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This one is located in the plastic shell boiler. I am new to AF and don't know the part number. The engine has piston (choo choo) and the nichrome wire runs side to side (not lengthwise). There is also a bottom gasket and cover plate. The bottom gasket and fiber insulator box are rough and should be replaced but I am having a hard time finding those items. Not sure if the top is to have a gasket, or if the top fiber board acts as cover and gasket. Nothing on the bay except rebuilds and/or wrong type of gaskets.

 

I was able to find wire and wick but also need a brass smokestack. I read where the resistance after the wire is looped around the wick should be about 40 Ohms. The less resistance the hotter (more smoke) but also increases chance for burning the wick. I would like to add a smoke unit on/off switch, but presume this will also add resistance? Are there any good articles on restoring or making such mods to AF smoke units?

 

Not related to smoke, but is the armature supposed to have a quarter inch (approx) play from forward to reverse? There is only a thin brass spacer on the rear side of the shaft. The brushes are spring loaded and can compensate but the play seems excessive.

 

Thanks,

Rich

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All your smoke unit parts are on the Portlines web site.  Doug does a great job of keeping inventory current and should have everything you need.  On his site you can go to the repair clinics area on the left and readd all about the smoke unit.  You are pretty close on the smoke unit ohms.  You want to be about 45-50 ohms to get any life out of the wicking.  I have found that under 43 ohm will shorten its life.

Your armature sounds like it is missing some shim washers.  I will reccomend you get a copy of Tom Barkers repair book THIRD edition, it has lots of useful info and parts diagrams with part numbers....You will find it on Amazon....

 

Marty

Rich, Welcome to the group.  It is great to see somebody new to American Flyer trains.

 

Port Line Hobbies website is http://portlines.com/ and you will find there are online repair clinics as well as a parts catalog.  There is calendar of when you can call to order.  You will see he is not taking orders over the phone for a while, but you can place orders online and he will ship.

 

By the way, you don't really want and on/off button for the smoke.  These units are almost impossible to damage even when there is no smoke fluid inside.  Plus, I don't know where you would put it.

 

There are a good number of books on repair and Tom Barker's new two volume set is great.  Those can be ordered from Port Lines also.

 

There is also a great magazine for S Gauge that is called the S Gaugian.  It is printed 6 times a year.  I write a column for the magazine on the repair of Flyer called the Roundhouse.

 

Welcome to the group. 

Thanks for the info and the welcome! I had already ordered both volumes of Tom's books but they are being delivered by snail mail! I agree about space being tight for the switch and am glad to hear the AF units are heartier than the typical O-gauge units. I really didn't want to ruin the integrity of the original unit, even though it isn't really of much value. I hope that the next owner feels the same way as these truly are a part of Americana!

 

Rich

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OGR Publishing, Inc., 1310 Eastside Centre Ct, Ste 6, Mountain Home, AR 72653
800-980-OGRR (6477)
www.ogaugerr.com

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