help me get these american flyer engines running again.

[Sturgeon-Phish]

Of the "this train doesn't work" scenarios I've had with just a humming unit the e unit usually needs attention.  First find out if the trouble is in the loco or the tender.  This is my usual sequence of events on the 312 and similar locos

1. Separate the loco from the tender.  There should be a jack panel between the two and you can disconnect them. 
2. Turn the loco over and role armature with your finger.  It should rotate freely and the wheels and linkage should move.
1.  If they do not

• i. check for binding in the linkage
• ii. Remove the lower grease plate and clean out the old dried up grease around the gears.

1. If they do move direct wire the loco by:

• i. Put a jumper between the center two sockets in the jack panel
• ii. Put a lead in the sockets on the extreme left and right socket in the jack panel
• iii. With test leads attach a variable voltage from your transformer to the leads inserted into the jack panel
• iv. The loco should run if the wiring is OK; if not start investigating the wiring

1. If the loco now runs finish cleaning the old grease and re-lube using just a little grease and oil and now focus on the tender
1. Take the tender shell off the frame
2. Apply low voltage ~ 8v to the tender and watch the reversing drum; it should rotate with each cycling of power
1. If all it does is hum

• i. Find the coil in the reversing mechanism (it will be towards the back of the unit) and manually cycle the drum by pressing and releasing the little plate under the coil. This should rotate the drum.

1. Clean the moving parts with an electrical cleaner that is plastic compatible.  Radio shack has a good product as well as CRC 7-36
2. Pay particular attention to where the e-unit pawl goes through the side frame of the unit.  Sometimes they with stick where the throwing of the pawl actually makes an indentation in the frame.  This can be fixed by:

• i. Give the end of the pawl a slight bend down; be VERY careful as to not break it.
• ii. Clean up the indentation with a jewelers file

1. Once you get the unit to rotate when cycling power you should be able to get power to the loco.  If not Inspect for and fix clean or replace as needed
1. loose connections
2. worn fingers
3. dirty drum contact
4. dirty pick up wheels

This gets most of the locos running.  Don't forget to add smoke fluid to the unit before running it very much because you can quickly burn up a good smoke wick running the loco with a dry wick

Jim

[n1vets333]

  I just bought a buncnh of old am flyer from someone. Included was a steam engine #312 and a gp-7 # 370. When I put the 312 on the track I am getting a humming noise from the tender, I traced the wires out of the tender so I checked them with a voltage meter and they are giving juice to the loco, my thought was that the motor wasnt getting any power. as I was touching the wires leading into the back of the loco I would frequently get a small spark and the train would start moving for a split section but I cant figure out what it is that I touched to make that happen, hopefully someone knowing their stuff could school me on this.

On the 370 diesel switcher, when power is applied the lights work and the reversing unit clicks as I believe it should but once again im not getting any motor movement. These engines are I believe from the 50's and I dont know how long they been in storage, could it be dirty connections somewhere? anyway I am really stuck and I cant seam to find much help online. If someone could helkp me troubleshoot I would really apreciate it, even if someone knows of  REALLY GOOD LINK. Thank you

                                                     Stevin