oh hell yea!
well now i know exactly what all the relays actually are and i was able to pinpoint the issue to the 'game over' relay
turns out there was a NO switch that was closed, a little adjustment and everything is working 100%
you can't wipe the smile off my face now
thanks so much for everyone's input, it's hard to believe that 1 poorly adjusted switch could cause so many problems!
I'll post up a pic of the score motor and the switches for you in the next couple of days strangeways, or PM me your email address and I'll send you better quality ones than i can post here
Cheers
Ben
No need to post the picture - yet - The game is starting to work, and congratulations on your first EM repair !
Certainly a really nice machine - playfield and backglass are in exceptional condition.