Pullmor Motors

Sounds like something is stuck in the armature or perhaps the truck gears.  Did you remove the armature and make sure nothing is in there?  Do the motor and associated wheels turn freely?  These motors are close to bulletproof, it's actually pretty hard to kill them.

pull the motor and make sure your drive gear

is not stripped.

You need to adjust your screw on the brush plate until you have 0.10 end play if its no end play thats what could be binding the motor up. 

The wheels turn easy and the motor turns when I rotate the wheels so I don't think the drive gear is striped or armature is jammed. Not sure what screw chessie1971 is referring too. Are you talking about the two screws that hold on the brush plate assy?

Check the motor brushes. The motor brushes in MPC locomotives only last 30-60 hours of operation. They wear out quite quickly. Three reasons for this. First is the commutator design that MPC used. Second is that the brush material MPC used is very soft and wears down quickly. Third is uneven wear of the brushes during operation. 

Since this is early MPC production, the bottom nylon plate of the motor is thin. Thus, the armature shaft has been known to break through the nylon bottom plate. However, since you motor spins freely, I doubt that this has happened. 

On some, but not all, pulmore motors, there is a small setscrew that is directly in line with the armature shaft.  This adjusts the sideplay of the armature.  If it's there, it should be adjusted as mentioned previously for a small amount of end play.

It may look like there's just an oil hole there, and sometimes that's all it is.

quote:

Some had two position E-units. 

No chance yours was upgraded before you got it?

I ask because all the catalog references I see indicate manual reverse (1971 and 1972).

I had a few pass though my hands too.

I have an 8010 Santa Fe switcher in a corrugated retail box. It has one of the Myco styrofoam inserts that was supposed to be used as scenery. 
There is a paper label on the box.

Among the details listed: "Forward and Reverse Switch"

Mine still has the retail price sticker: $17.99

Two Guys.  It was uncatalogued, no foam cradle.

Thanks!

I am interested in early MPC product 1970-72

  It sounds like the brush plate armature hole is enlarged. The shaft will only turn so far and then it hits the sides of the motor. If you have another brushplate try it. This of course, if you didn't disassemble the motor. 

Bill

Great catch, I didn't realize that one had the dual field windings!

Yeah, I missed the E unit being a three posistion. Somewhere somebody replaced the manual switch. 

Bill

Making progress I disconnect one field coil wire and can get the engine to go forward and reverse, however I have to push down where the motor wheels are and give it a push. It then something run rough or good. The brushes look good and I cleaned the commuter plate. Is there anything else I'm missing?

Does the intensity (brightness) of the headlight lamp change at all when you press down?

No the light stays at the same brightness.

The fact that cleaning the commutator better improved it makes me think I'd treat it to a new set of brushes and springs.