Lionel 226E

Make sure the brushes are not stuck to where they don't contact the commutator on the motor, and also check to make sure the field winding coil is not open.  You may want to disconnect the E Unit entirely and wire directly to get it running.  Connect one brush to the coil, the transformer to the other brush and the other end of the coil.  That should get it turning.

Check to see if there is power from the rollers getting to the e-unit. Then check to see if the brushes and springs are good.  There should be three connections from the e-unit to the motor. Are all three wires properly connected at both ends?  There is a wiring diagram here:

http://pictures.olsenstoy.com/cd/b123/000328.pdf

Did you check the wire to the pickup roller?  

You may also want to check the armature windings.  Look closely where the armature wires are soldered to the commutators.  

Some prewar locos with die cast wheels are prone to swelling.  Do the drivers turn freely?

It might need a rebuilt E unit, as I had to buy a rebuilt E unit for my 224E. The drum dropped out and shorted out the engine and I bought a rebuilt E unit online from  vendor on www.choochooauctions.com  

Lee Fritz

does the e-unit cycle and headlight glow? If so, it's not the pickups. If not, the problem may be a disconnected pickup wire.

If the pickup is OK:

My suggestion is to disconnect the wires from the e-unit to the motor and field, and try running the motor without it.
Put a jumper wire between one brush holder and the field wire.
Apply test leads to the other brush holder and the frame.

The motor should run.

pennytrains posted:

Some prewar locos with die cast wheels are prone to swelling.  Do the drivers turn freely?

penny

thanks, the wheels do turn freely

If the motor works when tested per CW, remove the e-unit and cycle it by hand.  Make sure the fingers contact the copper segments of the drum.  Sometimes the fingers get flattened and extend below the drum and do not contact the segments.  Also, some replacement drums are of questionable quality and the indexing of the segments to the teeth are off.  

Jon G posted:

If the motor works when tested per CW, remove the e-unit and cycle it by hand.  Make sure the fingers contact the copper segments of the drum.  Sometimes the fingers get flattened and extend below the drum and do not contact the segments.  Also, some replacement drums are of questionable quality and the indexing of the segments to the teeth are off.  

thanks Jon,

I think Im gonna rebuild the entire eunit with all new fingers and barrel

Popi