Have a confusing problem with a 2-player Bally Hokus Pokus. After cleaning up the high-current contacts, adjusting spinners, etc., the game isn't starting up properly. Got it to where it goes thru a reset/startup sequence. After the score reels reset, the tilt relay activates and ball counter continues to count up to the 3rd (or 5th) ball and then hits Game Over, all continuously. (Ball is removed while testing.)

The tilt circuit does seem to be shorted--continuity between tilt bob and ring bracket. Checked the connector for the tilt mech and still a short there between the tilt bob wire and ground, so it's not the tilt mech itself. Any idea where the short might be? We reseated all connectors, looked for a short, found nothing. Didn't mess with the reset motor/cams/switchbanks!

For a while the start button would only count down a credit, then we manually held the reset and interlock relays and got it to cycle. After a while, the credit button would go thru startup but continue counting up the balls until Game Over. Checked the contacts and clearances on the relevant relays--reset, ball count, tilt, lock, etc. Any ideas?

Sorry for the delay in responding. Thx for the suggestion. HP has 2 of these slam tilt switches, one in the cab and one under the pf. They both work fine, and trigger separately during the startup sequence, so neither one is shorted.

I was hoping someone might be familiar with physical routing of the tilt coil wire, to suggest where it may be shorted to ground. (That's what I suspect is going on here!) Anybody? Pretty sure the relevant circuits are all in the cabinet (startup, tilt, hold, etc.) and the problem isn't in the pf or backbox wiring. (Or does the tilt coil wiring connect to the ball count mech?)

Thx. One of the first things I tried was checking continuity between the tilt bob wire and ground at the jones plug. And it is shorted. Thus my comments above, asking for suggestions on where the short to the tilt relay coil might physically be. Hoping to narrow down the "search"!