Tips on cleaning up a PW Lionel

Ed, that's a big question. If you want to get out quick and if they run then just oil and run. If you want to do it right it may take you several hours. If you decide to take the motors apart be careful and note where the different parts and screws came from. Do only one power truck/motor at a time. Be prepaired to dig the old greese out with a screw-driver or some other implement. Be careful when removing the armature as there are small ball bearings on each end and sometimes the little balls are not in a race and will go all over the place.

Clean all the old greese and oil out. I use "Dill's" pipe cleaners and "Ronsonol" lighter fluid for a solvent. Some use alcohol and I do too when I have to but the lighter fluid is milder. They are both flambable so take the usual precautions. Clean everything! To polish the armature comutator I use 400 grit black sand paper and chuck the armature in a small, slow hand drill. Use caution! Be sure to clean the space between the metal comutator segments with a small tooth pick. If the insulator is chared (burned) at any point between the segments this must be removed with a SMALL sharp screw driver or knife. As always use care (Do no harm). I find that in most cases the brushes are fine and just need cleaning but if you wish they can be replaced, they are cheep enough.

When done cleaning relube everything with a light coat and oil all bearings. Test each motor by hard-wiring it with some clipleads and make sure it runs properly in each direction before assembling it to the power truck. I would leave the E-unit and horn assemblys alone unless they are giving you trouble.

Al

If its a 1950 model you cannot get the armature out without pressing it out of the gear on the front and I don't recommend even thinking about it. Take the brush plate off and clean the armature with electrical contact cleaner. If the armature needs surface clean up because of grooves you can use a piece of 400-600 grit wet dry sandpaper wetted with mineral spirits, then flush with the electrical cleaner. For the trucks, get the old grease out anyway you can then wash it out with a brush and mineral spirits. Rinse it off with HOT water after and let it dry. Regrease with Labelle #6 grease or Lucas red and tacky grease. You need to make sure the brass blocks on the ends if the worm gear go back in the right position as they are offset.

I use labelle number 102 oil or a synthetic oil for the axles. Maybe replace the brushes in each motor if you can get spares. There is an oil hole on the top side of each motor case and you can squirt a bit of oil in those. The F3 units can be a bear to work with because of the 3 wires that attach to each one. I wouldn't unsolder them if you don't have to.

Folks,

Thank you for the tips - it is exactly want I was looking to find out about.   I tried to tell him that his trains were so old they couldn't be cleaned up and he should just give them to me for "parts".  Needless to say he didn't buy that line. 

Thank you,

Ed

Nice try with the parts offer, it never works for me either. Not that I expect it to.