Sounds like the switch TO the lower PF works, and you are ALWAYS allowed to use the lower flippers.
This used to work fine 100% of the time, but now it doesn't?
Sounds like it's an intermittent problem?
Often intermittent = vibration = wires or connections. Any chance there's a broken/loose wire hiding in the mix?

I had this issue, but for me it was the "gate wire" not being the right length iirc. I had to get an original one, and I asked Cliffy to build me a new one from a length of wire, using an original as his guide. Of course he made the new a perfect copy. I had no problems after that. The issue was the little part that sticks out to push the ball, wasn't getting enough wire on the ball to move it. When I moved it in and out enough times, it became clear to me. I also had two Black Holes in the garage at the time, so I could compare and contrast -- that always makes diagnostics quicker.

I presume in your case, this is a situation where things all worked FINE before this issue, so you likely have the correct length of wire in there, yeah?

I resolved all of this visually by experimentation with the top PF up vertical, and starting a game by hand, by manipulating the start switches with a game "on" with no balls in the machine...

-mof

"the ball sometimes kicks back up the lane and gravity doesn't take hold in time to clear the solenoid gate"

Hmm...
Don't get what you mean there. perhaps take a few photos and mark 'em up to show the steps that are happening. Ideally, snap a vid.

-mof

I have this same issue. Has anyone come up with a mod to make this more reliable? Sometimes it seems like the wire on my machine gets stuck. Nothing more frustrating then having this happen during multiball.

Bringing this thread back from the dead....

I'm having the -exact- issue with my BH, any ideas or suggestions that might happen since the last time this thread was bumped?

Thanks!

~ja

Mine had the same problem. In my case the ball was sometimes getting caught on the first drain gate switch because the switch leaf tension was a bit too high. i.e. I could manually place the ball just before the switch wireform, then let go of the ball and the ball would sometimes get caught sitting on the switch wireform just before actually reaching the first gate release.

Once I softened the switch enough so the ball always rolled over it no matter how little momentum the ball had, the issues of the ball getting caught at the first drain gate release disappeared.

Of course once softening the switch you still need to make sure the switch is making decent contact when the ball is sitting at the gate release in order for the first release solenoid to activate.

In my case I believe is a matter of pitch, I took out the LPF and I noticed a slight warp on it, tonight I going to align the machine and play with the pitch, your switch suggestion is also a good idea.

Thanks to all for your input!

~ja