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1999 Merchant Navy help, please


Rob F

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I bought one of these when first released and was very impressed with the detail and running qualities. A year later I made the move to dcc and removed the body to fit a decoder. this is not a dcc ready model by the way. The chassis with chip installed worked perfectly so I refitted the body. The model then ran dreadfully with terrible grinding noises that made it obvious that something was binding on the moving parts. Thinking the chip was too big, I removed it and reassembled the loco. The grinding was still there!

 

I spent many hours at the time trying to work out what was going on but in the end it defeated me and the loco was relegated to the back of the cupboard. Over Christmas I came across the loco again and decided that it would not defeat me this time but I'm afraid it has. I just cannot see what is binding and if I had any hair to spare I would be pulling it out. Body off it runs like a dream, body on and it runs like a very noisy dog. It seems to go together without any difficulties so if anyone has any suggestions I would be very grateful to hear them. In my mind I think I have checked everything but please don't be afraid of suggesting the bleedin' obvious!

 

Rob

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Hi Rob.

Have the model Myself, Holland Africa Line, where is the decoder located, is the decoder secure and not draging on the wheels? Iirc, I got the decoder in the smoke box.Is the noise comming from the loco.or tender?

 

Emte

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As I recall it the motion brackets are vulnerable with the body off. If one was slightly deformed by handling then it is quite possible that the footplating of the body will push the bracket, or something mounted on it, into contact with a driving wheel. Take a careful look with a good light for any witness mark resulting from the contact that leads to the grinding noises.

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Hi Rob.Have the model Myself, Holland Africa Line, where is the decoder located, is the decoder secure and not draging on the wheels? Iirc, I got the decoder in the smoke box.Is the noise comming from the loco.or tender?Emte

The decoder is no longer fitted and the problem persists. From the first time the body was removed to fit the chip the loco has never run properly again with the body fitted, with or without a chip.

 

Rob

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As I recall it the motion brackets are vulnerable with the body off. If one was slightly deformed by handling then it is quite possible that the footplating of the body will push the bracket, or something mounted on it, into contact with a driving wheel. Take a careful look with a good light for any witness mark resulting from the contact that leads to the grinding noises.

I will investigate this tomorrow, thanks.

 

Rob

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  • 2 months later...

One of my MNs ran like a dog drawing about twice the current of the other four. After ages prodding about i discovered by chance that the two gear wheels between the worm and the centre driving wheel had seemingly moved together on their shaft such that there was no gap between them. The other locos all had gaps of about 20thou between the 2 gears. I know it doesn't sound much but unless this gap exists the gears somehow don't seem to mesh quite right.

 

I can't see why body on or off would make a difference but it only takes a couple of minutes to check. Mostly these gears are tight on their shaft but some can be moved all too easily.

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  • RMweb Gold

One of my MNs ran like a dog drawing about twice the current of the other four. After ages prodding about i discovered by chance that the two gear wheels between the worm and the centre driving wheel had seemingly moved together on their shaft such that there was no gap between them. The other locos all had gaps of about 20thou between the 2 gears. I know it doesn't sound much but unless this gap exists the gears somehow don't seem to mesh quite right.

 

I can't see why body on or off would make a difference but it only takes a couple of minutes to check. Mostly these gears are tight on their shaft but some can be moved all too easily

Usually that means a gear has got a crack in and moved on the spline, it's not always readily visible under all the grease.

 

Question for Rob F, is your MN fitted with the Speedo drive or not?

 

As if that's not seated in the correct place that can make a grinding noise.

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