Pre Bachmann Williams engine frozen motor?

If you can turn the motor with the flywheel then I don’t think it’s frozen. Check for voltage of the wires connected to the motors.

I had a few diesels (various brands) "lock up" lately, after years on the shelf in the house. After some checking, I started putting them "in gear" and firmly pushing them back and forth (changing directions electronically, of course). Strangely, they all freed up. The lube was stiff.

I do not think that any of them were Wms, but most are built the same.

Yes, after a little bench work I found as you said, the lube that had stiffened enough to impede free movement of the gears.  Some oil and rotating the fly wheel forward and backwards got them moving again.

Thanks

Probably time to flush out the old grease and give it some fresh grease.  The worm and worm gear will experience more wear if it's not properly lubricated than simple spur gears.

Some Weaver engines were notorious for bad grease.  I had a Baldwin switcher that the grease set rock hard, had to literally dig out with a screwdriver and then flush.  Luckily I was warned from a post here on the forum,

Yep, ….Pete just had a Williams that sat for a bit that had turned the grease into an unidentified substance ……I’d clean all that gobbity gook out if I were you,…..I think Pete said his had turned to some sort of non-hardening epoxy ……🤮

Pat

@romiller49 posted:

If you can turn the motor with the flywheel then I don’t think it’s frozen. Check for voltage of the wires connected to the motors.

I was with Rod on his analysis, who would have figured?  The flywheel could be turned by hand, and it was still too gummed up to run.  Glad it is fixed!  We need to get into a discussion of red n tacky now....

Sorry, late to the party here. Yes I have a pre Bachman NW2 that had this problem. Ran OK two years ago but was locked up solid a few weeks ago. I had to remove the trucks and clean all the grease off in my parts washer. Saturating with oil had little or no effect. After cleaning and new grease its good now.
I will have to check my other Williams diesels.

Pete