Squeak in engine - some useful information

[K487]

I've got over 20 of Bachmann's HO diesels and a number of their steam locos. 

The other day one of the diesels had a peculiar problem that stumped me for a while.  One of them was squeaking.  And it took me some time to locate the source. 

Normally any squeaking is due to an engine having been run for 40 to 50 hours and is one or both of the motor bearings is telling me they need lubing.  This is simple to fix so I put a little oil (I use Labelle 107) on each bearing.  Well, that didn't help the squeak.

So I removed the two bottom covers of the trucks.  Believe it or not one of the truck's axles and gears were dry (from the factory).  AHA I thought, easy fix.  After some oil and grease, nope again - squeak still working.

Oh, then how about the gear tower bearings?  Nope, they're fine.  How about the male/female plastic drive-line fittings?  They're okay too.

Ooookaaay, think!  What's left?  Could it be those little (flimsy-looking but work great) copper-colored electrical pickup wipers on the back sides of the loco's wheels?  I din't know, but it couldn't hurt to try, so I turned the engine upside down and put a very tiny drop of Wahl hair clipper oil on the back side of each wheel right above/next to the wiper knobs, then ran the engine on the track.  THAT WAS IT!

This was the first and only time this type of squeak ever happened me.  So if you run up against a squeaky "blank wall", those wipers/wheels combos may be your culprit.

K487

[Doneldon]

K487-

Thank you for sharing this tidbit. I'm pretty sure it would have taken me a long time to discover the source of the squeak were I confronted with the same issue, but now you've prepared me. Thanks again.
                                                                                                                         -- D

[jbrock27]

This is useful info K487.  Thank you for sharing and hopefully saving others time in solving this kind of problem.   

[GG1onFordsDTandI]

The guy a the flea market told me it was just the mouse gear, a new sound option I paid extra      

[K487]

Donaldon:
JBrock27:

You're very welcome; glad to be of some help.

GGI:  Maybe Bachmann should rename all of their loco gears/bearings/etc. after animals, starting with "... the mouse gear."

K487

[jbrock27]

The squeaky mouse gets the cheese, or in this case, the oil