I need help with my 671 locomotive

Does the headlight still come on? Is there any sign of life?

Rob

No, the red light comes on the transformer, but no life. It ran like a bat outta **** smoked then I put the fluid in and nothing.

007: I don't know how much fluid you put in; I generally use liquid in pill type units with about 4 drops per load. If you put more in, you may have shorted the heating element out somehow. Try turning the locomotive upside down over some paper towels and let the smoke unit drain for awhile and let it dry some. Try it back on the track afterwards and see if the red "short' light on your transformer stays out.

I probably put more than 4 maybe 6 or 8, but before that, the engine ran fantastic...better than new...thats whats so frustrating. Ill try your suggestion; I talked to a authorized dealer telling me they think its the E unit, but I dont see how.

Remove the shell(3 screws) and inspect for wires that may have been pinched with the shell on.  Gently reposition the wires a little and try it again.

To isolate the smoke unit and see if that is the problem, unsolder the one wire that connects the smoke unit to the e-unit and see if there is still a short circuit.  Sometimes the wire that is routed through the metal smoke pot cap rubs through its insulation and shorts out.

The number 1 cause of shorts in a 671 has to be a motor wire touching the cab ceiling. A piece of tape on either the top of the motor or the cab ceiling eliminates the short. Slide a piece of paper between the motor and the cab ceiling. If it won't fit, there's your short. If it does fit, leave it there and see if the loco runs.

To expand upon the previous two comments: try running the engine with the shell removed. If it runs, then something electrical (likely motor terminals or e-unit terminal) is touching the cab,

Other less likely possibilties are:

- lamp wire - sometimes right where it enters the socket.

- smoke unit - where the wire passes through the cap - insulation might be frayed

- e-unit - I have had pieces where the e-unit drum broke and shorted the engine.

I suspect the E-unit.  Take the cab off and cycle the plunger on the eunit a few times and try running it without the cab off.  I've seen where the drum does not fully rotate and cause a short.

I've never heard of smoke fluid causing a short.  Don't turn the loc upside down to drain the fluid.  If its flooded, use a qtip to soak up the excess fluid.  Turning it upside down will cause the fluid to run everywhere.

If the Eunit is not the short, I would then look for broken wires.

Thank you for all of your help; when I pulled off the shell the engine & smoke unit work perfectly. I put some tape over the engine replaced the shell.  It worked perfectly for about 30 seconds got bumped by a track obstacle and is again shorting out. I'm gonna take off the shell and reposition it hoping that will take care of this problem...Clearly, if the E unit or smoke unit were defective, why would it run well or at all? Thanks, Glenn

It sounds like a wire is shorting out when you put the shell on.  If the E-Unit or smoke unit were the problem I would suspect them to continue having issues with the shell off.  I would look for frayed wiring that may be coming in contact with the shell.

Old wire insulation might have cracks in it as well allowing the wire to contact the shell.  I had to rewire my 1946 2020 turbine due to poor wire condition.

Hello, here is an update on the 671 that wasnt running at all. I took off the shell and the e unit and the smoke unit work amazing as well as the engine. I have electrical taped the top of the cab the sides by the e unit, the motor...It ran aroung the track twice with the shell on, hit an obstcle derailing it...now it is back to the same problem...runs great without the shell..any more ideas would be greatly appreciated, as I am getting really frustrated that I cannot solve this on my own.

Thank you,

glenn

Glenn, I think you'll eventually get it. You mentioned the trouble  started after adding smoke?  Could there be some problem up on the smoke unit, with a frayed wire, etc. and the unit comes in contact with the shell when it is put on? I'd look carefully around there, too.

B&OBill

Yep, where the wire goes down inside the smoke unit is a problem for some with the old cloth insulation. Check that out. That metal tab on top of the motor where the motor field wire goes often digs into the top of the cab. I grind mine down a little. Or, make sure there is adequate tape there.

Rob

In addition to Bill and Bob's comments, check the lamp wire carefully.

Sometimes there is a bare section of wire right where it enters the lamp shell (threaded socket). If so, it could be intermittently touching some other part of the engine, the lamp shell, the lamp shell holder (spring clip), or anything else that is metal.