Hi all,
I have a lionel early MPC banjo signal. It lights however, the banjo does not swing. No rumble or anything. Is the motor replaceable? I would like to get it running.
Thanks,
Howard
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You probably need the 140-32 drive washer. These have a "vibrotor" - not a "motor" per se.
Also a little powdered graphite in the drum will help.
The last Banjo signal that passed by my bench had a bad coil.
Not a very common problem, but worth checking before you buy any parts.
If the coil is ok, I suggest cleaning out the pin hole with a drill bit either held in you fingers or chucked in a pin vise. You do not want to enlarge the hole, only clean out old rust,etc.
Some folks like to scratch the inside of the cup to give the drive washer's fingers something to grip.
Thanks, it is not making any noise and I do not feel any vibration.
Just making sure you know this, but this signal requires AC for the arm to swing. If you're using a DC power pack (like the ones for HO sized trains), this signal won't work.
If you have an ohm meter, you could remove the light bulb and check the resistance between the two terminals under the signal. If it's anything other than open (or infinity), the coil is not likely bad. If it does read open, the coil is bad.
I'll go along with reaming the hole in the spool of the coil. If that makes the arm move, but sluggishly, I would try to contact a parts dealer and buy a new drive washer.
Hope this helps,
J White
