Lionel #38 water tower - pump not working

From my files - hope this helps

Joe Fermani   Posted February 28, 2010 06:30 PM

Lionel Water Tank  I have the water tower and it has been on my layout for over a year.  It works great.  If you want trouble free operation, do the following:

ONLY use Distilled water.  Regular tap water will leave mineral deposits as it evaporates and can cause the pump to clog.

DO NOT use the colored Lionel water that comes with the water tower.  It contains sugar which can also clogged the pump when it sits for a period of time.  This is why the instructions state to flush the tank once a month.

Get a package of colored food dye from the grocery store.  Put a few drops of the blue food dye in the tank with the colored water.  This dye does not contain sugar and will not clog the pump.  Like I stated above, my tower has been on my layout for over a year and I have only added water to it as it evaporates.  I have not dumped it and flushed the system.  It has worked fine.  Its a great crowd pleaser.

Location: Malvern, PA | Registered:: October 05, 2000

Jerry Sr   Posted March 22, 2005 09:06 AM

Last month in the forum there was a posting about the # 38 water tank and lack of pump parts from Lionel.  This past week I started to have trouble with my water tank, the pump was not pumping the water properly.  When I took the water tank cover off I found evidence of mold starting to grow in the inside of the tank cover, this was not the reason for the pump problem, but using the blue food dye that Lionel supplies since it is a sugar base can start mold growing.  What I did was clean the cover using bleach, removed old water and food coloring added fresh clear water with a little bleach to tank and operated pump about 10 times.  The problem with pump cleared up.  I then drained all water and used blue windshield washer fluid in the tank.  The windshield washer fluid will not harm the pump and will actually keep sediment from forming in the pump.     Jerry Armstrong

I'm no plastics engineer, but I can tell you that my 33+ year old classic car has a plastic WW Fluid Bottle.  Is it dirty?  Yes.  Is it stained blue?  Yes.  Is it dry-rotted?  No.  Is it deteriorating?  No.  Car reservoirs bottles are not plastic they are nylon based materials.

Not all windshield wiper fluids are created equal.  Some are intended for cold weather, and others say on the label not to use if freezing might occur.  I would guess that their effects on plastic would be different, with the low-temperature version possibly having more alcohol or other antifreeze ingredient.

Posts: 56 | Location: Milford, PA 18337 | Registered:: November 29, 2001

Churu   adds:   Posted March 22, 2005 01:44 PM     I was the guy with # 38 tank nightmare.  I was able to take it apart and get to the root of the problem, the pump shaft was stuck and I broke it loose.  Of course, to accomplish this, I got to the pump impeller and very gently turned it with my fingers, then, put everything back together and use distilled water only, NO MORE food coloring mix with water.  Tank is working OK now.

The problem with these units is the water solution leaves deposits in the pumping system.  The #38 unit should be used with distilled water and food dye.  After use flush the unit out with clean distilled water.  Ammonia, alcohol, bleach and other cleaner ingredients can dry out rubber and fog plastic.  They are also evaporating agents.  If too much liquid evaporates the remaining fluid is more concentrated with coloring agent and mineral deposits.  Lionel's water tower is made from styrene plastic which is suseptable to alcohol based solvents.

Posts: 233 | Location: Hollywood,FL,USA | Registered:: May 26, 2002

70268

From: Vincenzo Thomaso <lionelwood@...>
Date: Mon Apr 4, 2005 4:38pm
Subject: Lionel 38 Water Tower

I use distilled water (water used for steam irons) for years with no problem (doesn't build up a residue like tap water).  You just add more when it evaporates.  You can buy it at the supermarket.     Vince Trimarco

Lionel operating water tower good news   8-9-16   JORGE GOMEZ ESPANA   OGR   I just finished the restoration of an operating water tower, the original version.

I replaced the old hoses with new surgical rubber ones and after that I filled the tank with 50% water 50% white vinegar, let it sit for two days, and flushed a lot of rust and dirty water.  I repeated this twice until no rust came out.  After making sure no rust was left, I refilled the tank with GLYCOL ANTIFREEZE from Pep Boys and added three drops of edible color for contrast.

Now I can leave the tank loaded and ready without worrying about anymore rust problems.  Try it it really works great!!!!

If the motor will not turn,  it's also possible that the motor has rusted.  mine started to get stuck. I increased the voltage to 15-18 volts and gave it a shot at that level. That broke the motor free and then it worked back at 10 volts.  I eventually had to replace the motor. Since the pump part is no longer available I contacted mike Reagan. He told me the motor in the pylon accessory would work. Ordered that motor. It's shaft was slightly smaller but it works again. Body of the motor was exactly the same size. Hopefully yours is just stuck due to sugar water. If you flush the pump and it works then you should be ok.

https://www.lionelsupport.com/38-Water-Tower-6-24224

This post is being added almost 5 years after the last post so hope everyone still following this daisy chain is still around and healthy.  LOL

I have the 7/2008 version of Lionel's No. 38 water tower (No. 6-24224), and the gears also clogged despite using distilled water and food coloring.  After disassembly and proper cleaning etc., the pump works again.  However, I fear the pump needs replacing as water appears to be leaking from the top of the armature shaft.  The pump lowers and raises the water as it should, but the leak is a problem.

I looked at the Lionel Support website (see above link), but the pump motor for the water tower is no longer available.  A previous post mentioned, "I contacted Mike Reagan. He told me the motor in the pylon accessory would work."  Does anyone know how to get in touch with Mike Reagan, and what specific motor in the pylon accessory he referenced?   

Thanks, everyone.  Urbie

So this is the pump

And this, while unavailable is a similar motor from a pylon.

however, some more searching, and we might have a winner from the lift bridge.

According to this topic, and reading the schematic, they feed that motor in the bridge with 9V DC.

https://www.lionelsupport.com/...GEAR-213-LIFT-BRIDGE

Thanks...very helpful.  After removing the 2 screws at the top of the pump, I was unable to completely remove the motor.  It lifted up app. 1/8" and that's as far as it would go.  I was afraid to pull on it too hard for fear of breaking something. 

Is there a way to remove the motor from the pump assembly w/o damaging anything? 

Appreciate the info.  Urbie.