I have a "smoke in boiler" American Flyer locomotive. I recently purchased it and spent some time getting it running nicely. When I add smoke fluid, smoke will puff out for about the first 30 seconds or so and then the smoke thins out and nearly disappears. If I let it sit overnight, it will smoke again for about 30 seconds and then thin out to nearly nothing. I've tried spraying contact cleaner into the smokestack and then applying the smoke fluid, with the same results...good smoke for about 30 seconds. Any ideas on what might be the problem?
First, make sure the wires to the smoke unit are in good shape and soldered securely to the heating element. Put the engine in neutral and turn up the power. Feel the smoke chamber and see if it remains warm at all times and does not cool down. Run the engine to produce smoke and again feel the smoke chamber for continued heating. Insure the air holes for the smoke unit are not clogged. If you still have problems, open up the smoke unit on top and look at the wicking and coil unit. They may need to be replaced. See here for a kit.
Larry
If all Larry says is true, before opening it up (if you are not familiar with these smoke units and their service) there is a little trick you can try that has worked for me many times. Get some acetone or nail polish remover and add that to the smoke unit using your smoke fluid funnel and dropper. If you put the locomotive somewhere that you don't have to worry about spillage or leakage you will be better off. Put in a good bit don't be afraid. It will evaporate in short order. What this might do is wash (solvate) some of the sludge out of the fiber wick material. After one treatment add a little smoke fluid, try it out. Do the acetone again. Often when the locomotive sits and is unused the old smoke fluid gets gummy and sludged up. This can clog the wick and cause the symptoms you are describing. I have tried the acetone and then smoke fluid back to acetone method on many a finicky smoker to see them bellowing out big plumes again. This will not work on every smoke unit as there are potentially other things wrong, but for an ounce or two of you wife's nail polish remover it's worth a try.
Lover of all things Gilbert, truly a man ahead of his time.
Use extreme caution when you use acetone or nail polish. It WILL soften and deform most plastics, and will attack paint. I suggest if you try this method, take the boiler off, and unscrew the red plastic smokestack from the smoke unit before attempting to pour any acetone into the smoke unit.
Larry, thanks for pointing that out. I wrongly assumed the OP would service his loco with the engine apart. The acetone will melt a plastic smoke stack and yes everything Larry suggests as a caution is right on. On older locos with brass stack insert I have flirted with disaster and put some acetone down the pipe with an eyedropper. But that's asking for trouble.
Gray Cat,
Thanks for your tip, it is a new one for me.
One thing I have learned is to never assume anything about anyone. On forums such as this, I always treat a poster like a newbie to the hobby and repairs, and don't assume anything.
Don't flirt with disaster...
Larry, I'll keep that in mind.. I'm not used to sharing tips with people so in that respect I'm a newbie too. Thanks, Pat
I hope the OP gives us the details on any repairs or attempts at repairs made and the outcome.
If he doesn't I will. I've got the same problem with a 303 and I was going to post soon about it myself. So seeing as how mine is already apart, I'm going to try that trick right away. (Since I don't have to borrow the nail polish remover! )
But it does bring up a separate question. Does it really make a diiference who makes the smoke fluid? I have been using the same Lionel bottle that came with my 1965 Scout set for all my locos except this one. I just bought it in January and since my Flyer track is only out at Christmas, I didn't get to give it more than a few test runs before the track got packed away for the summer.
Becky
Trains, trains, wonderful trains. The more you get, the more you toot!
Let us know the outcome of your use of the nail polish remover to loosen up the old smoke fluid.
There are a few manufacturers of smoke fluid with many different scents avalable, including unscented. The original formula American Flyer smoke fluid is also available. Megasteam is one well known supplier of smoke fluid. All are compatable with all smoke units.
TrainLarry There are a few manufacturers of smoke fluid with many different scents avalable, including unscented. The original formula American Flyer smoke fluid is also available. Megasteam is one well known supplier of smoke fluid. All are compatable with all smoke units. Larry
Two things..
First, adding anything but original American Flyer scent to an AF locomotive is akin to putting cheap rum in RC cola for your rum and Coke! IT will still work and it might even get you tipsy.. but it just ain't the same.
Second of note.. my son was given (and now I know why they GAVE it to him for free) a bottle of Pipe Scent Super Smoke smoke fluid at a show.. DON'T ever go there.. Oh my, it was the most obnoxious smell of all. To make matters worse he put it in a loco with a fantastic smoke unit. We had the windows open in the middle of winter for an eternity to get the smell out of the house.. and I do believe I had to run that train out of doors for a long long time with additional dousings of AF original scent to try to get that stench out of the smoke unit.
Penny Trains If he doesn't I will. I've got the same problem with a 303 and I was going to post soon about it myself. So seeing as how mine is already apart, I'm going to try that trick right away. (Since I don't have to borrow the nail polish remover! ) But it does bring up a separate question. Does it really make a diiference who makes the smoke fluid? I have been using the same Lionel bottle that came with my 1965 Scout set for all my locos except this one. I just bought it in January and since my Flyer track is only out at Christmas, I didn't get to give it more than a few test runs before the track got packed away for the summer. Becky
Becky,
From what I've experienced, it does make a difference. For AF smoke fluid, RFG's fluid is all that I use. Unlike others that claim to be the original Gilbert formula, RFG is only one that is the real thing. It has the same amber color, and it does the same thing if it is allowed to be exposed to air for a length of time by becoming tacky. However, that wonderful smell and dense puff is what it's all about.
I've tried Super Smoke, and it is too thick for my liking, and the smoke output wasn't that great. I won't comment on that Mega product due to past experiences.
For modern era equipment, MTH's Christmas scent, which is the old LVTS formula, gets my vote.
I never thought of the nail polish remover, and I've had many AF steamers on my bench with this issue. I've just replaced the wicks up until this point. I'll have to try it.
Jim
thanks for the tips....my locomotive has the little brass pipe, so I think I will try using the funnel and eyedropper method to get some acetone down into the smoke unit. I'll let you know how it turns out.
OK, I tried the acetone... applied with funnel through brass pipe in smokestack. got a noticeable improvement in smoke production. will try a couple more applications. Thanks
Wow! That really works!
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