I have a possible proto 1000 SD9 and can’t pull itself let alone other cars, the lny difference from my other SD9 is the circut bord. What causes this difference in power, and how can I fix it?
You’ll have to tell us a little more.
Are you running DC or DCC?
Is it the same in forward and reverse?
What do you mean by “possible proto 1000”?
I was not aware that Life-like or Walthers made a Proto-1000 SD9, so I am guessing it is a Proto-2000. But reguardless we need some more information before we can make intelligent guesses as to why it isn’t working.
Are the wheels dirty?
Does the head light come on? Is it bright? Does it flicker?
Is the motor spinning but the wheels aren’t turning?
Are the wheels turning but just slipping?
Is it quiet or does it make noises?
What is the current draw?
The motor or the circuit board could just be bad. If this is DC powered, perhaps the DCC shorting pin is not pressed in the socket all the way.
Are the wheels dirty?
Does the head light come on? Is it bright? Does it flicker?
Is the motor spinning but the wheels aren’t turning?
Are the wheels turning but just slipping?
Is it quiet or does it make noises?
What is the current draw?
The wheels are clean, lights come on, fairly bright, no flickering, wheels turn, but dosen’t roll, so yes its slipping but on flat track, It makes some noise but nothing terable, No clue on the draw. Currently DC. Hope that helps.
Is this one of those “bad gears” units? Walthers should make good with some new ones if you give them a call. Also, I read some of the first ones had tight trucks, didn’t track well, would derail. I think Walthers had a fix for this as well.
Brad
Sounds to me like there’s oil on the wheels. Clean the wheels with a good degreaser and see what happens.
If cleaning doesnt solve all your woes then I would suggest:
- Check to see if you can easily turn the motor by hand while its on the tracks.
- Disconnect any drive linkages from the motor to the trucks and then try rotating the motor by hand, if the motor rotates freely disconnected from the trucks but not when connected, you got a gearing problem
- Use a multimeter in DC amps mode and check the current draw of the motor. Try this with the motor conencted and disconnected from the trucks. Just becareful when running the motor while disconnected as motors under no load conditions tend to overspeed quickly.
[2c]
Curious. If it was a slipping gear then some of the wheels would not be turning, and acutally holding others back. So the next thing I would wonder is if one or both of the trucks are warped so that the wheels aren’t sitting flat on the track.
Then I would wonder if one of the drive shafts inside the unit (or fly wheels) is slipping somehow. This would cause the wheels on one truck to be turning at a different rate than the other. I once had a dual spud powered unit where this was the issue. They were geared slightly different and so while they were both turning they were working against each other. Open the unit and while holding one side of the drive shaft firmly (as close to the worm gear as possible), see if the other will still turn.
Silver River,
I bought a used Proto GP9 that had a very peculiar thump and bind as it ran in either direction. By chance I happen to read an article ( I think it was in MR) that mentioned breaking gears in Life like Proto Diesels. I checked the axle gears and sure enough I had two cracked axles. I replaced them with some older Athearn axles from an old H-24-66. Runs fine.
Brad.
The trucks are fine in themselves, one of the drive rods is severly splintered, when its rolling down the tracks it looks not unlike the head of a tree shreader[}:)] and on the other half the drive the flywheel is free spinning.