Engine has no sounds

It could be something as simple as a bad speaker, broken connection or shorted wire. If it has a PS2 5v board (uses a 9v style battery) and the speaker magnet is delaminating (typically the 50mm speakers do; did not see many smaller ones do it), then it likely took out the audio amp on the board, which is replaceable.  In any event, you gotta open it up and inspect it.

It has the triple A style battery and the PS 2 3v board. What do replacement speakers usually run?

Bad speaker first, if the speaker has shorted to the frame, then you could have a bad audio amp on the PS/2 board.

What will a new speaker run for cost?

Need to open it up, or at least drop the fuel tank to see what size speaker is in it.  Measure the diameter in mm and check the impedance.  Some SW switchers with 3v boards used 8 ohm speakers.  A picture of the speaker would help.

@Jon G posted:

Some SW switchers with 3v boards used 8 ohm speakers.  A picture of the speaker would help.

Interesting, that I didn't know.  Haven't seen it, but I suspect you may have seen a lot more of these than me.

I had a bad volume pot once on a Lionel traditional sized TMCC steamer. Bad solder or something that was fixed by reheating the pot terminal. Intermittent when I disturbed it.

@gunrunnerjohn posted:

Interesting, that I didn't know.  Haven't seen it, but I suspect you may have seen a lot more of these than me.

Not sure why they did that.  Either they didn’t want to overdrive the small speaker or the correct 4 ohm speaker wasn’t available.  We did get complaints that they weren’t loud enough.

If conventional operation do a conventional reset.  If DCS do a feature reset.  If that does not restore follow advice above.  G

I was recently told that I may have blown the amplifier on the processor board requiring that to be replaced. Does that seem plausible or is the bad speaker the more likely culprit?

Clearly, check the speaker first.  You can simply unplug the existing speaker and connect a good one to see if you get sound back.

Replacing the amplifier on a 3V board is somewhat of a PITA, it's a small fine lead pitch part.  Replacing the amplifier on the 5V board, OTOH, is fairly easy, it's a much larger thru-hole part.

@gunrunnerjohn posted:

Clearly, check the speaker first.  You can simply unplug the existing speaker and connect a good one to see if you get sound back.

Replacing the amplifier on a 3V board is somewhat of a PITA, it's a small fine lead pitch part.  Replacing the amplifier on the 5V board, OTOH, is fairly easy, it's a much larger thru-hole part.

I disagree, replacing audio amp on 3V is easier for me.  The 5V takes more time and effort and plus proximity of other chips when resoldering legs.

Yes blown audio amp is possible.  But checking speaker, harness wires to speaker plug connection are also causes beside sounds turned off electronically.

Tech can test board out of engine to determine if audio amp is working or not.  G

That's why they make chocolate and vanilla George, I have no problem swapping the 5V audio amps.   I've learned to use my hot air tool on the 3V board amplifiers, that does make them easier to swap, but still more fiddly than the 5V ones.

You have to be kidding about the proximity of other chips on the 5V amp, the proximity of other legs on the closely spaced 3V amp are certainly more challenging using a soldering iron.

I always check the speaker and wiring first, and a feature or factory reset isn't a bad idea to make sure the audio isn't disabled in software.

Obviously, techs have the test set and can quickly determine if the board has a flaw, but I suspect that's not the go-to solution for most folks when they're trying to chase down this issue.