Weird sounds from VL Big Boy

Smoke unit motors "pulsing" to give you the chuffing effect? Have you tried it with the smoke on?

MIKE

Any possibility that the noise in the first video is the wheel against the bumps on the fast track?  I know some of my engines do this on Atlas O.  Ride the "spikes" so to speak.

Have you checked to see if you have a pilot bearing issue like the Berks?  Maybe one is starting to work its way free and causing the friction/rubbing sound due to misallignment.

Just my opinion but, I seriously doubt that, as the 4-8-8-4 models have a completely different design engine truck, i.e. inside bearings vs. outside bearings on the Berk.

I just checked and I agree with you.  The front assembly is completely different.

For the first video, Is the sound only on curves or on straights as well?

I ask because I am wondering if the metal bar that slides in and out of the pilot assembly might be flexing more than rest of the metal assembly on the drive wheels.  Just speculating.

I agree this diagnosis of the electronic sound you are hearing; it is similar to what I have found with a lot of TMCC/Legacy engines, particularly steamers with a lot of electronics packed inside. These things are usually masked by the sound system and I assume that Lionel expects us to put up with them.  

The mechanical sound is like something that has developed on my Legacy FEF-3, which has not got a lot of mileage. I am going to put it on rollers and try to isolate where it comes from and see if I can iron it out. Of course you'd need a lot of rollers for a Big Boy but in any case I expect that some running time might cure this noise.

Sounds like "flange groan" in the first video.

Rusty

Maybe the gear boxes are dry.

The 1st sound happens on straights and curves.  It used to only happen once per wheel rotation, but now it's near constant.  As for the 2nd sound, makes it with fan on or off, in motion and standing still.  It's constantly making that same pattern over and over again until I push the "power off" button on the Cab-2.

The second sound (...-) is Morse Code for "V", Victory 

Its cool to get opinions on here but I wouldn't waste any time.I would send it back.From what you are describing it is only going to get worse.They will fix or replace it.It is important to Lionel that this Big Boy campaign be successful.Nick

Just call Lionel on that one, seems to have a couple issues. Sucks, but it happens.

Don't forget if you send it back, Lionel pays shipping both ways.

Sinclair...   try turning all switches under dome off see if any of those sounds go away.

if one does try each switch one at a time to see if you can isolate the pulse sound.

the other sound makes me think of a drive shaft not being happy in some mfgs engines that used that setup to drive both wheel sets.

how brave are you?? if you have a set of alligator clips with wires used for testing you could jumper power to engine from track with engine upside down on a towel and get up close and personal with it and your ear you might be able to locate the exact spot that has that noise issue.

the more information you can provide Lionel service the better trust me on this!

after that call Lionel for an RA# and save all emails they send you and prepare yourself for another wait to have BB in your possession again.

That's news to me, unless something has changed.  I know they pay for shipping to them if you are a vet, but us normal folks still have to pay to ship to Lionel, AFAIK.

Okay, an update.  Sound #1, Last night I pulled it back out and ran it again, this time there was almost no sound.  So I thought maybe all the oil I put on it finally worked it's way into joint.  So I flipped it over and reoiled every moving part related to the wheels and connecting rods.  Then I put it back on the track and ran it around at a decent speed.  No it's very rare to hear the noise, and it's only if I'm going really slow.  It also didn't make the noise when the locomotive is wheels up.  I think it just has to do with how the drive train is set up on this thing.  Only one axle on each engine is powered by the motor, while the rest get it via the connecting rods.  And since it's cyclic to the wheels I'm pretty sure it's not the drive shaft or gears.  I've read about some loose and backed out screws, so I will spend my New Years holiday going over it and checking screws and making sure things are rubbing.  I did tweak a things that looked bent and that help lower the sound as well.  So for now I'll keep running it and adding some oil.  If it goes away, great, if not, then off to Lionel it'll go.

As for Sound #2, it makes it no matter how the switches are flipped, and it does it in command and conventional.  It stays at the same volume, so with the volume at any decent setting you don't hear it.  But if you are at only the lowest volume setting via the Cab-2, it is louder then the sounds.  It goes away if the volume is turned off via the remote or the pot.  I played the video for some EEs here at work and he thought it might noise caused by the onboard CPU.  He also said walk around with an AM radio to see if I can find the cause.  So maybe I'll have to go visit you ST PAUL and see if it makes the same noise there or if it's picking it up from the environment here.  I guess the only thing I haven't tried yet is running it without the tender.

Sinclair.... check the gearboxes for grease mine were fairly dry! I added some

red-n-tacky to mine I don't think that will be an issue any more! I have a hole tube of it if you need some be happy to share some with you for free!!

far as I know were home this weekend so if your able to come on over. or we can pick a date later on in January let me know.

as to the items bent look at photo below see that black area that has the vertical linkage I found the screw holding that assembly to drive wheel on right rear set of drivers had backed out a 1\4' and there is a so very small and fragile linkage right behind that black cover it was bent so I eased it back into a straight position and tightened the screw all seems okay for now.

Question what is better than a Big Boy??

Answer 2 Big Boys MU'ed as one!

Sound 2, I'll just throw this out there but did you try cleaning a section of track and the wheels,maybe a weak power issue is feeding back thru the sound system.

Just a thought, Doug

I had  repeating noise in my Allegheny, a drop of oil on the universal joints powering the front engine cured it.

Vision Line engine repairs are shipped free. 

I've added grease to the gear boxes, but it didn't help sound #1.  And now after running it more, not only has it come back, but now it's louder at higher speeds and not the lower ones.  It's still in sync with the wheels, and not the drive shaft.  I took out the screws on the rear axle of the lead engine and the sound changed a bit.  So I know it's related to the connecting rods and eccentrics.  When on a curve and the boiler is out of the way, if I push down on one of the cross braces for the running gear the sound goes away.  I don't know if it's a timing issue or something is bent out of place.  I would hope that Lionel designed keys in the running gear so that timing wouldn't be an issue during assembly.  And because most of it is assembled with press pins, I can't take bits off until I found the cause.  If it hasn't cleared up by early spring I'll going to have to send it back.

Not according to page 34 of the owner's manual.  It's in bold type.  Click HERE

Lots of good stuff in that manual....

 Had a similar sound from my 4012 and a friends 4014.  Make sure that you add some oil to the area I have circled in the picture below.  Use a needle oiler to get oil right at the point where the piston enters the cylinder on both sets of drivers.  Also there is a smaller rod / piston that enters the cylinder above the main ones so make sure you get some oil at that location too.

Also, turn the locomotive upside down in a cradle or something and make sure to oil the areas where the axles pass through the engine frame, both inside and outside. 

After we did this last nite the small noises went away. 

I thought it might of been those items (Had something similar on my K-Line Big Boy.) and I did oil them, perhaps I didn't use enough.  I'll do it again before I run it next and let you know.

why are you resisting calling Lionel?

Thanks for pointing that out. Yes I see it. So when I preordered this loco I specifically asked my dealer about repair shipping on Vision line locomotives. He pulled up on the website (Lionel) and verified that Vision line locos are shipped free(paid by Lionel). So  am I correct that Lionel now changes the policy and doesn't let anyone know this until after the purchase. I will contact my dealer.

They will probably pay for the shipment back to you?

Because I live out west, so shipping a large 30 pound box back east is going to be very expensive.

Update.  After noting that the axles are all sprung and if I push down on the front engine the sound went away, I took the bottom plate off of the engine to get to the wheel bearing blocks.  They were all dry where they move in the frame and there were spots on the top of the plate where there was no paint like the blocks had rubbed on it.  So I oiled the blocks in the frame and where they touch the bottom plate and that pretty much killed the sound.  Now it only happens once in a long while.  If it start up again I'll use grease instead of oil as it won't flow away like oil will.

But good gravy, what a beauty and smooth operator this locomotive is.  Do all Legacy locomotives run like this?

Contact Lionel directly to clarify.  They can quickly give you an answer.

Veterans used to receive free shipping, not sure if that's still the policy.  If you don't mind, ask Lionel while discussing this topic and let us know.  I for one would be grateful. 

Glad you found out what was making the noise, i will go over mine real well to make sure every thing is lubed.