Hi everyone. I am new to EM machines, and frankly to pinside as well. I'm trying my best to learn my way around EM systems and schematics, mostly to help my dad with a build he's been wanting to do for years. I've fixed a lot of things on this machine, but this issue is above and beyond my knowledge at this point, and I'm really struggling to know where to begin on this one. Furthermore, I can't find a post that explains a similar issue to get any ideas. Anyways, here's the situation.

The game is totally playing, best I can tell. However, the playfield lights are all off when I start the game, except for the playfield "Shoot again" insert light between the flippers is on from start. If I press and hold anything that scores, all GI lights work, but none of the actual scoring, goal, etc lights on the playfield do. Coin panel lights and back panel lights all work just fine, and light as expected. This included the back panel "shoot again" lights NOT being lit. Scores properly tally, chimes sound, and all seems well, aside from playing on an almost entirely unlit playfield.

Here is the schematic:
https://www.ipdb.org/files/1365/Bally_1977_Kick_Off_Schematic_Diagram_paginated.pdf

And here is a list of things I've recently done in case any are related:
- rebuilt the Player 2 10's scoring reel (farthest right one) due to sticking issues with extended multiplayer play
- rebuilt all fuse holders and confirmed continuity of the fuses and solder joints
- rebuilt pop bumpers
- replaced all lights on the entire machine with incandescent #44's on the field, and #47's in the back glass
- replaced springs on the drop targets and cleaned up the targets, switches, etc due to them sticking

Thanks so much for any help/advice. It's truly appreciated.

Thanks for the reply! I have gone through and cleaned up and adjusted switches throughout. All were filed, and confirmed normally open switches are open, and normally closed switches are closed. I paid particular attention to the game over relay, lock and tilt switches since those seem to be the ones most flagged as potential issues for this kind of thing (based on reading other threads).

No change to the lights, but the good thing is, some things changed with scoring. Happy accidents, or something like that.

Back to the playfield lights. they will occasionally come on and work for a game or two, they then go back out for a while. No rhyme or reason to it that I can tell. Super frustrating, and any help on what I can try next is greatly appreciated.

Currieddog - why was afraid someone was going to say something like that? Shorts are the worst!