# Mitsubishi WD-73831 flaking out



## fluffybear

Our Mitsubishi WD-73831 73" TV started to act up this afternoon.

What is happening is at random times, the picture and color goes completely nuts. Sometimes I will one color completely overpower what is on the screen while another time, I will have 2 colors over powering from different ends. Sometimes I am able to correct the problem by powering on/off the TV and other times it takes a few hours. 
Additionally, this problem first appeared a few weeks back and then did not occur again until today where this problem has occurred 3 times.

I have attached a link to a short video of what I was able to catch it doing today. 





I am leaning toward a color wheel going bad but was wondering if anyone else has any possible ideas.


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## BenJF3

fluffybear said:


> Our Mitsubishi WD-73831 73" TV started to act up this afternoon.
> 
> What is happening is at random times, the picture and color goes completely nuts. Sometimes I will one color completely overpower what is on the screen while another time, I will have 2 colors over powering from different ends. Sometimes I am able to correct the problem by powering on/off the TV and other times it takes a few hours.
> Additionally, this problem first appeared a few weeks back and then did not occur again until today where this problem has occurred 3 times.
> 
> I have attached a link to a short video of what I was able to catch it doing today.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I am leaning toward a color wheel going bad but was wondering if anyone else has any possible ideas.


Symptom looks like a color wheel, but there have been reports of intermittant DVI cable at the optical block causing issues too. Problem is, I can't find a replacement for the color wheel in the service documentation. I have 938P030010 which is the complete optical block. Can you hear any whining or grinding noise coming from the block? If you are handy with it, you could also try to remove and clean/lubricate the original.


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## fluffybear

BenJF3 said:


> Symptom looks like a color wheel, but there have been reports of intermittant DVI cable at the optical block causing issues too. Problem is, I can't find a replacement for the color wheel in the service documentation. I have 938P030010 which is the complete optical block. Can you hear any whining or grinding noise coming from the block? If you are handy with it, you could also try to remove and clean/lubricate the original.


I have not had the opportunity to take the TV apart just yet. With the kids out of the room and no volume on, I hear no unusual noises coming from the TV.


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## fluffybear

Update: I had someone come out and take a look at the set and confirm that indeed the optical unit was flaking out. A call to Mitsubishi and to my amazement they have agreed to pay for the optical unit.


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## BenJF3

"fluffybear" said:


> Update: I had someone come out and take a look at the set and confirm that indeed the optical unit was flaking out. A call to Mitsubishi and to my amazement they have agreed to pay for the optical unit.


That's good because dealer cost on an optical block is a few hundred dollars!


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## fluffybear

What is really frustrating is I can get this thing to work perfectly occasionally. Turn on and off the TV a few times consecutively and I can go hours and sometime days before the problem occurs again. 
The only thing I can come up with is that the color wheel is getting stuck and my turning it on and off several times jars the wheel loose. The last time I did this was on Friday and have yet to have another issue.


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## brad2388

Well i found a fix for this. There is a line following sensor on the side of the color wheel. The sensor gets hot from the lamp and fails with time. I have repaired about a dozen of these different tvs. Yea its the color wheel but it can be fixed with a 2.29 sensor that monitors the speed of the wheel. I can repair the engine and send it back to u
If someone is having problems with theres. The color wherl is a direct drive brushless motor so it never goes bad.

Sometimes u have color for about an hour and then blocks come up and distort the picture and others wont have color or flickering color at all.


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## Larrysmiles

Hi,
I've been having your color problem for years. When did you purchase your set? I bought mine 3/9/07 and I can't get a free repair.

Thanks,
Larry


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## brad2388

Yea mines a jan. 07 here. I didnt have a pic of what it was doing but if ur having color problems that sensor will fix it.


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## fluffybear

I called Mitsubishi and was told there supposedly was a recall on these TV's for faulty light engines and Mitsubishi said that if a tech could confirm it was in fact that the light engine was the problem, they would split the cost for repair (they pay for parts and I pay for labor). Supposedly there was a class action lawsuit regarding these units and this was the proposed settlement. 

My tech was able to confirm the issue and submitted a claim to Mitsubishi which was approved 28 hours later. An entire light engine assemble was shipped directly to him and installed 1 week later. My total cost out of pocket was $140 and it took him around 3 hours to do the install which included a cleaning, new lamp assembly, and calibration.


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## fluffybear

Larrysmiles said:


> Hi,
> I've been having your color problem for years. When did you purchase your set? I bought mine 3/9/07 and I can't get a free repair.
> 
> Thanks,
> Larry


Call them back and mention you saw something about the class action lawsuit on the unit and see what they will do for you (I will try and locate the web-page which outlined the lawsuit & settlement).

The repair probably won't be totally free. You probably will need to pick up the labor costs.


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## avr

brad2388 said:


> Well i found a fix for this. There is a line following sensor on the side of the color wheel. The sensor gets hot from the lamp and fails with time. I have repaired about a dozen of these different tvs. Yea its the color wheel but it can be fixed with a 2.29 sensor that monitors the speed of the wheel. I can repair the engine and send it back to u
> If someone is having problems with theres. The color wherl is a direct drive brushless motor so it never goes bad.
> 
> Sometimes u have color for about an hour and then blocks come up and distort the picture and others wont have color or flickering color at all.


I have this problem with my WD 73831, do you sell this sensor? or can you tell me where to get one?


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## fluffybear

avr said:


> I have this problem with my WD 73831, do you sell this sensor? or can you tell me where to get one?


Call Mitsubishi and speak to them about this and mention you saw something online about the class-action lawsuit for the optical engine. I found there were a number of CSR's who had no idea about the Optical Engine issue and mentioning the lawsuit will make them in a different system before denying you.

You may end up having to pay the labor costs (about $130) but in the end you will have a brand new optical engine.
FYI, there was also a recall a few years back which entitles you to a free bulb as well.


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## avr

Thanks for the information. I may need to do that, but if I could simply fix it with an inexpensive sensor, that would be my choice.


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## avr

It seems I can't PM "brad2388" until my post count is 5


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## avr

I guess I will get my my post count up to 5....


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## avr

Here is post number 5, sorry to waste board space, but I needed the post count.


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## fluffybear

avr said:


> Thanks for the information. I may need to do that, but if I could simply fix it with an inexpensive sensor, that would be my choice.


However, the sensor is band-aid and only something I would consider as a very last resort. If you can get Mitsubishi to do the repair for you, you more or less are getting a new TV for just the cost of having it installed not to mention a 1 year warranty.

This is one of those times, you don't want to go cheap unless you really have to.


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## brad2388

Sorry i didnt keep up on the thread here. The sensor is not a band aid fix. Its simply replacing the bad part of the light engine. Anyone can change the whole complete unit. Its like replacing a while engine in a car when only the spark plugs are bad. These sensors was in vcr back in the day and they failed often. But each to there own if ur pretty good at taking stuff apart you can fix it urself!


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## fluffybear

brad2388 said:


> Sorry i didnt keep up on the thread here. The sensor is not a band aid fix. Its simply replacing the bad part of the light engine. Anyone can change the whole complete unit. Its like replacing a while engine in a car when only the spark plugs are bad. These sensors was in vcr back in the day and they failed often. But each to there own if ur pretty good at taking stuff apart you can fix it urself!


in your case, this sensor may have corrected your issue but are you willing to stick your neck out and say this senor is the root of all these issues? Without actually seeing what the set is doing, you really have no idea. My point is it is worth a call to Mitsubishi and see about getting the entire engine replaced (especially since it comes with 2 year warranty) rather than take a shot in the dark and possibly risk making matters worse.


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## brad2388

Only the color issues i can speak for. Ive fixed maybe 9 or 10 with this sensor. Mines been working 1 year in august without a hiccup. Knock on wood.


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## avr

avr said:


> I have this problem with my WD 73831, do you sell this sensor? or can you tell me where to get one?


Many thanks to brad2388, he sent me a new sensor with instructions.

I installed the sensor and the TV is functioning like new again!

The local repair shop wanted $800 to install a reconditioned light engine:eek2:

I always prefer replacing a componet over installing a "recon or rebuilt" assembly. Rebuilt assemblys may have other componets nearly ready to fail. Kind of like buying a rebuilt car engine where only the bad parts have been replaced, the rest of it is still used or worn.

Again, great call on the sensor replacement Brad!


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## weevil6772

I'm experiencing this same issue as of last week.


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## brad2388

Thanks alan! Glad it fixed ur set!


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## brad2388

Did it fix your problem?


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## Rob

I had this tv (or a similar model) The color wheel went out in the second year. I had the extended warranty from Frys and I got a plasma as a replacement.


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## brad2388

What did you do with the mitsubishi? If u still have it we can get it going cheap.


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## Propmaker

My wd73831 is having similar color issues. It will run for about 30 minutes and then it becomes predominately green. I believe it may be the sensor brad2388 mentioned. I found this site when looking for a color wheel replacement and would be very happy to attempt the sensor replacement.


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## Propmaker

I suppose it's time to make 5 posts...


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## brad2388

Pm sent. Will fix your color problems from the way u described.


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## brad2388

Heres my email just in case. Bradcox5975 at bellsouth dot net for spam


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## brad2388

Bump


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## brad2388

Did u get it fixed?


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