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I'm a total newbie to slot machines so please excuse my lack of knowledge.

When I spin the reels on this machine all three reels will stop at the same time and I get a code 42 error and tilt is displayed.  Any advice?  This is a Bally E 2831 and I have no idea the year of mfg.

your reel mechanism needs a good lube - the linkage under the reels has grease that most likely has solidified over age.  Try using WD40 to clean it up then use a good lube spray afterward.

Thanks for the reply Barry.

I cleaned the reel assy thorougly and made sure everything was well lubricated but it still has the same result. The reels spin rapidly then all stop at the same time.  This causes the error 42 and the tilt message. I'm going to switch the readers on the second and third reels and see if I now get a code 43.

Anything else I should try?

Tom

After switching the 2nd and 3rd reader cards it made no difference, I still get a code 42/tilt and all reels stop at the same time.

the readers are NOT the problem - all 3 reels stopping at the same time is either the lube issue or you have a short causing all 3 coils to activate.  do a 2 test - the reel coils will energize during this test - if you hear each coil activate one at a time - then the issue is LUBE.  if you hear all 3 activate together then you have a shorted coil - or a bad IO board - I am betting it is LUBE.

Tom
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Can a person use White Lithium Grease?

Very interesting!  While performing the 2 test I could hear each solenoid pull in while displaying the codes 1401, 1402 and 1404.  Now after performing this test reels 2 and 3 DON'T STOP spinning and I still get a code 42/tilt.  Why would running the test change things?

guess  you don't like my answer - LUBE - LUBE - LUBE.  check the linkage going to each coil!!

My sincere aplologies...I will dismantle, clean and lubricate the reel assy again.  Perhaps I missed a little bit of surface rust or corrosion on a shaft or something to that effect.

I have once again cleaned and lubricated the entire reel assy which includes all shafts, bearings, linkage, pawls and coils but still have the same result...code 42/tilt and the second and third reels will not stop spinning.  This is now the third time I have cleaned and lubed everything in the reel assy.

While the reels are spinning in the machine I can pull the reel assy out enough to touch the tip of the coils.  The slightest pressure will activate the linkage and stop the reels.  I'm convinced that everything is well lubricated and free of friction.  I can also remove the reel assy and manualy trip the reels to make them spin feely then put them back into the machine and turn the power on.  The first thing that happens when it powers up is that all three coils activate and the linkage engages the reels so that the reels no longer spin freely.

Why will the linkage operate perfectly when the machine is started or is in test mode but not when the reels are spun with the arm?

me bad - I didn't re-read your post - thought you were still having all 3 reels stop together - the 42 indicates a bad reel reader. do a 5 test and see if the reader is reading.

I did a test on the readers and found that the reader on the second reel was not working so I swithced the readers on reels 1 & 2 to see if I would now have an error on reel one.  The result wasn't what I was expecting....instead of an error on the first reel, everything started working correctly!  I don't know why moving a bad board to a different position would make everything work but I'm happy with the result.  All reels spin freely and stop as they should.

A new problem has now developed however.  Sometimes for no apparent reason the hopper will begin to spit out coins and I can't seem to make it stop.  Hitting the reset has no effect.  If I turn off the power, as soon as I turn the power back on it will again start spitting out coins.  What do you think...a bad hopper control board?  

Thank you for the help you've provided, it's greatly appreciated.