Amazon Hunt II (Gottlieb, 1987): faults and System 80B replacement boards
Your Amazon Hunt II by Gottlieb (1987) loses the background sound during play while the game keeps running, has a temperamental sound board, bad contacts on the connectors or an unstable start-up linked to the grounds? These symptoms are typical of the System 80B. Here are the common faults and the compatible replacement boards.
Overview of the Amazon Hunt II (Gottlieb, 1987)
Released in May 1987, Amazon Hunt II is a Gottlieb (Premier) pinball on an Amazonian adventure theme, in the line of the 1983 Amazon Hunt. It runs on System 80B electronics.
- Manufacturer: Gottlieb (Premier)
- Year: 1987
- System: Gottlieb System 80B
- Type: electronic (solid state), alphanumeric displays
- Theme: adventure, Amazon jungle
Common faults (System 80B)
Gottlieb's System 80B shares well-documented weaknesses:
- Battery corrosion: the battery soldered onto the CPU board leaks and eats away traces and components; it's the leading cause of a dead board.
- Displays: missing digits, dark segments or no display at start-up.
- Sound and music: music that cuts out, partial or missing sounds (sound board sensitive to bad contacts).
- Connectors and rivets: bad contacts on the inter-board connectors and oxidised cabinet-bottom rivets (a “ground mod” is often needed).
- Grounds: insufficient grounds near the transformer, a source of freezes and unwanted resets.
Problems specific to the Amazon Hunt II (forums)
Reported by owners on Pinside:
- Background sound stopping: the ambient sound cuts out during play while the game keeps working; re-crimping the 12-pin connector of the sound board and the J5 of the Driver board often fixes the fault.
- Sound and speech board: on some versions, the speech section is not fitted; frequent audio faults (bad contacts, components).
- Ground rework: like all of System 80, a big grounds job is often needed to get a stable start-up.
- ROM versions: watch out for the ROM versions between Amazon Hunt II and III when replacing a CPU.
- Inter-board connectors: bad contacts between boards, to be re-crimped.
Replacement boards compatible with Amazon Hunt II
Rather than chasing bad contacts and grounds, replace the original electronics:
- GottFA80_Plus (Light) — all-in-one board CPU + Driver + power supply, without sound.
- GottFA80_Plus (Full) — same with an integrated sound board.
- Gosof — replacement sound board.
- Godri80 — replacement Driver board.
- Lisy80 — CPU board + web diagnostics.
- GoPOP80 — bumper board (MA-922).
📚 To go further: Guide: which board for a Gottlieb System 80/80A/80B? · System 80B special
Plug & Play installation, battery-free, free support.
FAQ — Amazon Hunt II (Gottlieb)
Which board for an Amazon Hunt II?
The GottFA80_Plus replaces CPU + Driver + power supply (Light version) or the whole set with sound (Full version). The Gosof replaces the sound board. The Lisy80 is a CPU alternative with web diagnostics.
The background sound cuts out, is it repairable?
Yes: it's often the 12-pin connector of the sound board and the J5 of the Driver. A new Gosof or the GottFA80_Plus (Full) fix these bad contacts.
Should I worry about the ROM versions?
The ROMs differ between Amazon Hunt II and III; our boards are supplied suited to your machine and, if in doubt, we guide you.
Is the installation complicated?
No: our boards are Plug & Play, battery-free, with free support. If in doubt, contact us.
How long does it take to install a replacement board?
Installation is Plug & Play: a few minutes, no soldering, with tutorials and free support.
Does a battery-free board keep the settings and high scores?
Yes. Modern replacement boards use non-volatile memory: no more battery, no more corrosion, and the settings are kept when powered off.
Step-by-step diagnosis
- Powered off, visual inspection: spot any trace of battery or corrosion on your Amazon Hunt II's MPU; remove the NiCad battery if still present.
- Power supply: measure the 5 V and check that it reaches the MPU (rework the solder of the regulator or Q1 if the voltage drops).
- Grounds: apply the “ground mods” between the boards (CPU, Driver, power supply, sound).
- Connectors: re-pin the oxidised Molex connectors, especially the MPU↔Driver link.
- Displays: never plug or unplug a display while powered on; test with a known-good display.
- Final test: check start-up, credits, coils and displays; if needed, contact the free support.
Useful guides
- How much does pinball repair cost? The price guide
- How much is my pinball worth? Value and estimate
- Pinball leg sizes: the guide by machine
- Which board for a Gottlieb System 80, 80A or 80B?
See also
- Night Moves (Gottlieb, 1989)
- Raven (Gottlieb, 1986)
- Hollywood Heat (Gottlieb, 1986)
- Genesis (Gottlieb, 1986)
Sources
- Pinside — Amazon Hunt II (Gottlieb, 1987), forum: pinside.com/pinball/machine/amazon-hunt-ii
- IPDB — Premier “Amazon Hunt II” (#3975): ipdb.org/machine.cgi?id=3975
- Gottlieb System 80B technical documentation
