Hook Pinball Repair Series: Episode 1

Cary Hardy·video·16m 45s·analyzed·Jul 18, 2019

Analysis

claude-haiku-4-5-20251001 · $0.017

TL;DR

Cary Hardy starts Hook pinball repair with display failure and shooter solenoid issues.

Summary

Cary Hardy begins a repair series on a Data East Hook pinball machine purchased without testing. The machine has a well-preserved playfield and original power supply in excellent condition, but presents several issues including a non-functional display, sluggish shooter lane solenoid, and floating MPU board. Hardy methodically inspects circuits, performs a smoke test, and initiates troubleshooting.

Key Claims

The Data East Hook's power supply is one of the best-looking original Data East power supplies Hardy has seen from storage, with no burn marks or browning on GI connections or pins
high confidence · Hardy visually inspected the power supply in detail and made direct observations
The previous owner reported logic issues where firing a flipper would cause other coils to launch simultaneously
high confidence · Hardy stated this was information provided by the seller at time of purchase
The playfield is in nearly perfect condition despite the cabinet showing wear
high confidence · Hardy examined the playfield visually and noted it only needs clearing to prevent flaking
The shooter lane solenoid is very sluggish, potentially due to mechanical corrosion rather than coil failure
high confidence · Hardy disassembled the mechanism, found smooth coil and sleeve but gummed-up rod, cleaned and tested successfully

Notable Quotes

“This power supply is probably one of the best looking original Data East power supplies that I have seen that's come out of a storage building. There's not even like any kind of burn marks or browning on the GI connections.”
Cary Hardy@ 2:49 — Establishes baseline of machine preservation quality; shows machine was well-maintained despite being untested at purchase
“So he was saying that whenever he would fire a flipper, other coils would be launching off as well.”
Cary Hardy@ 4:57 — Identifies primary reported malfunction; indicates potential logic board or solenoid driver issue
“This is basically, this is the condition, I have not wiped this thing down or anything. This is the condition it was in whenever I picked it up.”
Cary Hardy@ 7:12 — Demonstrates methodical documentation approach; establishes baseline for playfield condition assessment
“It looks a hell of a lot better than I was expecting when I got there and picked it up dude.”
Cary Hardy@ 8:45 — Positive assessment of machine condition relative to expectations
“Oh yeah, that's a lot smoother and reactive like it needs to be.”
Cary Hardy@ 12:14 — Confirms successful cleaning and lubrication of shooter lane mechanism resolved sluggishness
“Right off the bat I noticed that I don't have a display. So that's something that sucks because it worked for me to really troubleshoot this.”
Cary Hardy@ 13:54 — Identifies major troubleshooting obstacle; display failure prevents access to test modes needed for diagnostics

Entities

Cary HardypersonData East HookgameData Eastcompany

Signals

?
operational_signal: Documentation of proper inspection sequence for Data East machines: visual board assessment, fuse check, solenoid driver/sound board verification, coin door inspection, playfield analysis, flipper mechanism lubrication
high · Hardy systematically worked through each subsystem with specific checks (fuse clips for corrosion, GI connection browning, ROM chip protection, coil sleeve freedom)
?
product_concern: Data East Hook playfield showing paint flaking risk despite overall good preservation; requires Mylar and wax coating to prevent further deterioration
high · Hardy identified clear coat failure and planned protective measures: 'if I wanted this thing to not start flaking, this thing needs to be cleared' and 'I've got a big old thing of Mylar right here'
?
technology_signal: Display failure on otherwise functional machine creates significant diagnostic obstacle; lack of test mode access impedes troubleshooting workflow
high · Hardy stated: 'I don't have a display. So that's something that sucks because it worked for me to really troubleshoot this. I'm going to need to see the damn test mode'

Topics

Machine evaluation and inspection protocolsprimaryPower supply and electrical system diagnosticsprimaryBoard-level repair and component assessmentprimaryPlayfield condition and cosmetic restorationsecondarySolenoid and mechanical mechanism troubleshootingprimaryDMD/display failure diagnosissecondary

Sentiment

positive(0.72)— Hardy expresses satisfaction with machine condition discovery and successful first repairs (shooter solenoid cleaning). Frustration with display failure creates minor negative note, but overall tone is professional and optimistic about repair prospects.

Transcript

youtube_groq_whisper · $0.050

What's up guys and welcome back to my channel where I talk and do everything pinball. So if that sounds interesting to you then hit that subscribe button down below. Here we have a Data East hook. This is more than likely a somewhat routed machine but you're going to see that the playfield is pretty close to perfect. The cabinet on the other hand has got a little bit of wear. But overall, it's in good condition. Let's get started. Thank you. Alright, so as usual, we're not just going to plug this machine in and expect everything to power on and work. Once again, I purchased the machine without testing it out. So let's see what we got. Alright, I can already tell you that obviously whenever I purchased this machine, I did give over like give everything a look over so these boards are actually in very good condition surprisingly good condition actually what I'm gonna do now that I'm here and I don't have the buyer staring over my shoulder is just that I'm gonna give them one more look over just to make sure everything is the way it is I'm gonna check all my fuses to make sure that they're good so let's do that Wow. This power supply is probably one of the best looking original Data East power supplies that I have seen that's come out of a storage building. There's not even like any kind of burn marks or browning on the GI connections. The GI connection right here is white. There's no burning on it. Right here on my 15 pin or my 12 pin connection. No browning on any pins. And that looks good. Whoever owned it in the past they have done some sort of board work. They've only got two screws holding this MPU in. One right here, one right here one thing I always make sure about also is that my ribbon cables are in the appropriate orientation meaning pin one is the red strap so red strap is going to pin one or needs to go over here All right so my ribbon cables are in the appropriate orientation So besides the fact that this MPU is kind of floating kind of spreading my special solenoids transistors out right here. These can get a little warm so I don't want them picking up heat if they're sitting up against another transistor. So I kind of spaced them out a little bit more evenly. I don't know why... Okay, yeah. So they've got black tape over the ROM chip for this game. Obviously, I'm guessing they didn't want any kind of UV lighting accidentally erasing the data for it. The only thing that I was told upon purchasing this is that there was possible logic issues. So he was saying that whenever he would fire a flipper, other coils would be launching off as well. so we don't know what all would tell what all is going to be happening there so all we can do is just work our way that direction so as of right now power supply looks good MPU looks good although it is floating I want to get that more grounded so I'm gonna have to go I think I've got some I'm going to go find some more screws just to make sure they're held down a little better I I think it'll be fine, obviously, for testing purposes right now, though. So let's move on to my main fuses right back here. All right, solenoid driver board looks good. Move on to the sound board. Looks good. No busted capacitors or anything like that. All right, in the backbox looks good. Let's move up underneath the play field. Something a lot of people don't think to look for is any kind of issues that are in the coin door area. So some of the things that you might want to look for is any kind of splattered on solder. I mean this is not an issue right here but just things to look for. Any kind of split wires any kind of because let's see here Alright, so this looks pretty good. Coin mechs look like they function really good. So let's get this, let's pop the hood on this sucker. So here we have the play field. Let me give you a look over on this. This is basically, this is the condition, I have not wiped this thing down or anything. This is the condition it was in whenever I picked it up. So, the only thing that I can see, and you might be able to pick this up on the camera, is that I feel like this thing, if I wanted to not start flaking, this thing needs to be cleared. Luckily the paint is still intact and I can start coating it up with wax and that will help it But if I want this thing to be good I got a big old thing of Mylar right here Mylar. No, these aren't Mylar. Thank God. Those are just the stickers all over the inserts. I've got some Mylar right here. Mylar right here. But everything else. Let me get back over here inside here. Looks pretty damn clean. It looks a hell of a lot better than I was expecting when I got there and picked it up dude. So let's pop the hood. Alright, hood has been lifted. I'm going to start from the bottom and work my way up. So I'm going to actually start at the flipper board down here to make sure that my fuse clips aren't already starting to corrode and just be worthless. And it's typical, I'm actually going to be surprised if they are still good. Surprisingly enough the fuse clips have a really good grip on those fuses. Now it won't be any good. Fuses down there are good. Alright, so we'll start from the bottom and work our way up and see if we can find any issues. Alright, so one thing that I've noticed and so far it's the only obvious issue that I've got is my right here for the shooter lane that solenoid is very sluggish may just need an adjustment may need a cleaning or it could already be fried we were gonna find out all right so I've disassembled the mech area and it turns out it's not actually the coil or the coil sleeve. That's pretty free-flowing right there, but I am going to need to clean up this mech. This is very sluggish when it comes to how smoothly this is able to move around. It should be a lot more free-flowing than that. This is not going to work. So we're going to clean this up. Basically take it apart, clean it up, put it back together again. I'll even sand down this stuff it's all over this coil just this rod right here and then we'll get it all back together again it should be good to go all right so not sure how well you're gonna be able to see this but everything has been disassembled lubed up and should be nice and smooth now so let's get this sucker back on here. Magnet antenna and the appropriate size quarter inch nut driver. Oh yeah, that's a lot smoother and reactive like it needs to be. Oh yeah sexiness All right I think we ready for a smoke test ladies and gentlemen We're going to keep it upright. I'm going to open the coin door and let's plug it in. Alright, let's plug her in. I typically like to plug it in with the extension cord right here. away in case anything does anything strange I can immediately unplug it. Alright so power has been connected, no popping, no smoke, and here we go. Alright, so no smoke. Looks like we got processor going. See what happens when we close the going door. So right off the bat I noticed that I don't have a display. So that's something that sucks because it worked for me to really troubleshoot this. I'm going to need to see the damn test mode and stuff. So let me just do it quick. Alright, time to check my voltages. Yep, got my high voltage, got my 5 and my 12. Great, let's see if it game plays. Alright, so that's what happens when I try to start a game. A whole bunch of nothing. Hmm. All right. Have to fly, have to fight, have to grow, have to save Maggie, have to save Jack. Or he's back. Outro Music