Odyssey/Lionel Smoke??

[gillart]

Hi all!  I just got my first ever engine yesterday - a Lionel GP-30.  It is beautiful.  Right out of the box, the smoke started working right away, without even adding any fluid.  (I'm guessing they put some in at the factory?)  But after 15 minutes or so, the smoke stopped.  Today, I added the 10-15 drops of the fluid that came with it, and I've been running it on and off all day today without any smoke.  There is a switch on the bottom (smoke/nosmoke) that is set to SMOKE.  I did change over to Odyssey operation today.  Would that affect smoke?  If not, what's the trick? 

 THANKS. 

[dougdagrump]

Check the owner's manual on smoke generator operation. A couple of my Lionels, when operating in a TMCC environment, will default to off at start-up even though the on/off switch is in the on position. If you don't have the manual check the "customer service" section at the Lionel website and you should be able to download one using the engine's part number, 6-xxxxx, as your search basis.  

[Buckeye Riveter]

May I suggest you turn on the smoke by using ALT 9?  (ALT 8 turns it off.)

BTW, if you want to see that GP30 in action, just check on my link to my webpage below.  There is a video somewhere that shows it really smoking.

[Roger Bielen]

Try a quick breath of air down the stack where you added fluid.  Some engines are notorious for getting an air bubble in the system that blocks the smoke.

[ChiefEagles]

Roger Bielen

Try a quick breath of air down the stack where you added fluid.  Some engines are notorious for getting an air bubble in the system that blocks the smoke.

Roger is correct and don't be too skimpy with the smoke fluid.  Dry wick will char and then unit will not smoke.

[Train-O]

gillart,

I was told by a Lionel Repair Technician that the engine will produce more smoke when going faster and hauling cars which have weight, this causes the engine to work and in turn will produce a greater volume of smoke.  If you have not done so, already.

Ralph

 

[gillart]

Thanks all.  Darn it - I fear I mat have "charred" the smoker because in the excitement of the new engine, when the smoke stopped I kept messing around with the engine and ran it for another hour or so, not knowing that I may have been doing damage.  Can I fix this somehow? 

 

[Train-O]

gillart,

Try what all the other forum members mentioned and if your unit still does not smoke, chances are the heating element needs cleaning, or replacing, which should be performed by a qualified Lionel Authorized Repair Service Center Technician.

My 2002 Lionel diesel's smoke unit's heating element worked briefly, then stopped and after a Lionel Tech. looked it over he only had to clean the heating element.  Now, it smokes like a charm.
Sometimes, the heating element is burned out, in which case the element has to be replaced,
that's why a Lionel Tech. should look it over, because they not only have the training and knowledge and if needed, they'll have the part(s) on hand and if not they'll send for the part(s).
Most of Lionel's older smoke units don't work as well, as their newer ones, and that's not just me saying that.  They've been redesigned to work well, but even newer units can be bad.

What, I do is put fourteen,or sixteen drops of liquid smoke fluid into the smoke unit's stack and it smokes up a storm.

Good Luck,

Ralph

.  

[gillart]

Thanks all.  I decided to put 20 drops in and that did the trick.  It's smoking up a storm now.  I also like the option to turn the smoke off if I want to and save it for a rainy day or when guests come over.  The catch?  You have to lift the engine straight up and find the switch without turning it upside down - or the smoke fluid will leak out! 

[ChiefEagles]

Good.  Now don't starve it.  I will "over load" them sometime.  Takes a few minutes to get them back to smoking or turn them over with a rag under smoke unit.  Most folks are too skimpy with fluid.  Glad yours is OK.