MTH Dash 9 out of storeage problem

This is, I believe due to age and QSI system, a PS1. Before you did anything, you should have removed the battery and put in a new fully charged battery or a BCR. They are known for the three clanks of death which then require a reprogramming chip.

More people will chime in.

If it is similar to a car-you can't recharge a dead battery if the battery is shot. The ability of the battery to maintain voltage under a load is what counts even if it appears 100% charged on a voltage meter.

Try an new 9V alkaline temporarily or a newly charged NMH battery.

Even better-use a BCR. They work the best.

Throw the battery away, it is junk.  Start with a fresh (new) battery and a feature 18 and you should run again.

I have an older Lionel with no sounds equipped (from '74)and I dont know anything about the electronics on you loco, but I had the exact problem tonight.  I just reassembled mine after repainting the frame.  First - sat on the track with light on, nothing else.  Cleaned some paint off to expose bare metal and it moved...in only one direction.  Cleaned more paint away, works perfect.  Like I said, I dont know anything about the electronics in yours, but this was my issue and before anybody else posted, I was just going to suggest to make sure all of your metal-to-metal contacts were clean and clear.

Mike

so a dead/inop battery will have an impact on the operation of the circuit boards causing the engine not to cycle trough F N R, also not allowing sound to happen?

Yes

Yes

Thank for your help fellas, I'll pick up a battery tomorrow!!

If you buy a NiMH Recharable Battery be sure it 8.4 volts and not 7.2 volts. I know Radio Shack carries them and i'm sure others in here can tell you other places you can buy them for less.

Also, remember that these engines operate differently then regular conventional engines.  Some transformers are not compatible.  Best to use a pure Sine wave Transformer such as PW lionel or the MTH Z-4000.

Let theengine start up with 2 dings.  Then make sure voltage is just under 10V to come out of reset.  Once out of reset you can raise voltage and change directions at any voltage.  When first powered up the engine is not in neutral.  It is in a programing state called Reset.

If your still having issues after the battery change, post the exact sounds heard at start up and what the engine is doing.  G

Hi Guys, I got a 9 volt battery on Friday. The MTH manual spec'd this out until I get an 8.4 Volt. I am still having eratic operational issues. Sometimes the diesel sound will power up, but not more than 4 to 6 seconds and very faint reguardless of the volume setting on the mechanical adjustment screw.. Sometimes on shut down I may get 1 or two clank. No horn, I spent the weekend with the manual jumping thru hoops with no success, E unit will not cycle, always starts in reverse.

Any ideas what to do next?

Seems to me the engine may be locked in reverse. There are no dings on start up if a engine is locked in any direction state. A feature 18 will not help because you can't get there if there are  no dings indicating the engine is in reset

To unlock it you have to get the engine moving and while holding the horn button on  for 2 or 3 seconds,cut track power. you should get some-kind of response from the engine.( a short bell or whistle)Immediately restore power.  it takes a few tries with a good working engine and fully charged battery but .....If you can get  it unlocked and get the 2 dings on start up you may  be able to reset the engine with feature 18.   good luck.

If all else fails, go to your local hobby shop, or if you don't have one, find one on line to buy the #30-1023 MTH/Railking Proto-Sound Reset Kit.  It is cheap and it comes with a new rechargeable battery.  It does require you to open your engine and temporarily put in the chip that is in the kit to do the reset, then reinstall the regular chip, but the instructions are easy to follow.  You will also need to fully charge the new battery so if you don't have a charger, you will need to buy one of those also.  This is nothing new though as all rechargeable batteries have to be charged when you buy them new.  Radio Shack has good battery chargers.

.....

Dennis

First,  Even if locked in a direction.  If shutdown for an extended period, the engine will still start up with a processor test signalled by the 2 dings and in reset.  So you still should be able to get to reset states if necessary.

Are we talking the same locked in a direction?  I guess there are 2 thoughts, one is purposely locked  as in ..while holding the horn button , cut track power..etc.  I know that one has no dings on start up

Or locked in a direction and refuses to leave reset?

Hi Guys, This engine is locked in one direction. I spent the weekend with the manual trying to get it operational. When I pulled unit from box it just sat on the track with lights fuctioning. The smoke unit also operated but no fan motor movement. I removed the upper and lower circuit boards looking for burnt spots. none found. I reinstalled boards and with new battery, 9 volt, it ran in reverse only. Smoke unit is now inop. I am using a PW ZW. On my PW Lionel I have done alot of repairs such as rewinding coils, rebuilding motors, transformers, etc. When it comes to this circuit board stuff my 40 year train work is out the window. Yes, I still have rotary phones.

Maybe it is time to send this puppy out for repair.

 I was playing with one before. It was hard to get it to change directions. The voltage needs to be almost exact to get the thing to switch for me. Maybe this is happening here?? I actually got it to change the first time by accident. It wouldn't do it when I wanted it to. So, I ripped it out and added PS2. I'm not that patient!

Stew,

One possible way out, If you can find someone in your area that owns a Z-4000 Transformer it can do the reset for you. It has a built in PS1 mode for programming.

Email Wayne Renga at J and W Electronics. He works with QSI and MTH systems: jandwelectronics@yahoo.com.

You can also contact me if you need repairs.  I am an MTH ASC and have the reprogramming chips if necessary.

It is always possible the a transistor has failed for controlling fwd direction, or this is a simple reset.

Can you do a reset 18?  Get the engine to move through the reset positions and hear the clinks and clanks?

You can contact me via e-mail in my profile.  G