🎰 My First Slot Machine: 809-ZZB Nickel - Need Help with Internal Mechanisms!

[Bill Austin]

Hello everyone,

I'm a new collector and this is my first post! I just acquired an 809-ZZB Nickel slot machine. It's a great looking machine, but the handle was stuck in the down position. The seller swore it worked fine up until it "just quit."

I got it home and, upon opening it up, I discovered evidence of a spilled sugary drink inside the case! 😩 The residue was preventing the mechanism shelves from sliding properly.

I've gotten it apart and cleaned the major components. During the cleanup, I had to remove the Cylinder assembly, and I found the piston was completely frozen solid by the dried gunk. I’ve cleaned the cylinder and piston and now I'm trying to put the entire mechanism back together and diagnose any remaining issues.

If I slide the mechanism back into the cabinet, I can pull the handle, and the reels spin and stop one by one! If I can get past these assembly issues, all I'll have left is the electrical part(s).

I'm using an "Owner's Pictorial Guide," but I've hit a few snags where my machine doesn't seem to perfectly match the photos. I'd be extremely grateful for any experienced eyes to help me identify these components and confirm what might be missing or set incorrectly.

Here are the four specific points I need help with (Attached):

A. Mystery Lever/Switch ❓
There's a lever I can't identify the function of. Based on the markings , it seems like it needs to be in the DOWN position. Can anyone tell me what this lever controls and what its correct resting position should be?

B. Missing Coil Spring on Gear? 🔩
Just behind a main gear, there's a silver "L" shaped spring. It's coiled around the axle, as other reference photos I've found it's missing a short coiled spring attaching to C is missing. Is a coil spring indeed missing here?

C & D. Ratchet/Lever Engagement Issue 🤔
I have a ratchet and lever assembly (C) that seems to be functioning, and the spring for it is intact. However, the corresponding Lever (D) that is supposed to grab or engage with the ratchet doesn't seem correctly shaped or positioned to do so. This looks like a critical part of the mechanism release/reset.

Is Lever (D) the wrong part, damaged, or am I missing a small component that bridges the gap for engagement?

Any guidance or specific photos of a correctly assembled 809-ZZB mechanism would be a huge help! I'm really excited to get this classic machine spinning again.

Thanks in advance!

[shortrackskater]

 

Please post a photo of the entire machine. 

[Bill Austin]

sure, here's three more :-)

[Bill Austin]

wow, downloaded a bally 2600 - service parts for 3-5 reel games.pdf free, which gave me more info on one page than the whole $50 "Owner's Pictorial Guide(with almost useless B&W photos).

 I see there was a kit K-438 that came out later and it looks like it was only half installed?

Whatever, I assuming since the reels and handle work correctly I can proceed to the    Electronics repair.

The first issue(attached photos) If I jiggle the wiring harness near the top door hinge, that plate that directs the coins into the hopper moves in and out. it also happens if I swing the door open and halfway closed.

Does anyone know if this is normal or should I unwrap the wires and look for a short?

[Bill Austin]

Hey Bill,
I don't know anything about EM Machines as I only just rebuilt a 1940's Jennings standard chief.. I agree that that book is disappointing especially since it's titled "Pictorial guide" there is a lot of schematics and illustrations that should help us through the electricalpart.
I'm surprised that no one on the forum knows about the 809 series, it seems like it's a pop

It sounds like there is definitely a short from what you are describing describing. I suggest you unwrap the tape and examine each wire.
Let me know what you find.

Bill :-)

[Bill Austin]

Hey Bill thanks for your reply.

I did unwrap the wires, cut off the bands/chords, inspected the wire, didn't find anything unusual. To my surprise, when I plug in the machine, the diversion plate closes, and opens when I unplug it. no buzzing like before, I assume it's doing what it should.

Still won't accept coins. If I depress the actuator wire, I can here a click from behind the left side of the top unit, but the lights don't advance. The book says that mechanics use jumper wires to test outside of the cabinet but unfortunately the don't offer instructions to amateurs for making one....
Thanks
Bill

[shortrackskater]

Possible reasons no one has chimed in yet is we're having some serious server issues. We're all volunteers here and are working on the situation, but some of the EM members simply may not be able to post easily right now. Bear with us! 

[Bill Austin]

we're having some serious server issues.

I understand. At first I thought I got banned for spamming(posting to myself) I was just playing around/hoping that more posts would bring more attention to the thread 

I am making progress though. just jiggling the wires around the door and it now accepts coins and spins but doesn't payout.

I made a mistake of installing LED's in place of the incandescent bulbs. They're way to bright and  I don't know where to get those warm white bayonet bulbs...

[slcjeeper]

Comet pinball offers a Retro Warm White 44/47 base Bullet bulb LED with a frosted lens that works perfectly in these machines. In some instances if the bulb is too long, use the standard length retro warm white bulb. On the upper feature unit you may find the the bulbs feel loose in the old style sockets. To fix this, from the back side of the flat sockets, with a flat screwdriver, with the bulbs out, gently push the center tab forward a bit and repeat if the bulb still feels a little loose. The incandescent bulbs have a slightly longer lead base than the leds.

For the 2 coin tray bulbs, Cointaker offers a 63 base led in warm white. It’s really bright and looks great over the tray. Just be sure to clean the white or clear tray lenses at the same time. When putting the lenses back in, be sure they slide under the lip on the door frame or they will stick out too far and the back cover won’t fit right. For the 63s behind the reel glass I usually leave the incandescents. I haven’t found anything else that looks good there.

Another place to use LEDs is in place of the reel glass and belly glass fluorescent bulbs. Get them in warm white on Amazon. When searching, find the plug and play style that don’t require any altering of the wiring. It’s best to keep the fluorescent ballasts active as they generate heat and these machines work best when warm. When installing the led tubes, don’t force them into the sockets or the sockets will most likely crack and break. If they feel too tight, which is usually the case because they have a slightly wider diameter than the original fluorescents, you may have to remove the single screw attaching the sockets at each end and chase the hole in the socket brackets with the next bit up in size. This will allow the sockets to sit a little farther apart and works especially well on the belly glass sockets. When installing the tubes, also pay attention to a strip that less light appears to be coming from. This is the back side of the internal led strip and is best installed towards the back of the machine.

[wolftalk]

an 809-ZZB is an electromechanical machine ... ya posted in the "bally reel games" area instead so the EM folks wouldn't see it.

'course, how you are supposed to know it's an EM and not a "bally reel game" is one of the mysteries of life.  Usually a moderator moves the post to the right area, but with some issues recently a moderator may not have noticed.  I'll ping someone to get this moved.

generally speaking, if you are having flaky behavior with the plugs to the door, the reliable solution is repinning the connector ... basically removing the pins from the plastic housing, cutting them off and crimping on new ones.

removing the pins and crimping need special tools, so if you are lucky you can just clean the pins/sockets with something like electronic contact cleaner (mass airflow sensor cleaner or isopropyl alcohol), let it dry and see if it improves.  Also look in the socket to see if the cylinder is spread open ... you can sometimes close it up a little with a pick or small screwdriver to improve the clamp tension on the pin.

if the pin is burnt, you'll see discoloration on the plastic housing and will likely need to replace pins.  Problem is I can't recall at the moment if the door connectors are molex or amphenol ... or which particular series/size is needed.  Later model EM machines used molex plugs for a lot of stuff, but the door plugs may be different.

try to avoid cutting the wires and connecting them together.  If you have to go that route, put some kind of connector in there.  Admittedly, it's rare to need to remove the door or disconnect the door plugs, so if you just want it to work, hardwiring will do the job.

the schematic will help you find issues when things don't work.  Look in https://bingo.cdyn.com/slots/

if you aren't familiar with reading the schematic, yell about what problem you want to look at and we'll walk ya thru it.

[shortrackskater]

Possible reasons no one has chimed in yet is we're having some serious server issues. We're all volunteers here and are working on the situation, but some of the EM members simply may not be able to post easily right now. Bear with us! 

Yes and the other possible reason was that I didn't notice it was in the Bally Reel Games section. 
Thanks Wolftalk for letting me know!

[stingygamer]

deleted

[DavidLee]

Just got a chance to view the side of the reels mechanism.
It appears that "A" reels latch is not in position.
 and the reels aren’t set in position correctly.

The reels shaft has a flat surface cut into it on the right side. This mates up with the flat surface on the mounting cut out slot.

It’s a little tricky to get into position. As the index arms need to move back and the shaft ends need to be inserted nearly as possible at the same time.

If you can devise a wire to hold each individual index arm back, this will make it easier to insert the reels.
Be careful not to damage or misalign any related parts. Don’t forget to remove the wires.

[wolftalk]

I guess to answer the original questions:

A covered already.  I'll add that usual way to install the reel shaft is push down the latches with the shaft as you install and when the shaft is seated forward with the flat the right way the lever will flip up (clockwise in pic) to lock in the shaft.   It works with the lever as shown and you rotate it counter-clockwise to lock in the shaft, but that's extra effort and the spring isn't doing much.

B with the torsion spring is the older design.  The extension spring that stretched over to the post by C is a newer design.  You'll find 809's with either.

C is a ratchet to prevent people from partially pulling the handle and letting go so the handle slams back up.   That was also a design change and bally made retrofit parts available.   However, for it to work right you need the missing piece from D.

D is broken.   See pics below of new and old configs.  I may have a good black lever arm, but I'm doing some construction at the moment and the slot parts are inaccessible.  The broken piece is what slams down onto the rubber pad when the reels kick, so it's kinda needed to prevent over-rotation of the main shaft.

the air cylinder seal is not hugely important ... some grease in the cylinder works too. 

bonus points if ya noticed the reel shaft latch is on the wrong side of the shaft in the early design/742A-114 pic :-)  The midpoint of the latch should be below the shaft.