I was greasing the axles on my PRR M-1 Mountain (20-3084-1) and naturally I dropped one of the screws and can't find it. No part diagram posted for this engine. Anyone know what size screws these are?
Original Post
Replies sorted oldest to newest
Most likely 3mm.
This is why I keep a floor sweep magnet handy near the workbench. Of course, not all the items I launch/drop into the unknown are ferrous. But for this sort of item the large magnet is very reliable. Also, when you're not as spry and agile as you once were, it's easier on the joints to try finding that...grease port screw...without having to crawl around on cold conrete!
I've learned to mag-sweep the workshop before using the shop vac, too. It's amazing what it picks up that just happened to succumb to gravity without any awareness/participation on my part!!
The sweep magnets are not expensive. Most of the home improvement places sell them.
FWIW...
KD
Make sure you use a very short screw, if it's too long, it'll hit the gear, that would be very bad!
@dkdkrd posted:This is why I keep a floor sweep magnet handy near the workbench. ...
I have the magnet broom, - also, I have a section of old sacrificial carpet so that many things wont bounce away. The carpet sometimes makes it hard to see the little screw I dropped right away, but the magnet finds it 
Oh, yeah... Probably not related to your MTH engine, but I've 'lost' a few screws when working on postwar items.
'Now WHERE did that bugger disappear to?!!!
'
Well, it seems the Magne-Traction feature(s) 'found' it!! Yepper, it ended up down between the drive wheels and the motor block/frame, or somewhere akin.
If your lube screw had sufficient grease on it, it still might have found its way into the mechanism...and taken up temporary residence. But, believe me...you'll find it when you put the engine back on the track!!!
It can be a very unfamiliar sound and/or stop-action!
The missing screw... Must be analogous to the all-too-common washday frustration...the missing sock.
Believe me, I understand about losing parts. This is why I work on my engines over a large foam rubber cradle. If I drop anything it will be caught in the cradle. In this case, the screw fell into the cab of the engine. I thought it would be just a matter of picking it up tipping it on its end and having it fall out but that did not happen no matter how much I shook it and turned it it would not come out. I finally had enough and I decided to put the project away for the evening I moved the engine over to my workbench and voila the screw falls out and rolls into a crevice where it could not be recovered. Very weird story. So I appreciate all your suggestions about methods of recovering small parts but in this case, what would help me is if somebody could provide a part number or equivalent screw that would work. I did send an email to MTH parts. Hopefully they will respond and will have a suggestion or a replacement part available.
Neal, I would first try a few screws from your parts bins. MTH uses many 6-32 screws especially on the chassis to shell. The proper screw will thread in with your fingers.
Once you determine if is metric or English you can get some at the local hardware store.
Pete
Pete,
I actually did go to the hardware store first thing this morning and found a metric screw that worked. It was a tiny bit longer than the original, so I used a washer as well so it would not hit the axle as Gun Runner John mentioned. Then I did get a response from MTH and they knew exactly what the part was. Will try to just order a few from them. Thanks to everybody for their help. In my many years of model railroading, I never lost a part like this...sigh!
Parts ordered. Issue resolved. Thanks to all who posted on here.
