MTH 20-3039-1

Did you check the Battery? Let it charge on on the track at 18 volts with the smoke off for about 15 minutes and shut down down the power. Can you hear the shut down sounds (last about 10 seconds) or does it go silently immediately?

Apparently this engine  is from 2000, before the remote & tiu were available.... The battery has to be toast,  Normally a quick charge might help but I wouldn't chance it with this engine.... unless the battery has been changed  , it's  time for a new one.

If the engine is completely dead on a powered, non-DCS track, it isn't very likely that it's because the battery needs charging.

I read that I could temporarily install a 9v NiCad to get it started so I did that and still nothing at all.

When you say "nothing at all," does that mean the AMPS readout on your Z-4000 sits at 0.0 (assuming no lock-on or other load) when power is applied to the engine?

Do you hear that relay click (from within the tender) when power is initially applied to engine?

How about cleaning the center rail rollers  and other wheels Is the tether seated correctly?. You mentioned it's been sitting on a shelf for years...

 If you give the thing a nudge. any action?

Rollers are clean, less than 60 min running time on engine.  

No relay click, silence.  Very frustrating after spending so much money for the engine.

No click--- no power going to board. I imagine this engine may be difficult to take apart to check out the plug ins on the main board.

 Sorry I don't want to ask but is there power going to the track.( Lighted caboose light up?)

Yes.  I was other engines before putting the Climax on.  

was running ...

Bummer!!!

Do you have  dcs?( remote & tiu)?

No DCS, just transformers.  

wrt to amps, 0.3 amps at 12 v.   There are a few switches on the layout. 

My thinking on the AMPS readout was to see if the internal board/electronics was getting track power - without having to open it up and poke around with a meter or whatever.  That is, does the Z-4000 AMPS readout value change between engine-on-track and engine-off-track; by change I mean even briefly if, for example, momentarily lifting the wheels off the track if that's practical to do.

This is not conclusive, but if the AMPS number doesn't change at all there is an ever-so-slim chance that there is a loose or bad connection between track, wheels, rollers, internal wiring harness, whatever.  Again, this is not conclusive as the board may be dead and draw no measureable power.

There are different failure modes but it's a bad sign if it draws just a little power (like 0.1 Amps).  That means the board is getting track power but no-relay-click means it's dead-in-the-water.  

0.3 amps with engine on track and the same when I remove t.  I guess send it back to MTH for repair?

The Hilcrest was known to have the roller pickup metal bend so that AC power does not get to board.  Do 2 things.  First make sure harness fully seated between engine and tender.  Second, check pickup rollers to ensure they are down and touch center rail.  Not bent up towards engine.  G

With a flash light and glasses I can see the rollers turn.  I put some dielectric compound on the female end of the plug and reseated it.  No change.  

May need a new board.  G

Thanks for the suggestions.  Best return to MTH?

I can do this, e-mail in my profile. G

Ok thanks.  Just arrived in Boston for a week.  I’ll look up your address when I return and mail it.