PinTech LIVE: Ep159 - Troubleshooting Gottlieb System 80 Jacks to Open

Can a Burned Board Be Brought Back to Life?

In this episode of PinTech LIVE, Matthew Talley from Lynn's Arcade teams up with Phil Forrester Jr from The Phils Pinball & Arcade and Imoto from Marco Pinball to troubleshoot a classic Gottlieb System 80 pinball machine: Jacks to Open.

About Jacks to Open

Released by Gottlieb in March 1984, Jacks to Open is a solid-state pinball machine built on the System 80 platform. This four-player game featured a poker-themed playfield designed by Ed Krynski, with artwork by Constantino and Kevin O'Connor. With a production run of approximately 6,155 units, Jacks to Open was one of the later System 80 releases before Gottlieb transitioned to System 80A and System 80B platforms. The System 80 board is known for its reliability when properly maintained — and for being a challenge when things go wrong.

The Problem: Drop Targets Down

The team faced a power issue with the drop target bank refusing to fire. What started as a playfield problem quickly led them down to the main driver board, where the real detective work began.

The Fix: Schematics, Swaps, and a Really Burned Board

Using the original schematics to cross-check connections and voltages, Matthew, Phil, and Imoto traced the fault back to the System 80 driver board. What they found: failed transistors, blown resistors, and board damage that told the story of a game that had been working overtime.

Can new components bring this board — and this game — back to life?

Stay Tuned

The journey isn't over. Tune in next week to see if the team can revive this classic and get Jacks to Open back on the playfield where it belongs.

Troubleshooting skills are the foundation of successful pinball repair — and this episode shows exactly why. Schematics, patience, and a willingness to dig deep make all the difference.

Keep the silverball spinning. Follow along with PinTech LIVE!