I just acquired a pair of Williams E-7's. The powered unit runs very hesitantly. I am planning to do an upgrade to TMCC with an ERR unit. Should I think about new motors? Will the ERR unit hook up to the Williams sound?
Thanks,
Doug
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Pull the motors off the trucks and check the gears. Williams are well built but not indestructible. Make sure both motors are running together and their connectors are fully seated in the E unit.
Pete
Just had a 2343 serviced because of this, 'old' grease, (after 50 years) was hard as a rock, gears would hardly turn, NO way motor would turn them ?
Early releases of Williams trains shortly after Bachmann acquired them arrived with little or no grease. Chances are its gear wear rather than old grease thats the concern.
Pete
If it is gear wear, Frank Timko does repairs on williams trucks. He has done dozens of trucks and motor replacements for our club on the units we use for public displays.
I pulled the motors out of the trucks and replaced the grease. The old wasn't real hard. I also found that the rollers on the pickups were frozen. I was able to free them up but even with oil they don't turn as well as I would like them to. The engine runs okay now but I hear a clicking noise as it is running. It must be the gears. They are metal and don't look worn. Any way to quiet them?
I have cleaned and greased the gears. They turn freely but are still noisy.
If possible run the engine off the track secure engine wheels on Styrofoam or something to keep it elevated with the shell off to listen to each motor.
This may enable you to see which motor is making that noise unless it is coming from pickup when operated on track.
I pulled the trucks again. With the rear truck completely separate from the motor it makes the clicking noise I am hearing on the track. I can just spin the wheels and hear the noise. I can't see a reason for sure. It maybe that the gears are loose enough that one is rubbing on one of the wheels. It seems worse when I spin the middle blind wheel. Are the middle gears supposed to be somewhat loose?
Any thoughts? Thanks
There is a slight bit of play in the gears. Are you hearing a clicking or scrapping noise? Clicking would indicate something damaged or some foreign object stuck in the gear train. Scrapping would be the wheels contacting one of the side frames, which I have had an issue with on a couple of Williams locos.
For the pick-ups I use Bachmann E-Z Lube, conductive lube on all of my pick-up rollers. It makes them very quiet. Sometimes it takes a few drops to get them rolling freely if they were dry when I acquired them item.
What I am hearing is a clicking noise. I have examined the gears and I sure don't see anything. The gears seem to move freely so I don't think they are binding. Could a gear have a bad tooth? Would that cause noise?
Thanks for the tip on the E-Z lube.
I think I found the problem. I used a very thin tool and cleaned between the frame and the gears. Must have bee ns ome metal crud there or something. Now when running the true blast horn blows about every 5 seconds grrr
