Athearn Finally Repowered Runs Nosily

Model Railroader General Discussion (Model Railroader)
1

I finally repowered an athearn blue box c44-9w dummy kit. i also installed their dcc adaptor board. when i first tested it it worked but ran NOSILY!!! what should I do?

2

Well "but ran NOSILY!!! " covers a lot of ground…Exactly what does it sound like and “coffee grinder” doesn’t help…

Can you shot a video?

3

If I am understanding you correctly you powered a “dummy” loco or one that was not powered from the factory correct?

I myself would first start with the motor and how it was mounted, as in thats where all the energy is generated from then work you way through the drive line. Does it make the noise with the body shell on or off or both? You need to be a tad more specific. If it was a dummy what did you use for power trucks etc. Finally old blue box Athearan which I have had many of were never known to be quite runner form the get go. To me they had a gear noise or a sort of grinding sound.

So if you have other B/B Athearns is the sound similar to how they sound?

4

they run like the ready to roll locomotives. i installed the new hp drive train. it sounds as though it may be the gears I’m not sure.

5

I don’t know how the bad RTR Athearns sounds like because I never got one to date but,I think I will suggest this.

Take the trucks apart and check for any burrs,then reassemble the trucks making sure all goes back together correctly.

Then give 'em a light coat of gear grease ( your favorite brand),lightly oil all the bushing-I use the point of a tooth pick…

I almost forgot…Is the motor and drive shafts seated correctly and in line?

6

I,ve just done a older blue box.It to sounded like a coffee grinder .I found that it was in the motor alignment .I tightened the motor mounts 1 side then cattycornerd the next screw and then finished up after it ran OK.

Dave

7

The noise is more likely caused by the gears, not the motor, so remotoring generally won’t help.

8

Is there any chance to get the engine run quiet if i replace the stock gear with NWSL or other gears?

9

To quiet Athearns.

  1. Make sure the fly wheels are not rubbing on the shell.

  2. Make sure the motor is properly seated, drive shaft level. If the motor is tilted up or down, the plastic U-joints have to run at a stiff angle and they don’t like that. Clean any flash off the U joints.

  3. Take the gear towers apart and wipe each tooth of each gear with a pipe cleaner. This will clean up bits of invisible black plastic flash floating around in the gears. While you have the gears apart inspect each one for flash that might be rubbing on the case. Check the wheel gauge. Lube the gears lightly with grease and reassemble.