Lionel 6-28079 C&O 2-10-4 from 2001 Smoke Problem

These "puffers" were never really good smokers. Have you looked at replacing with a better smoke unit? 

I would also replaced the wadding. 

Patience.  The smoke will come back after running for some time, you just need to reduce the excess fluid.  Another thing you can do is replace the 27 ohm resistor with a 22 or 20 ohm one for better performance.

Truthfully, my prescription for those is an MTH fan driven smoke unit and my Super-Chuffer.  You'll never go back to mechanical smoke units.

You may also want to check to be sure the piston is actually going up and down within the cylinder itself. Flooding the smoke unit will sometime send fluid into the cylinder and bind the piston.....

Excellent point about the flooding.

Gunrunnerjohn,

I had the problem with the smoke unit and I believe that I want to replace the smoke unit as you recommended in an earlier post in January. What MTH part number do I need to order or can you fill the order and the Super-chuffer from Henning's Trains. I would also need a wiring diagram so I do not screw things up.

The piston on my NYC Mohawk 6-18009 (circa 2000) used to hang up.  I cured the problem with a new one from Lionel (still available on the website).  The piston from your engine is probably the same one as mine.

Be sure to clean the cylinder bore thoroughly before installing a new piston.  I also put a light coat of oil on the piston.  While you're in there, check the wick as previously suggested.  You will probably find it's burnt and dry.  Fold the new wick back and forth, filling the smoke unit so the wick surrounds and makes contact with the resistor.  Don't overstuff the unit, it will restrict airflow and impede smoke output.

One man's opinion: installing a modern, fan driven smoke unit isn't easy.  Leave it to the experts. 

maxmn_98 posted:

Gunrunnerjohn,

I had the problem with the smoke unit and I believe that I want to replace the smoke unit as you recommended in an earlier post in January. What MTH part number do I need to order or can you fill the order and the Super-chuffer from Henning's Trains. I would also need a wiring diagram so I do not screw things up.

I use the standard MTH steam smoke unit (AA-0000070), but there is a bit to the installation.  You have to mount it and mate the stack to the existing shell, change the resistors to be compatible with the TMCC R2LC output, etc. 

The Super-Chuffer comes with wiring instructions, and I also have additional application diagrams available on request.

I happen to have a K-Line scale Hudson on the bench right now, here's how I mount many of the K-Line replacements, I use the stand-offs that the mechanical smoke unit used, this one happened to be the perfect height to mate with the stack.  Many times I have to add a brass tubing stack extension.  That's a piece of 1/16" fiberglass that I shape for the mount.  I also have to cut away the posts a bit for the screws.