Kato E4 MAX niggles

[wartsilaone]

This morning my pre-owned E4 MAX arrived. I was disappointed to find that the previous owner had glued the coupling cowlings together and there was a windscreen missing from one end, However I was most pleased to find interior lights had been fitted to the carriages. I've spent most of the day soldering connections and cleaning the brass pickups and wheels so that now the lights don't flicker.

I can replace the end cars solving two problems at once but there is one more problem to address. The motor in the driving car seems to jam. It looks like it moves within it's enclosure and goes out of alignment. I've installed some shims so motor can't move but when the body is on it still happens. Seems to do it in one direction more than the other.

I'm going to test again without the blanking plate that sits behind the corridor in case it's rubbing on the fly wheel but I don't think that's it.

 

Anyone else had similar problems?

 

[HantuBlauLOL]

Check the cardan shaft, worm gear, bearing, and bogie top gear..

[Ochanomizu]

Hello,

 

The motor will move within the shell.  This is normal.  Cardinal shaft should slide in and out of plastic sleeve.  Maybe this is stiff.  If so, extend slightly and reinstall.  Please let me know how you progress.

[HantuBlauLOL]

Also.. Can you took a pic of it?

[wartsilaone]

Sorted, runs like dream. After a full tear down I found one of the brass strips that make the final connection with the motor wasn't symmetrical with the one on the opposite side. This must have been causing the motor to twist in it's enclosure which was making the gears mesh badly.  

Do Kato use these brass strips on other models? Might be something to watch out for next time I'm installing lights.

 

Thanks for the help guys.

 

Alastair

[cteno4]

Always nice to hear a mystery likemthis solved!

 

Jeff