AndyG Posted July 8, 2018 Share Posted July 8, 2018 (edited) I have R3531 (30129), a lovely model, smooth running and reliable, and which I run with the Hornby pull-push set. However it has a strange issue; from cold, and run bunker first, it has a whining/grinding noise which doesn't affect the running quality, and which gradually fades to silence after being run for 5-10 minutes. Occasionally this also happens when running chimney first, but less frequently. I hesitate to be taking the thing apart to see what might be going on (I have no idea what to look for anyway!), so can anyone suggest what it might be? I thought it might be poor gear meshing, but as it seems to disappear with running I'm a bit baffled... Thanks. Edited July 8, 2018 by AndyG Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium uax6 Posted July 8, 2018 RMweb Premium Share Posted July 8, 2018 Could it be the gear/motor retainer showing signs of mazac rot, and expanding a bit, causing a bit of slackness? Andy G Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
AndyG Posted July 8, 2018 Author Share Posted July 8, 2018 Could it be the gear/motor retainer showing signs of mazac rot, and expanding a bit, causing a bit of slackness? Andy G I do hope it isn't rot. I returned an M7 to Olivia's which had arrived with a warped running plate. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium uax6 Posted July 8, 2018 RMweb Premium Share Posted July 8, 2018 I think you'll have to open it up to see.... Andy G (this could get confusing AndyG!) Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
amdaley Posted July 8, 2018 Share Posted July 8, 2018 Check do the motor bearings need lubrication. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Dunsignalling Posted July 8, 2018 RMweb Gold Share Posted July 8, 2018 (edited) I have R3531 (30129), a lovely model, smooth running and reliable, and which I run with the Hornby pull-push set. However it has a strange issue; from cold, and run bunker first, it has a whining/grinding noise which doesn't affect the running quality, and which gradually fades to silence after being run for 5-10 minutes. Occasionally this also happens when running chimney first, but less frequently. I hesitate to be taking the thing apart to see what might be going on (I have no idea what to look for anyway!), so can anyone suggest what it might be? I thought it might be poor gear meshing, but as it seems to disappear with running I'm a bit baffled... Thanks. Interesting, we were having a running session this morning and one of our M7s was similarly noisy, albeit in both directions, which it hadn't been before. It sounds rather like the gear whine you get from a Portescap, but with a lower note. Unfortunately, it only got run for a couple of minutes at a time. Won't get a chance to investigate for a couple of weeks but I'll post if I find anything. John Edited July 8, 2018 by Dunsignalling Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Dunsignalling Posted July 8, 2018 RMweb Gold Share Posted July 8, 2018 Could it be the gear/motor retainer showing signs of mazac rot, and expanding a bit, causing a bit of slackness? Andy G The noise goes away after a few minutes, so I'd tend not to think it's anything structural. John Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
AndyG Posted July 8, 2018 Author Share Posted July 8, 2018 Interesting, we were having a running session this morning and one of our M7s was similarly noisy, albeit in both directions, which it hadn't been before. It sounds rather like the gear whine you get from a Portescap, but with a lower note. Unfortunately, it only got run for a couple of minutes at a time. Won't get a chance to investigate for a couple of weeks but I'll post if I find anything. John Thanks, I'll be interested to find out what on earth this is. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
34theletterbetweenB&D Posted July 8, 2018 Share Posted July 8, 2018 I would associate this with some grease in the gear train that's beginning to stiffen. Apply a very small drop of light oil to the worm after the model has been standing for the normal period between operating sessions, and see if that kills the noise much more quickly. If it does that may be a cure. But if the noise returns much as before after a few more operating sessions then it is probably time to clean out all the old grease, and relubricate with fresh. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold The Johnster Posted July 10, 2018 RMweb Gold Share Posted July 10, 2018 I have a rattlecan of spray 'electronic switch cleaner' from Maplin's, but I would imagine similar stuff is avaialble from somewhere like Curry's/PC world. It is powerful enough to blow the old crud out of the way altogether, and will leave things very clean. I then leave overnight for the spray to evaporate completely, and re-lube with fresh lubricant, applied with a hypo syringe. It does sound as though what you are describing is gear whine, and sometimes this is inevitable and not an issue, but if the loco was running silently before and has developed noise it could mean either wear in the gears themselves or them having gone out of mesh due to movement elsewhere (hopefully not chassis mazak rot!). Of course, if the gears are out of mesh then that will in itself increase wear. Look at the plastic drive cog; if the teeth have a shallow u shaped depression across their edges, this is wear and will, if allowed to progress far enough, eventually result in the cog slipping on the worm. Replacement of the cog should be possible, but it is a bit daunting if you've never taken a chassis to bits and re-assembled it; the worm should be ok, being brass and not plastic. If you are not sure of yourself, get a cheapo secondhand loco from somewhere and practice on that to get the feel of things Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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