Not too long ago, someone posted a Bally document that showed the start up sequence for early games. I should have saved it when I saw it, but I didn't, and now I can't find it- can anyone help?

My Cue Tease has developed an interesting problem. When the game is first turned on, the reset bank won't reset. If I reset it by hand (or, if I just reset the start relay) it will start up and play fine. I can usually play for as long as I like, though occasionally while I'm playing, I'll be unable to start a new game for the same reason. I've attached the schematic snippet for the reset bank coil. All of these switches are in the correct positions, and have been cleaned multiple times.

I'm a little perplexed, and open to any idea the hivemind might have to correct this.

cue tease schematic 2 (resized).jpg

https://pinside.com/pinball/forum/topic/bally-1964-startup-sequence

I just found the startup sequence post. I assume my Cue Tease (1963) would be similar if not identical.

"The coin relay will energize the reset relay, through a game over relay switch (if your game won't start, try cleaning the contacts on the game over relay; a very common Bally problem)."

Hmm... I don't see that on the schematic, but I guess I'll start there.

With slight hesitancy (don't want to jinx myself) I think I've got this one figured out. I cleaned the reset at start relays thoroughly (again) and it seems to have resolved itself.

Anyone know what controls the alternating of the pop bumper lights? One pair works great, the other flickers a bit. It's not the sockets, as the pair works perfectly when I apply power with a power supply, so I suspect a dirty switch in whatever alternates them, but there's no obvious alternator.

Thanks Mark! I’ll go take a look in a bit and report back. I do have a score motor chart. I should scan it and send it to ipdb.

That worked!

Score motor page attached for posterity.

C261AB6D-4341-44F3-8F06-9B866AA99072 (resized).jpeg

Correct- there’s a notch when it’s open, and a peak when it’s closed.

I don’t have a scanner at home, but when we return to the office, I’ll make a proper scan of it.

Yup! Ed shared that with me some time back. Did you ever see the “after” pictures?

I’ll take a picture so you can see what I’m talking about.

So my cautious optimism was warranted. When I went downstairs to take the picture of the score motor, I decided to play another game… and it wouldn’t start.

I’m wondering if it might be a mechanical issue, as the start relay was unlatched. I latched it, game started fine. A couple of games later, it did the same thing… wouldn’t start a new game and the start relay was unlatched again.

On the plus side, the pop bumper lights are working perfectly.

Score motor photo- the “c” stack is at six o’clock in this photo. You can see the notch, and the little black bar that are the stop points.

E8D3B015-9305-40E1-840F-D69B7D35A312 (resized).jpeg

>Bally later moved to a motor where the cams are mounted on a shaft that runs horizontally and spins 180 degrees at a time as shown at

Yup. My Gold Rush has that type of motor.

Any thoughts on the start relay unlatching? That relay stack isn’t easy to service, but I’ll tear into it if I absolutely have to.

If the start relay is latched, it very briefly unlatches and the bank reset coil fires. If the start relay is not latched, the score motor just runs.

4B has already been cleaned.

With great trepidation, this is what I did. I *really* don't like disassembling switch stacks, but low and behold, there was one set of switches at the very bottom of the start relay stack that I hadn't been able to see, much less clean. Got that cleaned up, and played about 40 games... it re-started every time. So, fingers crossed, I think I *might* have this one solved.

I did notice an odd one while I was playing those 40 games... the "red" thumper bumpers (they aren't actually red... top right and bottom left for those keeping track at home) score 10 points when lit (as they are supposed to), but do not score 1 point when they are not lit. The "green" set works fine. I've stared at the schematic, and I can't figure that one out... I know it's not the switch, because it works for the 10 points. The relay on the bottom of the playfield energizes. There are three switches on that relay... one is the "at rest" position, the other is triggered when the EOS switch on the skirt closes... and the third is the scoring. Like I said, when it's lit, I can close it and it scores... when it's not lit, it's just dead.

It's not a major problem, but it is an annoyance, and one I'd like to resolve before I put the glass back in and call this machine done for a while.

Looks like it’s probably 1 switch… a make/break that toggles between the two positions. I’ll take a look at it in a bit and report back.

I was right- a make/break switch that needed a little tweak- it certainly *looked* like it was touching!

Of course, the start relay issue cropped up again when I first started the game, but didn’t happen again in subsequent games.