Ice Fever (Gottlieb, 1985): faults and System 80A replacement boards
On your Ice Fever by Gottlieb, does the game over relay cycle mid-game, are the bumpers temperamental, are the displays fading or does the game reset? These symptoms are typical of Gottlieb System 80A pinball machines, whose original boards (CPU, Driver, power supply) are now over 40 years old. Good news: modern replacement boards, Plug & Play and battery-free, give your machine a second life.
Ice Fever (Gottlieb, 1985): overview
Released in 1985, Ice Fever is one of Gottlieb's last System 80A pinball machines, with a wintry, festive theme (skiing, ice). Its fast playfield relies heavily on well-adjusted pop bumpers.
- Manufacturer: D. Gottlieb & Co.
- Year: 1985
- Electronic system: Gottlieb System 80A
- Type: solid-state pinball machine
- Theme: winter / skiing
Common faults (System 80A)
Across all System 80/80A machines, the most common faults come from board ageing: leaking NiCd battery on the CPU board, corroding traces and components, tired capacitors and RIOT 6532 circuits, random resets caused by floating grounds and oxidised connectors, displays with missing segments or digits (often just a J2/J3 connector issue), spurious slam tilt, and a power supply whose voltages drift. Fragile edge connectors and poorly restored grounds are almost always to blame.
Issues specific to Ice Fever (forum feedback)
- Game over relay cycling during play: it doesn't stay latched, most often due to loose connectors — the classic Gottlieb issue.
- Misadjusted pop bumpers: bumpers that trigger too much or, conversely, "dead pops" that ruin the machine's playability.
- Dead transformer: a reported case of a dead transformer, leading to total failure.
- Weak displays: display brightness linked to power supply issues.
- Battery damage on the CPU board: corrosion that absolutely must be neutralised.
Replacement boards compatible with Ice Fever
- GottFA80_Plus (Light) — all-in-one CPU + Driver + power supply board, without sound.
- GottFA80_Plus (Full) — same with integrated sound board.
- Gosof — replacement sound board (with or without voice).
- Godri80 — replacement Driver board.
- Lisy80 — CPU board + web diagnostics.
- GoPOP80 — bumper driver board (MA-922).
Plug & Play installation, battery-free, free tutorials and support. Contact us.
FAQ — Ice Fever Gottlieb
My game over relay cycles during play.
It's almost always a loose connector. Reseat and clean the connectors; a replacement CPU/Driver board then makes the control reliable.
My pop bumpers trigger too much or not at all.
Check the bumper switch adjustment and the driver board. The GoPOP80 board replaces the bumper board (MA-922); the mechanical adjustment still needs checking.
The machine is completely dead.
Check the transformer and the power supply. Our support helps you diagnose before replacing boards.
Should the original battery be removed?
Yes. Our boards work without a battery, eliminating the number one cause of corrosion on System 80A machines.
How long does it take to install a replacement board?
Installation is Plug & Play: a few minutes, no soldering, with free tutorials and 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 settings are retained when powered off.
Step-by-step diagnosis
- Powered off, visual inspection: look for any battery trace or corrosion on your Ice Fever's MPU; remove the NiCad battery if it's still present.
- Power supply: measure the 5 V and check that it reaches the MPU (reflow the regulator or Q1 solder 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 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
- Alien Star (Gottlieb, 1984)
- The Games (Gottlieb, 1984)
- El Dorado City of Gold (Gottlieb, 1984)
- Touchdown (Gottlieb, 1984)
