Servicing a Loco (N-Scalers)

[Anonymous]

Well I have a Life Like GP-38 and it is in need of servicing..My nephew saw it and since It was so cheap I bought it.. (2nd Hand)
Are there any Websites that show you what to Lubricate and what shouldn't??

Is Sewing Machine Oil OK to use ??

2nd of all, How come the Life like GP-38 gets such a bad name??
Mine seems to run fine it is just a little noisy, it has a 4 pole Motor as far as I can tell so at least it is better then a 3 pole??

[Bikerdad]

The Geep probably has a 3 or 5 pole motor (I don't think they make 4 poles, engineering isn't happy with 4). You can use sewing machine oil. Any oil used must be used very sparingly. Basically, you'll want to lubricate the gears that drive the trucks, and any bearing blocks that might exist. That's it. Head over to www.nscale.net and you may be able to get a more detailed answer regarding the lubrication points. I don't have any LL Geeps, so my answer is more along the lines of a general one.

Life Like has made several GP38s, some have been of "trainset quality" (i.e., it'll run for a few hours around the tree before it craps out), others have been better runners but the detail level is not up to the level of Atlas and Kato, and they've been "growlers" as you've already noticed. Simple deal is, if it runs and you're happy with it, then its a good loco.

[retsignalmtr]

i don't know about the gp38 as i haven't bought one of them yet but i have a couple of their gp20's so maybe they are similar. the gp20 has a split frame motor with 5 poles. the split frame is held together with two machine bolts with nuts. loosten the bolts but do not remove them and the trucks will drop out. clean the gears and reassemble the trucks. i use labelle # 108 oil very sparingly on the gears. if you use too much it will attract dirt and lint. 3 in 1 oil, wahl clipper oil or a general lubricant will do. put a drop on the gears with a toothpick. clean up the bronze wipers and pop the trucks back in. tighten the bolts and try the loco before reinstalling the shell.

[Anonymous]

The GP-38 is of the older design and is not a split-frame design like they GP-20. I have both. The GP-20 is smoother and quieter but the GP-38 is a better puller. The old design is where they put a giant chunk of real lead fore and aft.

I haven't taken apart my 38 (I have with the 20 for decoder installation) as I bought it new for $20. The GP-20s are still on sale on LL's website for under $17 each (free shipping over $50 otherwise $5).

[Anonymous]

I would be a little careful at slinging just any old lubricant on my N locomotives, even the LL's. Some oils (including, I think the 3-in1 oil), will soften the plastic parts. I generally stick with the Labelle family of lubricants and have had excellent results.