Thanks for the tip. I'll pick up some good plastic safe grease this week before doing the job. I was going to get into it a couple of hours ago but decided to treat myself to a good run of the Y6B pulling the new MP54's and a pair of SD70's pulling a mixed train. A nice and relaxing hour or so . Totally blanked out and watched them run with sound on.
Springfield PA
If it is a BLI check the lube! I would all so lube the engines mounting points! Remember my problem where the engine mounting point (talking about the engines mount not the motor) wore down to the point where they where touching the boiler and causing a short in the turns? I fixed mine but BLI could not figure it out.
Ken
I hate Rust
You are as likely to find too little lube as too much...so use the opportunity to closely inspect the gear teeth for dirty lube, no lube, metal shavings where there shouldn't be any....just trust your gut. The curved cup that covers the gear on the cover you remove could have some grease in it, but it shouldn't be packed full, nor should the area where the gear axle is found.
By the way, if you aren't especially fond of the drivers of both engines being in synch, which is usually how the engine is shipped, now is the time to slip the gears by a couple of teeth to take your engines out of synch. You lift the geared driver up away from the driving gear below it (seen with the engine inverted), and slowly turn the driver, keeping in mind that you want all of them to turn by the same amount to retain the quartering. Set the gears back together and then test for a lack of binding...rock the driver back and forth to see if all of them turn freely. If they all look loose, with the cranks lined up, then you are good. Restore the cover plate and screws, and you engine now looks like it's front is slipping a bit.
-Crandell
Thanks. I'm not expecting it to affect the pulling power for me since I don't go over 30 or so cars on my layout's 2 % grade. I'll let you know. I'll take a couple of pics while it's open as well.
By the way would you suggest lubing the gears while in there or do newer steamers not need it?
You should not have to open the engine it self. On the bottom of the rear truck (they are on the rear right?) there should be 4 screws that hold the plate on. When off, and you have taken off drive rod off the driver it should lift out. Make sure you take the drive rod off first!
Been over a year since I had a Steam engine apart but pretty sure that how my Y6 b is done.
By the way, let me know how it changed the pulling power.
Hello All
I have a shiny new Paragon 2 Y6B That I ran for about an hour last night and love.
The loco came equipped with traction tires and also supplied non traction replacements. I don't like the traction tires and want to replace them. How difficult of a job is it? I've never opened up a steamer as this is only my second one since I got back into the hobby. I can take some pics if needed.