I'm having a problem with my Metallica. The 1st drop target has stopped registering. Today I pulled the drop target mech out of the game. With it plugged into the game, in test mode, the only way i could get it to register is if i pointed the opto at a light and then activated the drop.

I unscrewed the opto board and while in test mode, the only way the 1st opto registers is if i pass an object so close that it almost touches. The other 2 optos register much farther away.

Before I buy a new opto board I wanted thoughts on if it indeed is the opto board or if theres something else I should try 1st.

I dont think that theres a reciever. It's on the inline drop bank. I'll check for a cold solder joint when I get home

I checked, no cold solder joints. I wouldn't expect one being as new as this game is. (750 plays)

If the black plastic piece that goes between the opto and the bracket is in place, the opto doesnt register when passing an object in front of it. Without the plastic piece it seems to work fine. The hole in that piece seems to be in the right place. At this point I'm stumped.

pinballkyle nope. Still have the problem

To close the loop on this. I replaced the opto board that is used for these inline drops and that fixed the problem. I dont know if a component on the board died or if the opto went bad. But replacing it fixed it.