Who Repairs Z-Scale?

If you are not willing to work them out you can try Rob Kluz and ZTrack


rob@ztrack.com


I've found after removing the shell and the two screws that hold the light circuit card in place a drop of synthetic oil and some time softens the old oil very easily and enables you to get them running again.

I assume these are early Mini-Club pre-1983

Who repairs Z-scale?  Probably guys with good eyesight and small hands 

 

Bill

Actually, for Marklin Z you should start here;

 

http://www.helmutshobbies.com

 

I've used him before for both Marklin Z and HO.

 

Bill

My thanks for the two serious answers .  The diesel is from about 1990; the steamer from right around 1983, I think.

When I worked at an LHS years ago, I used to do their Z gauge repairs, because the regular repairman didn't want to work on anything smaller than N scale. Even when I was 20 years younger, one of the biggest challenges was seeing the Z gauge locos in order to work on them, and an Optivisor became my best friend. We got our Z gauge from Marklin USA, the official American distributor, which was located in Wisconsin at the time. Every brand new loco we received needed to be disassembled, then thoroughly cleaned and re-lubed, because the factory lubricant had congealed and was the consistency of tar, and the tiny motors couldn't turn at all. I used a small cup filled with either Zippo or Ronsonal cigarette lighter fluid (naphtha) along with a small paint brush to soak and flush all the pieces of the drivetrain, and then carefully lubed everything with Labelle oil before test running them. I don't recommend using the naphtha cleaning on painted or plastic parts, but most of the components at that time were steel. I also tried not to leave the cleaner fluid on the motor for more than a few seconds before blowing it dry.

 

Our Marklin sales rep brought a German executive to visit us once, and I explained the problems we were having with their factory lubricant to him. He told me there was nothing wrong with their oil, the problem was our Florida atmosphere! In any event, do not try to run a Z gauge loco with the original lubricant, the added friction will burnout the tiny armature in a heartbeat! I guessed they never did acknowledge the problem.

 

Bill in FtL

Bill - Great post, very informative.  Too bad the factory rep didn't care for your response.

Thank you Bill.

If I can locate it there is a very detailed thread on this subject in one of the z forums I frequent.

Thanks again for the information.  That's quite a story, Bill.  For his information, it also happens in New York, which is not much like Florida. 

Great repairs by a couple who may or may not be doing this any longer.  Call to find out.

 

Mr. & Mrs. Glenn Stiska
1045 Porter Drive
Largo, Florida  33771
727-535-3819
e-mail:  stiska@earthlink
http://www.z-world.com/bin/fs.cgi?list=stiska.

I have used Glen and Sandy numerous times over the years. It was my understanding that they no longer do repairs. They are top notch at repairs and just all around great people.

 

Hopefully you find them still repairing Z!!

 

Bill