Gate 2 is NOT a passive gate, Gate Two has a solenoid and can be closed... Same for Gate 3. (Which is springed in the opposite direction and is closed by default, it is opened when power is applied.) You can see the same assembly on the BACK side of the back of the playfield behind the yellow GI lights, the gate 3 assembly is behind the playfield and can be seen when the playfield is pulled forward.
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Schwaggs was correct in his description....

There are actually 3 gates on the LT5 ramp and engine.
Gate 1 - The passive gate (green in your picture)
Gate 2 - The active "rev" gate (red in your picture)
Gate 3 - The active "exit" gate (not pictured)

Look on Page 2-22 in the manual. The A-17796 ball gate actuator assembly is what is used for both gate 2 and gate 3. It is shown UPSIDE DOWN in the manual... It is really a simple mechanism. When power is applied to the coil the bottom plate pulls in, which brings the bottom plate UP thus releasing tension on the spring hooked to the gate (part 9 in diagram) and allowing the gate to fall closed.

When power is removed spring 5 pulls the bottom plate back down which pulls down on spring 9 which opens the gate. When no power is applied, the gate is open since spring 5 is pulling the bottom plate down, and spring 9 is attached to the bottom plate and to the gate.

First thing to look for is if the connector for the solenoid is connected and that there is power there. You can also check to see if the transistor (Solenoid 2 (Q80) for Gate 2, Solenoid 5 (Q64) for Gate 3) is functioning by going into test and/or grounding their tabs. There is no clunk from these solenoids, only a little click, you have to be listening really hard to hear them activate, and then you'll only hear it if the bottom gate spring (spring 5 on the diagram) is moving the bottom plate back down.

P.S. if anyone needs the second (front) gate assembly A-19110, I have a couple of spare ones I ended up with when I was looking for one for mine.Let me know if interested.

The stainless is blocking the path to the solenoid and where the spring would connect to the ramp gate.
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Early production has nothing to do with it, I have a proto (complete with shifter, Delco on translight, printer board, and location testing sheets), The parts are all still there. For some reason the front gate got removed on a lot of the machines (it was fully missing on mine machine when I got it.) I think the ramps cracked and the solenoid put pressure on the ramps, and they got disconnected because of that.

I put a spacer down to the playfield to reinforce my gate assembly, so it couldn't crack the ramp again.

OK, I took the two springs to mean the small 10-120 spring that pulls the plate back open, and the long 10-194 spring between the plate and the gate. Not two springs in place of the plate to gate spring, that's probably too much tension, or not enough play to overcome, even when active. I know I had to stretch out my spring between the plat and gate so it would close correctly (it's a very tight window in which it works).

Gate three is normally closed, but will open when Gate one is tripped (actually the opto in front of gate 1) if the lock light is not lit; thus allowing a ball to pass through the engine when lock is not lit. It only opens for short periods of time to keep the solenoid from overheating.

Removing the spring would close the gate. Putting the spring on with the correct tension would hold the gate open until the solenoid pulls in, which would then close the gate. The small spring on the plate itself pulls down on the plate, which then pulls down on the thin spring going to the gate, which holds the gate open until the solenoid turns on and pulls the plate up, releasing tension on the thin spring allowing the gate to close.

Updating old thread to add a picture of a post added to support entry gate for use in helping someone repair a front gate...

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