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Offline SteveKrutzler  
#1 Posted : 14 November 2003 04:33:42(UTC)
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SteveKrutzler


Joined: 01/02/2003(UTC)
Posts: 26
Location: ,
I have a Marklin starter set (the freight set) and it is about 9 months old. I have noticed in the last week that it seems to be having some problems. First of all, many times when you go from running the train to stopping it, you try to restart it and just the lights come on but no motion. You have to move the loco a couple centimeters on the track to get it to go again. But also, if you have it running for full speed, after it goes around the oval (just the starter set oval right now) about four or five times, it starts gradually slowing down even through the throttle is still on full. I have wiped the tracks and nothing has happened to the train. It has just sat and been used off and on for the last 9 months.
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Offline tayloma  
#2 Posted : 14 November 2003 07:28:25(UTC)
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tayloma

South Africa   
Joined: 03/07/2002(UTC)
Posts: 156
Location: Boksburg East, Gauteng
Hi

Maybe your loco needs a bit of a service....? The oil that Marklin uses tends to get a bit tacky after a while so you may need to open the loco, clean it and re-oil with a light machine oil.

I found that cleaning the motor, gears and running gear with methylated spirits (alcohol) and then applying the minutest drop of oil to the motor bearings and axels get the whole lot moving quite smoothly.

If you are running on a carpet, there may be fibre and carpet lint caught in the works.

Regards

Mark
Regards

Mark
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Offline Lars Westerlind  
#3 Posted : 14 November 2003 09:07:40(UTC)
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Lars Westerlind


Joined: 19/10/2001(UTC)
Posts: 2,379
Location: Lindome, Sweden
I would suggest you inspect the brushes. Maybe they need replacement, maybe it's just cleaning of the collector. Don't use oil in these enviroment.
What kind of motor is it? SFCM and LFCM have axial sticking brushes, DCM has radial. Does it have decoder? And con't forget the wheels, they can collect dirt as well.

Regards,
Lars Westerlind.
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Offline SteveKrutzler  
#4 Posted : 14 November 2003 14:53:46(UTC)
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SteveKrutzler


Joined: 01/02/2003(UTC)
Posts: 26
Location: ,
Hmm but with it being so new should I have to open it? I mean it could need cleaning/service already? There can't even be 20 hours on the thing yet?! I will take a look at the loco, though...
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Offline Charlie  
#5 Posted : 15 November 2003 00:32:08(UTC)
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Charlie


Joined: 15/01/2003(UTC)
Posts: 707
Location: Texas, USA
Best advise is to take it back to your Marklin dealer, he'll check and fix it for you, for free. biggrin

You'll need to oil every 40 to 50 hours, but very sparingly. Most people use too much oil. Your engine may have sat somewhere for years before you bought it, and it could be a reason why it would need oil sooner. Use the Marklin clear oil, it will not thicken over time like the older yellow oil does.

Indeed Mark and Lars are right, if you run on carpet, or a dusty environment, dirt can collect too, and an inspection of the innards would be wise. It should be really easy to open. The tank loco only has one screw keeping it closed.

Charlie
www.ajckids.com
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Offline Webmaster  
#6 Posted : 15 November 2003 01:44:01(UTC)
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Webmaster


Joined: 25/07/2001(UTC)
Posts: 11,165
Is the motor hot when it has begun to slow down? If so, it indicates that the motor has to work hard to keep running, which suggests old hardened oil, lint, cat/dog hairs in the mechanism/gears or dry motor bearings... First of all, put a drop of oil at the ends of the motor axle an see if that helps. If not, a more thorough cleaning/lubrication is necessary. A good cleaning + some moderate lubrication is never wrong.

It's just like a car, you need to change the oil sometimes...
Juhan - "Webmaster", at your service...
He who asks a question is a fool for five minutes. He who does not ask a question remains a fool forever. [Old Chinese Proverb]
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Offline Bill  
#7 Posted : 16 November 2003 17:36:17(UTC)
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Bill


Joined: 07/11/2001(UTC)
Posts: 256
Location: ,
Mine did the exact same thing at almost the same time frame as yours -- it was a starter set locomotive -- with about 30 to 35 hours of running time. I isolated the problem to the brushes which were worn and very dirty with carbon.

Replacement of the brushes made the thing run great. I think the copper brush in particular was the culprit. I hoped for longer brush life, but I ran the thing often and for long periods of time.
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Offline jeehring  
#8 Posted : 17 November 2003 03:01:26(UTC)
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jeehring


Joined: 25/09/2003(UTC)
Posts: 2,786
Location: ,
hello everybody ,
what happens sometimes with a new Lock , SPECIALLY IF IT RUNS AT HIGH SPEED FROM THE BEGINNING ( during first hours of service )is that the carbon brushes are making more dust ( carbon dust ) . The dust is scattering over all the motor spreading inside the motor too . The worst is when mechanics has spray up oil ( sometimes when it is new , oil is not uniformly widespread )
With very few droplets of oil , I let you imagine what kind of poultice you got ..
Solution is cleaning the motor ( metal parts in lighter fluid ) + replacement of brushes ( don't forget a drop of oil ) Of course , depending on the degree you have reached....
It is the reason why Locks must be broken in , slowly wearing out the brushes to obtain a perfect levelness of the contact area . If not , brushes - at the beginning - are making small pieces of carbon going every where...
by
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Offline jcegido  
#9 Posted : 18 November 2003 15:02:08(UTC)
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jcegido


Joined: 11/07/2002(UTC)
Posts: 335
Location: Madrid, Madrid
Hi all,
For the next time you´ll have a new loco, I recommend you let it work half an hour in each sense of the track, with the knob in a medium position, if possible pulling/pushing some coaches. This should prepare the loco to work fine till the next mantenaince sessionCool
Juan Carlos
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Offline jeehring  
#10 Posted : 18 November 2003 17:33:06(UTC)
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jeehring


Joined: 25/09/2003(UTC)
Posts: 2,786
Location: ,
HI Jceqido ,all
" In each sense of track "...You're right Jceqido.....For my part I avoid going at maximal speed during first hours of service . Carbon brush dust inside a motor may cause electric arcs , motor is getting warm , and if there is some oil , oil is burning.....Motor is loosing power .
Fortunately , with Marklin motors nothing irreversible : just a good cleanup !
bye
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