With the machine unplugged, you can manually operate the relay armature and see which switches are supposed to open and close. For example if you see a particular switch open with the armature relaxed, and see it is still open when you press the armature then it is out of adjustment.

With a no start I would first check to see if there is power getting to the start button switch. Do you have a multi-meter and schematic? Depending on whether there is or isn't power to the start button switch, it will give us an idea of what switches to check in the reset circuit...

Silly question but are there credits on the machine or, if it his been converted to Free Play, is that switch on the credit unit making good contact?

You need to to start at the beginning and tell what is actually happening.
Turn the machine off and back on, are there any lights on? As MrArt2u asked do you have credit? manually move the credit unit to a number like 10, even if it is set up for free play. Do you have a light on the apron lite, indicating credit?
watch and listen time, with the play filed up press the credit button, does anything happen?

and bugger, you resolved while i was still typing.
Good on you.

Hi sd29travis
in the old times the pins were on locations - no player had access to the inside of the pin. The manufacturer had made a circuitry with the "Replay-Button / Credit-Button / Start-Button to close" in that circuitry. The closed circuitry lets the Replay-Counter step down by one step. And they added another switch into that circuitry - in SERIES with the Replay-Button ("behind"): If one or both switches are open: NO current to the Replay-Counter. This second switch will open when the Replay-Unit steps down from 1 replay to Zero Replay.

When we set the pin to "Freeplay" we simply make the "Switch on Replay-Counter" beeing closed "all the time". Some people do bend a blade on the switch - I prefer to solder-on a short "visibly brand-new" wire - connecting the "solderpoints on the blades (where the original wires are soldered-on)" - and I make a little dokumentation: This short wire is to have the pin on "Freeplay".

When the Replay-Counter steps from "One" down to "Zero": It may open TWO switches. Here: http://www.ipdb.org/showpic.pl?id=2253&picno=2147 , on the left, above the text "Flipper Button" You see a "round plastik lighted" - the information to the player "THERE ARE Credits on the Replay-Counter". Maybe You want to set "permanently closed" both switches, so this light is lit permanently ?

When You start a new game when the Replay-Unit is on Position-Zero: The Unit tries to step down one position - but is mechanically hindered (no problem).

So if You HAVE credits on the counter: It will step down. Greetings Rolf

Hi sd29travis
WHAT funky things ?
I read your post-12 as "When I (You) push onto the 3-blade-switch mounted on top of the Credit-Unit the pin starts, does reset, I might start a game for another player, I can play until I get to Game-Over. The only thing not working is: I cannot START a game by pushing the "Replay-Button on the front of the pin / near the player". Is that reading correct ?

When You push the Replay-Button a circuitry should be established: Switch-on-Coin-Door - wires - Jones-Plug (connecting Coin-Door and bottom of Cabinet) -> wires / (switches / relays) -> wires inside up into the Backbox -> Jones-Plug (connecting Cabinet and Backbox) -> wires -> the "Zero-Switch*** on Replay-Unit. Somewhere in this You have a "open".
Zero-Switch**: The switch we manipulate for "Free-Play".

I would check first all Jones Plugs. Unplug the 110 VAC Line-Cord. Look at the Coin-Door - can You see "wires are soldered-on at the Replay-Button ?" ? Look at the Jones-Plug (connecting Coin-Door and Bottom of Cabinet): wires soldered-on (onto the male part) ? Unplug the Plug and look at the socket -> wires soldered-on on the lugs of the socket ? Is there Oxidation on the Plugs ? Push-in, pull-out, push-in, pull-out several times to "clean".
Go to the Backbox and do the same with the Jones-Plugs "make connection with the Backbox".
Please write about.
Maybe we must follow the schema (in ipdb.org) looking for wire-colors and switches / relays involved - maybe use a Jumper-Wire / Test-Light (?). In the schema, page-1 at D-3 I see the Replay-Button / Credit-Button. We must check the connection "Transformer-Yellow -> -> -> Credit-Button -> -> -> "Coil on Credit Unit Reset" -> -> -> "Transformer Power-side".
Greetings Rolf

Here is a video I made that shows the complete reset sequence of the Space Mission (And most 4 player Williams games of the period):

Go Steve, that vid has done some work now!!

Awesome video Steve!

Did you ever read the EM bible? I highly recommend reading it. Then read it again before you touch anything, and then, as you begin working out the kinks, keep your pc within arms reach of the machine. You will get great advice here, but there is no substitute for getting a good foundation of knowledge.

Good luck with it! I'm picking up a Space Mission in a couple of days. Great game!

curious, you say toy clicked the credit unit till it would not go no more...
I believe there are switches that tell the game what to do, which are moved by a peg on the gear wheel.
I do not think the reel shud go past the first or second click of blanks in window.
You may want to look at that step unit again, and look closely at the switches that peg moves, and make sure they are workin correctly.
You may have caused a switch blade to flip over the peg, and be on the wrong side of the peg.
just a guess...