After more fiddling, I found the issues. I believe the constant turning on and off at each press was due to some parts just not being in the right place such as having the front cover off and as I'll explain the trigger not fully engaging. In the left most circle is the trigger for the shutter - the spring had gotten worn out ( it doesn't look too bad in this photo, but it got worse as I kept pressing the trigger) and wasn't providing enough tension to fully engage, which after re-coiling it worked like a charm. In the right circle is a claw trigger that is resting on a block which allows the focusing meter to move back and forth. Here it was stuck and wouldn't move and so I applied gentle but firm pressure here pushing it back and forth. At the same time I would fiddle with the gears that moves it (the red arrow) located next to the orange piece. Further, I ran into a shutter opening problem which turned out to be a detached spring inside the lens cover( the mechanisms in the front cover of the camera). I didn't take a picture of it, but if you inspect it you'll notice any loose springs inside. It was also not fully disengaging which was just due to lack of lubrication. I by no means have any experience repairing cameras or have extensive knowledge of the how all the mechanics work together. I simply went by trial and error (very carefully) to fix the issues I ran into, usually thinking I would completely snap off some crucial piece. A lot of these problems turned out to be maintenance issues - worn out springs or lack of lubrication. Most importantly each section I pointed out i finished off with lubrication.
Personal notes:
I bought this camera off ebay in hopes of repairing it knowing that I had a high chance of failing. Only reason why i thought i could do it was because I made sure to grab one that at least could turn on and fire. If this came down to a circuitry problem I would've been completely lost. If you have time and the money to spare on a project like this...go for it! You'll get some experience fiddling around with different parts seeing how it all connects and if all else fails its a great shelf piece! Good luck to other novices out there!