I have a WMS IJ. When I hit the ball in the center hole it does not get "popped up" into the idol like it is supposed to. The ball seems to get stopped in the subway and will only get ejected into the idol when the game goes into missing ball mode. I have checked all the switch optos in the subway and they are all working. I removed the subway and examined it. No obvious mechanical issues.

Has anyone else had this issue? Does anyone have any idea what to check next?

Thanks for the input guys. When I run the switch test it registers the ball. In other words, I put the game in test mode dropped a ball in the subway and as it rolled down the subway both optos registered the ball passing through the switch. Would you suggest just replacing them anyway? I do have some new ones on hand.

I did simulate what happens in a game by rolling a ball down the subway in switch test mode. Both switches registered the ball passing through. however, the ball apparently just sits at the pin that blocks the ball in the subway. When the game goes into missing ball mode, it will then allow the ball to pass to the upkicker and eject it into the idol. So, from what I can tell, both the optos and the coil work, just not at the correct time. Don't know what I should try next.

I will try testing it and watching tonight after work. However, since the ball is in the subway, I don't know how I could watch it as it passes through the optos. I haven't switched out or messed w/ the optos in any way since the problem started so I don't think wires would be an issue.

Just to clarify, the coil that operates the pin works and will fire during the game, it just doesn't do it when the ball is sitting at the pin in the subway, rather it waits for the missing ball mode before activating and releasing the ball to go to the VUK. At least that's what I suspect as once the ball is shot into the center hole it doesn't get kicked up to the idol right away. It sits in the subway until the missing ball mode is activated.

I've had the game for about a year. Problem just started last week.

Thanks for the help guys. Yes, # of balls is correct. Not a dumb Q as sometimes the obvious is the solution.
I will double check all of the optos tonight and see if that is the problem. It's quite possible I missed one earlier.

problem solved. Opto switch 44 (the VUK) was bad. Replaced it and now it works fine.