Hologram not working !

Compliments of Rich Fife

The Creature from the Black Lagoon hologram system consists of 9 parts:

1) The hologram
2) The light bulb that shines on the hologram.
3) The mirror that reflects the hologram to the player's eyes.
4) The teardrop shaped playfield insert that prevents the ball from falling
on the hologram.
5) The black cowl that prevents light from the hologram from leaking out
into other playfield inserts.
6) The motor that turns the mirror, making the hologram move.
7) The control board for #6.
8) The motor that jiggles the hologram and makes the arms look like they're
moving.
9) The control board for #8.

At minimum, to see the hologram at all, only parts 1-4 need to be in good
order.  #5 is nice so you don't get light coming out of the underside of the
playfield at odd angles.  #6 and #7 are nice so the hologram moves.  #8 and
#9 are not necessary at all and maybe even a bad thing (bending the plastic
hologram back and forth for long periods of time seems to be asking for
trouble.)

When I got my (filthy) CFTBL at auction, I couldn't see the hologram at all.
I dinked with a lot of stuff before discovering the problem:  The plastic
teardrop shaped thingy in the playfield was filthy on the underside to the
point of being opaque.   Solution: squirt with 409, wipe dry.  Cost of
solution: value of two squirts of 409 and two paper towels (plus labor.)  Do
yourself a favor here:  Take the payfield insert out entirely, clean it in
the sink, replace the little rubber standoffs and rebalance it in playfield.
The ball will still roll over it oddly from time to time, but it'll help.
Clean the hologram too.

If the hologram is missing, I've heard third hand that Steve Young at the
Pinball Resource has them.  If you can't find the hologram, it's missing.
Kind of hard to miss when you lift up the playfield.  Sort of like not being
able to find the engine when you lift up the hood of your car.

The third possibility for not getting a hologram image is that the bulb is
out.  It's on the bottom of the case way back up under the backbox.  If you
don't know how to replace a light bulb, I'm not sure I'm in a position to
help you.

Other possibilities for the bulb not lighting are bad fuses, wiring, etc.
These are relatively low probability since they aren't as vulnerable to
filth or involve moving parts.

Anyway, you're looking at a CFTBL to buy and you want to quickly diagnose
the hologram.

First, open the coin door and shine a flash light inside.  Do you see the
Creature?  Yes?  Go to step two.  No?  The hologram is either dirty or
missing.  Proceed to either the cleaning supplies or The Pinball Resource.

Step two, now that you have the coin door open, hit the "Begin Test" button.
Use the Up and Down button to find the "Test Menu" on the dot matrix display
on the backboard.  Hit "Begin Test" again.  Use the down button to find
"T.16 Hologram Test".  Hit "Begin" Test Again.  If the dot matrix display
says "Mirror: Stopped," hit "Begin Test" again so it says "Mirror: Moving".

Now, look back through the coin door.  Is a light on at the back?  You may
need to push the button that detects if the coin door is open to get the
light on.  Can't remember.

If the light is not on, it's probably a bad bulb.  If the light IS on and
you can't see the hologram through the playfield, then either the mirror is
bad (are there little chunks everywhere?) or the teardrop plastic is dirty.

Before you shut all this stuff off, listen for a whirring sound.  This is
the mirror motor.  If you can't here it, there's a problem.  Steve Young,
Pinball Resource.

Um, that is all.

    -- Rich Fife --