Engine Help Needed

[Fred Bear]

The Blue Comet I bought a few weeks ago is now making a "growling" noise. I clean the brushes, face plate, the slots, etc, everything that should be cleaned, and it was fine for a bit, but is now making an odd noise. When it does make this noise, it also slows down a bit. Is it the brushes? I could not find replacements. Best Regards, Jake

[pbjwilson]

I think I know what you mean. I have a couple pre-war engines that do that. Darned if I know how to fix it. I squirt some electrical cleaner iinto the motor, clean up the commutator and brushes, and they run good for a short while.Then that growl comes back. I just figure they are old and worn out. Maybe someone has a fix?

[More to restore]

Can you return the engine to the dealer?

Is there enough thick grease on the gears? Dry and clean brushes and collector are fine, Usually you will not hear them. But axles, gears can use a lot of acid-free lubricant. I know this sound. It reminds me of an engine that runned dry. I assume that a few gears in the gear box are dry and make this terrible sound. Open it up and let the grease flow in.