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I just got a brand new Legacy SD70MAC diesel engine. Lubricated it and added smoke fluid to prepare for the first run. As soon as I put it on the track and got it added it started in with the dreaded three blinking cab lights telling me my smoke fan motor is not playing well with the other stuff. I have tried letting it set over night and multiple resets which is all I know how to do. I really don't want to send it back as that is a real PITA, I would really rather try and fix it myself. Anyone have any other suggestions so I can get my smoke unit working?

 

I think I have some MTH smoke fan motors, but no Lionel parts. I am thinking that purchasing a new smoke unit (if that is an option) would also probably be less than shipping and insurance to send it back.

 

Any and all advice appreciated. Thanks.

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Rtr12,

        That is normally a fan motor issue. The fan impeller may just be stuck and need a lube job.

 

Another cause can be overfilling the smoke unit as I understand this can cause drag on the impeller and cause the motor to stall or draw to much current which the circuit board senses.

 

Worst case you just need a fan motor replacement.

 

Nick

Originally Posted by rtr12:

I just got a brand new Legacy SD70MAC diesel engine. Lubricated it and added smoke fluid to prepare for the first run. As soon as I put it on the track and got it added it started in with the dreaded three blinking cab lights telling me my smoke fan motor is not playing well with the other stuff. I have tried letting it set over night and multiple resets which is all I know how to do. I really don't want to send it back as that is a real PITA, I would really rather try and fix it myself. Anyone have any other suggestions so I can get my smoke unit working?

 

I think I have some MTH smoke fan motors, but no Lionel parts. I am thinking that purchasing a new smoke unit (if that is an option) would also probably be less than shipping and insurance to send it back.

 

Any and all advice appreciated. Thanks.

again we can help better with the 6- number.

 

my understanding is once you reset the engine 3 times it locks you out and Lionel must do the reset. someone correct me if I am wrong.

 

the entire smoke unit does not need replacing only the motor if it is determined it is bad, unless you have an mth motor then if it is open replace the motor.

Originally Posted by bigdodgetrain:
Originally Posted by rtr12:

I just got a brand new Legacy SD70MAC diesel engine. Lubricated it and added smoke fluid to prepare for the first run. As soon as I put it on the track and got it added it started in with the dreaded three blinking cab lights telling me my smoke fan motor is not playing well with the other stuff. I have tried letting it set over night and multiple resets which is all I know how to do. I really don't want to send it back as that is a real PITA, I would really rather try and fix it myself. Anyone have any other suggestions so I can get my smoke unit working?

 

I think I have some MTH smoke fan motors, but no Lionel parts. I am thinking that purchasing a new smoke unit (if that is an option) would also probably be less than shipping and insurance to send it back.

 

Any and all advice appreciated. Thanks.

again we can help better with the 6- number.

 

my understanding is once you reset the engine 3 times it locks you out and Lionel must do the reset. someone correct me if I am wrong.

 

the entire smoke unit does not need replacing only the motor if it is determined it is bad, unless you have an mth motor then if it is open replace the motor.

my understanding is once you reset the engine 3 times it locks you out and Lionel must do the reset. someone correct me if I am wrong.

 

Is this true?

Originally Posted by willygee:
Originally Posted by bigdodgetrain:
Originally Posted by rtr12:

I just got a brand new Legacy SD70MAC diesel engine. Lubricated it and added smoke fluid to prepare for the first run. As soon as I put it on the track and got it added it started in with the dreaded three blinking cab lights telling me my smoke fan motor is not playing well with the other stuff. I have tried letting it set over night and multiple resets which is all I know how to do. I really don't want to send it back as that is a real PITA, I would really rather try and fix it myself. Anyone have any other suggestions so I can get my smoke unit working?

 

I think I have some MTH smoke fan motors, but no Lionel parts. I am thinking that purchasing a new smoke unit (if that is an option) would also probably be less than shipping and insurance to send it back.

 

Any and all advice appreciated. Thanks.

again we can help better with the 6- number.

 

my understanding is once you reset the engine 3 times it locks you out and Lionel must do the reset. someone correct me if I am wrong.

 

the entire smoke unit does not need replacing only the motor if it is determined it is bad, unless you have an mth motor then if it is open replace the motor.

my understanding is once you reset the engine 3 times it locks you out and Lionel must do the reset. someone correct me if I am wrong.

 

Is this true?

That is what the manual says, but I had an ES44AC 6-38954 do the same repeated 3 blinks when I reset it. I persisted and had it fault at least a half dozen times. I don't know if maybe the fact that it worked for a second or two in between faults was a mitigating factor or remember if I reprogrammed it and that made a difference. But it finally worked and continues to work. I thought at the time that the "smoke unit shuts down" comment in the manual was either under different circumstances or was not actually unsupported in the firmware in the engine.

Lionel weigh in on this please...

Last edited by cjack
Originally Posted by willygee:
Originally Posted by bigdodgetrain:
Originally Posted by rtr12:

I just got a brand new Legacy SD70MAC diesel engine. Lubricated it and added smoke fluid to prepare for the first run. As soon as I put it on the track and got it added it started in with the dreaded three blinking cab lights telling me my smoke fan motor is not playing well with the other stuff. I have tried letting it set over night and multiple resets which is all I know how to do. I really don't want to send it back as that is a real PITA, I would really rather try and fix it myself. Anyone have any other suggestions so I can get my smoke unit working?

 

I think I have some MTH smoke fan motors, but no Lionel parts. I am thinking that purchasing a new smoke unit (if that is an option) would also probably be less than shipping and insurance to send it back.

 

Any and all advice appreciated. Thanks.

again we can help better with the 6- number.

 

my understanding is once you reset the engine 3 times it locks you out and Lionel must do the reset. someone correct me if I am wrong.

 

the entire smoke unit does not need replacing only the motor if it is determined it is bad, unless you have an mth motor then if it is open replace the motor.

my understanding is once you reset the engine 3 times it locks you out and Lionel must do the reset. someone correct me if I am wrong.

 

Is this true?

Yes and no. The 3 resets clear the problem and get rid of the blinking cab lights. When the power is cycled to the engine the sequence is restarted. You get 3 more tries. It continues this way until you fix the problem or turn off the smoke unit with the smk/no smk switch. It is stated in the manual that way with this engine so they must have updated it. There is no need to send it back to Lionel for reset after the 3 resets, just cycle the power. At least with this engine anyway.

 

----------------------------------------------------------

Here's the direct quote from the manual: "Note that smoke-related errors can be reset a maximum of three times. On the third try, if the problem still persists, the smoke unit will be shut down. After reaching the three-cycle limit, the power must be cycled (turn off and back on) and then you may try to reset three more times. If the problem persists it must be returned to a local Factory Trained Authorized Lionel Service Station or contact Lionel Customer Service for Repair.

 

Note: Turning the smoke unit switch to the off position will disable diagnostic checks of the smoke system."  End quote from manual.

------------------------------------------------------------

To answer some other replies:

 

Geeze, I'm a stickler for the model number when someone asks a question too and I didn't include it   Not sure what I was thinking when I posted? Probably wasn't thinking...or swearing at smoke unit and unfit for posting.  My apologies for that one.

 

The engine in question is a Lionel SD70MAC #6-81138 Cab No. 9860 (< link) from the 2014 Signature Edition catalog. It was ordered almost a year ago and I got it late last week. Just un-boxed it for try out on Tuesday this week. It is brand new, not used.

 

I had the shell off last night, saw no obstructions or anything else that looked out of place. When operating the fan blade manually there was a little resistance, it did not seem to spin freely. It was not binding or hitting on anything. I worked it a few times and tried it again with no success. I was tired by that time and quit for the evening. Going to get into it a little deeper today.

Last edited by rtr12

If the fan blade doesn't spin freely, that is what is causing the 3 cab light blinks. You should be able to blow on it and spin it. Maybe it's pushed down too far on the motor shaft??? There should be a tiny gap between the fan blade and the housing. Since you have it apart, put a tiny drop of oil of the fan motor shaft as well. You can just pull or pry the fan blade off with a small flat blade screw driver.

Originally Posted by Laidoffsick:

If the fan blade doesn't spin freely, that is what is causing the 3 cab light blinks. You should be able to blow on it and spin it. Maybe it's pushed down too far on the motor shaft??? There should be a tiny gap between the fan blade and the housing. Since you have it apart, put a tiny drop of oil of the fan motor shaft as well. You can just pull or pry the fan blade off with a small flat blade screw driver.

Followed all advice above and still got blinking lights. Also tried deleting it and re-adding it as you suggested above. No luck there either. Replaced the smoke fan motor with one I had from MTH and that solved the blinking light problem. I still couldn't get the fan to spin by blowing on it though. Also installed an MTH wick and is smokes like an MTH engine now with no blinking cab light.

 

After I oiled the original motor and checked fan clearance etc. it worked with 5 vdc connected directly to it, but not when I put it back on the track? That's when I decided a new motor was worth a try as everything else appeared to be working. The MTH and Lionel motors looked identical. I think I have read that here on the forum before too, that they are the same. Anyway it's working perfectly now and I didn't have to send it back and wait a month and also probably saved $20-$25 on shipping and insurance compared the cost of a new fan motor. Can't remember what those cost, but I think they were only like $3-$5 or so, not very much. Keeping my fingers crossed.

 

Thanks for all the help and also thanks to everyone that replied for their help as well.

I had a similar issue with both of my SD70's but didn't have the blinking lights.  Filled them up with smoke fluid and the smoke was coming out from every area except where it should have been.  I blew into the smoke unit and smoke started pouring out.  Maybe like a real engine the smoke units need a break in period.  I ran both today and had no issue.  

I think mine is jinxed (or maybe I am?), I have now somehow managed to break the snow plow. Unfortunately I don't have one of those in my parts supply nor does Lionel. Glued it back together for now, but it really needs a new one.  

 

It's also doing some weird things when I power up the layout. I need to fiddle with that some more to see if it's something I am doing or something the engine is doing that my Dash-9 does not do?

Last edited by rtr12

LOL I did the same thing immediately after taking mine out of the box.  They used too hard of a plastic in this area.  I would say a collision on the rails could break it too.  I used some Loctite super glue.  Fixed it right up.  Glue it from the back side.  Took my time setting it back together and I can't even tell.

Originally Posted by rtr12:

I think mine is jinxed (or maybe I am?), I have now somehow managed to break the snow plow. Unfortunately I don't have one of those in my parts supply nor does Lionel. Glued it back together for now, but it really needs a new one.  

 

It's also doing some weird things when I power up the layout. I need to fiddle with that some more to see if it's something I am doing or something the engine is doing that my Dash-9 does not do?

If you only need a part that you know for sure just needs replacing (exterior parts usually) and you can replace it yourself, I have had success explaining that in an email and Lionel just sent me the parts instead of sending the engine back. I included a picture of the broken part, etc.

I don't feel so bad now that someone else did it too.   I suppose a little flat black touch up paint would do and it would probably be fine. My glue job wasn't too bad and it's holding, but there is a faint line you can see where it broke. Just got a little PO'd at myself breaking the plow right after fixing the smoke fan motor...

 

Lionel had links up to the parts lists, but clicking them did nothing. That's why I thought they may not have parts set up in there database or whatever just yet. Engine was new a week and a half ago. I can do with what I have for now, I will wait until I have more to order so I can justify the $9 shipping charge.

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