It's a common wear area. Cliffy makes a protector for it that makes the area look great and protects it from wearing more. http://www.passionforpinball.com/protectors.htm

IJ_3drop_slot_protector800_(resized).JPG

Those are the original high score defaults. You can change each one of those to whatever you want (including 00 so all you have to do is plunge the ball to get a high score if you like), with H.S.T.D. adjustments A4 10-14, the backup high scores. After you change those to what you want, you will still have to reset all the high scores one more time with reset H.S.TD. to see your new backup high scores displayed instead of the defaults.

You have to start the POA table moving in the direction you want the ball to go before you think you should, on mine anyway.

The worst is trying to get all those POA inserts during wizard mode. Uggggggggggggg.

Going to try this. How hard is it to get the scoop bracket out of there? That's what's been holding me up so far is not wanting to have to tear down much. I put in the foam, lowered the saucer, etc. but still rejects balls like crazy.

Thanks for the tips and the picture. Tried dead drop foam in the V shape like you have and I was still getting rejections at about the same rate as without. After trying that I removed the ball stop entirely and lined everything with foam as wolfy suggested. I'd say I'm getting 1-2 rejections out of 10 clean shots to the saucer now. So, not perfect, but better, though it lacks the satisfying metal thunk when the ball stop worked right. I can see why people say to drill out the ball stop and move it back because then you'll still have the downward angle of the ball stop acting on the ball. Wish there was a perfect fix for this - the mode start rejection is such a drag.

I'm having some trouble with my upper ball gates - the left and right gates near the lanes at the top. Can someone explain how these are supposed to function in a game - when they're supposed to open and close? Is there a loop shot at any point?

My left functions fine in solenoid test, but locks on when the left ramp made switch is closed (!). My right doesn't do anything in test and not sure what it does during the game.

Thanks for the info on the loop shots, guys. I took my right gate apart and I think the spring had slipped to the wrong part of the wire so it wasn't opening. They're both opening now - funny because I've had IJ for awhile, but I don't think this gate has ever been working and I didn't notice!

So, can you confirm that when you shoot a ramp (during normal play) it opens the respective gate for awhile. So right ramp opens right gate for awhile, left ramp opens left gate. Mine does this.

Any advice on how to get the POA adjusted perfectly or a description of how a well-adjusted POA should play? On mine, holding right allows the ball to travel down the entire right side. Holding left, however, and the ball ends up in the first hole (won't travel down left side), so to make the left hand switches you have to juggle the ball over from the right. I've tried adjusting the POA as far left as possible many times, but it doesn't seem to have enough play in that direction and the result is always as above. Normal?

Thanks guys - I finally got it adjusted properly this afternoon. I can see now that there isn't any magic to it, just adjusting the position of the POA against the position of the opto switch so that the opto switch is level when the POA is level. Kind of hard to get just right though! I've never been able to complete Eternal Life, but I think this is going to make it substantially easier... Truthfully, I wasn't really sold on IJ at first, but after fixing the little things like this and the mode start rejection, I've enjoyed it much more!

Beelzeboob's right. Removing the ball stop scoop works best. It's all metal behind the scoop, so take it out, line the interior with foam = drastically better. The only thing you lose is that nice metal thack. Removing the ball stop makes it kind of mushy, but hey, much fewer rejections.