Lacrosse pop machine-several questions

[abe]

Hello all--my wife surprised me with an older Lacrosse Pepsi machine for my birthday.  My new toy!!   I have several questions:
1) The best I can tell, it states on the tag that the model # is: LC (ILL) 64 8 .  I've looked on this website and others, and also ebay and I see some "64B"s.  Did Lacrosse make   both both?   Is so, what's the difference?   
2) I did not receive an owner's manual with this, and there is an setup guide posted on the inside door, but it's very old, worn, and hard to make out.  Is there  a place where I can get an owner's manual?
3) my machine, assuming it's a 64 8, and not a 64B, takes 15  cents.   What model year is it?
4) On the setup tag, it states to use only a certain type of lubricant, something that has the word AERO in it. Lubriplate AERO comes to mind, but I may be wrong on that one.  OK, so I want to lube up the bottle stops (for that matter, the entire machine) because they probably haven't seen a drop of lubricant in years.  Why can't I use WD40?
5)from all of you that have Lacrosse machines of this vintage, what can I expect to be a pain in the butt?
6) and the biggest question: on the coin mechanism, (recall it's a 15 cent machine)how do I get it off the "use correct change only" mode?  I've tried quarters and they drop right through to the coin return.  It takes dimes no problem, and nickels only half the time. Like I stated before, I think it needs some lubrication, but what do I use?
7)and while on the coin mechanism topic, I've tried many times to get the machine to dispense in a "normal mode", and it's only worked like it's supposed to once.  All of the other times I've had to flip this black switch on the mechanism over to manual mode, watch the coin return function, hear some banging going on up on top behind the door, and then I'm able to pull a bottle out.   What is the normal function of this black switch?
abe

[Ltransam]

Welcome to the site !!

And congrats on your first machine !!!!

Item 6.  Are the change tube on the coin mech empty ? If so you will need to add nickels  and or dimes for the correct change lite to go out . Most likely the reason quarters go straight threw 

[abe]

ya know, that has got me thinking.  There is only one tube for the coins, and I think it holds nickels.   The dimes fall right through to the coin box.   So now that you mention it I don't know if I have ever had more than one nickel in the tube. 
So from that, I have to assume that if I get this thing running properly, and if I were to put a quarter in, then I'd get 2 nickels back.  If I put 2 dimes in, I get a nickel back.  In other words, a dime in change is out of the question, and change is always based in nickels.  Are my assumptions correct?
I gotta find out why it doesn't take nickels properly. They seem to hang up. That's why I mentioned the lubrication thing. I don't want to start taking it apart without a little bit of knowledge about it first.
Thanks for responding.

abe

[abe]

OK, so I tried to get the machine to take nickels as it normally should, without much success, so I just started dropping nickels into the tube.  Voila!  The "use exact change" light went out after I put about 7 nickels in the tube.
So, I put a quarter in.  Nope. No change and the machine did not allow me to pull a bottle out.  Then I put 2 dimes in. Nope and nope.
abe

[Ltransam]

Abe

  I have a La Crosse manual. I received from a friend . but it refers to models like Years 1958-1959. 1960-1961 1962-1968 is there a tag on the right side of your machine ?

Also we're not sure what kinda mech you got Can you supply a picture of it and machine ? It may need more coins ? Some mechs have dip switches behind the rejector that are adjustable . Just because it says it takes .15 cents doesn't Mean that's set that way .

[Slider-Bob]

Do you have product in the machine (i.e bottles of pop)?

May not give you change/vend unless there are bottles in every row.

[abe]

To Ltransam:  As far as I can tell, it's a LC (ILL) 64 8 model. From what I'm gathering from other forums, it's an early '70s machine.  Will your OM cover this?   I'll get an image of the coin mech and post it.  Just not tonight----company is coming over.   And I didn't know about the dip switches.
To SliderBob:There is pop in every row.  I'm still curious about what type of lube to use.  I think that's the secret to a lot of it because stuff hasn't been actuated for who knows how long.
Thanks to all for responding.....
abe

[Slapshot42]

Some machines require several bottles / cans in a row.  Sometimes there is a little paddle in each column in which once enough bottles are in the stack it makes contact with the paddle pushing it down.  If the paddle isn't pushed down, with product it closes the circuit not energizing power to the vending solenoid.

There all a little bit different.

[ajf5577]

Abe,
While you're at it, why not provide some pics of the front of the machine, and the inside stack as well as the coin mech? We'll be able to help with the queations better.

[abe]

#6 and #7 are solved.  Jim from this board provided me with a service manual for my National Rejectors coin changer.  I promised a picture:
Thanks to all for responding so far.
abe

[abe]

OK, new question:  If I open the door and look at the very top of the bottle ramps, there is a rubber plug with a couple of prongs inside of it.  What is this??

abe