How many switches score 5000 points? Look closely at those switches - put a small piece of paper between the contacts or slip a piece of shrink tubing over one of the contacts for each of those switches. If that doesn't clear it, look closely at the wiring loom to make sure you did not run a staple thru one of the wires.

On most other games, the first suspect would be the 5000-point relay. Abra Ca Dabra, however, does not have one of those.

Here’s the first step in isolating the problem: you need to find out what is running the score motor, which is the only way 5,000 points can be scored continuously. Here are the relays that can run the score motor: E, G, C, D, S, W, AX, score motor 1C. Not all are likely culprits, especially not the last one on the score motor. My hunch is it’s E or G. Anyhow, let us know which of these is engaged while the 5,000 points are scoring non-stop.

That braid is only used by the light circuit, so it’s unlikely to be a factor in the issue you are experiencing.

G is the 500-point relay and there are a lot of switches that can engage it. I highlighted G’s circuit on this excerpt from the schematic.

ACD (resized).png

It’s a given that the G relay is engaged when the game is scoring 500 points continuously, but is the Q relay also engaged? It’s a series relay involved in tripping the 1-4 sequence via a smaller concentration of switches. It also makes G engage to score 500 points. If Q is engaging, it will help you isolate your problem to just eight switches.

Any observation of other relays engaging when the score motor is turning would be helpful. Are you hearing a buzzing sound from any relays? You should definitely hear a buzzing if Q is engaged, because one of the trips on the sequence bank will be constantly pulling, which is very noisy.

Q Relay (resized).png

Now that you’ve ruled out the Q relay from engaging, let’s rule out one other thing on this relay: one of its two switches engages the G relay, so you want to look at the switch that is normally open. Make sure it is not gapped too closely. Its contacts could be touching, which would explain what is happening.