Lionel B6 0-6-0 Steam Switcher From around 1988 SMOKE UNIT

The spring sits on top of the piston, the closed end of the piston is up.  The picture doesn't show it well, but that's the way they go together.

If the spring is tapered, I always put the smaller end down.

Thanks John.  That is the way I did install it this time.  Now that 30+ year old engine puffs smoke out the top and also the lower steam chest.  It's almost as good as some of my 70+ year old engines that used the pellets and now the liquid.  Now those billow out tons of smoke.  Many years ago had to install a strong running bathroom fan in the train room to pull the smoke out of the 12x24 train room.  **** I love that smell of smoking trains.  I'm always looking for improvements on the layout and keeping the engines running smooth.  Been doing this for about 40+ years on this layout.

Not sure it was designed to puff from the steam chest, does it have the tubes running down?  Many times those pistons have a lot of blow-by and smoke kinda' goes everywhere.

There is a cross over tube on top of the smoke unit that sends the smoke down below and also a tube under the smoke unit that allows the smoke to come out each side of the engine.  This is the first smoke unit I have ever seen with all these removable tubes on it.  thank you Lionel for a wonderful engine b4 it's time.

There were a few of these, I didn't realize that one had the tubes.  It was a good idea, too bad it didn't carry over to most of the later stuff.