Yay.

1: Well, part of this one is to look at the part of the schematic that has the lights on it. But it's not here. So, if I had that part of the schematic, I would look at the game over light and see what turns it on and off. Once I see that, I've got a clue as to what happens after the 5th ball is played, which might lead me to how the game is supposed to know how to prevent the ball return coil from firing.

When playing a game, does the ball count unit operate? Do the ball in play lights work in the head? Once it hits 1 ball to play, does it just stay there and keep serving balls for a never ending game? If s, with respect to the switches on the ball count unit, look at them...watch what happens as you operate the add coil from 1 to 2, then 2 to 3, 3 to 4...nothing should change the state of those switches. From 4 to 5, one switch should make and another should break. Is that what's going on?

2. Weak: clean cabinet flipper switches; you'll need a metal file. Get them shiny, and flat. Adjust so that when the button is pressed, the contacts touch all over, like a penny stacked on another. All the power goes through those switches to the coil. Clean and adjust the EOS switches next to the flipper coils. Make sure they are clean, tight contact, and only open at the very end of the switch. Then all the other usual suspects...replace coil sleeves, make sure plunger isn't rusty, gummy from the 3 in 1 oil somebody squirted in there in 1978, or mushroomed and clean or grind or replace. Replace the bakelite links between the pawl and the plunger if there is slop, caused by the ovaling of the link over time. Deeper press: adjust the flipper switch on the left to match the gap on the one on the right. Make sure that the return spring is set the same for both flippers, and that it is set to the weakest position that brings the flipper to the home position. If it is set too tight, the flipper power is wasted trying to fight the spring on the way up. Make it's load light as you can.

You should probably also set the power to the high tap position on the transformer by moving the red wire from the normal loop to the high loop. That will add about 10% more power to the flippers, and everything else.

3. Inserts: worry about them after you get the game playing 100%, then read up on RGP for how to level inserts or cupped inserts.

Yay.

1: Well, part of this one is to look at the part of the schematic that has the lights on it. But it's not here. So, if I had that part of the schematic, I would look at the game over light and see what turns it on and off. Once I see that, I've got a clue as to what happens after the 5th ball is played, which might lead me to how the game is supposed to know how to prevent the ball return coil from firing.

When playing a game, does the ball count unit operate? Do the ball in play lights work in the head? Once it hits 1 ball to play, does it just stay there and keep serving balls for a never ending game? If s, with respect to the switches on the ball count unit, look at them...watch what happens as you operate the add coil from 1 to 2, then 2 to 3, 3 to 4...nothing should change the state of those switches. From 4 to 5, one switch should make and another should break. Is that what's going on?

2. Weak: clean cabinet flipper switches; you'll need a metal file. Get them shiny, and flat. Adjust so that when the button is pressed, the contacts touch all over, like a penny stacked on another. All the power goes through those switches to the coil. Clean and adjust the EOS switches next to the flipper coils. Make sure they are clean, tight contact, and only open at the very end of the switch. Then all the other usual suspects...replace coil sleeves, make sure plunger isn't rusty, gummy from the 3 in 1 oil somebody squirted in there in 1978, or mushroomed and clean or grind or replace. Replace the bakelite links between the pawl and the plunger if there is slop, caused by the ovaling of the link over time. Deeper press: adjust the flipper switch on the left to match the gap on the one on the right. Make sure that the return spring is set the same for both flippers, and that it is set to the weakest position that brings the flipper to the home position. If it is set too tight, the flipper power is wasted trying to fight the spring on the way up. Make it's load light as you can.

You should probably also set the power to the high tap position on the transformer by moving the red wire from the normal loop to the high loop. That will add about 10% more power to the flippers, and everything else.

3. Inserts: worry about them after you get the game playing 100%, then read up on RGP for how to level inserts or cupped inserts.

Are you in a spot yet where you can tell what turns on the Game Over light from the schematic?

It's just the make/break switch on XB. When XB is not tripped, the Ball Count lights are able to light (via the position of the Ball Count wiper). When XB is tripped, that make/break switch changes state, and then the Game Over light should turn on.

Does the wiper disc on your Ball Count unit have the black cloth-covered bridge wire on the pair of spring-loaded fingers?

Take the diode off. You simply clip it off with some pliers or cutters and it should work fine. Note that the coil may not be the issue, however, with your ball-kicker. There's a whole thread about this somewhere around the EM forums (Dirtflipper started it) on the topic. Anyway, you can clip that diode off and the coil will work fine.

The geometry of passing the ball through to the shooter lane is critical and Gottlieb's design here was not as reliable as say Williams (later copied by Gottlieb!). I have tinkered with the coil/plunger on that kicker lever with some success. They redesigned the hole that the ball sits in the mid 70's, but I'm not sure it made it better.