I recently picked up a proto 2000 GP 60. It is a pre owned loco and putting it on my test track it had a noise that is like a whinning or grating. I changed the gears and lubed it and put on the test track which is a circle and let it run both directions for a long period of time. The first couple of laps it would make the noise but then quiet down and run smooth. However when it sat awhile and was put on the track again, the noise would reappear but go away after running awhile again. When the loco is cold it makes the noise, when run awhile it goes away. Anyone out there run into this problem and if so what is the fix. Thanks
Bruce
Hi there. It might be the shafts on the motor. I had that problem very recently. A drop of oil on both ends made that sound go away.
Simon
I did try that, maybe I should get under the hood again and check that aspect out again.
alcofanschdyAnyone out there run into this problem and if so what is the fix.
Yup - it's typically the worm shaft bearings. The bronze used seems to repel lubrication and creates the squeal (somebody posted a chemical analysis of the bronze many years back and figured out the cause). The best cure is to dispose of the stock bearings and use Athearn parts. If I remember this right, Athearn has used a couple different sizes of bearings over time for the shaft; the older ones fit the P2K shaft while more recent examples (for Athearn mechanisms with the plastic worms) do not. Athearn axle bearings work on the P2K shafts. You may be able to drop in the entire Athaern worm and shaft into the P2K trucks.
No amount of tuning on the gears, motor or anything else will eliminate the noise if it's coming from the gearboxes.
Rob Spangler
alcofanschdy...put oil on the shafts and all is quiet now
Hopefully it works, but see for how long. If you have the problem bearings, the squeal will come back after a time as the stock bearings seem to repel the oil. If that happens, replace with Athearn bearings and you'll have the noise fixed for good.
While disassembling some P2K Geeps to de-gunk them, discovered that the worm gear bearings at the top of the power trucks are magnetic. Am replacing them as I go with Athearn bearings. This will not help with screeching motor bearings, but a toothpick tip of LaBelle grease lasts quite a while.