HELP! Flyer 285 motor incredibly hot

I suggest avoiding running the train to the point where it starts to smoke.  I would think you could get an idea of how hot the motor is getting without going to that point.

I guess I'd check the resistance on both the field coil, and on each pair of segments on the armature. I don't have the figures for American Flyer, but they might be similar to the values for Lionel, which is generally 1-2 ohms. Post the values you get, I am certain someone will answer. I think I have some flyer motor parts in one of my parts drawers. I can take a look, and measure them if that would be helpful.

 

I'd also check each segment to the armature shaft. There should be no conductivity.

 

If everything seems OK, then I guess I would look for binding in the mechanism.

 

I'd also very the wiring, and condition of the brushes and springs.

Hi,

 

are you sure the temp running of the engine via the jack panel is correct?

 

There should be a strap of wire that connects two of the panels connections where the wires the other side should be connected to one side of the field cothe and the other one to the armature.

 

This leaves the other two panels connections to be connected to the transformer and again one lead will go to the other side of the field coil and the other connection will go to the armature.

 

If the motor still smokes then you have possibly a bad field coil/armature.

 

 

Neil

Here is how the motor is currently wired. If I understand I jump the two center posts the base post is attached to the left post on the jack and the variable post is attached to the right. Let me know if everything looks OK. Using a model 2 transformer to test with. 

Looks to me like the clip should be on the first post on the left which is the other field wire.

 

Marty

That looks fine to me, it is the same method as I test mine in same situation.

 

If it is smoking like this then it seems like you have a defective field coil, especially if you have used another armature.

 

Neil

All that is needed to run a universal AC motor is to connect any one brush lead with any one field lead then apply power to the other brush and field lead. If the armature is spinning freely then you have a bad field. Very common part.

Gandy

Just to follow up I spent some time with an ohm meter and the great Jeff Kane on the phone this afternoon and we determined that BOTH armatures that I had swapped in were bad. The fields ohm out at 1.0 and 1.2 respectively. On the one armature has a dead short all the way around and the other has one shorted pole. So I will wait for a good used armature from Jeff and will post up the results. Thanks again guys!