problem with 2-8-0 consolidated

[full maxx]

there is a problem with my new spectrum engine ... it is making a grinding noise...best I can describe it  as it goes along so I removed the wheels and the bottom of the boiler has a "gap" along the length of it ...wondering if this is normal or the problem...if needed I can get a video of it and post it also <a href="http://s211.photobucket.com/albums/bb165/nitroburnr/?action=view&current=IMG_8246.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i211.photobucket.com/albums/bb165/nitroburnr/IMG_8246.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>  ...  <a href="http://s211.photobucket.com/albums/bb165/nitroburnr/?action=view&current=IMG_8247.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i211.photobucket.com/albums/bb165/nitroburnr/IMG_8247.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>

[full maxx]

OK after taking it all apart and greasing the worm gear and fighting for over an hour with the articulated rods (not sure what their called) it now seems to be fine ...

[lmackattack]

that gap is normal its a split frame with the motor between them. glad you got it fixed

[full maxx]

yeah after getting the motor and two halves out of the shell it seemed really obvious the gap was normal as the plastic pieces that the screws screw into were in their respective gaps correctly , but yeah we ran it a good little bit yesterday and there was no more noise,forward or reverse...I wish I had never removed the pilot because I thought I would never get it back together right...mental note for future reference 

[pdlethbridge]

The pictures showed a real dry worm, no grease. That would be very noisy.

[full maxx]

it is well greased now with Bachmann E-Z lube gear grease #99987, now the area around the worm gear (plastic) did have residue on it from either grease or oil and I wiped it off before the pictures but I didn't remove any grease from the gear and I watch the dvd that came with the spectrum set and applied grease like it showed in the video and now its quiet as a church mouse... and to my understanding it should be done about once a year