When I test the motor without connecting anything, the motor works great. When I connect the 2 truck blocks (not sure what they are called but they are copper that holds the trucks and connect to the motor frame with C clips) and test it again the motor doesn't work and it is shorted. This is without wheels using test leads to the track. This is driving me nuts. I'm sure there is someone out there that knows whats going on, please help.
Welcome to the MR Forums. So, this is a Tyco 2-8-0 ? I can't find anything in HOSeeker on that particular loco, so I'll take a guess, perhaps, are you trying to install these backwards? getting polarity messed up?
Pictures would help, there are instructions for posting pictures at the top of the General Discussion Forum.
Mike.
My You Tube
I found this video.
Henry
COB Potomac & Northern
Shenandoah Valley
It's actually an 0-8-0 but I think electrically they're the same. I isolated the tender parts from the loco to eliminate that. When I touch one block to the motor housing the motor keeps running. When I touch the other block to the housing it shorts and quits. The photo, I hope I did this correctly, shows my test setup. I can't find a parts breakdown or a schematic of this unit anywhere which would be very helpful.
https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7846/46565296065_c840cf2e49_b.jpg
Maybe you could try the Tyco forum :
http://tycodepot.com/
You might find all kinds of info, maybe?
I see your problem in the photo. The red and green clips, positive and negative, are attached to the blocks, which are solid metal. The power truck is metal where they go on. By attaching both blocks, you are creating a short directly through the blocks and the truck, the red and green are on all metal to metal joints.
Both trucks need to be, and are, on the same side of the circuit, either red or green. The wires from BOTH blocks go to ONE lug on the motor, that side of the circuit.
The OTHER motor wire goes to the other side of the circuit, which, IIRC, goes to the locomotive frame, not one of those blocks
On that locomotive, there are little copper jumper connectors on the drivers, or wheels, that conduct current from the metal tire (yes that's what they're called) to the axle, which rides in a metal frame. That side of the locomotive picks up current.
Make sure that the metal wheels on those tender truck "blocks" are on the opposite side from the locomotive's, so that they picking up current from the opposite rails.
Welcome to the forums. Dan
Further on the same subject, this locomotive has a headlight and a smoke generator which are wired into the circuit somehow. Whether you want those to work, or either, is up to you. The smoke generator, which requires oil, has a mechanical air pump that makes the smoke puff out with each rotation of the wheels. Rather cheesy.
This train set level locomotive was never made for the long haul. It's mechanism is very lightly built, the gears are thin and subject to rapid wear. The tiny motor overheats with extended running. And the mechanism is notorious for picking up hair and fuzz and junk, gumming up guickly. But, as some die hard Tyco fans will attest, it can be made to run OK with a bit of TLC and maintenance. (for a while) So have some fun with it!
I have always liked the looks of these little locomotives, as outdated as their detailing is these days. I have repowered one, to find out later that another manufacturer, (sold through IHC) got ahold of what I believe is this loco and likewise powered it through the drivers, a much better set-up. They also put a more appropriately sized smaller tender on it, and changed the drivers so they don't have those "pizza cutter" flanges.
I haven't seen this particular IHC model run, but I'd feel safe assuming it runs as smoothly as the many other IHC steam locomotives I have ran. Far better than a modestly priced loco would be expected to. Dan