Don't hire someone, learn it yourself and enjoy the process. If you're going to be owning pins you'll need to know how to do this stuff.

http://techniek.flipperwinkel.nl/wpc/index2.htm#switch

http://techniek.flipperwinkel.nl/wpc/index3.htm#dot

In kentucky I pay about $60 an hour when I cant fix stuff. You can try to trouble shoot yourself. Handy is not really a part of it just whats your level of comfort with taking advice and learning how to work on the game. Your description of the problem is a little generic - lets see if we can get you to a more specific problem.

However, I would first suggest you open up the coin door. Put the game in test switch mode. The buttons on the coin door will let you get there remove the glass and test the switches. When you activate a switch does the right one show up in the menu? Do more then one show up? Can switch 41 be activated? You might need a manual they can be found at ipdb.org

For example if your not so great at the game yet, you might not have made a goal in 20+ games making the game think that its got a problem when it does not.

Welcome to Pinside! WCS is a great game.

If I remember my brother's WCS correctly.....Switch 41 on the goal trough is an opto ("electric eye") that detects when the ball rolls past it on the way to the VUK (vertical up-kicker) on the RH side of the goal. An opto has a transmitting side (LED) and a receiving side ("eye").

Easy way to check is to go into "Test" mode in the menu, select "Single Switch", and then use your finger or a piece of paper to break the beam of the opto. It should beep at you and show Switch 41 on the display. If it doesn't, you may have a bad opto.

To check this, first look at the transmitter side. The LED should be lit up (most likely red). To check the receiving side, look at the opto with the camera on your phone, as the naked eye cannot see the light wavelength emitted. A functioning opto should look lit up in a purple hue.

If either opto side is burned out, you'll have a little bit of soldering to do....

Good luck!

Later,
EV

The receiving opto doesn't emit light, thus it doesn't burn out. Your problem is most likely the transmitting opto not getting power, or an alignment issue between the two.

Those are 2 great links! Thanks for pointing them out

http://techniek.flipperwinkel.nl/wpc/index2.htm#switch

http://techniek.flipperwinkel.nl/wpc/index3.htm#dot

As others have said, it is an opto switch. Look in there and clean both sides ( Q Tip, moistened ) and look for broken wires.

Go into switch edge test and pass your finger between them and see if it works.

All good and doesn't work ? Then you need some hands on help to go further.

LTG : )

Welcome.

Suggest you purchase and watch TOP DVDs numbers 3 & 4 ASAP; they'll give you some good general knowledge of pinball basics for your type of machine and what tools to buy:

http://www.pinrepair.com/top/

You can always ask for help here--the vids will just get you up to speed in a hurry (so you'll be able to understand the play called in from the sidelines).

Too expensive not to learn pin repair...huge waste of money that could be spent on something sensible like more games.