I’ll have to check my Y6B. I’ve never noticed it, but then again it only has a couple of hours on it so far.
Hi, just got back. Let me read through all of your most recent posts and I’ll try them out and get back to you tomorrow. Crandell, that sounds like what I was seeing and hearing until the chuffs cut out again completely. Apparently a drive in a car (auto) from my town to the next 20 miles away affects chuff remaining present. Go figure 
Has anyone written a mall store copy of DCC Programing for Dummies? I’ll be there lst in line at the signing. :-l Thanks guys.
Next Day:Here’s a list of what I’ve tried. Tomorrow (Fri.) afternoon I’ll get together with my more DCC experienced buddy to use JMRI and see if we can figure things out.
Do you guys know if I’ll void a warrantee with BLI/Paragon if we open 'em up to check for physical problems like loose wires, etc.? 1. NO CV found to ONLY silence chuff. CV 155 is having no effect.
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Resets give me all sounds but chuff and I am able to adjust the volume on all of them EXCEPT Master Vol. CVB 133 (on either loco).
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I do hear a coupler clank on the Paragon when I enter a CV on the Paragon. Can’t remember on the Blue LIne CF. I think the headlight flashes in response.
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If hearing the whistle and the bell shows that neither decoder is locked then I guess they’re not. I re-read the section on locking decoders and don’t think this applies to my situation (?)5. I played with the chuff increase decrease CVs and no change (sound).6.Tried CV 204 and 205 but no changes or sounds.7. I still don’t understand function mapping entirely.
Time to try looking at the chuff sensor and wiring for a mechanical fault?
Thanks so much everyone. I’ll come back after my more experienced tech-ish guy takes a look. He’s still relatively new to this but has installed numerous decoders and taken steam apart.
I am not sure what triggers the chuff on the Paragon 2 loco, but the Blueline is triggered from the reed sensor over the flywheel. This may not be a CV problem and you will spend time for not. Make absolutely sure the plugs are seated firmly. Check for a bent or missing pin in the connector. Some BLI tender tethers have had bits of plastic flash in the holes where the pins go. A small drill bit will clean them out, but make sure you don’t remove metal. Chuff sensors have been known to fail. My Blueline M1b lost its chuff and it turned out to be it was just loose and a simple click back in the bracket fixed it. Your Paragon 2 loco may be the same as the Blueline.
Pete
Well I just rx my Blueline NW Class A yesterday and guess what? Same problem you are having. Everything works fine except no chuff. I did the reset, cked the tender/loco plug, adj cv155 all to no avail. I emailed Broadway Limited and to their credit they emailed back yesterday afternoon. They say it sounds like chuff sensor is bad. I requested they send me the instructions and a new sensor and I would do the repair to save time and money. They said ok and my warrenty would still be good. Good deal I say. Of course buying a new steamer at these kinds of prices you would expect them to work out of the box. Out sourcing, you get what you pay for!
scubaterry, lst off I wanted to tell you that I’m also a diver. I’d be interested in hearing about where you recreationally dive if you want to, via PM.
Secondly, yes, I emailed Broadway Limited yesterday and they offered to send chuff sensors with instructions and that they “encourage” us to service our own engines lst and if only reasonable damage was done, the warrantee is still in place. (Don’t know what reasonable would be, no soldering iron bon-fires?)
Very fast, very helpful. Great customer service. He ALSO said that JMRI would not show problems with the sensors. I thought I’d see if the decoder CVs give me read back at least, before opening them up.
I have a repair buddy with whom BLI have no problem letting him take a look at my problem engines, and if he opens them, they have no heartache over warranty. In fact, BLI encourages user repairs and diagnosis if you are skilled and experienced. They will caution you, though, over the Hybrids because those have to be shipped back to the factory for all but the most rudimentary and basic rectifications. BLI has strict specs about packing and shipping their Hybrids back to them because they obviously don’t want additional repairs to broken or dislodged details.
If you go on the BLI site forum, the fellows talk all the time about chuff sensors and the clip atop the gear towers that seems to pop off and let the drive slip. They are easily fixed…or so it seems.
-Crandell
Thanks Crandell. Sounds like checking out the chuff clip/wiring is not too severe a job to give BLI worries (for the Paragon) then? Thanks. Jim
Well took awhile to get back on line but I did rx the chuff sensor (itty bitty reed switch) from BLI. Took loco apart according to provided instructions. Before unsoldering old sensor I cked it with Ohm Meter and it appeared to be working fine. I did notice when I unplugged the three plugs from the sensor board the sensor chuff plug was not seated all the way. So on a whim I decided to re-assemble and give it a try before tackling the itty bitty soldering job. I ensured all plugs were firmly seated and put her on the track and I am happy to say it worked fine. So it was a loose plug not the sensor. So I guess I have a back up sensor. It sucks that I had to go thru that with a new loco. And of my 8 BLI/PCM loco’s I have had to repair four on arrival so far. I will say however that BLI support dept is outstanding as far as helping out and providing parts/help etc. And with all that said I am still very happy with the looks and operation of my BLI/PCM loco’s.
I checked out my Y6B and the chuffs start right away (within the first half revolution of the drivers) and do not wait for a couple of revolutions.
Glad to see you found the problem.
If you have the capability, scan and post the instructions to the sensor. It would be a good reference to have. [:)]
I can’t scan but I sure can type. The instructions are VERY basic and leave out several important steps (I think ) so I will add them to the list.
This instruction sheet is from BLI repair folks specifically for replacing the chuff sensor in the Blueline N&W Class A. As I stated earlier it is just a very tiny NO reed switch.
To remove Boiler cover, Remove the small square cap located in front of the smoke stack (part #29), revealing a screw.
Remove screw (funny)
Remove two screws under cab.
Not in instructions but remove hand rails at cab doors right and left.
Gently, lift the boiler from the chassis, making sure you do not damage any detail parts.
Located behind the motor you will see a thin printed ckt board (PCB) about 2 1/2 inches long.
Remove the plugs from the PCB. The plug on the end with wires going to the sensor is of course the plug I found that was not pushed in all the way. That brought back my chuffs.
Remove screw under rear plug.
Gently remove the PCB.
On the bottom of the PCB you will see a small reed relay (small glass tube).
Unsolder the relay.
Position the new relay as close to the edge of the PCB as possible while still making contact with the leads.
Solder new relay in place.
Replace PCB and plugs.
Test the new chuff sensor.
Replace boiler.
I would like to thank the repair folks at BLI for their speedy assistance and providing these instructions to solve my problem.
Thanks for posting.
Do they by any chance offer the PCB so that people don’t have to unsolder the relay?
I have no idea. You would have to ask the repair guys. Actually the solder job isn’t that bad as both sides of the relay are readily exposed once you get the PCB out. Their are no other components any where near it so quick in quick out and you are done.
Hello, last year I purchased a P2 J1e Hudson, the chuff sound worked for a while and suddenly dissapeared, I e-mailed BLI and asked them to send me a chuff sensor since this was a known problem on these models, whitin 2 weeks I received 2 new chuff sensors and took my loco to the LHS and got it replaced, since then, my J1e hudson is chuffing away on my layout.