This is the advice that ReplayRyan gave me about 7 years ago on this exact same issue:
"On the Itchy & Scratchy 3-bank target assembly there is 1 coil that raises all targets together, and 3 mini coils that drop the targets. However, the 3 mini coils are basically magnets, and even though there is a separate one for each target, they are all daisy chained together and supposed to activate and drop the targets in unison (although it will continue to fire if it senses not all targets dropped). On each mini coil, a magnet pulls one end of a metal tab down that is positioned like a see-saw, so that the other end moves upwards to put slight pressure on the target and causes it to drop. You can lift the playfield and watch the assembly in coil test (#30 should active all 3) to confirm. When this isn't happening, check the following:
- Make sure each drop target has an intact spring behind it (probably does if your drop targets drop normally from ball contact), is properly aligned and not chewed up near the mini coils.
- Check the Molex connectors with 2 larger brown wires, and 3 or 4 (I forget) smaller wires, near the assembly. Often times one of the wires will get pulled and not make adequate contact.
- Inspect the terminal lugs on each of the 3 mini coils. If a wire along the chain gets pulled, a mini coil earlier in the chain may work but not the later ones. When in doubt, use a DMM to check continuity between the wires at the Molex connector and each lug. Make sure each diode is intact and not shorting to the metal plate (it's cramped in there).
- If one of the mini coils is getting power but not firing like the others, check to make sure the metal tab/see-saw that it pulls on rocks manually. You can also clean the magnet tip with a Qtip. If you do all this and the mini coil still doesn't work, it probably needs to be replaced. It's only $10, but swapping it out is a bit of a pain."
Allen, TX
