Sorry I can't help with your problem - but WELCOME to Pinside. There are some great EM folks here who I'm sure will chime in eventually.

For a start, look over what kicks the balls up. Could be as simple as a good cleaning of the pivots points and a drop of fresh oil.

LTG : )

Sounds like your score motor is running, but a switch must have build-up on it and not engaging. That happens when they sit. EMs are tough to figure out (at least for me) without seeing it in person. You will have to see what relays are engaging when it happens which means lifting the pf. If you do this - be very careful with high voltage present in certain places. Best to try to find someone local to help out

you won't need that talent... that's a big no-no on an em...

as alluded to in the couple other posts, the issue is likely not with the part making the "kerchunk" noise... it's a dirty switch and/or a gummed up "something or other"... i'm a rookie, but starting with whatever advice lloyd gives is never a bad thing...

do you have a schematic? that would likely help...

Send a PM off to Chris Hibler here on the board. He will point you in the right direction.

Would a moderator please move this to the EM section.

Where is the ker-chunck coming from? Are you getting the scores when the ball goes in the hole? Can you lift the playfield and activate one of the holes and look to see where the ker-chunck is coming from?

And ccotenj is correct in that you never want to use electrical spray on it. It is very flammable and with all the sparks under the playfield it could easily start a fire.

It's not likely all the switches in the holes have the same problem, but for starts I would check and clean each switch to see if clean and properly adjusted...POWER OFF!

First check the switch stack screws to see if they are tight, if loose tighten the one closest to the blades. Then you can adjust if needed. Those Bakelite spacers between the blades can swell and shrink due to temp.

It may be the score motor switch that is responsible for the power to the kick out holes...could be dirty or not adjusted properly. You would need the schematic for that to find out which one, or sometimes the motor chart is still inside the cabinet.

Hopefully others will chime in and maybe somebody w/the exact fix. Good luck.

Here is some good information on repairing EM's that might help you out.

http://www.pinrepair.com/em/index.htm
http://www.pinwiki.com/wiki/index.php?title=EM_Repair

Dickydo,

All three of the saucers activate the bonus unit; the top saucer advances the bonus and the two side saucers count them down.

If the bonus unit is being activated but is not then sending the signal to kick the ball, one of the switches needs adjusting to insure that it is tight and closing.

With the game on, glass off, and the coin door open, drop a ball into a saucer and then look under the playfield. You should see the score motor running and making your "kerchunk".

Your schematics should help you trace the path from the saucers to the bonus unit and then score motor. Tighten all switch stacks, lightly run some emory cloth between the swithes and adjust as necessary.

Good luck!