corroding lead weights in my prairie

[chocho willy]

   Been working on my 2-6-2 prairie, got the space below the fireman finished and cleaned the wheels on the tender and engine. Being as this engine has been sitting for a while I figured I better lube it up, and good thing as in the gearbox area I found it covered with a white substance, more like flakes and dust and plenty of it on the gears and body of the gear box. So I pulled the motor block assy out so that I could examine the top side and it was even worse. Found the culprit was the lead weighs at both ends of the motor housing. They had oxidized and the flaky oxidization was covering just about everything. So a good cleaning with plastic safe electronic cleaner and new oil ( trying some new stuff called liquid bearing ) got it all back together to test. No go, nothing so started checking and found that not only is the new lubricant very slippery it is also a very good electrical insulator, and I mean very good. Of course most oils are same but even after wiping off surfaces with a clean rag I was still unable to get a ohm reading thru the electrical contacts. So back with the electronic cleaner and testing. finally everything was in working order then finding a bad motor and replaced it, now having a running engine. Cleaned the lead weights off and spray painted them with a rattle can. The engine has been sitting in the garage for sometime and it is rather humid here in Florida and guess the moisture just got to it especially with the hurricane last year. So be careful with the led weights and lubricate sparingly, Bill

[PVT Kanaka]

WOW!  Lead weights?  Makes me wonder if that might have been some of the "gear-fetti" I saw in some of my own locos!

Thanks for the tip!  Sorry it cost you the pain!

Aloha,

Eric

[ttrigg]

I've never seen lead flake like that without direct exposure to sun and weather. This is a real eye opener lesson.

[Greg Elmassian]

I have the lead carbonate issue on older lead weights. Being 1 mile from the ocean, we do have higher humidity.

I wire brush it off (wearing a mask) and then spray with a tacky anti-corrosion spray.

 

Very common on my USAT locos.

 

Greg

[emdmike]

I agree Greg, clean the weight off and seal it with something.  Also, when you reinstall the motor in the engine, you might try to beef up the mounting set up, those are prone to the motor getting cock eyed and stripping the gears with use.  Similar issue to the Lionel Large Scale Atlantics, they used a single zip tie and the motor would move around under a load, adding a couple more zip ties locks the motor where it needs to stay.  Make sure you get all that crap out of the gears or they wont last long.   

[chocho willy]

Really haven't noticed and motor movement in LGB motor blocks, there motors seem pretty secure unlike the Lionel Atlantic, but I have found that under load that the long shaft motor shafts seem to deflect away from the idler gear causing it to wear where the they meet. Long trains and grades seem to be the worst culprit. I added a 10,000 shim of styrene that I well lubricated where there is a small protrusion in the casting ( guess LGB's attempt) to keep the shaft down and it has helped quit a bit, Bill    

[chocho willy]

Yea, I'm only about a 1 1/2 mile from the ocean, and yes corroison is a problem here as well

[PVT Kanaka]

Bill,

That makes me wonder if that is what happened to my 0-6-2T.  Guess I'll find out when I get it back from repairs!

 

ERic

[Greg Elmassian]

Interestingly, the lead "corrosion" comes from humidity alone, no salt needed!

Here is one with the lead carbonate "corrosion"

 

And after cleaned up with mild wirebrush, and a marine spray anti-corrosion product (LanoCoat) (pure lanolin, safe for everything)