Lionel 2018 - motor noise issue

[scottdog123]

Hi Everyone,

After 20 years in boxes, I've finally decided to pull out my Lionel train and build a track around the Christmas tree, like a little kid, I'm very excited!

I'm having some trouble with my Lionel 2018 engine motor.  I carefully took it apart and cleaned the brushes and lubed the gears.  It's still making a funny noise that seems to impact the speed of the engine.  It's almost like it has a bad bearing, but I don't think there are bearings.  I took a short video with my iphone (link below).  

Do I need to replace the brushes? 

Any ideas how to trouble shoot or resolve this?

https://youtu.be/tWTMHmzf8vI

 

thank you,

Curt

 

 

[tinplatacis]

Sounds pretty normal to me... Just to be safe, though, you might want to lube the armature shaft at the brushplate

[Firelock76]

I've got one that did exactly the same thing after I cleaned and lubed it, even including that slight "bucking" and hesitation concurrent with the noise. I'd gotten oil on the armature plates.  Clean the copper plates on the armature until they shine like a new penny, these are the plates the brushes contact.  You can use a pencil eraser then chase it with a cleaning fluid that evaporates quickly.  Make sure they're DRY, any oil or lube on them will cause contact problems. Use a toothpick to clean gunk out of the gaps between the plates.  Make sure the brushes are dry as well. 

Good luck!

And let us know how it turns out.

 

[cwburfle]

The whining / squealing noise is not normal.
It's caused by dry armature shaft bearings, usually the gear end.
There is a cast bearing on the gear end. Apply a drop or two of oil.

At the other end, the armature shaft just runs in a hole in the fiberboard brush plate. There is no bearing. Put a drop or two of oil on that end. It is important not to over oil this side because excess oil will get on the commutator / brushes and foul them.

If the engine still squeals, then put another drop on the gear end. Sometimes it takes a couple of applications if the cast bearing is really dry. If the noise goes away, but comes back in a little while, no matter how much oil you apply, then I would replace the bearing. It is only held in place with a single screw. 

When I am servicing one of those motors, I like to use Labelle 106 grease on the brushplate end. I use a toothpick to coat the inside of the hole grease, and put a light coat on the armature shaft itself. One has to remove the brushplate to do this.

[sir james I]

Yes a dry armature is almost always the cause. The 2025/2035/675 are well noted for that squeel.

[scottdog123]

Thanks everyone for the quick replies and great advise. After posting yesterday, I put a small drop of oil on both ends of the armature shaft and that seems to have fixed it for now. I've been using "Liquid Bearings" oil (eBay purchase) for the all my lub'ing. Is it better to use a grease (like Labelle 106) for the gears? Or more generally, what should be oiled and what should be greased? thank you, Curt

[teledoc]

CW is absolutely correct, and it just needs to be lubed as he suggests.  Take it apart and oil the shafts where the armature goes thru.  Test run it, with just the motor by itself for a short period of time, until you get the squealing to stop.  As suggested, it may take a few shots of proper lubrication, to get the squealing to stop, but it will stop eventually.  Some motors have that chronic problem, from being stored for a long time, and immediately put on a track.  If it has been sitting stored away, lubrication is the key.

[cwburfle]

The bearing I mentioned above is properly called a "gear plate, part #2036-110.

http://pictures.olsenstoy.com/cd/locos/loc2036c.pdf

 

[scottdog123]

thanks everyone for the great feedback.  After oiling the bearing, my loco is running smooth again.