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 Posted - September 15 2013 : 9:52:52 PM
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Hi All,
I am hopeing some of you could help me with a Marx O scale engine motor.
I just recieved this set. I tried to run it and it would not move. I checked the brass plate on the bottom and you can see in the picture that it is very dirty, so i cleaned part of it to do a direct wire check. It made a very very small attempt to move. I checked the brushes and they are good.
I see that the part of the motor that the brushes make contact with is VERY dirty. You can see this in the bottom picture center hole.
Is there a way to clean this without taking the motor apart? Soaking it maybe?
Does anyone see any obvious other problems?
Thanks for your help.
Mytyco
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Posted - September 15 2013 : 10:01:28 PM
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Make sure the commutator is clean. I myself own and run Marx 0-27. Rather cheap and like the Model T of 3 rail 0. Hard to beat beast!
" Heck with counting 'em rivets, TRAINS ARE FOR FUN! Not called the Mad Scientist for nothing either!"
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Posted - September 15 2013 : 10:04:02 PM
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| tried lube?
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Posted - September 15 2013 : 10:14:15 PM
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Darn, that engine looks TOO clean otherwise! What I would do is see if Radio Shack has any electrical contact spray cleaner, you could spray that right on the armature, it won't harm the wires or varnish coatings on them, supposedly. They used to sell it, not sure if they still do. But with the motor that nice ( not rusted up , very little gunky showing except on the armature copper plates ), I'd just spray the contact cleaner inside on it, and then try it. I'll bet someone over-oiled it, and it got on the plates and gummed up. That way, with spray, you wouldn't have to take it apart.
Jerry
" When life throws you bananas...it's easy to slip up"
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Posted - September 15 2013 : 10:39:43 PM
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| To add to Jerry's comment, I use CRC electrical contact cleaner on Tyco / Mantua MU motors. It works well. I picked up a can at the local Auto Zone for a few bucks.
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Posted - September 15 2013 : 10:52:43 PM
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SOME TYPES OF CRC CAN DAMAGE PLASTIC. So be careful of the type and how you use it.
Regards John. *********
Good judgement comes from experience & Experience comes from a lack of good judgement! <> unknown
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Posted - September 15 2013 : 11:57:27 PM
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Hi All,
Thanks for the replies.
Redneck Justin, Thanks for the tip. I have always liked the Marx trains. I try to stay within my scale of HO, but this one just wanted to come home with me, lol.
microbusss, It is not binding at this time, but I will give it a complete lube oil and filter after it's cleaning.
Eaglerock109, I have that auto parts store not too far from me. I looked them up online and found two of those cleaners. One is for cleaning the mass airflow sensor and is safe for plastics. Is that the one you use? The other is wire dryer and cleaner, so I don't think thats it.
AMC_Gremlin_GT, Ah, over oiled. That makes sense. I really hope thats all it is. You are right though, it is really clean.
JRG1951, I will be sure to look for plastic safe cleaner, Thanks for the heads up on that.
Mytyco
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Posted - September 16 2013 : 01:30:36 AM
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That commutator NEEDS to be cleaned, and all the graphite powder needs to be cleaned out from the grooves inbetween the commutator plates. Use a small flathead screwdriver or knife blade to get the graphite powder between the commutator plates clean, and then insert a q-tip with 90% (or similar) isopropryl alcohol into that access hole and spin the commuator. Repeat until the commutator is a nice shiny copper color. Then give the motor a lube job (armature bearings and gears) and test her out.
My Youtube Channel: http://www.youtube.com/user/weekendrailroader?blend=1&ob=video-mustangbase
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Posted - September 16 2013 : 11:36:37 AM
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[quote]SOME TYPES OF CRC CAN DAMAGE PLASTIC. So be careful of the type and how you use it.
Regards John. *********
Good thought John, the cleaner I use is specifically for electrical connections and connectors. I have not had any issues using it, I do remove the motor from the shelll first, I use the same cleaner on some of the plastic connections ands connectors on my car without any issues.
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Posted - September 16 2013 : 11:37:46 AM
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quote:Hi All,
Thanks for the replies.
Redneck Justin, Thanks for the tip. I have always liked the Marx trains. I try to stay within my scale of HO, but this one just wanted to come home with me, lol.
microbusss, It is not binding at this time, but I will give it a complete lube oil and filter after it's cleaning.
Eaglerock109, I have that auto parts store not too far from me. I looked them up online and found two of those cleaners. One is for cleaning the mass airflow sensor and is safe for plastics. Is that the one you use? The other is wire dryer and cleaner, so I don't think thats it.
AMC_Gremlin_GT, Ah, over oiled. That makes sense. I really hope thats all it is. You are right though, it is really clean.
JRG1951, I will be sure to look for plastic safe cleaner, Thanks for the heads up on that.
Mytyco
Originally posted by mytyco - September 15 2013 : 11:57:27 PM
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I'll check the can and see what the exact name is, will post later today. Here it is.........
Edited by - eaglerock109 on September 16 2013 4:23:53 PM
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Posted - September 16 2013 : 3:09:41 PM
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A good spray of some sort of electrical cleaner, SOAK it..... let it drip out. then allow it to "dry" and then submerge the whole works in Alcohol to get deep inside. 91 % or higher if can be had.....Allow to soak for 24 hours.. and remove, allow to drip dry on a cloth.....Once dry.....take a empty spray bottle like that's used for cleaning glass windows.....fill with CLEAN alcohol, and spray it while it is suspended, to see if anything drips out of it....allow that to dry.....
THEN when this is done, the part of the motor between the 2 brushes that have springs pushing against them, add alittle grease on this, that's the Armature shaft and needs re-lubrication, and then on the other side of the motor, look for this same part, and add one [I]SMALL[/] drop of oil.....THEN this side is where all the gears are, add in some grease on these, BUT add sparingly.....DON'T over lubricate....And test again, hope this solves the issue!
~John
Many have tried to, and failed, ya just can't repair stupid... 
Do NOT try to Idiot-Proof anything!!!! God, will simply create a better......IDIOT!
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Posted - September 16 2013 : 8:22:36 PM
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did marx have e units?
if a pencil eraser will fit in the hole you can polish the accumulator with it. just blow it out good after you do.
jerry
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Posted - September 16 2013 : 10:26:03 PM
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Yes, Marx did have E-units (looks like this motor doesn't have one, though). In my experience, they are finicky at best.
My Youtube Channel: http://www.youtube.com/user/weekendrailroader?blend=1&ob=video-mustangbase
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 Posted - September 17 2013 : 10:36:46 AM
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Hi All,
Thanks for the picture and name of the electrical cleaner, That helps very much.
Another question if you don't mind? If I soak the hole unit, do I remove the brushes and will soaking the unit damage the fibre board looking things in the second picture I posted?
Thanks
Mytyco
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Posted - September 17 2013 : 11:04:00 AM
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mytyco, I would NOT soak the whole unit. I don't know why anyone would, (except perhaps that they don't know the individual components of the motor, and so decide to soak everything). The fibre board could get damaged, and the soaking may not play nice with the insulating coating on the wires of the armature and field coil. It's going to take scrubbing, not dunking, to remove the built-up gunk on the commutator, and all the gunk between the commutator plates. Smokie's suggestion about the pencil eraser would also work.
Without power, set the motor on the track, push down gently, and see if you can get it to roll along the track. If it does, (and it likely will), the problem is not "gunked up lube". The problem is poor electrical contact. Again, clean the commutator.
I have a Marx diesel locomotive with a very similar motor block that was having similar problems. I cleaned it the way I described, and it runs smoothly, even with a burnt out armature winding (which will be replaced at some point).
My Youtube Channel: http://www.youtube.com/user/weekendrailroader?blend=1&ob=video-mustangbase
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Posted - September 17 2013 : 9:38:36 PM
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Hi All,
Ok, thanks for the advice.
It will be a week or so before I can get back to it, so, in the mean time, Does anyone know of any good sites to visit to read up on Marx history?
Thanks
Mytyco
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 Posted - September 18 2013 : 9:20:48 PM
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Hi All,
I have not picked up the cleaner yet, but I did manage to clean out some of the gunk on the commutator. Also the brass piece on the bottom was not mounted correctly, so I fixed that as well.
She is now able to run on her own with no help from me.
It is a neat little diesel switcher I had not seen before, until a couple of months ago in a video.
It will still get the full cleaning and lube in a week or so, but it's nice to know she does work.
Mytyco
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