Vol Pot.

Connect the center lead to the one that's at the CW extreme end.  If you pick wrong, it won't have any sound.

Lots of stuff could go wrong, smoke unit, smoke regulator, sound board, etc.

What makes you think something's wrong with it?

I was hoping you would show up... This car won't do anything at all , All the slide switches are the in the On  position. I know the car has to be moving but there's  no smoke,led doesn't light up and no sound.. I'm using a 1033 and moving the car back & forth on a small test track . CW end? I don't know  what that means. Thank you

Well, if it's not doing anything at all, even after moving it back and forth for several minutes, it's not just sound.

Did you try the transformer sequence to turn it on?  I believe it comes up on, but it's worth a shot.

I'd be looking at a power connection issue, perhaps a loose wire inside?

Up date and need a part. There's a small 8 pin integrated circuit that just plugs into the main board,  There's only one on the board. I think it may be a VCO???? that controls  or knows how fast the car is moving???.... I swapped the  chip from the car that had the vol pot troubles.   Switched the chip back and forth a number of times and that's the problem,  Where do I get the chip.

Can you show us a picture?  I looked at the Hot Box Reefer Parts List

 and I'm having trouble finding something that fits your description.

Is it this part?

Perhaps this part?

Or perhaps this one?  Top guess would be this chip.  If so, you're SOL, that's unavailable.

We need a hint.

 Bottom pic, top left... 8 pin IC that is not soldered in...  thank you. will double check in the morning.

That part is listed as unavailable.  The only suggestion I have is to contact Lionel and see if you could get the uP chip.

 I know this car has the  "hall effect" magnet on the axle. I wonder if it's the same chip that a rail - sounds box car uses. I might have one of those around.  Digital Dynamics TMCC upgrade kits also came with  a similar chip.

Anyway will check with Lionel  on Mon.  I know it take time to add pics on a reply Appreciate it..   Thank you

Sad to say that's a very specific chip, it's programmed with the logic of the HBR, and no other "similar" looking chip will do.

SK0206? does that mean anything there's a sticker on the side where it plugs in.

Not really.  That's a very specific programmed part, and you'll need the exact custom programmed part to replace it.

Ok . Thank you. Time to give up.

I'd still contact Lionel, they might be able to help you.  I've gotten parts that were listed as unavailable before.

Will do,

Here's the update on the hot box car.. no board available and Lionel doesn't have the capacity to program the removable 8 pin  chip.... I guess the car finally  burnt off a journal and is going to scrap heap... What a waste .. just for the sake of a small chip.

Geez! almost forgot.... Thanks guns for your help. Appreciate it.

I question the fact that they can't cook the chip, but if that's what they're saying, you're probably out of luck.  Hard to believe they lost the code for that car. 

That chip is almost surely read locked or I could duplicate it from a working unit.

John;

If I was to bet I'd Bet the chip is no longer made thus they can't get one to program.

We run into this at my work periodically.

Had to quit making an entire product line as we could not get the CPU or the Memory chip any more.

Now the Replacement Product is really cool, but costs more...

Hi Russell   We  have 2 cars  and 1 good chip, Both cars work with the good chip.  it's not soldered in , Hard to believe the car can't be fixed. We re  having  seconds thoughts about another Lionel  purchase. 

Out of curiosity, what is the chip type under the label?

I don't know and the car is not here at the moment.   What should I look for? 

Everything that is on the top of the chip, ideally, shoot a close-up picture.

the camera has a better eye than me. I couldn't read anything... anyway  does this mean anything?

Looks like an old Motorola / Freescale microcontroller that is obsolete. I think that's the first thing I've seen from Lionel that wasn't a Microchip PIC. No idea if a newer Freescale device would be pin compatible or code could be ported to a new device (that would certainly have to be done by Lionel and would require some engineering effort).

I wonder if it's even a Lionel design or just something they got from someone else?

Jim

Ugh!  That's not the PIC I was expecting.   I think Jim is right, they may not be able to cook one of those.

Now that I look at the photo closer, I think that is a TrainSounds board type I have seen before.  I never peeled the label off of one to see what the chip was - I just assumed it was a PIC like everything else.  

Jim 

Yep, it's a Trainsounds board.  I confess, I thought it would have a PIC as well.

I think I would be tempted to just put that car on a shelf in hopes that Lionel reintroduces it at some point.  Then just buy the new board as a spare part and retrofit it.

Jim

OK guys  thanks for trying, appreciate it,