Advice for a new live steamer

[david_wakefield]

Hi guys

I am new to live steam and have just got hold of a used Dwight D Eisenhower in excellent condition.

I have read all the information and watched the videos and can get her to run fine and to stop her.

When I want to change direction, I carry out the correct procedure and the whistle tells me that a chance of direction has been set.

On the green light she goes in the same direction as before.

However if you move the loco in the appropriate direction by hand it works fine every time.

The only thing I can think of is that it needs running in as she looks unused.

Any ideas guys.

Dave.

[Go_West]

/media/tinymce_upload/58a2e3bd568aee0644ad792e6666f152.jpg

in know this is not an A4 but the forward and reverse is the same one thing that can happen is if you look at the picture above you will see the F&R brass gear in the centre of the engine with the regulator arm fix to a pin on the gear below this you can see a brass finger pointing down its this finger that turns the F&R gear which is just showing in the foreground. If you put the engine on the track with the body removed you can see the complete operation of this unit 

if the fixing screw for this gear assembly comes loose which they do from time to time the the brass finger will move up and away from the gear on the valve shaft so that the correct valve setting will not be selected and no change in direction which you have.

To fix the problem you must remove the supper heater and gain access to this screw and thigh ten it up but take great care as the threads can strip in the soft metal casting

hope this helps if the thread has gone then Hornby and John can maybe help if you send it to him.

[david_wakefield]

Thanks gowest

I will check this out. Do I just tighten the gear retaining screw or are there any timing issues I need to be aware of?

Cheers

Dave

[Go_West]

hi Dave

you will not change any valve settings with this part of the engine so do not worry once the screw is tight its worth testing the engine with the body off so you can check its working ok.

[david_wakefield]

Many thanks Gowest.

I will report back once I have had a go at adjusting the screw.

Cheers

Dave

[Go_West]

/media/tinymce_upload/535c41699c6cdfd9f19199049eb12f9a.jpg

i dont know if this helps but in the drawing above its the 4th gear fixing screw that you need to look at 

[david_wakefield]

Hi gowest

When I inspected the 4th gear and pawl, the finger was pointing up.

Also the super heater screws were loose. I suspect previous tampering.

Thank you for the drawing, without it I would not be able to make sense of the way it should work.

Let surgery commence!

[Go_West]

Hi david

great that you ave discovery the fault if the screw is removed from the gear take care when refitting the brass finger the right way up and do not loose the very small spring in the drawing that keeps the finger in contact with the gear.

clean the screw thread with a nail varnish remover and paint the thread with nail varnish (any colour) and screw it all back it place thight but not over tight as has been said the threads in the gear casting is easy to strip.

when refitting the supper heater check the gasket some tend to spread out and add extra load to the valve if you have a new gasket well enough otherwise try to file the gasket into a better shape so that it fits in place with out touching the valve therefore leaving it free to turn with out excessive load.

put it all back on the track check the operation of the motor unit and finger then steam test all should now be fine when cool refit the body.

[david_wakefield]

Well surgery is complete, as I mentioned in my last post, the reverser pawl was inverted and the gear was loose.

I have fitted it the correct way round and located the tab in the gear.

However there is no spring in the gear as in the drawing.

Testing on the rolling road I can get it to change direction most times. Which is much better than before.

Cheers

Dave

[2e0dtoeric]

Just curious - what does this 'missing?' spring actually do?

[Go_West]

You can see the spring in my drawing of the layout of the parts the idea of the spring is to keep the paw in good contact with the gear until it reaches a point determined by the settings for full forward and full backward valve setting on reaching this point the gear will not turn any further and would just stall the motor so to over come this when this point of resistance is reached the paw rides up the tooth of the gear and compressed that little spring allowing the gear to turn and complete the operation to open the regulator so that the engine can now move off in the direction sellected 

[Go_West]

A bit late on getting back 

but the missing spring keeps pressure on the paw to turn the gear and should for any reason the gear stop turning the motor will not stall but the paw will lift against the spring from the gear tooth and allow the paw to complete its operation allowing the next stage of events to happen which is the opening of the steam valve letting steam into the cylinders.