Lionel 2243 SF Diesel

[northernpike]

Need some advice from the experts-

Just got my SF 2243 yesterday.  Runs great.  The horn, howwver will not work.  The battery is good, and the relay clicks and buzzes so that is ok too.  How can I get the horn to blow?  Any tricks?  I do not know if the horn itself is original or repro.  All solder points look good.

 

Also, what is the best kind of decal to use for the front-water based or adhesive?  The middle front  decal is split and missing a piece.  I want to put on a new one.  How can I get the old off?

Thanks

Tom

[philo426]

I know that I posted this this morning,but I'll try again:The best way to remove the decal is to put Scotch tape on it and remove it quickly.You may have to repeat this a few times to get it all.As for the Nose decal,Microscale makes an O gauge decal set (#48-43) that includes the proper nose decal.

[USNRol]

I get horns to blow by applying 1.5 vdc to the horn and leaving it there.  Then starting with the adjuster screw nut thingy on the bottom loosened way out, I slowly, SLOWLY turn it back in.  Once the horn starts to make noise there's probably a region of perhaps 2-3 more complete turns where you can adjust the pitch of the horn.  Tighteneing more makes pitch higher, loosening makes it lower, but the horn will sound most reliably in the middle of the band.  This is my experience with PW diesel horns.

Hope this helps!

Roland

[otftch]

The reed switch at the bottom of the relay has a very critical adjustment.I lift it gently with a small screwdriver being very careful not to touch anything else.If the horn sounds you can gently bend the lower plate up or down sightly until the horn sounds by itself.Almost always when the relay clicks it just takes a small adjustment here to do the trick.

                                                                                     Ed