Noisy Lifelike GP20

[Rich Uncle Skeleton]

My LL GP20 is an excellent runner, bar a very loud screeching noise it makes. Having spend an afternoon taking it to pieces, swapping the bogies around and fighting the little flexible strip that holds the coupling in, the noise hasn’t stopped. It doesn’t do it in reverse, though not forwards but not at high speeds. Does anyone have any experience with this?

[New Haven Neil]

Sounds like a dry motor bearing.  Tiny, tiny drop of oil on each end.

[Rich Uncle Skeleton]

Here’s video of it. Might want to turn the volume down…

[Rich Uncle Skeleton]

1 hour ago, New Haven Neil said:

Sounds like a dry motor bearing.  Tiny, tiny drop of oil on each end.

That was my first thought, but once you get the body off and take out the screws the only thing holding the spilt frame together were the two light chips and one didn’t want to come out. I’ll try again later and be a bit more brave.

[Rich Uncle Skeleton]

Rolled up my sleeves and had a deeper look today. Following the advice of a YouTube video, I took it completely apart and removed the inside bearings for the motor, swapped the bogies about and the noise is largely gone! 

Edited November 16, 2023 by Rich Uncle Skeleton