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Eric's Trains (forum sponsor) has a video on how to add a drop of oil to the motor shaft. You'll be taking the unit apart to do it though from what I recall. Also keep in mind that fan noise may be created by airflow through the fan since the little devils spin at very high rpm. What confuses me is that no two engines are alike when it comes to fan sound. Some are almost silent and some are so loud it's not worth it.

Good evening Brad, funny you posted this question.

I had to move some trains around last night so I could cover the layout up for some light construction work and I noticed the same buzzing noise from the smoke unit on my MTH Imperial M1A.

 

My I1 Railking did the same thing and a drop of oil did the trick.

Got a project for this weekend!!!!!

 

Great engines though!!!!!

Yep a drop of oil has fixed 99.99% of any noisy fan issues on any brand, EXCEPT those fans part of the recent Lionel epidemic

 

( Come to think of it my very first noisy fan was on an MTH)

 

Remove the shell, take the screws out of the corners of the smoke unit top, remove top.

 

GENTLY pull off fan impeller with a pair of needle nose. Put a drop or two at the base of the shaft on the bushing, reinstall impeller.

 

Any decent light oil should work. I use labelle 102 for fan motors and everything else. Its a thicker light oil that stays better and lasts longer.

Last edited by RickO
Originally Posted by BradFish1:

What is the trick to get the impeller off without destroying it?

No real trick, you grab one of the fins toward the center and just pull up with a pair of needle-nose pliers.  The come right off, they're just pressed on.  The trick is when you put them back on, make sure they are not pressed in too far, but far enough to clear the top gasket.

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