Flippers feel weak.

Weak flipper on Time Machine and earlier: pitted switch contacts

Cause: The tungsten contacts on the EOS and cabinet switches carry coil current and become pitted.

Checks

• Measure across the coil at rest (see flipper coil resistance).

Fix

• Dress both sets of contacts with a flat metal file.

Systems

• Data East CPU Version 1/2

Games

• Laser War
• Secret Service
• Time Machine
• Torpedo Alley

Related tips

• Flipper coil runs very hot (Time Machine and earlier)
• Flipper flutters when held (Time Machine and earlier)
• Flipper circuit on Laser War to Time Machine
• Checking a pre-solid-state flipper coil
• Pre-solid-state flipper keeps blowing its fuse
• Flipper sometimes sticks up, even with power off: replace the coil sleeve
• Flipper only has hold strength after a rebuild: EOS wire on the wrong coil lug
• Solid state flippers dead, weak or intermittent: clean the switches

Source: Repairing DataEast 1987 (Laser War) to Sega 1995 (Batman Forever), Part Two, Clay Harrell (pinrepair.com)