Lionel 6-28051 EM-1 smoke unit

I suspect you don't have any bad components, you just don't have the locomotive programmed correctly.  You have a lot of spare parts you probably didn't need.

I will try that John, thank you. I believe that I may have already done that but not sure. My sons EM-1 works, but does not produce much smoke. I have also replaced his smoke unit board in his locomotive.. I will try that on both of them and see what happens.

Unless there is something physically wrong with the smoke unit, there isn't any reason to replace them.  This locomotive uses the unregulated 27 ohm smoke unit, it's not known for producing prodigious amounts of smoke in it's stock configuration.   However, you can do a lot to increase the smoke output, I get very good smoke out of these smoke units when I do Super-Chuffer II upgrades.

• Replace the 27 ohm resistor with a 20 ohm resistor.  Make sure the resistor is firmly embedded in the wick but NOT totally covered!
• Do NOT put the silly sock over the smoke resistor, it should be bare!
• Drill out the fan intake hole to 1/4".
• Enlarge the stack output diameter as much as possible, keeping in mind there are limitations.
• Replace the wick with a generous amount of the braided wick shredded in the smoke bowl.
• Make sure there is a good air path from the smoke chamber over the resistor to the stack.

You will also need a lot more than the recommended 20 drops of smoke fluid to prime a dry unit.  I personally soak the wick before I reassemble the smoke unit, and it typically takes about one and a half droppers full from the JT's Megasteam dropper.

@Secarider posted:

I will try that John, thank you. I believe that I may have already done that but not sure. My sons EM-1 works, but does not produce much smoke. I have also replaced his smoke unit board in his locomotive.. I will try that on both of them and see what happens.

If the smoke fan is pulsing, it's almost surely not programmed correctly, it's programmed for a strobe.  Also, since the power is going on and off to the smoke heater, and you have the sub-optimal 27 ohm resistor, you will get no smoke.

One more thing, make sure the fan is running in the right direction, blowing not sucking.

Yep, should be running clockwise in most Lionel smoke units.

You have your R2LC board programmed as a diesel with a blinking light which makes the smoke unit pulse on and off. Think that is #5 and it should be programmed as #74 for the wireless tether.

@Ted Bertiger posted:

You have your R2LC board programmed as a diesel with a blinking light which makes the smoke unit pulse on and off. Think that is #5 and it should be programmed as #74 for the wireless tether.

Yep, addressed in post #2.

Thank you guys for all your input and suggestions. I tried to reprogram the R2LC board, and it didn’t seem to work. I also thought that it was odd, that the whistle did not sound after I pressed the Set button. Only the headlight flickered when I tried it. So then I tried to change the locomotive ID from Engine #1 to Engine #2. The locomotive would not respond to Engine #2, it still responded to Engine #1. So right there I knew that the locomotive was not responding to being programmed. So I took the locomotive back apart, and found that the center wire on the Program/Run  switch was broken off. So I re-soldered the wire back on, and put the locomotive back together. I reprogrammed the R2LC board as John suggested, and the smoke unit worked properly. But also as stated it does not produce an overabundance of smoke. Sometime I will take Johns advice, and modify the smoke unit. And install a Super Chuffer II.

Love to hear progress, thanks for reporting back on the solution.

@gunrunnerjohn posted:

Love to hear progress, thanks for reporting back on the solution.

Indeed. One wishes that everyone would do a follow up post; it's very helpful. 👍

Mark in Oregon

I just checked the Lionel web site, and it would appear that 20 ohm resistors are unavailable. Does anyone know where to buy smoke resistors that will work properly in Lionel locomotives.

I typically buy the 5W square ceramic resistors and crack the outer shell in a vise, out drops a perfect 20 ohm smoke resistor.  I'm having a bit of trouble finding stock on those right now, probably have to go overseas.

Secarider, I have the 20 ohm that GRJ recommended. If you want to try one shoot me your address thru my email and I mail you one.

I found them at AliExpress, but it'll be a month before I get them.

Rod thank you for your offer. I ordered another Supper Chuffer II, and the 20 ohm resistors from Hennings Trains yesterday.  Hopefully they were in stock.

The Super-Chuffer and Chuff-Generator products are in stock, they have lots of them.  I didn't even know Henning's had 20 ohm smoke resistors.