In most diesel locomotives the smoke unit is not directly under the exhaust stack, so the fluid has to travel through a connecting tube.  You only need to blow, gently, down the stack to get the fluid into the smoke unit.  Or, as you found, use a long tip or an ear syringe.

where can i purchase the needle applicators' and squeeze bottle/s and how much do they cost?

Alan

Alan, if you search for needle tip squeeze bottles, you will find several vendors.  Naturally, Amazon has quite a few.  Looks like maybe $2.50 each but I didn’t look hard.

I bought these

Work great they were $6 off of Amazon

Mega steam sells them.

Another vote for Mega Steam. I just received several bottles of holiday smoke scents and several of the needle tip refill bottles that I have used for years.

Btw, great service as usual even with holiday shipping delays. Ordered on Wednesday, received on Friday.

I buy syringes with needles and reservoirs in various sizes and use them for oiling, greasing, and smoke fluid. I grind off or dull the sharp tip easily. I can get them anytime in the animal products section of the local farm store. Farm and Fleet in my case.

@ns1001 posted:

Finally got a Lionel diesel to smoke after first refill. Solution is to use a bottle with a needle allocator and push the needle all the way down into the smoke unit. Diesels I bought 2,3 years ago no longer have a no smoke problem. Why does Lionel not include a needle applicator with each engine.

I didn't know the Lionel diesels smoke. I learn something new every day. Thanks!

ns1001 - and don't forget, whenever adding smoke fluid to any engine, to blow down the smoke stack AFTER adding the fluid, to eliminate any air bubbles that may have formed during the filling, which would not allow the smoke to exit out of the engine.

thanks Dan!

Alan