I received a fairly new but second-hand Bachmann N-scale loco which I’m converting
to DCC (which is another story entirely!) On pulling the shell off I found there was a LOT of thick grease around - on the gears, all over the metal shell, especially near the motor bearings - a real build up of grease. I’m wondering if this is how these locos come from the shop, or whether the previous owner may have over-lubed it? The sheet that comes with the loco says to use one drop here and there - this is many drops.
Quite possibly, and yes. All the plastic meshed surfaces need is a light film of grease, so the evidence of overloading is all over the inside of the shell. If you take an artist’s brush, a good quality one that won’t lose a couple of hairs with each stroke, and use it to paint the gears with a light film of an appropriate lube, you will do a good job.
Those motors and gears spin at very high rpm, so it is no wonder that an overzealous job ended up splattered all over everything.
[#ditto]
What he said! That’s the way to do it.
Yes, I thught it looked a bit too oily. I was thinking of giving the trucks a bath in alcohol and then re-greasing them.
Just remember, sometimes more is not better.