So that I am clear: you have to trip the tilt relay to get start to work? I'd check the anti-cheat relay, followed by the start relay.

baldtwit could it be a hardened clutch? If 6B didn't open correctly (and the selection unit needed cleaning), the solenoid would lock on. Would 50V be diverted to enough other places that the anti-cheat would open during the cycle naturally? I'm surprised the fuse doesn't pop, if that were the case.

Pinstyle, are you holding the coin switch closed for a period of time? Try flicking it rather quickly - the game has a measure built in to prevent a coin on a string from being used to cheat it.

Also, Lite A Line does not have an extra ball feature - there should only be 5 balls in the trough, and each game, you will be served all 5 balls unless game is tilted before the 5th is lifted.

The game will award you the first three cards on a guaranteed basis - one per coin - then cards 4-6 on a randomized basis. You may get them on each successive coin or not. The machine gets into a more favorable position for granting you the cards with each additional coin/replay played.

For your coin switch issue, there are only a couple of switches in the path, and one works the same regardless of if you use the red button or the coin switch. That leaves the SPDT CU cam 6D vertical switch. Check that one closely. In fact, that's the one in your second photo, I believe.

For the search index coils, there should be a 15 Ohm, 5W resistor (sand type) mounted on one side of the coil. This holds power to the coil. In my experience if the resistor is open, the game wouldn't hold the winner. If it is shorted... I don't recall what would happen. I would think it would either smoke the coil or drop the win.

Can you photo the coil that's smoking?

Payout issues can be several things, but the most likely is always dirt on your search disc rivets.

The unit in the last photo looks like the Selection Unit. If it is then it should step-up six times and light each of the six cards 1-6. If it seems to be acting randomly (taking 7 or more steps to light all six cards) then barring the unit being gummed up, there is likely not enough tension on one of the vertical springs at the rear of the unit. This is most likely the problem. Also check the coil stop of the Step-up coil. Look at it closely to make sure that the diameter of stop itself is consist and and not "mushroomed". Also check the end of the plunger for the same type of damage. If either of the last two are damaged inspect the coil sleeve for integrity.

You didn't state if by "The coil locks on" you mean that it is energized or mechanically stuck.

I was just looking at the 2nd from last photo that you posted where you have a yellow arrow pointing to a set of switches. That set is a single-pole-double-throw switch so when the outside switch makes due to the lobe on the cam the inside switch breaks. It looks like both switches are closed. The inside switch (nearest to the cam) should be open.

Correction to my take on the Selection Unit. I was thinking that this game was a Lotta Fun with a Replay Register Meter. According to Bingo.CDYN.com Lite A Line lights the first three cards by the insertion of one coin per card and the remaining three on a mystery basis. So there must be a Random / Reflex Unit that handles the the random lighting of the last three cards. The site also states that this game has a Yellow-Line.

I'm guessing the game is for home use and you may not be into the mystery card lighting thing. I'm thinking that you can make the game give one card per coin (6 cards for 6 coins) by going to the Selection Unit Disc and locate the green wire w/black tracer. It should be soldered across three tabs on the disc. The next three tabs ought to have the following color wires connected to them: yellow w/black tracer, greenw/red tracer and green w/yellow tracer. Solder a jumper across all of them connecting those last three to the incoming green w/black tracer. So you will have six jumpered together. Then go to the Control Unit Cam #4. Cams are numbered starting at the motor and counting away from it. There should be one switch on that cam. Find the blade with the white wire w/blue tracer and slightly bend that blade up so that it is permanetly open. This will disable the Reflex Unit which you then wouldn't be using. This is if you are interested in playing the game this way. Wait until you have the game working properly to do this mod. If you chose to do it, make a note of the changes and attach it to the inside of the machine somewhere visible.

As far as your tilt issue goes look for the vertical switch mounted on Cam #6. This switch is a single pole double throw set. It is an Anti-Cheat circuit. Locate the blade with the red wire w/yellow tracer and visually inspect it to make sure that it is not closed. Place an insulator (piece of paper) between the contacts of this switch blade making sure that it basically won't work then try your game.

I think your tilt problem is the switch referenced in my 3rd post.

An easier method to do the 6-coins-for-6-cards mod would be to simply find the Selection Relay on the 5-Bank Relay coils (It should be the 2nd one). And either close the upper set of switches with the white wire & white wire w/yellow tracer OR disable the coil by removing one of the coil wires. This is simple and will allow you to immediately light all six cards one coin at a time.

If that is the Selection Unit then there is only one switch responsible for energizing that coil. It is Switch B on Cam #6 of the Control Unit. Count the stacks of switches starting at the motor and working away from it. When you get to the sixth switch stack look at the second switch from the bottom. That one pulses the Selection Unit step-up coil. This switch is part of the Start Cams Index. Make sure that these cams are turning as they should and that the clutch is not severly slipping leaving the cams sitting in place. Check the switch first. If it is open when the cams are at their "Home" position then you likely have a clutch issue. You could attempt to increase the pressre on the clutch by tightening the spring but if the leather clutch is dried out then it will have to be replaced. But first you could try to insert ONE DROP of neatsfoot oil (The kind used to season leather baseball gloves) on the pressure plate side of the clutch, rotate the cams by hand and let the clutch itself absorb the oil over a day or so and then try the game. Take a screwdriver and seperate the leather clutch from the pressure plate to get the oil in there. Excercise due caution to not damage the clutch. You could repeat this two or three times but if you over oil the clutch it will just slip and will not work and be just as bad as a dried out clutch. It's also possible that the clutch could be worn out but lets hope for dry. Let us know how it goes.

On the other hand, if the clutch has previously been oiled and seems to be slipping due to excessive oil, you can slip some plain white paper strips between the leather clutch and the pressure plate and leave it there for a bit. The paper will serve to absorb some of the oil and provide some friction to turn the cams.

Also, I don't see the Control Unit Motor in the picture but I'm assuming it is good. Make sure that its cooling fan blade is on it because these motors can overheat, bind up and stop.

BTW: Cam #6 is the same one that you have that yellow arrow pointing at. The upper switch blade (which should be open when the cams are home) completes a circuit to energize the tilt coil in the event that the coin switch is closed too long to prevent "stringing" the game to get free plays.

Your game seems to have more than one modification done to it. There was originally only a single switch on both Cam #4 and on the Start Cams Index Coil. The wire from Cam#1 looks to have been moved to the added switch on Cam #4. This wire had originally been part of the circuit to step up the Spotting Unit. I can't tell from the picture where they got the other wire as it looks to be part of the original wiring harness. I also can't yet make out what has been added to the Start Cams Index Coil.

Lite A Line Control unit (resized).jpg

You didn't mention what happened with the Selection Unit Step-Up coil. Switch 6D is not right. If the red wire w/yellow tracer touches the red wire w/green tracer while the coin switch is still down then the game will tilt. If the red w/green is not in contact with the black w/red then the game will not start. In the picture it appears as if all three contacts are touching. Normal position would be for the red w/green tracer to be touching the black w/red tracer. Red w/yellow has to be open and it looks like that is the one on the bottom switch blade. Check that wire. It looks like it's a double wire with one going to the tilt coil and the other going to the tilt plumb bob. If the coin switch is tripped with that bottom switch touching like that then the game will tilt. Something's not right there. Are you sure that the cams were in "home" position when that picture was taken? With the cams in home position the red w/green should be in contact with the black w/red. As the cams begin to rotate the red w/green moves away from the black w/red and connects with the red w/yellow and if the coin switch is still down will complete the path to the tilt coil. I don't want to say what I think so I'll just go to a similar game - A Shoot-A-Line - and inspect this switch. Shoot-A-Line was the follow up game to Lite-A-Line. I can also inspect the switches on the Score Indicator where as your game has two switches on the there with plastic coated wiring indicating that those two switches may have been added.

Regarding the switches on the back of the Score Indicator, the switches on the right hand side are a single pole single throw and a single pole double throw. The double throw looks O.K. but the bottom single throw looks like it's missing a blade. Maybe it's just the picture. On the left there appears to be three single pole single throw switches. When a game is won/added that plate rises and will allow the bottom switch and the top switch to open and cause the center switch to close. It appears that the top switch is already open when it should be closed. This opinion is based on the normal mechanical function of switches and spacers. That uppermost switch sure seems like an after market addition so I don't yet know its purpose, plus Bally didn't include the unit in the manual so I have to actually look at a game to determine what all belongs there.

I got to look at another Replay Register today (although on a Shoot-A-Line) and it has two switch sets on the left and two on the right. I believe that the top switch on the left side of your Replay Register is not a factory installation.
The middle switch on the left side looks closed and should be open. On the right side I initially thought that the top switch set was a single pole double throw but it's not. There are two individual single pole single throw switches on the right and both should be open and both close when a replay is added and the plate steps up.
It apears in the photo that the upper switch blade on the bottom set is touching the lower switch blade of the top set. I can't see it in the picture but there should be a fish paper insulator between those two switch sets. If not and these two switches from different sets are touching then this must be corrected. Even though your photos are excellent, it is still hard to see if the contacts are touching.

Nice job on the paper insulators on the score meter.