Hello to all ! New here. This site is quite overwhelming!
I bought my first machine 1961 Egghead. I wanted EM because I collect old stuff and this was a sure fit. I do enjoy tinkering with old stuff. I bought a repair book learning a lot. I’ve learned that this must be a labor of love! Very frustrating!
I won’t give up the bug has bit me ..lol Got all the bulbs for Tic Tac Toe board working then close it up and one fails- fix again and another fails.. anyway,as frustrating as that is ... a new problem has developed that’s worse.. it hasn’t done this in the 2 months I’ve owned this machine. After launching ball, machine doesn’t respond to ball hitting bumpers. On second ball it may or may not work. Unplug, start again it may be fine. No ryme or reason. It may not do it again? The only thing I’ve noticed strange is machine used to only light up upon pushing start button. Now, as of this morning, it’s “lit up” upon plugging in machine, not just after pushing start button.
Anyone in Collinsville, IL area willing to get me on right path? Willing to pay for your time for “hands on” help. Seriously, I’m fairly mechanically inclined.. want to learn.Just need some experienced guidance. I work second shift so ... time for work! Thanks in advance! Kevin

Yes I do!

Mark,
Thanks so much for the detailed explanation! I will check out and learn to read the schematic. When I was doing all the bulb checks I did a lot of plugging / unplugging of the power cord. This is when things started messing up. I hit the replay button and all lights were lit up. I launch the first ball and nothing would work not even the flippers. I launched 2nd ball nothing again. On third ball things started working again. After that game I hit replay button, score goes to zero everything is still lit up looks good. This time it only messed up on the first ball. It was hit or miss like that for a couple more games. I then had to shut it down and go to work. I will see how it acts in the morning. Again, thanks for all your help I have some learning to do!

Kevin

Update: The problem I had with lights being on before replay button was pressed resolved itself.
Schematic reading is not coming easy to me but I’m slightly progressing. Faded wire coloring/ replaced wires don’t make it any easier. The hit or miss problem with machine acting like it’s in “tilt mode” is still happening. No ryme or reason.
When it does it I immediately lift play field and it resolves itself EVERYTIME!
In other words, I can’t open play field and poke around while it’s acting dead. Also as a side note: when it’s acting dead a little “Fonzie” hand thump (below right side flipper button) wakes it up. I suspicioned the metal ball trough as it always seems to have a humming sound from the ball release solenoid. Like I said It only does it with the play field down...? Any ideas ? Thanks! Kevin

Thanks for the help Mark and Howard! When the game acts up, all lights are lit,Score zeroes out, balls are released everything looks and sounds normal.
I will keep on trying to listen for something as I lift the play field. I can barely start lifting play field (with one finger) and it starts working.
It might do it once every 10-15 games.. it may do it once every 5 games. I have found no pattern to this. The Tilt light is not illuminated when it does this.
I tried a piece of wood holding play field up,and it won’t fail (at least not yet) . I stick a dowell rod through the slot (that I lifted play field with) to activate the flippers they worked every time. I will keep messing with it and report back. Again thanks for the help! Kevin

Thanks again for the help to all. Sorry for the delay...got a day off today.. I’ve been waiting for it to act up again with no luck so far! . Been playing off and on all day.
When it acts up here’s what happens: Push replay button( game is set up for free play) Game zeroes out, Lights come on everything and balls get released .No pop bumpers , no roll overs, no rebound rubber switches, no targets, no slingshots, no flippers, nothing. Everything is lit up but nothing responds.
A couple times when It acted like this I went ahead and launched the ball and let it drift down. Around the third of fourth ball it would start responding. Thanks!

Kevin

A little( long winded) update for the folks who helped so far. Your help is greatly appreciated! The game started “acting up” ( as previously described) every game. I opened front door and placed my trouble light inside. I would lift playfield while looking inside. The only thing I seen moving were the wires that went to all the Jones plugs. I suspicioned there was the problem in one of the wires.. When I blindly reached in to remove my light I apparently hit the tilt bob because I heard a “short” sound and game displayed tilt. When I pushed replay button nothing happened. I traced the wires and found the anti cheat switch? ( White -Green-Black) wire at front door was “knocked off” soldering post. I re-soldered the wire and have not had a problem with the game ever since? The mystery is..I just don’t know if this wire was barely making contact all that time? or I hit it when I removed my light. All I know is we have played probably 50 plus games with no problems whatsoever??? Any thoughts? Thanks for the help.. still learning! Kevin

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