Need To Replace Lionel Smoke Unit Element

Rod, I replaced my smoke units in my 736 Berkshire and my 682 turbine with the liquid smoke unit replacement kits. You can do a search on eBay and find a pair of the kits for 9.99. They are easy to install. You can find a thorough set of directions on-line also. I use megasteam smoke and they smoke great.

Rick

lowering the resister will most likely burn the wicking. Make sure you have plenty of fluid in the unit. It takes several minutes for the smoke unit to heat enough to crank out the smoke.

Romiller

MTH heaters are the same physical size, and are 20 ohms. Will work better in conventional locomotives that run on lower voltages.

Rod, The Lionel Mountain you have has a new smoke unit that was 'modified' by a Lionel Tech with the hole opened a bit. Am not sure about the resister however as it will only smoke well if you run it at 19v-20v. AT the higher voltage she will blow out a really nice plume! At 18v there is very little output.

Thanks all for the replies.

I may swap the heater for an MTH and give that a whirl. Nothing to lose I guess.

Sam; I did try running with a higher track voltage but it did not seem to make any appreciable difference. I may try that again.

Holding the smoke boost button down does result in more smoke, but then there is that annoying unintelligible cab chatter thing repeating continuously! Can't win.

Rod

Is there anything you can do to prevent a stater set steam engine smoke unit from melting down other then keeping fluid in it? As you know they do not have an on/off switch on these engines. I have had to replace two smoke units in the same engine. Just recently, the engine was sitting on the track stopped and the smoke unit melted. Any suggestions?? Thanks.

Most starter sets have a switch for the smoke.

Lionel has even gone to wiring the smoke unit so it's only on when in forward or reverse.

Chuck;

Do you have any in stock, or should I just contact MTH?

Rod

What type of engine is this? I do not think a smoke unit should melt that easily maybe it does have an on and off switch but you do not know. I do know the early Lionel 4-4-2s and 2-4-2s did not have on and off switches.

Yes Rod, 2.00 each + 2.00 mail.

Chuck

Mizelltrains@CS.com

It is a 2-4-2 and it does not have an on/off switch. I still can not believe the smoke unit melted just sitting on the track and not moving???? The only thing that I do not know is if the power was off to the track...but the engine was not running...that I do know.

I'd suggest adding the smoke switch, it shouldn't be that hard to do.

Chuck;

I sent you an email.

Rod

Email received and I'll send them out tomorrow. I'll send a invoice with them.

Chuck

Thanks Chuck!

I'll fire you back a check.

Regards,

Rod

I've put MTH resisters in Lionel smoke units and yes they will smoke like crazy but they will use up the fluid quickly and you will smell the wick material burning.

Romiller

Better than no smoke at all.

I can put a 1 or 2 ohm resistor in series if needed, or perhaps a diode.

Rod