Lionel 6-18297

Kind of a short & sweet description, …however, be sure your run/pgm switch is in run,…..if ok, then you’ll have to open her up and look carefully at the antenna, make sure it ain’t touching anything metal, if ok, a simple trick is to reseat the radio board, ….be darn doubly sure you line it up back on the pins correctly as you see it, ….also are you sure you have it IDed in your remote correctly??…

Pat

Tried this?

Motor was loose fly wheel was rubbing pickup did not wear into plastic pickup to bad.Tightened it  all up seams to run fine for now Thank You

Next time I suggest a more complete description, that will yield more useful answers.

Yes kind  of new to this hobby the newer products look kind of confusing when you open them up compared to the older stuff. Tried reprogramming the engine it wanted to run but it ran erratic so I opened it up and found a few loose items after tightening motor and pickup cover it runs fine this engine came to me with issue's. The electro couplers are still a little sticky you can feel them energize but they do not always open.Bought this engine to lash up with another identical to it. Looks like new but has it's problems.                                  Thank You

Remember, many couplers won't open without full voltage on the tracks.  I find that you need at least 16 volts for reliable coupler operation from all examples.

I had several TMCC engines/tenders that the electrocouplers would always open in nothing was coupled to them, but would only open about 40% of the time if there were cars coupled and being pulled. I was buying some Labelle oil, and saw they have #113 knuckle coupler oil for S and O gauge (they make #112 for HO, N, Z). Used a drop to lubricate the couple, and they now work under load all the time.

Lub usually helps, but the sure cure for difficult opening and closing couplers is to remove the knuckle and smooth all the operating surfaces.  It's amazing how butter-smooth they can be with a little polishing.

I took 1 coupler apart on a little switcher like to never got it back together again. Is their a trick or easy way to reassemble these things? I understand smoothing out the burs done a few trigger jobs but that opening spring on coupler is a tough one for me.

The spring is the tricky part, but it's possible.  It's hard to describe the process in text, this may be where videos might be handy.

Here's a description posted some time back that describes the process I use.

@C W Burfle posted:

Hold the coupler upside down.
I put the rivet in part way and place the spring over it.
Then I hold the knuckle in place against the rivet, with the spring in the proper position.
Slide the rivet back out just far enough to let the knuckle inside it's pocket.
Push the rivet back in and upset the end.

Works for me.

Are the rivets available?

Yes, the rivets are readily available, most parts dealers should have them.  You can find them in chrome or black.

Lionel - 480-16 Lionel Knuckle Coupler Pins & Springs, 12 sets

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Thank you I will check a few videos on those too