Six Million Dollar Man (Bally, 1978): common faults and replacement boards (Bally MPU)
Does your Bally Six Million Dollar Man fail to boot, serve the ball poorly, have broken connector pins or tired flippers? These symptoms are typical of microprocessor Bally pinball machines, whose original MPU board is now over 40 years old and almost always suffers from a leaked battery. The good news: the BallyFA replacement MPU board, Plug & Play and battery-free, brings your machine back to life.
Six Million Dollar Man (Bally, 1978): overview
Released in 1978, The Six Million Dollar Man is a Bally solid-state pinball machine inspired by the TV series about the bionic man. It uses the Bally AS-2518-series MPU.
- Manufacturer: Bally
- Year: 1978
- Electronic system: Bally MPU (AS-2518)
- Type: solid-state pinball
- Theme: TV series / bionic man
Common faults (Bally / Stern)
On microprocessor Bally and Stern games (1977-1985), the recurring faults come from ageing: leaking battery on the MPU (corrosion of traces and sockets around U10/U11, the No. 1 cause of dead boards), tired 6821 PIAs (U10/U11) (oxidised legs, no boot), 5101 RAM and sockets to replace, MPU/power connectors oxidised or burnt (look for heat marks), displays with missing segments, and the power/driver board (rectifier, fuses, coil transistors) to rework.
Issues specific to Six Million Dollar Man (forum feedback)
- Brittle female connector pins: they become fragile and break; replace the affected connectors.
- Ball poorly served / entry coil: often fixed by reseating the MPU's J4 connector.
- Tired flippers: excessive slop from lack of rebuilding, coils breaking at the plastic bobbin, worn under-playfield parts.
- Power: line fuse, MOV, transformer or line cord to check.
- Leaked battery on the MPU: corrosion around U10/U11.
- Dead or partial displays: display power and MPU to check.
Replacement boards compatible with Six Million Dollar Man
- BallyFA — replacement MPU board (battery-free).
- BallyDri — power supply + driver.
- BallyLa_60 — lamp driver.
📚 Further reading: Guide: which MPU board for a Bally / Stern (1977-1985)?
The BallyFA replaces the original MPU board (boot-up, logic, battery-free memory) and removes the battery, the No. 1 cause of corrosion. For the power and coils, the BallyDri takes over; the lamps via the BallyLa_60. The fragile connectors and the flipper mechanics must still be maintained separately. Plug & Play installation, battery-free, free support. Contact us.
FAQ — Six Million Dollar Man Bally
My ball is poorly served at the start of a game.
Often the MPU's J4 connector to reseat; the BallyFA replaces the MPU and makes coil driving reliable.
My machine won't boot.
Check the battery and corrosion around U10/U11, and the power supply. The BallyFA boots without a battery.
Is the BallyFA compatible with my Bally?
Yes, for microprocessor Bally/Stern games (1977-1985). If in doubt, contact us.
Should I keep the original battery?
No. The BallyFA works without a battery and removes the No. 1 cause of corrosion.
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
- Power off, visual inspection: look for any battery or corrosion damage on your Six Million Dollar Man MPU, especially around U10/U11; remove the battery if still present.
- Power: measure the 5 V and check that it reaches the MPU (rework the power/rectifier board and the fuses if the voltage drops).
- Grounds and connectors: rework the oxidised or burnt MPU/power connectors (heat marks) between the boards.
- MPU components: check the 6821 PIAs (U10/U11) and the 5101 RAM, often tired or corroded by the battery.
- 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; reminder: the BallyFA replaces the MPU and boots without a battery. If needed, contact our free support.
