Engine Stalling

[mrgooch]

Kato Mikado Stalling

After a month of great service my Heavy Mikado has begun stalling on me in tight turns. If I give it a nudge it continues. This happens at different spots. My diesel runs fine without a problem. I cleaned the wheels and tracks, I tried adjustin the spring connection on the drawbar twice. No help.

Just heard from another forum member. He had the same problem in the same time frame. Sent it back to KATO,has not had a reply yet.

 

[shamus]

Hi mrgooch, it might not just be the wheels that need cleaning, check out the contact wipers on the wheels to see if any dirt or something has been picked up. Some times these wipers pick all sorts of stuff up .

shamus

 

[mrgooch]

Hello Shamus

Everything is clean.

 

[yellowlynn]

I have had troubles like that at one time or another. One possibility, since it is on a tight corner, could the front or rear trucks be shorting out against the frame on the turn? Just an idea.

Lynn

 

[Woodie]

Mr Gooch? I know how you feel! These sorts of things can takes ages and lots and lots of patience to resolve, however you will solve it. (given enough of the above).

Firstly, does it stall with a load, or no load, forwards AND reverse, loco pointing in BOTH directions, fast? slow? with cover on/off? Exactly the same spot on the track? Does it take a heavy "poke" or just the lightest of touches, from the rear? side? front? back? top? or all of the above????

Have you tried a large hammer yet?????

I have had similar problems, especially with a loco of mine with six wheel bogies. The curves were too tight, and due to the 6 wheel bogie being in a "straight line" it had pushed the centre wheel set a little closer together on it's axle. The centre set (axle)are the "pick up" set at each end of the loco. I had to take it apart, and "widen" the wheel base back to match exactly what the wheelbase of the other axles in the bogie are. then superglue it in that position to stop it happening again.

Another, again was the pickup. The pickup was a spring loaded "pin" (like an upside down nail head) that held the brush plates down (horizontally) on the front and back axles (of the 3 axles of the bogie). On going round the corner, the axle movement in the bogie, would shift the "pin" off to one side on a bit of and angle, hence the stalling. I had to move the pin further down the shaft, on its clip, so it would apply greater pressure to the brush plate to stop it moving.

tiresome and very tedious to determine these things, but you will succeed, through a process of elimination. and very very very close examination of what is happening with your Mikado.
Good luck!

 

[mrgooch]

Gentelmen:

When I run my diesel there are no similar problems.This leads me to believe that the track is not a problem. Am I correct?
Also the headlight goes out and additional power does not help.

 

[Woodie]

Mr Gooch,

You will need to go through a process of elimination. If you can recreate the problem, every time and MAKE it do it and KNOW it will do it EVERY time, then you are a long way to solving the problem. This is true with any problem solving. For instance.

Is the problem a short out? To eliminate this, when your loco is stalled, does another loco work on the same track? If it does then the problem is not a short.

For instance, there may be a loose connection in your loco, and when the bogies are at a certain angle to the chassis, the loose connection cuts power.

So you have determined the headlight goes out at the same time. And EVERY time it stalls, the headlight goes out. So it's not just the motor. Will it stall EVERY time, with the case on or off. Then it's not the case causing a loose connection.

When you loco stalls, will it ALWAYS move off again, with a touch to a specific spot. If so you will need to examine VERY closely, what moves when you do touch it in that spot ONLY.

Do you have a multimeter?? (One of the most useful model railroad debugging tools I have)
While the loco is stalled, determine how far through the loco wiring the power is available. (firstly, the lugs on the motor, then one lug to the other wheel etc).

I know, it is a slow and tedious process, but you will find out what the problem is. Once you know what the problem is, it's very easy to fix. Finding out what the problem is, 90% of fixing it.

Here is something to try. Get a 12 V light globe. (grain of wheat or something)......
1. take the case off the loco.
2. get the loco to stall and leave power on to the tracks.
3. touch each wire of the globe to each rails just in FRONT of the loco. Does the globe light?
4. touch each wire of the globe to each rail just BEHIND the loco.
Does the globe light?
5. If so, then sufficient power is available, and the problem is NOT the track, or power supply.
6. Touch the wires of the globe on the TOP of each wheel on each side. Does the globe light? If yes, the power has got as far as the wheels. If the globe does not light, then touch one track and the other wheel. Does the globe light?
7. Touch the wires of the globe on each "brush plate" on each side of the loco. Does the globe light? If yes, the power has got as far as the brush plate.
8. touch the wire of the globe on one "brush plate" and then follow the wire from the other "brush plate" and touch the connection at the end of the wire. Does the globe light?
9. and so on and so on.........

It's matter of process of elimination, to determine where the problem is.

If the loco moves off while you're doing this, then you will need to start again, when the loco is in the "stalled" condition.

It's no use trying to determine the problem, while the loco is NOT in it's stalled condition, as the problem probably does not exisit.

Hope this helps with your problem.

 

[mrgooch]

Kato Heavy Mikado-Repair

KATO states they replaced the drawbar and made some other adjustments? Should be receiving the engine any day now will let you know how it turns out.