ALCO s2 motor noise

[ALCO0001]

Hello,
I have had  the sound value s2 for a wile and had the motor replaced after 1 year for a coffie grinder type noise running mostly in 1 direction .The

drive line has been eliminated .
I removed the motor to test by hand spinning it with the brushes at 6 AND 12  position and it makes noise like the armature is hitting the magnet a

little. IF you turn it over to the 12-6 position and spin it it is smooth and quiet . This is the 2nd motor that has done this and am losing faith in this .I

have the great soundtraxx sound that is not so great with the coffee grinder added.Strange thing is that it runs steady without a miss or a stumble


,but above the 2nd or 3rd notch it sounds like the 70s pancake motor again.

Is there a upgrade direct fit motor for these out there yet or do I have to try another? The motor was silent after break in , but sat a wile then

when put back into service started all the noise and has been getting progressively worse in both directions since.  Jack

[trainmainbrian]

Did you check your Motor Mounts where the motor sits into the Loco's chassis...
Check all Wiring make sure nothing is wired wrong...
Is the Motor & power trucks properly Lubed...
Check for any "RUBBING" issues IE Flywheels rubbing against body...

I had a problem last year with an OLD PA-1 Loco I have I thought is was the motor... But turned out "under close inspection of all the loco's parts" My Power Trucks needed to be swapped out for a new pair... SLOVED the Problem right away....

So you will have to look @ everything... Hope this helps you...

[jbrock27]

tmb, what make was said Old PA-1?
Thnx.

[ALCO0001]

OK,
I completely disassembled the loco ,checked the worm gears ,bearings free and clean,// 2 i checked the gear case pins and gears fine free and clean .
With the worms out of the trucks they roll around free with no binds,
3 -I checked the end play in the worm gears. They have little slop (end play), but no binding .
4- Under a jewelers magnifier, when you hold the motor in your hand and PUT  lateral pressure (side to side) you can feel the play and see the gap between the shaft and the motor bearings/brass or bronze bushings  both ends  ,this tells the tale of the tolerances are too loose between the shaft and the bushing .This will cause the armature to nip the fixed magnets inside and the brushes to float at higher rpms since the flywheels hang off the ends of the motor shafts with a good 1/8 inch gap or more between the motor bushings and the inside of the flywheels.
Well if the Chinese factory that put the flywheels on did not balance them correctly this will cause vibration and this would be transferred to  the bushings and wear them out rapidly if they were not at properly engineered tolerances to begin with ,,,,or the bushing or shaft material was too soft.Ihave see a few of these motors and have had them apart and reassembled.Some are better then others for sure they need to be balanced correctly since they are only a 3 pole motor and they are not skewed.
Surely not even close to Spectrum quality here.Do es Bachmann have a Spectrum motor of the same dimentions to upgrade this nagging problem ?

[trainmainbrian]

tmb, what make was said Old PA-1?
Thnx.

PM sent to you

[jbrock27]

Thanks Brian.

Jack, I suggest you call Laura Harris at (215)533-1600, Ext. 304 and discuss your issue with her.  I am sure she will do her best to help.  Just don't expect her to provide counseling services.

[ALCO0001]

Thanks,
I am used to things breaking down that are New being a retired Chrysler Technician.They had new part issues themselves , but that will mess with you when you know you had it right and then it comes back with the same thing wrong and it turns out to be the part that you had just replaced.I look at it this way .Over a long period of time you really get good at it or it really gets good at you.
;DJack

[jbrock27]

Dontcha just love management?

Re: Chiseler;  I will be honest with you, of the "Big 3", Dodge/Chrysler would be the last one I would consider buying from.  The biggest piece of junk my family ever owned was a Volare  Station Wagon that had 3 on the floor.  Thing could not get out of its own way and it's what I had to learn to drive standard on.  Now, if you came to me with a '66 Dodge Charger, that would be 'nother matter entirely

[ALCO0001]

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