American Flyer #4670 Std gauge Reversing problem

This probably should go into Tinplate forum.  Having said that, the electro-mechanical reverse works better (sometimes only) with  the cab / boiler on or with cars coupled to loco. It has to do with momentum giving the unit enough pull on the sliding reverse unit. So putting the boiler on should help... you also need some good voltage to operate properly, too low and the result is like what you are experiencing.  Is your manual slider notch or hard to slide? Did you oil the cam mechanism?

Thank you Rob E:  I turned the voltage up to 20v & it worked. Not sure about the part you referred as cam mechanism. I'm sure I oiled  it after cleaning & adjusting the contacts and reassembling There are many parts in old trains I don't know the correct  terminology. I thank you again

Good Deal.

@JimmyT posted:

American Flyer Steam engine #4670 Std gauge w/remote control motor  Just rewired the reversing unit. In manual I get forward & reverse. When I try it in remote control with the body off I get forward stop  then reverse stop , if I put the body on it doesn't work in remote. But it still works in manual. I checked the wires on top of the motor to make sure none were being pinched when I put the body on. The metal flapper like on a Lio. pendulum seems to work when the r/c control rod is up I must be missing something. any ideas? I appreciate any input.

something else to add that happened to me in the past….

I replaced the 6/32 screws that hold the motor in the body with slightly longer, new screws, and the right rear one was just long enough inside the motor block to interfere with the movement of the forward—reverse slide when the body was on.  It made it just slightly harder to move when everything was tightened up, but you could manually force it if you pushed hard.

I think this was on the larger steamer, so it may not affect the smaller one, but something to check.  Once i put the shorter, original screw back in, everything was fine.

@Ives1122 posted:

something else to add that happened to me in the past….

I replaced the 6/32 screws that hold the motor in the body with slightly longer, new screws, and the right rear one was just long enough inside the motor block to interfere with the movement of the forward—reverse slide when the body was on.  It made it just slightly harder to move when everything was tightened up, but you could manually force it if you pushed hard.

I think this was on the larger steamer, so it may not affect the smaller one, but something to check.  Once i put the shorter, original screw back in, everything was fine.

Oh thanks goodness, I thought I was the only person who had this problem! But mine was on a piper that someone mistreated and put screws that were too long in the motor. Unfortunately they were long enough to bend the end of the slide enough that I couldn't get it working without taking it apart and bending it back

Seen it often.  Screws too long that is.