more 4.3 woes!

 By the way, the first message I got from the remote and knew something bad was about to happen, was the "out of range" message.

 I was standing right in front of the tiu in clear range about five feet away.

I don't expect it to tell me what is exactly wrong anymore. I'm just to stubborn to quit reading what it has to say.

Joe,

I'd almost bet real money that was not a DCS 4.30 bug.

The only lashup bugs that we've found that are still in 4.30 are related to lighting discrepancies, sound levels (not really a bug, just needs better explanation), sound on/off, and smoke on/off. Some of these are already corrected in 4.31.

Actually, DCS 4.30 corrected a couple of bugs that kept earlier releases from locating engines in the Inactive Engine List.

We just received a beta yesterday that appears to have corrected a bug that was very, very ugly. Fortunately, it was also very, very rare.

With the exception of one more bug, in Super Mode only, there are a half dozen very minor issues that need to be corrected, all of which have workaround solutions.

 Well Barry, I can only hope you are right.

I hope someone tests these out with at least more than two engines in a consist.

If 4.31 only is a minor fix to 4.3, I will stay away from it like the plague.

 The layouts ran fine with 4.2 before I upgraded. Sure it could be a coincidence.

I'll take your bet and let's make it worth it.

 I got so used to running 4.2 (+work a rounds) without problems, I don't remember life before it. I'm hating changing.

I just think there's something else in play. I will keep searching for the answer.

Is there any way that the system can change an engine's speed characteristics in a consist? (speed tables?)

maybe in the extreme heat outside, the grease got on the flywheels or readers of the G gauge trucks down under. Just the two lead engines though?

 Can't figure out why both my systems are struggling to call up consists.

Maybe certain engines are messing up and not responding. Seems more like the system does not know what to do.

 Odd that it happened right after upgrading but so did the temps outside.

Ahhh, I'll still take the bet.

 I guess I'd need to know the results others that run big consists are getting. Not that 4.x didn't present it's own challenges for me. Maybe I just got bad loads??

 I hope MTH comes out with 5.0 soon. I'm betting it's time for an overhaul. 

Joe,

Is there any way that the system can change an engine's speed characteristics in a consist?

No, it cannot. Even ACC and DEC rates, and max speed are only set per DCS Remote.

 In a seven engine consist right after creating, the lead engine took off at a much higher rate of speed than the rest of the consist. It's a brand new G scale engine.

 I replaced the engine on the track with another, my scratch built SD70ACe. I deleted the consist and rebuilt a new one. The new lead engine took off again and both of the engines would not work anymore in consist with the others.

 When either is set to 40MPH for example, they are doing in the high 50's????

So why would that happen???

Well I emailed MTH about my brand new BNSF Dash 8 G scale engine running too fast now. As no surprise, I never heard back from them.

 All I've been told here is this doesn't happen. So why now then, do I have engines, with stock MTH guts, that are running too fast??

 Something got messed up.

The only thing that comes to mind with an engine going the wrong speed is either the encoder is having trouble reading the tach strip or the tach strip has two few stripes on it for the gear ratio. 

I'm assuming it's controllable, but just not running at the right speed?

 The one engine is brand new. It is controllable, just running way faster now after being assigned to this consist??? It was running perfect right before that happened. I replaced the engine with another, and that one also now runs way too fast. I wouldn't try it a third time.

 I don't care if it's logical, something went bad. How two engines back to back lost their speed control in the exact same manner, seems to point to the programing to me.

 Maybe it's something else. So I'll tear these engine apart and inspect their tach readers because there isn't any warranty work going to happen anyways. I would have sent the engine to MTH to have them tell me what happened.

Well, that's certainly odd!  I think I'd remove them from the MU and see if they still act odd.  I'm at a loss what programming would cause that issue, I don't know they're any change when they're put in an MU configuration as far as speed control.

I've ordered another TIU from a large dealer and expect it to come with a control software package that works.

Joe, the software in the TIU is the same as you would install when you upgrade.  In other words, my Rev G's have the same software as would a brand spankin new Rev L.

Are you sure that it's not something as simple as you don't have the acceleration settings different from one engine to the next?

Joe, also check tach reader gap and make sure flywheel is tight on shaft.

Well....the brand new Dash 8 has the flywheel mounted down in the trucks, like all the G scale diesels. The tach reader is not really adjustable.

 I did pull both engines out of the consist and later tried to figure out why they were so much faster. I paced one fast with a slower one (regular speed). I'll have to do it again as I've forgotten the exact difference in speed. It was something like when the fast engine was set for 40, it was actually doing 57??

 I ran them outside and the acceleration wouldn't account for the whole speed curve being that far off. I got so mad after spending the time and money, that I locked them up and haven't looked back at them.

 I ran into so many issues with my system right after upgrading to 4.3, that I blamed all the issues on it. It maybe not totally to blame. I have since re-installed 4.2 into both my basement layouts and have not had any more problems.

 The reason I ordered a new version L TIU, was to insure the best signal outside. I measured the layout with my old TIU and light bulbs attached, and it read tens all around the backyard. Yet several engines were acting up from time to time. Maybe some other factor like heat, dirt, etc. is to blame. I wanted to make sure that I had a solid version of the software package. I was told it can't be hacked. I've loaded soundsets that have been hacked in the past. I have to suspect that this 4.3 could also be???

 I sought after that brand new BNSF Dash 8 for three years, only to watch it go crazy. When I switched out another engine, I was shocked to get the same results. I will search this issue to the end as I always do.

 I have other MTH engines that do not run the correct speed. One is four MPH off. I've never seen this big a %. Maybe the heat forced the grease to melt onto the flywheel affecting the tach??? Why both engines within a few minutes of each other and why only the lead engine each time?? That is what is bugging me. The rest of the consist ran perfectly. I let the lead engine run away while the train followed with three pulling approx. 40 cars and three more pushing, until it caught up to the tail end. I did that several times in astonishment over what took place.

Joe,  To test your theory I would delete that MU.  Take each engine individually and do a factory reset.  Place each on the track and operate individually and test speed control as you would when matching engines.  See if it returns to normal.

I know you can't adjust the tach reader, but does the flywheel have any spots that are all black from dirt, grease?   G