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Need Help Lionel Torpedo 238e (TMCC)

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  • Member since
    July 2015
  • 10 posts
Need Help Lionel Torpedo 238e (TMCC)
Posted by JamesDill on Tuesday, December 18, 2018 10:11 AM

Hey folks I think I made a big mistake and need some advice. Christmas trains were running rough so I cleaned track and set out to service my locomotives. I am a terrible mechanic and usually pay people to service my fishing reels and lionel locomotives. I put up temporary FasTrack layouts twice a year (Christmas and July) and run my trains and then take them to an expert to service the locomotives. This year the expert had some health issues and I put off the service. after running the Christmas trains for a while it was obvious some track cleaning and lubrication was needed. I decided to lubricate my GP9 and Torpedo and therein lies the problem.  When I turned over the Torpedo to lubricate the drive axels I noticed a "Oil" instruction next to the screws that the owners manual said to "Grease". When I removed the screw I discovered what looked like an oil tube like fitting instead of an open space to grease. So I put a few drops of oil in all three and moved on. However, I am worried I made a typical me mistake and oiled what should have been greased. Any thoughts or advice? Also how do I oil the armature bearings on this pullmor motor? The picture in the manual does not help me understand where.  Thanks for any help. PS I used to be known here some years ago as JamesShannon but that ID was totally lost in some site platform transfer and I was instructed to start anew.   Much thanks for any help, Jim

  • Member since
    January 2009
  • 1,986 posts
Posted by 8ntruck on Tuesday, December 18, 2018 9:56 PM

Jim - as a rule of thumb, oil goes on axle bushings and grease goes on gears.  Remember a little goes a long way.  Too much grease or oil migrates to places where it does not belong.

I have never worked on a Torpedo, so I don't know for sure how to access the ends of the armiture shaft.  You might have to remove the body of the locomotive to get to the armiture shaft.

Good luck.

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