Some general tips to get started:

- make sure all the stepping units can move freely and correctly (e.g. ball count, score reels)
- make sure the score motor is able to turn. Home position is where the switch stack at position 1 is in a 'notch'
- manually reset all score reels to 0
- manually reset any relay banks (bracket full of relays with a large solenoid with reset plunger and bar)
- manually reset the ball count unit to the zero position
- check all the fuses and fuse holders
- check everything with a plunger (flippers, pop bumpers, slings) to make sure they can move freely
- check for any obvious loose wires
- check all the anti-cheat and tilt switches (some should be NC, some NO)

Now when you power up and start a game, there's less for the reset sequence to have to do. It should kick a ball out to the plunger. When the ball passes over the ball trough switch, the ball count unit should step once to Ball 1, and the playfield should become active (e.g. flippers work).

Sounds like part of that works. When you manually flipped the ball into the shooter, one thing to check is whether the Ball Count unit stepped once. The Ball 1 light could just be burned out.

Check if any relays are stuck on (hearing a humming sound), or if any score reels are stuck trying to step.

Need to check all the switches on the score reels, to make sure the three that control the zero position, 1-9 (runout), and 9th position are all working correctly. If you're getting both 10 and 100 at the same time, it could indicate that the 10's 9th position switch is closed, or that there's stuck scoring switches on the playfield.

As for doing it systematically, I'd suggest focusing on the ball kickout first. Getting a game to reset, start, count 5 balls, and go to Game Over are the hardest part. Everything in between is just scoring stuff, and can be isolated.

When just starting out, this 'top down' approach is OK, but realize that there are likely multiple issues all happening at once. Eventually, the switch stacks all need to be tightened, all the switch contacts burnished, all moving parts degunked, lubed, etc. It becomes easier to just do that all first (i.e., 'bottoms up') and catch all the simple stuff before even powering it on. But I digress...

Good luck!

The ball going over to the shooter shouldn't activate a chime. Does a score reel move as well?

The coin lockout coil in the front door may have a small hum to it; that's ok.

After the ball is kicked to the shooter, check in the backbox and make sure that none of the L, M, or N relays are locked on.

Sounds like it has a 'dead ball after Game Over' issue too. I have a post on that here somewhere (search EM Hangout for 'extra ball after game over' or such).

When the ball lands in the right kickout hole:
- the kickout hole switch closes
- the G relay should activate
- G locks on via its own switch
- a switch closing on G should run the score motor
- the right hole kicker should fire when a switch at score motor position 4C closes, but also requires a normally closed switch on D
- a switch opening at score motor position 2B deactivates G
- score motor stops running

So first thing to check is whether G is activating.

edit: oops, I see you say that the right hole relay is firing. I guess that's G. But the score motor isn't running, so I'd check the switches on G. There's a normally open switch that might need cleaning and/or gapping.

Have you checked the chime unit to make sure the plungers aren't stuck on the rebound pad? (or otherwise stuck)

Otherwise the 10 point chime is activated via a NO switch on N, and the 100 pt chime via a NO switch on M. The switches could need cleaning and/or gapping.

Always a good idea to tighten all the switch stacks, clean the contacts, and verify the gaps/operation (use a good strong light, they can 'look' ok, but not quite be opening or closing).

For the sling scoring both 10 and 100, check the 10's score reel 9th position switch and make sure it's open except when on 9.

Are you asking *how* to check if a switch is opening or closing, or are you asking how to check whether a switch *should* be opening or closing?

(AX and JX are interlock switches, so when latched, the NO switches should be closed/the NC switches should be open, and when unlatched, the switches should be in their 'normal' state.)

Use a good, strong light and look at the switches closing/opening from the side view, at different angles.

Sorry for coming to the table late here but the above quote gets my vote. This is the routine I go through on most games that come through me. On a truly project game this is a must. You'd be amazed at how many issues you find on a game with this approach, neglected or otherwise.

The head is easy. Set it on a workbench, pull up a stool, a beer is optional, and go over every switch on every relay, score reel, and stepper. I first tighten the relay stack screws, then put a hard point file across every contact pair, then check for proper gap and wipe. Next on to the score reels. Put the hard point file across every contact pair then check for proper gap. Next on to the steppers. Make sure they advance up and down properly. Scrub the rivet heads on the ball in play or player unit, then apply a small amount of super lube. Lube the metal to metal pivot points of each stepper with Tri Flow teflon lube. Obviously rebuild anything mechanical that is not right or worn or missing.

The main relay board is next. I pull it totally out of the game. Be careful pulling connectors off of coils. On the newer Gottleib games where the coil bobbin is plastic it is easy to pull the solder tab right out of the bobbin. Same sequence as for the head minus the score reels. One relay at a time - tighten the stack screws, hard point file across points, check for gap and wipe and adjust accordingly. Then on to the steppers. Be sure to check any switches on the steppers. Replace the power cord if it is not grounded.

On to the playfield after this. Same routine for what is there. Check all of the playfiled switches for proper gap and wipe.

Be patient and methodical. You'll be amazed how many issues you will surface along the way. Keep in mind that most switches don't need adjusting. Get a feel for what proper set up is.

I'd say the above is a solid 3 hours or so if you have issues to reconcile as you go. If things are lined up properly then less time.

Once I have all of this done then I plug it all back together and see how well I did. Then, if there are issues still, come back here.

Mike O.

Go back and check gap on each switch on each of those relays. It should be clearly opened or closed at each position. Clearly closed means at least 1/32" of wipe but not much more. Clearly opened means at least 1/32" of gap but not much more.

JX is the 100,000 relay, so that won't affect startup (but should be unlatched).

AX will though. Is it in the unlatched position?

The 'extra leaf' is the switch 'override' and is just there to help close the real switch blade when the ladder stack is pulled down.

The switches' correct position is self-evident; if the long blade is on top of the short blade (i.e. the long blade gets pull down onto the short blade), then that should be NO; if the short blade is on top of the long blade (i.e. the long blade gets pulled away from the short blade), then that should be NC.

I think AX has six NO switches and two make/break.

If you manually trip the Start relay, does the reset sequence take off?

Score reels won't move if at zero already, and ball count won't advance until ball goes over the trough switch. So that sounds correct.

That suggests the path to the Start relay via the replay button now has an open in it. Check the anti-cheat switch on the coin door and the bounce switch on the bottom cabinet board to ensure they're both closed.

If the coin door still has the coin mech trip wires, try starting a game with the left one. That bypasses some logic path.

Also make sure the Hold relay (R) is on.

Could be. Switches at positions 1C and 2B need to be closed.

Having fun yet?

The first one is challenging, but this is how we learn. Follow along on the schematic too, and make the association between what's there and what you see on the game. In this case, you're working on the path from the Start relay back to the 15A fuse (and there are seven switches on this path - a more complex one.)

Look at the lower left side of the schematic for a picture of the "motor switch positions".

The positions are numbered 1-4 clockwise around the bracket (should be labeled on the bracket too).

The switch levels are lettered A through E, bottom to top, and are 'fixed' positions, not relative (i.e., level C is always the one aligned with the top cam, not the third switch stack up). There may not be switches at every level (and usually aren't).

So 1C will be a switch stack that rides on the top cam edge, and 2B will be a switch stack that is one below that level, but on the next bracket post clockwise from position 1.

I only have a Bank Shot schematic, so it might be different in this detail, but down in the lower left there's a table that has rows of positions, and columns of levels.

The cell for position 1C has 1A, 5B, and "S" pos.
This means one NO switch and five NC closed switches, and the dogbone should be in the S slot of the dogbone bracket. ['A' = NO; 'B' = NC; 'C' = make/break]

The cell for position 2B has 1A, 3B. So one NO and three NC.

Now, check those cells on your schematic and see what they say.

OK.

Is the Ball Count unit reset to the zero position? If it is, step it once (or more) so that it's not. Then with a credit on the credit unit try pressing the replay button.

dogbone is what Gottlieb calls the black metal lifter that rides on the score motor cam and raises/lowers the switch stack. It sits in a silver metal bracket that kinda looks like a flat tuning fork.

OK.

On the bottom cabinet board is a small jones plug labeled "1st Coin Chute Adj." and I think it's currently plugged into the spot labeled "2nd Chute Adj."

Move this plug over to "1 coin 1 play".

Then try tripping the left coin mech wire.

There should only ever be one in the 'L' position (2C). All the others should be in the 'S' position.

OK, then that means the S relay didn't activate then, right? (i.e., tripping the left coin mech wire didn't cause S to pull in).

I'll post a snippet of the schematic so you can see the path to debug.

Here's the path that goes through the replay button:
Replaypath.jpg

Here's the path that bypasses most of that and goes through the coin mech switch:
Coinchutepath.jpg

When the coin chute adjustment plug was in the "2nd Chute Adj." I think you said tripping the left coin mech added credits.

If that's true, then everything up to that plug must be working (i.e., 1C, 2B, anti-cheat, bounce, fuse). Putting the plug in the 1 Coin 1 Play spot then goes directly to S, so if that still doesn't work, then that suggests the S relay itself has an issue.

If you press the switch ladder on S to activate it manually, does it stay locked on, or does it just spring back out?

Oh wait, then that's good. That means you can start a game then. The credit wheel won't advance in this setting, since it's set to 1 Coin, 1 Play (i.e., it just starts up).

So put the ball in the outhole and go.

We'll revisit the replay button path later. It's one of four switches as highlighted in the top picture above (between the S relay and score motor switch 1C).

Don't hit the replay button. Trip the left coin mech.