Mine does this so will be interesting to find out what the solution is - replace the opto?

It's odd because during tests it works perfectly using your hand to break opto. In game it happens through natural course of playing though. changing the pitch to 7.2 degrees seems to have cured mine for the most - before it was 6.5

Now the first ball sticks to the magnet and second ball starts multiball.

I can't think this is an opto issue as it wouldn't work at all? Could be a software opto flipper related problem.

Because of the magnet issue I thought the black hole was responsible for adding a ball but that is used to add the fourth one. - shoot all the red matter targets and then black hole to add the fourth.

The third ball is added by shooting vengeance again with the second ball within a certain time after locking ball 1 in the magnet to start the multiball. At least that is what I now believe is the case. It was confusing because nearly every time the second ball would get stuck to the first until the timer ran down and then I was adding a further ball by claiming the black hole award.

Did it fix the problem?

Well mine does it when I hold the right flipper but if I roll the ball manually they both release normal and a third is ejected. Both optos register normal in diagnostics.

So should I replace both the lower optos - if so what is the part or description I am looking for. Can't see it in the manual.

Could you post a pic of what you swapped to where. I would like to try this.

Weird because I emailed them a week ago about it and Patrick replied with some suggestions - none of them cured it.

Do you have a pic of what you did - might try this

I'm confused about which pins you bent and how.

I don't follow how if the opto is working fine in tests it can still be bad to cause this problem?

i put ferrite beads on them which completely fixed it - the twisting alone still had the very occasional issue.

Ferrite Clip On HEM3012 - http://www.maplin.co.uk/p/ferrite-clip-on-hem3012-n89ab (I imagine you can get these easy in USA so I wouldnt order from them)

A clip-on ferrite ring designed to cure electromagnetic & radio frequency interference at source. Always choose an internal diameter close to that of the cable or wind through several times. Always put ferrites at the noisy end of the cable.
Order Part Max Max Min Attenuation (Ω)
Code number diameter length hole dia 25 MHz 100MHz
N89AB HEM3012 13 25.5 2.4 93 158

I just put mine near the opto board on the playfield. Not a single issue now - it can't wait to spit out that third ball

Worked better than twisting which didn't completely fix it for me but maybe I did it wrong.

ferrite-clip-on-hem3012.jpg