MTH MOHAWK SMOKE PROBLEM

Jim,

Power up the engine and press Startup. Set smoke on Max with the DCS Remote. Be sure to press the thumbwheel after pressing the MAX soft key.

Now, turn off engine sounds on the remote and listen for the smoke motor. You should hear it as a slight whirring sound. For a comparison, turn smoke off for few seconds, listen and turn smoke back on. If you don't hear any change, the smoke motor isn't running.

Next, turn off the smoke with the remote, gently blow down the stack and then turn smoke back on. Run the engine for about 5 minutes at 30 SMPH and see if it starts smoking.

I will try it and post the results.... Thanks Barry.

Barry, followed your instructions still not smoke.  You can hear the smoke unit when you shut off engine sounds and the fluid makes a bubble when it runs.  I blew into the stack and the bubble popped but not a bit of smoke.  Will retry all steps.

Jim,

You may want to see if you have drown the smoke unit. Leave it upside down in a cradle overnight and try it again.

Scott Smith

Bingo, that's exactly what it sounds like. Just like Scott said leave it upside down for a day. 

Alex

I will try that one next.... Thanks to all, I will post the results.

Just me, but if the smoke unit is flooded, it will make a god awful mess inside the shell as it drains upside down. you will have fluid everywhere.

If it was me I would be using Q-tips or pipe cleaners down the stack repeatedly to soak up as much free fluid as possible, then remove the shell and drain the smoke unit thoroughly.

Definitely these things don't like to be hit with way too much fluid.

Been there, done that.

Rod

It was smoking then stopped.  I added about ten drops.  Thought it was out but I guess not.  This is our first steam engine so I guess there is a learning curve. 

Ten drops is nothing. They can handle 1/3 of a dropper at a time as a general rule.

But you should wait until the smoke level is greatly reduced before adding the next batch of fluid.

Sometimes folks think that adding more and more fluid will make it smoke better, and the next thing you know it's flooded and won't smoke at all because the element is submerged in fluid. That does not sound like the case here though.

I think you are back to the dealer checkup plan.

Rod

Barry, the third time was the charm for your solution. (It was not overfilled with fluid). I tried your solution again this morning and this time it worked.....I printed it out just in case it happens again.  Thanks to Barry & everyone else. 

You said using DCC is this an HO engine or an O engine.  This still could have been flooded and cleared over the 3 day period.

HO smoke units are very small.  O are larger.

I have seen plenty of over filled smoke units damage the smoke fan and more.

How much you add really depends on how much smoke fluid is already in the engine and what type of smoke unit it has.

Some newer small engines have a model similiar to the HO engines.  Not very big.  G

Ok I have the L 4 Mohawk with the same problem. I cannot hear the fan motor running. The smoke unit is heating and producing smoke which appears in the stack but is not forced out in chuffs.

Sounds like the fan motor may need replacement? agree?

Yes. They run $6.  It could also be a hardware issue on the board if it shorted, but normally it is just the fan motor.  G