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Reply to "Weaver New Haven I-5 PCB Identification"

@C.Vigs posted:

Dave,

I am a big New Haven fan, so just getting this in good cosmetic condition is already a win for me. Thanks for warning me about that plastic grommet - I found it hanging onto the tender pin, so I temporarily taped it in place on the engine drawbar. I'm still debating if I should gut it and install an ERR upgrade (which I've done a couple of before), I want to run it with the TAS electronics for a little bit first to see if I can live without the cruise control. Smoke units are a low priority for me.

John,

Thanks a ton for the TAS installation manual - that essentially answered all my electrical questions. I'm debating what to do with the electronics, I might reach out to you privately regarding the Railsounds Audio and Power boards once I've made a decision.



Now, what I did tonight:

Now that I know which connection it goes to, I installed the R2LC08 board and set everything up. Engine accepted its programming, and directional lighting, electrocoupler, and motor all work. I didn't test the smoke unit, and obviously still no sound. Overall a win so far there.

I do have a few problems with the running gear on one side. It's pretty clear at this point that this engine has been in an accident, or something jammed in the running gear at one point. The main rod, eccentric crank, eccentric rod, and expansion link (also seen it called the reverse gear) all have slight bows in them in different directions. Now the engine runs forward OK, but the valve gear on this side jams in reverse. Here are some videos of what each side looked like before I opened the engine up (engine moving forward in both).

Bad side:

Good side:

First problem I identified was the jumping radius rod - it looked like the bent expansion link (reverse gear) was jamming itself into the yoke of the radius rod, causing it to pop up periodically. I spread the yoke out slightly and largely fixed that problem.

Second issue was, while in reverse, the eccentric rod jamming. As far as I can figure out, the friction of the expansion link in the radius rod put strain on the eccentric rod, which slowly loosened the press fit of eccentric crank on its pin. When moving forward, the eccentric crank is being pushed into its properly quartered position. In reverse, the drag on the expansion link would pull the eccentric rod, which pulls the eccentric crank, and the crank begins to rotate out of alignment on its pin. This allows the rod to flip into a position where it jams itself against the reverse yoke. Freeing the expansion link from the radius rod reduced the issue from every rotation of the drivers to every few feet, but the damage was already done and the crank is loose.

Valve gear on the bad side, showing the eccentric rod jammed and the crank spun about 30 degrees clockwise out of place:

Eccentric crank wrong

Valve gear on the good side, showing the crank in the proper position for the same driver position:

Eccentric crank right



So, anyone have any ideas on how I can prevent the crank from rotating on its pin? I don't even see an easy way to disassemble the valve gear.

~Chris

Can you provide a picture of the yoke you adjusted to deal with the jumping radius rod? Mine does the same thing on the same side.

Last edited by biscuitag97

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