RoyBoy posted:The PLUS in Lionchief plus means that it can be operated conventionally.
Well, yes, that. But also cruise speed control, excellent low speed control, fan driven smoke units, better sound than standard LC, elecrtocouplers, and an over-all better build quality.
ns1001 posted:Have 2 LionChief+ locos, a NW2 and a camel back 4-6-0. The 4-6-0 smokes fine although it needs refills more often than a MTH loco would. The NW2 does not smoke for me - using CW80 with the remote - has been sent back twice to Lionel. Comes back smoking but when its time for refill the smoke diminishes. Tried several brands of fluid - same results. Wonder if this is on of the Lionel locos you have to take the shell off and put smoke directly in the unit. Also on YouTube these same diesels often don't smoke. Well if you want a smoking diesel guess you buy MTH.
Something to check would be that the 'funnel' for the smokestacks is lined up properly. The LC+ NW2 has a T shaped funnel attached to the smoke unit to allow it to smoke from both stacks and this funnel doesn't have anything to hold it in place. The design relies on the fit against the shell to keep it from moving and it's possible it has moved out of alignment. There's also a couple small rubber gaskets that sit between the 'funnel' and the shell and these may have moved in such a way that they block fluid from making it into the unit. Because of the long path the fluid must take to reach the unit it may be helpful to blow lightly down the stack after filling as well, to help it get down into the smoke unit. I also find it helpful to wait a couple minutes after adding fluid, for it to be absorbed into the wicking material. If you add about 20 drops, wait a couple minutes and add 10-20 more I've had good smoke output for quite a while.
It is also, of course, possible that the wick material has been damaged from running dry. The material can be burnt if run without fluid and once it is burnt it will not work very well in bringing fluid to the heating element. Lionel sells new wick very inexpensively and it should not be difficult to change. From everything other folks here on the forum have said the replacement wick also works much better than the type originally installed in new engines.
Anyway, hope there is something of use there.
JGL
