I have a Lionel 681 turbine engine that I got as a kid many years ago. It has a pellet smoke stack on it and I want to know if I can use my liquid smoke that I use on a couple of my K-Line engines. Any advice would help. Can using the liquid smoke stuff damage my engine?
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Do not use liquid for smoke in a pellet smoker. No-no.
Why not? I’ve been doing it for decades with no issues...
Jon 
Liquid smoke is safe to use and will produce at least as much smoke as pellets if not more. Thats all I use on my Post War, no problems. Best if you first clean out all of the pellet residue.
Pete
You can use smoke pellets or fluid in a 681. The coil in the smoke unit accept both pellets and fluid. The early 2020s and 671s with heat lamps should only use pellets.
Hmm...interesting.
I just picked up my first-ever 681 last week. In really great shape and runs even better after the usual cleaning, lube, new brushes and other attention.
Have been using repro smoke pellets but will have to give it a shot with liquid.
My Momma said "Don't do it!". And, I don't. 
The ways of dinosaurs are hard to change.
Smoke fluid can most definitely be used in the postwar heater style smoke units - I have done it for 30+ years with no issues.
I fully concur with all of the posters who state that it is safe and acceptable to use liquid smoke fluid in a pellet style smoking engine. The only caveat would be to try and not overfill it with too much fluid. Four to six drops is sufficient and it will last for a quite awhile-longer than the pellets last.
Thank you all for answering my question. I will give it a shot. The pellets don't seem to do much smoking like they did when the engine was new. I did change the smoke heater with the same low amount of smoke. Do those smoke pills get bad with age? One bottle has to be 20 years old.
rthomps posted:Do not use liquid for smoke in a pellet smoker. No-no.
Why do you say not to use liquid smoke on my 681 when everyone else say it's OK??
Possibly confusing a Smoke Bulb vs the Heating element type units. It has been said that just putting smoke fluid straight on the bulb could cause it to fracture especially if the bulb is warm and the fluid relatively cool.
Fora full picture, you must first determine which smoke generator style your 671 has (which thus far is presumed to be the heater element type)
If you have a 1946 version with the dimple bulb heating element, it was designed for Lionel 196 type smoke pellets. These were somewhat unfriendly (corrosive and potentially toxic). I'm not aware of any 196 compatible reproductions today. Lionel did offer a conversion kit (highly desirable today) http://pictures.olsenstoy.com/cd/locos/loc726p7.pdf . I read that most simply use fiberglass wadding and smoke fluid around the dimpled bulb in this case.
If you have the 1947 or later version with the ceramic nicrome heater style unit, you can use either Lionel SP Smoke Pellets or smoke fluid
References: http://www.olsenstoy.com/searchcd31.htm?itm=629
https://ogrforum.com/...compatibility---help
bmoran4 posted:Possibly confusing a Smoke Bulb vs the Heating element type units. It has been said that just putting smoke fluid straight on the bulb could cause it to fracture especially if the bulb is warm and the fluid relatively cool.
Fora full picture, you must first determine which smoke generator style your 671 has (which thus far is presumed to be the heater element type)
If you have a 1946 version with the dimple bulb heating element, it was designed for Lionel 196 type smoke pellets. These were somewhat unfriendly (corrosive and potentially toxic). I'm not aware of any 196 compatible reproductions today. Lionel did offer a conversion kit (highly desirable today) http://pictures.olsenstoy.com/cd/locos/loc726p7.pdf . I read that most simply use fiberglass wadding and smoke fluid around the dimpled bulb in this case.
If you have the 1947 or later version with the ceramic nicrome heater style unit, you can use either Lionel SP Smoke Pellets or smoke fluid
References: http://www.olsenstoy.com/searchcd31.htm?itm=629
https://ogrforum.com/...compatibility---help
I'm not sure if someone brought up the 671 or not but Jetman has a 681 which wouldn't have come with a smoke bulb. All the info you provided is great. My dad has done the same thing with the fiberglass and the smoke bulbs. Our family loves the turbines and it's great to see someone having fun with one.
I use liquid smoke in all my postwar steamers, including the 2026 that was my first locomotive (in 1951) and my 681 turbine. Much, much better than those @$$!&!! pills that never did anything but clog up the smoke generators with waxy crud when I was a kid.
I have a few bottles of vintage Lionel SP smoke pellets on my display shelves, but that's all I use them for -- display. When I actually want to see smoke coming out of my PW locomotives, they get liquid.
bmoran4 posted:Smoke fluid can most definitely be used in the postwar heater style smoke units - I have done it for 30+ years with no issues.
Same here.
Jetman posted:Thank you all for answering my question. I will give it a shot. The pellets don't seem to do much smoking like they did when the engine was new. I did change the smoke heater with the same low amount of smoke. Do those smoke pills get bad with age? One bottle has to be 20 years old.
Jetman posted:rthomps posted:Do not use liquid for smoke in a pellet smoker. No-no.
Why do you say not to use liquid smoke on my 681 when everyone else say it's OK??
Inertia, I guess. I've been using a 681 with pellets since 1949. I was told in the early '70s by older operators/collectors not to use liquid in smoke units designed for pellets.
So, I don't.
See my comment above about dinosaurs not changing.
If other guys have used liquid and have been successful, then do it! 
Pellets heat up and turn to liquid. Liquid already is liquid. That's the difference.
Jon
Straight from the test bench, aka, the layout.
As mentioned above I just picked up a 681 and tender in really nice shape. My first one, BTW.
Quick video with fluid. It really smokes and video doesn't do it justice.
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