinitials.com/images/baywatch/baywatch_droptarget_dirty_playfield.jpg

 

The area around the drop target slot was cleaned up and I was now ready to put the drop target bank back into the machine.

 

http://www.enteryourinitials.com/images/baywatch/baywatch_droptarget_clean_playfield.jpg

 

On the right side of the playfield is a kick back assembly, that fires the ball back around the top arch. It's used as the third skill shot option and also part of the gameplay rules. The kick back assembly is located above the playfield and under parts - so I can't get to that yet. But it is covered by a small metal door - which opens up when this assembly is accessible in game. By default, the metal door is closed.

 

http://www.enteryourinitials.com/images/baywatch/baywatch_kickback_flap.jpg

 

When the coil pulls the plunger in, it lifts the door and the ball can then sit in position for the kickback to fire it around the arch.

 

http://www.enteryourinitials.com/images/baywatch/baywatch_kickback_flap_start.jpg

 

The small assembly was removed from the playfield for cleaning.

 

http://www.enteryourinitials.com/images/baywatch/baywatch_kickback_flap_parts_dirty.jpg

 

Everything was cleaned up and ready to be installed back onto the playfield. The old coil sleeve was replaced with a new one.

 

http://www.enteryourinitials.com/images/baywatch/baywatch_kickback_flap_parts_clean.jpg

 

Next up were two vertical up kicker assemblies, which were removed, cleaned and reinstalled. I took photos of these but could not find them when it came time to do the write up. I move the photos to my PC pretty regularly after working on various parts of the machine, so I'm not sure where they disappeared to. Nothing exciting and as with the other VUK assemblies from the apron area, new coil sleeves and grommets were installed and the assemblies cleaned up. If I come across the photos in the future, i'll come back and update this paragraph with the photos.

 

That's another update complete for Baywatch. I'm now ready to strip the playfield and work on the few assemblies that live top side of the playfield. It can be a time consuming part of the rebuild as there are a lot of things that need to be cleaned. I'll probably split that up in to 2 or 3 updates to make it more manageable. Anyway, progress continues to be made and I'm looking forward to seeing a nice cleaned game at the end of it all.

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It's time to get into some heavy duty cleaning on Baywatch. The only way to do that, is get everything off the playfield so I have unrestricted access to the lot. People can underestimate how long this process takes, especially on DMD era machines. Pulling a playfield down can be quick, but cleaning everything and getting it all back on (in the correct layout and order) takes up more time than you expect. As always, it's best to take a lot of photos along the way with this process. I prefer to do the playfield areas in smaller batches, but due to the number of ramps and rails, it isn't possible here. The lower playfield area and apron have been dealt with in previous updates, so now I have the top two thirds to contend with. Although the machine is dirty, it's going to clean up nicely.

 

http://www.enteryourinitials.com/images/baywatch/baywatch_playfield_dirty_start.jpg

 

First step is to start removing all the rails and ramps so I can get at the actual playfield. I also removed the tower at the top left. Now only the last rail and plastics remained.

 

http://www.enteryourinitials.com/images/baywatch/baywatch_playfield_dirty_start_2.jpg

 

The final rail, plastics, metal ball guides and posts were removed from the playfield. I now had direct access to the playfield for cleaning. All of the parts were set aside for to be cleaned before going back onto the playfield.

 

http://www.enteryourinitials.com/images/baywatch/baywatch_playfield_dirty_start_3.jpg

 

With the playfield now stripped, I could access the kick back assembly located on the right hand side of the playfield. I serviced the second part of the assembly which opens the gate, granting the ball access in my previous update. The gate itself has been put in to the tumbler for a solid clean before I reinstall it. There is an intermittent problem with this assembly which I need to look at too. It doesn't always kick the ball back around the arch with enough power. Some times the ball only makes it as far as the SPF lanes at the top of the playfield.

 

http://www.enteryourinitials.com/images/baywatch/baywatch_right_kickback_start.jpg

 

The assembly was removed from the playfield for cleaning.

 

http://www.enteryourinitials.com/images/baywatch/baywatch_right_kickback_dirty.jpg

 

When removing the assembly I noticed how loose it was on the playfield. I could wobble it around very easily with a finger. This was because at some point in the past, one of the screws had broken off, leaving only a single screw to attach the assembly to the playfield. This single screw had loosened over time, which meant the whole unit would wobble and not connect with the ball properly.

 

http://www.enteryourinitials.com/images/baywatch/baywatch_right_kickback_broken_screw.jpg

 

The assembly was cleaned up and now ready to be reinstalled onto the playfield. A new coil sleeve and grommet will go in with it. The broken screw was removed from the playfield and two screws used to attach the frame back to the playfield securely. I suspect this is what was causing the intermittent problems. I'll know more once it's back together for testing.

 

http://www.enteryourinitials.com/images/baywatch/baywatch_right_kickback_clean.jpg

 

Before I got to the pop bumpers, I wanted to focus on was cleaning the playfield. In general, the surface area was quite dirty. Areas like the top arch had attracted a lot of filth over the years.

 

http://www.enteryourinitials.com/images/baywatch/baywatch_playfield_dirty_1.jpg

 

http://www.enteryourinitials.com/images/baywatch/baywatch_playfield_dirty_4.jpg

 

With a little effort though, they start to clean up nicely.

 

http://www.enteryourinitials.com/images/baywatch/baywatch_playfield_cleaned_3.jpg

 

http://www.enteryourinitials.com/images/baywatch/baywatch_playfield_cleaned_6.jpg

 

The SPF lanes on the other side of the arch also attracted a lot of dirty. These area high traffic areas for the ball in game, so it's not a surprise. Plus they are damn hard to actually get to without stripping the playfield.

 

http://www.enteryourinitials.com/images/baywatch/baywatch_playfield_dirty_2.jpg

 

Cleaning makes it all look nice again though.

 

http://www.enteryourinitials.com/images/baywatch/baywatch_playfield_cleaned_4.jpg

 

Dirty streaks around the guides had worn in over time.

 

http://www.enteryourinitials.com/images/baywatch/baywatch_playfield_dirty_3.jpg

 

But again, with cleaning, disappear.

 

http://www.enteryourinitials.com/images/baywatch/baywatch_playfield_cleaned_5.jpg

 

The entire upper area of the playfield was cleaned and then polished. The metal wireforms (the ones inserted into the playfield) were scrubbed clean to remove the caked on crap they had collected over the years too. Dead or dying globes were replaced with new ones. Any globes that were still fine were cleaned up and reused. This puts the surface level of the playfield in a really good spot. The final set of major assemblies to look at on the playfield are the three pop bumpers. These were left until last as they are tucked away under ramps and rails.

 

http://www.enteryourinitials.com/images/baywatch/baywatch_popbumpers_start.jpg

 

All three pop bumper assemblies were removed from the machine for cleaning.

 

http://www.enteryourinitials.com/images/baywatch/baywatch_popbumpers_dirty.jpg

 

One of the pop bumper frames was found to be broken in two corners and will need to be replaced.

 

http://www.enteryourinitials.com/images/baywatch/baywatch_popbumpers_broken_frame.jpg

 

A broken yoke was found too on this pop bumper.

 

http://www.enteryourinitials.com/images/baywatch/baywatch_popbumpers_broken_yoke.jpg

 

You can purchase new frames for around $18 + shipping, but I happened to have some spare second hand black ones from a Data East playfield. Same profile and unbroken, just black. I gave the owner the option of swapping in one of the black ones to save some money and he was happy with this. The three pop bumper assemblies were disassembled and cleaned up. New yokes, coil sleeves, bodies and skirts were purchased to retire the old ones. The metal rings went for a trip through the tumbler. New pop bumper spoons will also be installed.

 

http://www.enteryourinitials.com/images/baywatch/baywatch_popbumpers_clean.jpg

 

Before installing the pop bumpers back into the machine, I cleaned the playfield area around the pop bumpers that I had not been able to get to with my earlier cleaning.

 

http://www.enteryourinitials.com/images/baywatch/baywatch_popbumpers_playfield_clean.jpg

 

The pop bumper frames and bodies were installed first.

 

http://www.enteryourinitials.com/images/baywatch/baywatch_popbumpers_installed_1.jpg

 

The metal rings were then connected back up with the yokes and the new spoons installed. The pop bumper switches and lamp wires were then connected back up again. The pop bumper caps and plastic were cleaned and polished.

 

http://www.enteryourinitials.com/images/baywatch/baywatch_popbumpers_installed_2.jpg

 

The pop bumpers were then tested to ensure the lamps lit up correctly and each one fired when it should.

 

http://www.enteryourinitials.com/images/baywatch/baywatch_popbumpers_installed_3.jpg

 

As part of the cleaning, the rear panel was removed and cleaned up.

 

http://www.enteryourinitials.com/images/baywatch/baywatch_rear_playfieldpanel_removed.jpg

 

While I had the playfield stripped, I wanted to paint the inside faces of the cabinet panels. Over the years they had developed scratches and marks from the playfield being lifted up and down.

 

http://www.enteryourinitials.com/images/baywatch/baywatch_sidepanels_scratched_1.jpg

http://www.enteryourinitials.com/images/baywatch/baywatch_sidepanels_scratched_2.jpg

 

They were painted with a nice gloss black, which I think will reflect the light from the game nicely.

 

http://www.enteryourinitials.com/images/baywatch/baywatch_sidepanels_painted_1.jpg

http://www.enteryourinitials.com/images/baywatch/baywatch_sidepanels_painted_2.jpg

 

To round this update off, the machine was switched on to test that the globes were all working, along with the 2 flashers that needed to be replaced. The flashers were verified in the test mode and then ticked off my to do list from a couple of weeks back.

 

http://www.enteryourinitials.com/images/baywatch/baywatch_playfield_cleaned_1.jpg

http://www.enteryourinitials.com/images/baywatch/baywatch_playfield_cleaned_2.jpg

 

That's enough for this update. The playfield cleaning is now at a stage where I'm ready to begin the process of putting everything back on. I'll be working in reverse, cleaning as I go. I have parts spread across 3 of my machines, so I'm keen to continue making progress so I can play them again ;)

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Getting everything back onto the playfield is one of my favorite parts of the pinball service as you see all the cleaning effort really come together. In this update, I want to get all the playfield parts cleaned up and installed back onto the machine so I can begin testing it. First up, several rails had been set aside for cleaning.

 

http://www.enteryourinitials.com/images/baywatch/baywatch_metal_rails_clean.jpg

 

The metal rails were cleaned up and then installed. A number of the black posts were replaced with either blue, red or clear transparent ones - depending on how visible they are on the playfield to the player. Any black plastic posts that are hidden behind plastics or ramps were cleaned up and installed. New rubber was installed to each. The owner again asked for black. I did however go with blue post sleeves for the 4 posts.

 

http://www.enteryourinitials.com/images/baywatch/baywatch_metal_rails_installed_1.jpg

 

http://www.enteryourinitials.com/images/baywatch/baywatch_metal_rails_installed_2.jpg

 

Next up are the plastics. The only broken piece is one that sits above the drop target bank. This is a common broken piece on these machines and it will be replaced. The others will all be fine after a clean.

 

http://www.enteryourinitials.com/images/baywatch/baywatch_plastics_dirty_1.jpg

 

It's common for filth to build up on the underside of the plastics too. There is some build up here, but it's not too bad and won't take much to clean off.

 

http://www.enteryourinitials.com/images/baywatch/baywatch_plastics_dirty_2.jpg

 

Both sides of the plastic pieces were cleaned up and the top side polished with Novus. The plastics were now ready to be installed when the time comes.

 

http://www.enteryourinitials.com/images/baywatch/baywatch_plastics_cleaned.jpg

 

Before installing the plastics, there were two pieces that needed a bit more attention. Once piece in particular had become quite warped over time. It sits just to the right of the tower ramp. Another small piece could also do with some flattening.

 

http://www.enteryourinitials.com/images/baywatch/baywatch_plastics_warped.jpg

 

Both pieces were heated up and then flattened to remove the warping.

 

http://www.enteryourinitials.com/images/baywatch/baywatch_plastics_flat.jpg

 

Now to get a few more ramps cleaned up. First up was the small clear ramp that carries the ball around behind the tower.

 

http://www.enteryourinitials.com/images/baywatch/baywatch_small_ramp_dirty.jpg

 

The ramp was disassembled and each piece cleaned. After cleaning it looks great.

 

http://www.enteryourinitials.com/images/baywatch/baywatch_small_ramp_clean.jpg

 

Next ramp up for cleaning is the tower ramp. This one has a small assembly to open the ramp when ball lock is available.

 

http://www.enteryourinitials.com/images/baywatch/baywatch_towerramp_dirty.jpg

 

It was disassembled and cleaned.

 

http://www.enteryourinitials.com/images/baywatch/baywatch_towerramp_clean.jpg

 

The small clear ramp was reinstalled onto the playfield, along with the first of the numerous rails. Many of the plastics were also reinstalled across the playfield as part of this.

 

http://www.enteryourinitials.com/images/baywatch/baywatch_plastics_installed_1.jpg

http://www.enteryourinitials.com/images/baywatch/baywatch_plastics_installed_2.jpg

 

Next part up for cleaning is the large clear ramp. This one isn't as dirty as I had expected it to be.

 

http://www.enteryourinitials.com/images/baywatch/baywatch_large_ramp_dirty.jpg

 

Just like the other ramp, it was disassembled and all parts cleaned up. While the ramp had not been too dirty, the difference a clean makes is obvious. The condom covered globes were replaced with tinted globes.

 

http://www.enteryourinitials.com/images/baywatch/baywatch_large_ramp_clean.jpg

 

While I had been working away on the playfield, I noticed a small hole in the playfield near the pop bumpers. After some quick googling, I found that a post should exist here, but had disappeared at some point in this machines life.

 

http://www.enteryourinitials.com/images/baywatch/baywatch_missing_popbumper_post.jpg

 

A new post was installed to get it back to how it should be.

 

http://www.enteryourinitials.com/images/baywatch/baywatch_missing_popbumper_post_replaced.jpg

 

The large ramp was installed back onto the playfield.

 

http://www.enteryourinitials.com/images/baywatch/baywatch_ramps_installed_1.jpg

 

The tower ramp was also installed. Piece by piece the playfield was now coming back together again.

 

http://www.enteryourinitials.com/images/baywatch/baywatch_ramps_installed_2.jpg

 

The remaining pieces and rails went back on, until finally complete. The playfield was lifted and the IDC plugs all connected back together again. The machine was then switched on too see how nicely it looked lit up now cleaned.

 

http://www.enteryourinitials.com/images/baywatch/baywatch_playfield_rebuild_complete_1.jpg

http://www.enteryourinitials.com/images/baywatch/baywatch_playfield_rebuild_complete_2.jpg

http://www.enteryourinitials.com/images/baywatch/baywatch_playfield_rebuild_complete_3.jpg

http://www.enteryourinitials.com/images/baywatch/baywatch_playfield_rebuild_complete_4.jpg

http://www.enteryourinitials.com/images/baywatch/baywatch_playfield_rebuild_complete_5.jpg

http://www.enteryourinitials.com/images/baywatch/baywatch_playfield_rebuild_complete_6.jpg

http://www.enteryourinitials.com/images/baywatch/baywatch_playfield_rebuild_complete_7.jpg

 

So that's the playfield back together and now ready for testing. I will first run through the lamp, switch and coil test modes again to ensure everything still fires or registers as it should. From there I need to test how a few of the coils perform, primarily the ones around serving the ball, launching the ball and the kick back which were all noted to have issues before I started work. I'm feeling confident on the ball serve since I had done some testing on it before pulling the playfield down, but the auto launch and kick back will need a good test. There are still a few cabinet related things I also need to do. Not quite there yet, but getting a lot closer to being done :) The game has really cleaned up nicely - now to see how well it plays.

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  • 1 month later...

Time has gotten away from me lately, with my attention being drawn to family, along with a string of projects all wanting my attention at once. I managed to finish off the final few things on Baywatch a few weeks back, so want to close off the work with a short update. In the last update, the playfield had been put back together after a full strip and clean, ready for testing. One issue I noticed when the machine first arrived was the auto launcher. Sometimes it would not shoot the ball all the way into play, and the ball would roll back to the shooter lane (this isn't to be confused with the ball serve I issue I reported on and fixed in an earlier update). I thought perhaps cleaning the assembly would be enough, but after testing with the playfield rebuilt, I was convinced it was more of a mechanical issue. So I lifted the apron off the playfield to take a look.

 

http://www.enteryourinitials.com/images/baywatch/baywatch_shooter_bracket_wrong_screws.jpg

 

Sure enough, there was the problem. The screws holding the coil bracket in place were wrong. They were too long for this assembly and so the plunger would often catch on them, not allowing it to give the ball the full kicking power (note one screw is missing - that was removed just before taking the photo). Shorter screws were sourced and installed. The ball launcher was tested again and now gave the ball full force, sending it into play every time without fail.

 

During testing, I noticed that the stand up target at the top of the playfield (next to the Venice Beach ramp) would move around when hit during play. Lifting the playfield I could see one of the screws that attach it to the frame had broken.

 

http://www.enteryourinitials.com/images/baywatch/baywatch_target_screw_fixed.jpg

 

http://www.enteryourinitials.com/images/baywatch/baywatch_target_screw_broken.jpg

 

The remaining section of screw was removed from the frame and a new one installed. The target was then screwed back in to place under the playfield and good to go - no more movement.

 

The return spring brackets for the flipper assemblies arrived and were installed, replacing the existing ones that had a well worn groove in them. This wasn't a mandatory change, but I could see it becoming an issue pretty soon. I had the same issue on my LAH late last year, where the spring had worn all the way through - so best to replace it now.

 

http://www.enteryourinitials.com/images/baywatch/baywatch_flipper_return_bracket_replaced.jpg

 

When the owner dropped the machine off, he pointed out some (deliberate?...) damage had been done to one side of the cabinet. Not that it was hard to miss ;) But anyway, he wanted this repaired.

 

http://www.enteryourinitials.com/images/baywatch/baywatch_cabinet_damage.jpg

 

The damage was patched up and painted.

 

http://www.enteryourinitials.com/images/baywatch/baywatch_cabinet_damage_fixed.jpg

 

Around the flipper buttons was some damage from hands.

 

http://www.enteryourinitials.com/images/baywatch/baywatch_flipper_cabinet_damage.jpg

 

This was also patched up and painted. The same was repeated for the other side, which was in a similar condition.

 

http://www.enteryourinitials.com/images/baywatch/baywatch_flipper_cabinet_damage_fixed.jpg

 

The black sections around the front of the headbox were patched up, sanded and then painted to freshen them up. A split section at the top left of the headbox was glued and clamped for several days days before being patched up and painted.

 

http://www.enteryourinitials.com/images/baywatch/baywatch_headbox_damage_1.jpg

http://www.enteryourinitials.com/images/baywatch/baywatch_headbox_damage_2.jpg

 

A nice gloss black left the front and inner faces of the headbox looking great again.

 

http://www.enteryourinitials.com/images/baywatch/baywatch_headbox_repainted_1.jpg

http://www.enteryourinitials.com/images/baywatch/baywatch_headbox_repainted_2.jpg

http://www.enteryourinitials.com/images/baywatch/baywatch_headbox_repainted_3.jpg

 

The lock plate and display panel frame were also given a freshening up too.

 

http://www.enteryourinitials.com/images/baywatch/baywatch_headbox_lock_sprayed.jpg

 

A number of games were put into the machine over the space of a week, which resulted in a few adjustments to the rails to help improve the skill shots. Other than that, the game ran smoothly and presented no further issues. The owner dropped by, played a few games and then loaded it up to take home. When collecting the machine, the owner pointed out a few things he liked that I had actually not gone to the trouble of mentioning in this thread, which was awesome to hear as sometimes I wonder if the little improvements ever get noticed - it seems they do and it makes the worthwhile! Baywatch - despite the theme - is an incredibly fun machine to play and well worth checking out if you haven't already. Working on it was a lot of fun. No time for resting though, another 2 machines arrived and are in progress for their service - so keep an eye out for a new (double) repair and service log thread coming soon :)

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  • 4 years later...

This thread has been a great help for my Baywatch restore. Amazing the crap that is built up over the years behind some of the ramps. Shame the phots aren't available on AA anymore. Had to go to the source - enteryourinitials 🙂 Cheers @Jesder

Its amazing the stuff you come across while you are taking it all apart. Found out that the laser kick mech on the right hand orbit was just sitting there loose. There was nothing holding it in place 🤔 I also noticed a few plastics that were broken or non-existent (the plastic on the lower pop bumper...) 

 

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All of the wireforms were pretty rusty and the ramp flaps were shocking. The rubbers were disintegrating and a bunch of globes out. I got to the wireforms with some autosol metal polish and they all turned out amazing. I even polished the metal under the lifeguard tower that nobody will ever see 🙂 I ordered some new ramp flaps from Cliffy and the full kit of protectors and am just about to attempt to rivet the ramp flaps on... wish me luck.

There are still a few issues with the game that I will need someone with more tech experience to help me out with. Half of the globes in the backbox were out and I thought it might have been a similar story to Jesder, but then I found this burnt connector. 

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When I get it all back together is there anyone around Newcastle that can come and have a check on it for me?

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6 minutes ago, Arcade King said:

Unfortunately that's the problem with using external sites, leaves massive holes in what is a informative thread.

Yeah at least there are the backup photos on the other site. It is a very informative thread indeed

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Sorry about hijacking your thread @Jesder Should I do my own thread?

Just did my first attempt at putting on new ramp flaps and they turned out pretty good. Check out the state of those old ones!

I'm slowly figuring my way around putting this thing back together. I have lost count of the number of times I have put on and removed different ramps and wireforms. I had the Ironman light wire running through the middle of the pop bumper at one stage 🙂 Remove and put back on. Then realise there is a plastic underneath the ironman ramp that I forgot to put on. Undo and put back on again. haha. 

I couldn't find the plastic next to the ramp ramp I was looking for locally, so had to put an order through planetary pinball. Not sure how long that is going to take.. Ordered a new drop bank plastic from PSPA as the one I have has a couple of chunks out of it.

 
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