Replacement Spring for Piston-Driven Smoke Unit in LionChief PE Berkshire

Have you tried stretching the OEM spring just a bit to increase its tension?

Bill in FtL

A few things.  Clean the plastic piston really well first.  Its possible you put too much smoke fluid in the reservoir and flooded the piston.  This will also cause it too stick.  Clean it, apply graphite, and also make sure the mechanism is lined up straight to the smoke stack.  Otherwise bend it slightly.  And like Bill Nielson mentioned above:  stretch the factory spring out and you should be golden.

In my opinion this design stinks. Yes, older smoke units used the plastic cylinder housing. But, the design needs to be revisited. The same crap on the starter set steamers....

I just watched the video that the OP attached. In the video it shows the piston cup inserted with the open end up. I swear mine is in just the opposite?? 

Jeff T posted:

I just watched the video that the OP attached. In the video it shows the piston cup inserted with the open end up. I swear mine is in just the opposite?? 

I thought mine was in there like that too when I first opened it. Putting it back together with the open side down I couldn't figure out how the chuffing arm would actuate it, though, as it doesn't sit straight with the arm going up into the piston cup on the open end. Now I'm wondering if it is in upside down, though. Can anyone else pop the shell on theirs to confirm which direction the cup sits?

I tried stretching the spring out and it seems to be returning to the down position. Need to test it on the layout, though. Even if it works it's not a long-term fix, I don't think, and I'd still like to find the spring the gentleman used in the video I posted.

The piston cup needs to sit with the open end pointing down.  In other words, as if an upside down cup.

That's what I thought JJ! Makes you wonder what the lever pushes on. The side of the cup to cock it??

Jeff T posted:

That's what I thought JJ! Makes you wonder what the lever pushes on. The side of the cup to cock it??

It actually pushes up into the middle, but you have to have it aligned correctly or the piston sits crooked in the smoke unit. I actually used a little glue dot (one of the kind that you put on paper packaging) from a Christmas gift to hold it in place when I replaced the smoke unit over top. Everything seems to be working fine now but I would still like a better spring if anyone comes across one.

Also, make sure the spring goes on top of the piston, as its inserted into the smoke cylinder.  If you stretch the springs a bit, it should work wonders.

I’ve been having the same issue with the PE smoke unit, smoke looking at the stack but not billowing out. Saw that YouTube video and my spring is so ridiculously weak it’s not funny. What junk! I’m on the hunt for a new spring with better tension, hoping my postwar repair guy has a better spring in his hardware store. Also, someone mentioned cleaning the smoke unit. How does the dome of the unit come off and what did you use to clean the inside where the coil is? Mine has all brown and black gunk in there, old smoke fluid I would presume. Any help here would be great. Thanks. 

James

The guy is assembling the piston upside down. You don't want the spring too strong or the engine will 'lop' when the lever pushes on the piston. He didn't show how it ran after he was done!

It looks like the piston cup is open and the spring sits inside, at least in that video. someone else on this thread said the open side should be facing down and the spring sits on the “bottom” of the cup. I’d like to close this engine up once and for all once I get this smoke issue straightened out. Does the operation of the smoke interact with the chuffing sounds? Because those haven’t worked correctly when the engine is in motion for a long time. Sound board issue or smoke unit as well?

The spring sit inside the smoke unit cylinder and pushes the piston down.

I understand the spring goes inside the smoke unit. But that piston cup....should the open side be facing up or down? 

DOWN. DOWN.  DOWN.  An upside down cup.   The lever goes up in the cup.  

Well that’s good to know. Since when I took it apart last night, the spring was sitting in the open side of the cup, which means that’s how it came from the factory! Maybe Lionel should be doing a little better on the ol’ quality control! 

Next question...is there a way to open the smoke unit to clean it? And if so what can I clean it with?

^ correct.

Pry the cap off carefully with a small screwdriver and you can replace the wicking. Cleaning  probably isn't necessary, but you could use some solvent and a Q tip if you wish.

Janitor John posted:

A few things.  Clean the plastic piston really well first.  Its possible you put too much smoke fluid in the reservoir and flooded the piston.  This will also cause it too stick.  Clean it, apply graphite, and also make sure the mechanism is lined up straight to the smoke stack.  Otherwise bend it slightly.  And like Bill Nielson mentioned above:  stretch the factory spring out and you should be golden.

Best advise yet. Try it. It works.