I got my TOM back together a little over a week ago. I am fine tuning it now. I am having two problems:

1) Occasionally, the vanish shot will be recognized, but then kicked out without giving me another ball to launch. I don't recall this happening before I did the tear down. This vanish saucer (or whatever you call it) is a bit unusual. Anyone care to explain the ball flow on this? It is obvious that the configuration of that area is designed to accommodate a 2nd ball (as there are two separate switches). I presume it ejects the 1st ball, when the 2nd makes its way into the vanish lock.

2) Occasionally, the locked ball will SAY "ball 1 is locked" (more often "ball 2"), but will eject from the basement instead giving me another ball to launch. There is a pin that prevents the ball from flowing into the basement eject. This pin is held in place by a spring. I believe somehow the ball is making it past this pin. Unfortunately, it is difficult to capture because it is occasional, and the playfield has to be in position with the coin door closed (or the coin door switch closed).

Either the spring is too weak, and the pin is physically being forced down; or the pin is not tall enough, and the ball is making its way over.

Anybody else seen this?

FYI, I have checked all of the switches and solenoids. They are all working. So it is NOT that the hardware is getting fooled into allowing the ball to proceed down into the basement eject.

I did the trap door test and it worked perfectly. The correct switches were reported as I dropped balls behind the trunk.

A mixed up switch would have been nice. I wish/hope it is something silly that I have done. Then it will be easy to fix.

It's weird, because a mechanical malfunction would explain everything I am seeing. But when I get a ball locked, open the coin door, and try to force the malfunction, I can't. I use a screw driver and try to force the ball into the basement eject (past the pin), and I can't physically do it.

So I am back to switch malfunction. But none if the tests ever seem to fail.

I think I'm going to need a tripod inside the machine while I play, and do a video chat and watch what happens as I hit the lock shot. Hopefully that give me the info I need.

I was just hoping it was a common enough problem that someone had seen it before.