1990 lionel smoke unit?

[Jdt141]

Hey all - My kids were gifted a 25 year old train set, and unfortunately when we set it up this year the smoker unit doesn't appear to be working, or at least working very poorly. I was only able to find Bachman fluid locally, and I can't get it to smoke. Only very small wisps. It's a Lionel 2 6 4 engine with an 8516-50 smoke unit. http://www.lionel.com/media/servicedocuments/151-8611Complete.pdf I've done some searching about smokers online, but I'm not entirely sure what to do. What do I need to do to diagnose / fix this? Should i search for a replacement smoke unit (same part number), should I rebuild the smoke unit (new wicking material, etc...), or does someone make a "replacement" unit that would perform better than the stock unit and still fit in this engine. My two kids would greatly appreciate any help you can provide. Thanks!!!

[cacole]

Being that old, the locomotive smoke unit may need the Lionel Smoke Pellets and not liquid, but finding the pellets today may be a real chore.

[ADCX Rob]

1)The last pellet type steamers were cataloged in 1968.

2)The pellets are still made by TRAINZ in Georgia.

3)Pellet type smoke units work just fine with liquid smoke fluid, without any modification.

If the smoke unit is still working, you might just need to add fluid. Overall, these sets around that time don't smoke much because they run so fast at such a low voltage. Adding more cars to the basic set usually results in more smoke output.

[sir james I]

They were not good smokers. Turn the voltage up while just holding the engine wheels off the track. Let er spin awhile and that will help heat up the smoke unit.

[Jdt141]

I was able to figure this out. I pulled the unit apart and there is a lever connected to a cam on one of the axles. The other side of that lever pushes a piston on the unit that makes the system "chuff". For some reason the lever underneath the piston was out of place, so no air was being pushed through the smoke unit. I assume the engine got dropped at some point in the past. It smokes like a charm now.

[Firelock76]

Or you could just let it sit in neutral for a bit with the voltage turned up (this does have a regular e-unit, doesn't it?) until the smoke unit warms up.

And no, you don't need the smoke pellets.  I'm running some post-war steamers with JT's Mega-Steam smoke fluid and it works just fine.

Not to disparage the smoke pellets, by the way.

[cwburfle]

Glad you resolved your problem.