American Flyer Big Boy 4014

I believe this one has a chuff switch. The second to last driver wheel-set has 4 lobes on it. I would check there first and see if there's damage or anything of the like.

That model has a cam on a driver axle that activates the Cherry switch.  What you describe is an adjustment or replacement of the cherry switch is probably in order.  The switch and cam are on the rear truck.  Here's the wheelset that is actuating the cherry switch.

I had this same problem on mine and it was the arm on the switch which seemed to have lost its shape.

What I see to remember was that one of the lobes on the cam didn't look to be the same height as the others which makes sense in that it misses one chuff.

It was a bit fiddly adjusting it but not impossible with it all in situ once you remove the axle/wheel assembly.

Probably took me about 30 mins to sort out 

The AF Big Boys are known to have a number of issues right out of the box. Much of this is documented on Carl Tuveson's website along with the fixes for them.

Go to www.tuveson.com, click on "TMCC for S" and then scroll down and select "The AF Big Boy - A review and more". Carl has posted quite a bit of data that can prove helpful in correcting this and many of the typical problems with the AF Big Boy.

Dean

You included the comma in the link, it doesn't work that way.

http://www.tuveson.com/

oops.  Sorry!

Thank you all for the quick response, this is one more project to add to the list.

Ray

If the engine sat for a period of time, did you reprogram it before putting it back in service?

How about a product number and some Lionel tech may be of help.

I have been out of touch for a short time, will try to reprogram today.

Thanks

Ray

I did try the reprogram on the 4014, the results were no change in the miss firing of the sounds. I will add the dis-assembly to my to do list.

Ray 

Ray, Carl Tuveson's website ( http://www.tuveson.com/  lists this as a common issue with the AF Big Boy.  His Big Boy squawk sheet lists the issue as "The loco was only doing 3 chuffs per revolution instead of 4" and the fix was "Adjusted the chuff micro switch by slightly bending the micro switch arm in a downward direction".

He has a detailed procedure with pictures on his website.  I have not run my Big Boy enough to experience the problem and have not otherwise been under the hood of one, but it appears to be a straight forward fix.

Dean

Dean,

Thank you for the info, I have been to Carl's website and did download the procedure and pictures. I was just hoping that the reprogram might have worked. I am doing rework on my P.E. right now but I will want to have the BB back in service by the time S Fest comes around. My layout is scheduled to be on the layout tour.

RAY

The description of the issue screams out chuff switch, so those instructions are doubtless right on target.