Just bought a real nice PW (1947) 1666 to run. Engine is in beautiful cond. I ran it this morning for about 20-25 minutes at a moderate amount of throttle. It then stopped running. The light powered, the e-unit buzzed and clicked as if it were cycling, but the wheels would not turn. I started to take it apart to check wiring. this baby is not easy to get into. I then decided I better quit while I am ahead and put it back together. Too many variables in getting the shell of this guy. Just as I decided to take it back to the LHS, i decided to try it one more time. And, it worked fine. What happened? Did it get to hot? Is this normal? I have tons of postwar stuff, and they will all run for hours.
The 1666 is a great running little engine. I suspect your problem was caused by a dirty e-unit or the fingers of the e-unit are not making good contact with the drum. In either case, it is a simple fix.
I have a 1666 with a sticking (magnetized) plunger. I rebuilt the e-unit, polished the plunger, re-wired everything, but forgot to demagnetize it. It intermittently sticks to the top of the celenoid. Sometimes it will just drop by itself, sometimes it needs a little rap on the top of the shell. Try listening for the plunger to drop, (e-unit to cycle).
You said that e-unit buzzes…it might be stuck in neutral.
Kurt, try reconditioning or replacing the drum, if you haven’t already.
Demagnetizing is done by placing the object in a strong alternating magnetic field, then gradually reducing the field to zero. This is pretty much what happens inside the e-unit every time you stop the locomotive. So I doubt that magnetization of the slug inside the solenoid is ever the problem. I have rewired all my locomotives so that the e-unit runs on DC, without any increase in the incidence of sticking.
I believe that the problem is that over time the pawl digs a little notch into the crotch between the teeth, which then catches it and keeps it from sliding out. I have had good results from shaving that notch smooth. The best tool seems to be a narrow wood chisel, which can be used without taking the drum out of the unit.
Thanks Bob, sorry for not responding sooner. I have a 2025 I just picked-up awaiting final re-assembly, and the 2338 rollers still apart, and haven’t had the time to dissassemble the 1666.
Three on a bench is just bad luck… or something like that.
