Just got this from a reputable dealer. Loco wants to run, but the mechanism that guides the piston back and forth is loose, allowing the slide to slip free. How can I fix this, as the engine wants to run and is a really nice little beast.
Photo? Are there two cross head guides, one above and one below or only one on top? Alligator guides: Laird style guide:
Yes, there are two guides, one above and one beneath. They are allowing the crosshead to come loose, so that it then rides against the driver, causing it to bind.
Okay. Are the slots in the top and bottom of the cross head, which overlap the guides, intact or are they worn down? Are the guides flopping around or are they tight? Is the spacing between the guides too wide?
The guides are not tight in the rear hanger. I do not want to try AC on them as they are in such a delicate place, but is that the most likely option?
Try leaving the rod out of the guides , then gently squeeze the guides together and then place the rod back into the guides . That may help the rod stay in place . Mike
Deac, are you saying (I believe you are) that the guides are not parallel all the way to the rear? If so, Mike's fix should work. It might work to move the crosshead all the way forward and squeeze the guides together a bit. Then you don't have to remove the crosshead. If this isn't the problem, ignore me. Doug
I've been looking at Spookshow's site and I am a bit leery of opening up the little beast due to his cautions. I may run it up to a hobby shop about an hour away and see if they are willing to take a look at it.
Don't do anything that disturbs the bottom plate holding the drivers. The driver electrical pickup wiper system is a nightmare to deal with. Flimsy, and anchored in unhelpful ways to the plate.
Is this the problem area? (My but I have a bit of lint on here!) On this engine I used a tiny, teeny bit of ACC on the tip of a pin to hold the guides in place on the hanger. It is a little bit visible in the picture.
That is exactly the place. I was worried about using CA there, but it would certainly be the simplest solution. Thanks Tomorrow I am going to head for my hobby shop and will take it along and let him take a look at it before trying anything on something this delicate.
Are those two separate pieces being upper and lower that also "plug" into the cylinder? I wonder if the piece that holds them at the rear has become loose where it mounts to the chassis or maybe even bent. From you pics it looks like it is metal but maybe it is plastic? If the cylinders are loose I could see that being the problem too.
The tabs on the end fit tightly into matching hole and slot on the hanger. It works ok until the crosshead gets twisted in the guides, then they get warped enough to not want to stay. I have one more sitting in it's box for repair for just this flaw, someday.
Sent an Email to the seller. Hopefully I will be swapping it for a used Kato 2-6-2, waiting to hear back from them.
