my Lionel alco 8351 is having problems,( seeing how it can’t even run very well) it hasn’t been lubricated or serviced ever, so should I just get a new motor or what should I do. It just won’t run, it will just groan at me.
Your answer is in your question. The motor needs service. Remove the brush plate, if your careful and lift it straight up you do not have to unsolder anything. Remove clean and lube the armature, brushes. and then lube.
" it hasn’t been lubricated or serviced ever "
SJ is correct. Service it!!
You should also look at the drive gears for binding and wear, they could well be trashed depending on how much run time is on that engine. That to can cause your groan.
It needs basic servicing, and replacing the motor is expensive. The price of new brushes, some Red & Tacky Lube, some oiling, versus a new motor…Think about it in Cost. Here is what you need, which is a complete tutorial of how to service your exact loco:::
Would this fix the problem that it has a hard time moving?
You gotta start with clean & lube then go from there.
Also, let’s say I get it working, would it be worth coverting to tmcc?
No it’s a 50 dollar engine put TMCC in something nicer.
well then I’ll probably install dcs to it then, seeing how I’m going to install command control anyway.
There is no practical way to do this for under about $500.00.
thats not true.
Just buy a converter kit. There usally always about $90.00
Steampower, You aren’t making much sense, about adding DCS, when you don’t appear to be able to do routine maintenance, on the motor.!!! Have you taken the mentioned advice from the other, about how to do the lubing, & oiling, brush changes??? I gave you a link, which is a step by step tutorial, on your very loco.
Link please!
I forgot to check it out
Here’s the link, I got the price a bit wrong, but you can still do it under $500.
I’ve already started the process of cleaning, I’m just waiting for my lubricants.
OK, that puts you maybe 1/3 of the way there. Now you have to pay for installation(~$150) at a MTH service station to get the 90 day warranty… and that’s only after you modify the locomotive(~$150-$200 parts & labor) with a flywheel equipped DC permag motor.
“Will it work in other manufacturer’s locomotives?”
“The Proto-Sound conversion kit was developed to upgrade older M.T.H. locomotives. However, in theory the conversion kit can be installed in locomotives produced by other manufacturers if those locomotives have the space for the electronics and utilize a DC motor with a flywheel. Because Proto-Sound relies on specifically developed algorithms for generating scale speeds of each locomotive, there is no guarantee that the conversion kit will provide actual scale speeds when installed in other manufacturer’s locomotives. The user will retain Proto-Sound’s speed steps in such installations but may find that those speed steps result in different speeds for other manufacturer’s engines when compared to factory-equipped Proto-Sound locomotives. In addition, like those M.T.H. steam engines not equipped with a fan-driven smoke unit, installation into other manufacturer’s steam engines will not have synchronized puffing smoke.”
According to the service article linked above, the locomotive has a manual reversing switch.
The owner could easily upgrade to an electromechanical 2 position e-unit for around $10 plus shipping (Ebay pricing, do it yourself install)
That won’t get him any closer to DCS, though.