Legacy smoke unit or board noise/issue

Three flashes are the primary smoke unit fan motor, so obviously that's the first place to start looking.  It's quite possible that you put a bad fan motor in to replace the other bad one.   Also, if it's making noise, you may have not spaced the impeller correctly and it's hitting the fan chamber, that would cause the same issue.

I've also done a number of these Legacy Northern fan motor replacements when they first came out.   I just bought a NIB Legacy Northern, and you guessed it, it had a bad smoke fan motor!  I started using the MTH fan motors in these.  It's a tight fit as it's a longer motor, but it will work.  The MTH motors are better quality than the ones that Lionel was delivering.  I also put a couple of layers of Kapton tape on the side of the boiler shell to insure there's no shorts to the boiler with the close clearance with the longer motor.

Thanks John. I tested the other legacy steam engine I have with no sound and it also buzzes similar so I think this may be normal on that aspect.  Do you think since I am running in conventional mode and ramping the voltage up from zero that this tricks the electrons on occasional to give 3 flashes in stead of being at 18 volts at start up?  The reason I say is it only happens on ramping the voltage from zero at the beginning.

I could try a mth motor but I can not seem to find one to buy.

Off topic, but your CW should have an internal fuse that may be the issue as to why it has failed and the fuse can be replaced if you have not already done so. It typically requires a triangular headed screwdriver to remove the case screws that you can buy or you can make your own.

@DL posted:

Thanks John. I tested the other legacy steam engine I have with no sound and it also buzzes similar so I think this may be normal on that aspect.  Do you think since I am running in conventional mode and ramping the voltage up from zero that this tricks the electrons on occasional to give 3 flashes in stead of being at 18 volts at start up?  The reason I say is it only happens on ramping the voltage from zero at the beginning.

I could try a mth motor but I can not seem to find one to buy.

Bold thought, why not go to the source, MTH Parts?

@Richie C. posted:

Off topic, but your CW should have an internal fuse that may be the issue as to why it has failed and the fuse can be replaced if you have not already done so. It typically requires a triangular headed screwdriver to remove the case screws that you can buy or you can make your own.

I believe the CW-80 also has the fuse inside the primary transformer windings.  If that one goes, you're out of luck.  You can replace the 8A fuse in the secondary.

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Well I have good news and bad news to report. The good news is that I got the cw80 back up and running with a new fuse. The bad is that I tried both a new Lionel and MTH smoke fan motor. Both seem to give the 3 blinks when less than 5vac is applied to the engine in conventional mode. Greater than 5vac does not set the 3 blinking lights off.
I am think at low voltage this sets the diagnostics to blink the engine cab. I assume this is correct in not having enough voltage to convert to dc for the fan to operate.
seem correct?