Time Warp (Williams, 1979): faults and System 6 replacement boards
Does your Williams Time Warp have displays that fade out, won't boot, has no sound or resets itself? These symptoms are typical of Williams System 6 pinball machines, whose original boards (MPU, Driver, power supply) are now over 40 years old. Good news: the WillFA7 replacement board, Plug & Play and battery-free, gives your machine a second life.
Time Warp (Williams, 1979): overview
Released in 1979, Time Warp is a Williams System 6 pinball machine themed around time travel. An original, dynamic title from this solid state generation.
- Manufacturer: Williams
- Year: 1979
- Electronic system: Williams System 6
- Type: electronic pinball (solid state)
- Theme: time travel
Common faults (System 6)
On Williams System 3 to 7, recurring faults come from ageing: leaking NiCad battery on the MPU (corrosion, the no.1 cause of dead boards), worn 40-pin connector MPU↔Driver (the best-known weak point), resets/reboots on 5 V drop (headers and power connectors to re-solder), tired power supply capacitors, displays with missing segments (connectors, display resistors), and a blown solenoid fuse (stuck slingshot or bumper).
Issues specific to Time Warp (forum feedback)
- Displays fading slowly: first digit of player 1 off (sometimes comes back), missing segments on players 3 and 4.
- No display at start-up, MPU LEDs steady: check the CPU clock signal at the test points and the jumpering of the reset circuit on the bench (5 V and 12 V required).
- Faulty Scanbe sockets: known to be bad, to be replaced.
- No sound: check the +12 V on the positive side of C29 (large blue capacitor) and the -12 V on the negative side of C30.
- Battery damage and dead capacitors on the switch circuits.
Replacement boards compatible with Time Warp
- WillFA7 — 2-in-1 board (MPU + Driver) compatible with System 3 to 7, System 7 included.
The WillFA7 replaces the original MPU and Driver board (start-up, logic resets, coil driving, battery-free memory) and does away with the fragile 40-pin ribbon as well as the faulty Scanbe sockets. Pure power supply and sound faults (capacitors, sound board) still need handling separately; our support guides you.
Plug & Play installation, battery-free, free tutorials and support. Contact us.
FAQ — Time Warp Williams
My displays fade out.
Clean/reseat the connectors and check the display resistors. The WillFA7 then makes the driving reliable.
No display and steady MPU LEDs.
Check the CPU clock and the reset circuit. The WillFA7 replaces MPU and Driver and eliminates these original defects.
I have no sound.
Check the ±12 V voltages (C29/C30) of the sound board. That is on the sound side; our support guides you.
Should I keep the original battery?
No. The WillFA7 works without a battery and removes the no.1 cause of corrosion on System 6.
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 trace of battery or corrosion on the MPU of your Time Warp; remove the NiCad battery if it is still present.
- Power supply: check the 5 V and the fuses; resolder the power supply and MPU headers if the voltage drops or the game resets.
- Connectors: re-pin the oxidised Molex connectors, especially the MPU↔Driver link.
- Coils: check the solenoid fuses and the switches (stuck slingshot) before powering back on.
- Displays: never connect or disconnect a display while powered on; test with a known-good display.
- Final test: check start-up, credits, coils and displays; remember that the WillFA7 replaces MPU + Driver. If needed, contact free support.
See also
- Flash (Williams, 1979)
- Stellar Wars (Williams, 1979)
- Tri Zone (Williams, 1979)
- Gorgar (Williams, 1979)
