Sounds like maybe your player stepper unit either has a broken spring, is not stepping down to the beginning, is gunked up, or maybe the peg is on the wrong side of the end of stroke switch. I would assume almost 100% that your issue is there.

Hi jgecmd
You give a "short" description - You start a new game -> Reset is done and a ball appears in the shooter lane. Question-1: In the Backbox is lighted "1 Player can play" - or "4 Players can play" -> here: http://www.ipdb.org/showpic.pl?id=972&picno=36603 I see " 4 Player can play (in this game)".

You only have started a game for one player -> Player-1 plays the ball (Pl-1-Ball-1), looses the ball -> Player-2 plays Pl-2-Ball-1 -> Pl-3-Ball-1 -> Pl-4-Ball-1-> and NOW (Question-2): strange thing happens (what ?) - OR the play goes on (as a regular 4-Player-Game) -> Pl-1-Ball-2 -> Pl-2-Ball-2 -> Pl-3-Ball-2 -> Pl-4-Ball-2 -> also Ball-3 -> Game-Over or -> also Ball-4 -> also Ball-5 -> Game-Over ?

Please answer Question-1 and -2. Greetings Rolf

Your "Coin Unit" is probably gummed up and stuck at the maximum position.

You keep mentioning the player unit, everyone is pointing you to the "coin unit". With the playfield up, hit the credit button and watch the coin unit. Does it reset? Does it step up with additional credits? Does it step down on reset?

Hi jgecmd
One sentence (what to do): Locate the "Coin-Unit" and have a good look - do You see a (loose) broken-off wire and a "Solder-Point at the Unit" WITH "Solder on it" - BUT: "No wire soldered-on" -> solder-on the loose wire.

Explanation: ipdb.org has not a manual for "Fun Fest" - lets look at: http://mirror2.ipdb.org/files/820/Williams_1972_Fan_Tas_Tic_Operator_Manual.pdf -page-16 (of 29, Ori-15). On the left (hand side) of the "bakelite square plate" I see (top -> down) "circles" and "squares" - I count 1,2,3 ... 17 (L-1, L-2 ...). On the bottom (from left to right) I count 1,2,3 ... 17 (B-1, B-2 ...).
The unit is drawn in position "(only) one player wants to play his game". If more players want to play (in that game): The Unit steps counterclockwise to Pos-2, Pos-3, Pos-4.
In the drawing I see a blade pointing at "L-9" (the light in the backbox is lighted: "One Player plays").
I also see a blade pointing to "L-15" (Solder-Lug with wire "Blue-Red" soldered on (for Player-1)).
I also see a blade pointing to "B-9" (Solder-Lug with wire "Red-White" solderd on (for-Player-1, Pl-2, Pl-3, Pl-4)).
I also see (no blade pointing at) "B-4" (Solder-Lug with wire "Red-Yellow" soldered-on (for Pl-2)).
I also see (no blade pointing at) "B-5" (Solder-Lug with wire "Red-Green" soldered-on (for Pl-3)).
I also see (no blade pointing at) "B-6" (NO Solder-Lug, NO wire soldered-on).

Therefore:
The connection "B-9" <-> "L-15" is for "One Player wants to play".
The connection "B-9" <-> "B-4" is for "Two Players wants to play".
The connection "B-9" <-> "B-5" is for "Three Players wants to play".
NO CONNECTION: "Four Players want to play".

If Your pin would be a "Fan-Tas-Tic" - I would say "the wire ("Red-White") has broken-off "B-9, Solder-Lug-wire "Red-White" - You have NO CONNECTION. Greetings Rolf

Look at the Coin unit. There's a limit switch, and often the activator for this limit switch gets "on the wrong side". This will keep the coin unit at 4 players.

this is described, with pictures, at http://www.pinrepair.com/em/index1.htm
i suggest you check that out.

This thread is old but I thought I would post a confirmation of the fix for the next guy. No connect on through the B-9 red/white solder lug fixed my WMS Pat Hand with this issue. Mine turned out to be oxidation on the B-9 copper trace but result was the same. No electrical contact through B-9 Red-White. Thanks Rolf_Martin_062! Your advice was spot on.