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 Posted - October 21 2013 : 3:39:20 PM
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Yesterday I grabbed a Tyco New Haven C430 equipped with an MU-2 motor and metal trucks. It's in really nice shape, but it has one problem...when it's on the rails it won't run. I took the engine body off today to do some tests. The motor works fine when power is applied directly to the brushes. The motor also works fine when power wires are touched to the metal trucks. When the wires are touched to the pick-up wheels however, nothing happens.
The trucks don't appear to have been tampered with and all the rivets are still intact. The wheels on the power truck seem to conduct some power, but they're iffy.
Anyone comes across this before?
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Posted - October 21 2013 : 4:19:19 PM
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First thing I would look at are the axles - make sure the axles are clean as well as the axle bearings. Even if the wheels are clean, the electricity has to flow through the axles to get to the motor.
-Thomas
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Posted - October 21 2013 : 4:51:03 PM
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Any tips on how to clean the axles without drilling out the original rivets? I put some Labelle 108 on the axles which from my experience seems to help with conductivity, but had no luck getting the engine to run. 
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Posted - October 21 2013 : 5:17:58 PM
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Eric,
I'd look at the wires.... see if ANY are loose.
THEN, look into drilling out the rivets with a .070" bit. NO bigger.... Reason? You can then "tap" 2-56 threads into the whole works to bolt it back in place through the plate, BUT make the holes in the cover a bit bigger to slip a 2-56 thread screw through without having to twist it through....
Another drill to use would be a 3/32" it also will allow you to "tap" for 2-56 threads....... Make sure when you "tap" to do one turn in, remove 3/4th turn to clean "chips" from the small tap or you'll snap off the cutter end, and use a bit (drop or 2) of 3n1 oil as a cutting oil.....Will help the tap "cut"
Hope this helps
~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 - October 21 2013 : 6:11:30 PM
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Hey John. The wires are all fine as the motor runs strong when power is applied to the trucks.
I spun the wheels and ran the motor on the bench for a while to try to work the oil in. The engine now runs on the track under its own power, but it's jumpy.
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Posted - October 21 2013 : 6:43:30 PM
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you know....... the axles are clean....... clean 'em with a BRASS wire brush in a Dremel......(IF you got one), OR use a Q-tip dipped in Acetone.
THEN you need to clean out the axle "U" in the frames.....As this "area" carries the power to the wires.... it sounds as tho you got some corrosion build up preventing electrical contact.
~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 - October 21 2013 : 7:18:53 PM
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| I'd like to avoid drilling out the rivets...could I not just put a small amount of WD40 or liquid wrench on the axles and work it in (followed by some rubbing alcohol to clean it all off)?
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Posted - October 21 2013 : 7:35:24 PM
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Eric,
Maybe. you'd have to REALLY spin those axles at a high rate of speed while flushing the area. and flow the WD-40 into the area, and then same goes for the alcohol.....
Its much easier to do later on down the road if you have to ever do it again!
The "flushing" method don't insure 100% that it will get out all that's in there! Physically going in removing, and polishing the area, does, and helps to prevent it later on too!
~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 - October 21 2013 : 11:07:58 PM
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I think the "later on down the road" would be the time for drilling, as maybe then I'll have a fully functional workbench....and an actual layout to run it for that matter.
I'll try the flushing method and get her running as good as I can. Once the workbench dream happens maybe I'll re-visit and follow your little tutorial for installing screws! 
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Posted - October 22 2013 : 01:09:14 AM
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Yeah it does make it difficult to do "repairs" of that extreme with no good work bench to do them! Right now, I'm guilty of it, as I'm doing some serious "cleaning" its NEVER been done thoroughly in YTR.....SO. What better time? I got a bit of time to the last part of my surgery to heal so..... and all at the same time, it builds the Cardiac system so....
I know what ya mean! I got one, a work bench that is, just ain't in no shape to be of any use right now till I get some of this damn mess, cleaned up.......... AND doing this is doing 2 other things.......One, getting those things ready for shipping to those I owe.... trades AND sales. Two, getting a real idea or handle how ever you would like to look at it, on just what I got to put up for trade later, and what I plan to keep.... AND Three, what I need to get BEFORE returning to "open" doors to the general public!
~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 - October 23 2013 : 10:19:02 PM
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Dried out lubricants, obviously. Liquid Wrench would cut right through it. I know it's a petroleum product, but I used it for years as an electronics contact cleaner before all of this plastic safe awareness, and I never had any switches fall apart.
The Tyco Depot
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Posted - October 23 2013 : 11:19:55 PM
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There's not a whole lot of plastic in those old MU-2 trucks anyway.  I've oiled the engine and been giving it break-in laps and it seems to be doing much better. Thanks for the help guys! 
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Posted - November 19 2013 : 6:49:41 PM
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Did you check to see if the brass contact wheels are on the opposite sides of each truck...... If both trucks have the brass wheels on the same side it won't pick up the power from the track.....
Sometimes the non-power truck or wheels gets turned around... the brass wheels on one truck should be the opposite of the other....
Edited by - AF Kid on November 19 2013 10:09:29 PM
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Posted - November 19 2013 : 7:50:35 PM
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| That probably would be something I'd miss. I'm 99% sure that wasn't the problem though...now you're making me question myself!
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Posted - November 21 2013 : 7:35:52 PM
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At least the riveted bottom covers prevented people from reversing a wheelset and getting a dead short. That's about the only advantage to those darn rivets.
The Tyco Depot
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