lionel...wiring without the e-unit?...latest update...good news!

[cheese3]

I am restoring a lionel 2025 2-6-2 and the e-unit does not work...I do not have the money for a new e-unit and I know you can wire it without the unit so it only goes forword but i do not know how to wire it this way. Does any one have, or can make, a diagram of this and post it? I would really appreciate the help. Thanks

[Big_Boy_4005]

Adam, e-units are usually repairable for less than the cost of a whole new one. Are you trying to run the engine on AC? Does the e-unit's solenoid work? It could be something as simple as a dirty drum, or fingers out of adjustment.

If you still want to bypass it, I believe the way you do it is: take the lead from the pickup roller and connect it to the field winding. The other end of the winding goes to one motor brush. The other brush goes back to ground. If it only goes in reverse, flip the wires.

[Anonymous]

Hello Cheese. I could get the existing e-unit to work again, if it does not have a burned out coil.

[lionelsoni]

Adam, what Elliot says will work. However, one end of the field coil is usually grounded to the frame of the motor. It would be easier to wire the pickup to one of the brushes and wire the other bru***o the end of the field winding that is not grounded, leaving the grounded end of the field winding in place. If it runs backwards, swap the connections to the two brushes.

pickup----brush brush----field----ground

[cheese3]

Thanks for the help guys, I will work on that later today and report how everything goes.

[Big_Boy_4005]

QUOTE: Originally posted by lionelsoni

Adam, what Elliot says will work. However, one end of the field coil is usually grounded to the frame of the motor. It would be easier to wire the pickup to one of the brushes and wire the other bru***o the end of the field winding that is not grounded, leaving the grounded end of the field winding in place. If it runs backwards, swap the connections to the two brushes.

pickup----brush brush----field----ground

Thanks Bob, I figured it was series, but wasn't sure which way. A lot of my engines have been rewired this way, including the one I just sent Jerry. I didn't do the rewiring though, I was busy with other things at the time.

[cheese3]

I found most of the wires were coroded so I just replaced all of them and it runs great! All I need to do now is find a boiler front, a link pack, trailing wheels, and a tender.

[Big_Boy_4005]

Adam, with the e-unit, or without? Most of those parts should be easy to get, especially in your area. The boiler front could cost a few bucks though.

[cheese3]

Elliot- thats with the e-unit. But i have another loco where the e-unit is in two pieces so that one will need to be wired like mentioned above.

[Big_Boy_4005]

Cool about the first one Adam. When you say the other e-unit is in 2 pieces, I take it you mean it's not complete. Any way you could post a photo, so we could see how bad it is? As long as you are going on a parts hunt.[;)]

[cheese3]

ok here are some pics...


Here is the 2025 I just got running, this pic shows it needs trailing trucks and a link pack, I am not even shure I have the right leading wheels for it


This shows it needs a boiler front, and here is a question, does that smoke unit use oil or tabs? If you need another pic of the unit itself to tell let me know.

Here is the broken e-unit, My Dad and I just took your directions and figured out how to wire it without it.

[Anonymous]

Hello Adam,

That is the correct leading truck. Yes, the real K-4 was a 4-6-2, but the Lionel versoin was 2-6-2, or like "my" 2035 a 2-6-4. The pellet (or pill)) unit will take either oil or pellets. Either will work.

[Big_Boy_4005]

Adam, I think all the parts are there for the broken e-unit. The piece with the lever should have the coil in it. The other piece has the plunger. The piece with the plunger is the bottom half. There are 4 little tabs on the bottom, that fit into 4 slots in the top. Front and back only matter because of where the slot for the switch is located on the engine.

It looks like it needs a good cleaning. If you do try to put it back together, make sure that the plunger is smooth, and doesn't hang up inside the coil.