How to oil Bachman motor bearing

[Vizzin72]

I have a Bachmann Santa Fe f7 dcc sound value engine.  I am trying to lubricate the motor bearing because it is making a Nast winding sound.  I took the shell off but I don't see any access to the motor.  What else needs to be removed to have access for oiling ? Do I really have to remove the circuit board ? Do I have to remove the wheel carriages ?

[jbrock27]

You asking about the drive shafts or the brushes?

[Vizzin72]

Not sure ... All I know is it needs to be maintenanced .... I picked up some oil I just don't know where to apply it

[Hunt]

Vizzin72,

Click Here to view a segment of a Bachmann video.

[Vizzin72]

Wow that was definitely helpful thank you.  According to this I will have to remove the decoder circuit board to access the motor bearing.  I will just be careful I suppose.

[jbrock27]

Not sure ... All I know is it needs to be maintenanced .... I picked up some oil I just don't know where to apply it

So you were looking to lube it, but have no idea where or with what?

Wow that was definitely helpful thank you.  According to this I will have to remove the decoder circuit board to access the motor bearing.  I will just be careful I suppose.

Yes, the screws, as you can probably see are real tiny.  Once you remove the board you should see the silver metal shaft fore and after of the motor housing.  What lube did you pick up?  Bc those shafts are just one place to lube.  And there is oil and there is grease.   There is also the worm gears and motor brushes to lube.  The gears take grease with Teflon (PFTE) and the motor brushes take Conducta Lube.  I had to remove the board from an S4 to do the same thing.  I thought noise was coming from lack of lube in the usual places but it was the motor brushes and the Conducta Lube cured it like homemade chicken soup cures a common cold.

[Vizzin72]

I got the screws off no problem.  Took the decoder off to the side.  I saw the silver shaft and I was able to place some lube on it (to answer your question I went to a specialty shop and the guy told me the particular product was good for gears or for the shaft) I was able to see one small gear through each wheel carriage, I lubed them.  Problem persists.  I don't see any way of accessing anything else on this engine, it blows my mind that they don't have all the places of maintenance easily.  I'm just gonna send it to the repair department and tell them to fix it.  I however can't stand not being able to work on my own stuff wether it's cars or small engine etc.  disappointing for the price of the engine.  The motor bushings that you spoke of seem to be buried deep to the point where you basically have to take the motor out.

[jbrock27]

I saw the silver shaft and I was able to place some lube on it (to answer your question I went to a specialty shop and the guy told me the particular product was good for gears or for the shaft)

Sounds like you got one product, likely oil.  I prefer grease for gears so it does not get flung/slung around.  Getting the screws off is usually not problem, keeping them from dropping into the chassis can be .

Problem persists.  I don't see any way of accessing anything else on this engine...The motor bushings that you spoke of seem to be buried deep to the point where you basically have to take the motor out.

Just like had been with my S4, that is until I lubed the brushes, not bushings.  The diagram of your loco looks an awwwwful lot like the motor design in my S4.  You don't have to take any more apart.  Just look for a couple of "slots" in the black plastic housing of the motor.  On the top, you will see the metal "cap" which is the top brush of the motor.  There should be a wire connecting to it as well to help identify it as the brush cap.  The slots is where you want to put a drop of 2 of Conducta Lube (not the stuff you just bought, it is not the same).

[Vizzin72]

I ended up sending the engine in to Bachmann

[jbrock27]

Did you bother to first try the Conducta Lube where I suggested?

[Vizzin72]

I did not .... Did not want to fiddle with the engine considering it was new and expensive if rather have the pros take a look at it.  I think lubricating a gear is one thing but past that I think it should be sent in.

[jbrock27]

Nothing to "fiddle" with bro, you had access to where to put the Conducta Lube once you took the light board off.  A lot less work than sending it in.  I had told you mine was brand new too and that was the noise cure.  Just cause something is "new" doesn't mean it hasn't had some minor ill effect from sitting in it's box, that is easily cured.  It was worth the try.  Would have put the $$ toward the Conducta Lube, it is useful and good stuff to have, if not for this time around, but for the future, spending it there first, before spending it on the cost of shipping.

[Vizzin72]

When it comes back I'm gonna open it up and take a picture of it I will post it and maybe if I can verify the slot you were talking about in the future I'll give it a shot.  I'm just the type of if I don't know what I'm doing I don't do it ... Know what I mean ... I'm always up for learning but I wasn't seeing what you were talking about

I actually didn't have to pay for shipping, the dealer I bought it from paid for it, but I may go down there to see if they can show me how to do it right.  Their office is only 15 minutes from my house.

[jbrock27]

I had looked up the parts diagram on what you said you had, when I gave direction, going to the Parts section on this forum's Home page.  
Did I miss you asking me for further help on finding where I was referring to?

[jbrock27]

http://www.bachmanntrains.com/home-usa/dwg/dwgs/HO_F7-A_Sound.pdf