Atlas GP38 with sound. . .

[CVSNE]

No, not the good kind of sound.

I picked up a pair of Atlas GP38s (MEC) on ebay a few months back for a project I'm working on. Based on the paint scheme, number, and packaging I can tell these are from the first run of Atlas GP38s (or at least the first with MEC).

Yesterday I got enough track down and wired up to take the layout for a test drive. When I turned the power up this thing moved fairly smoothly but produced an lot of high-pitched whining - in fact it sounded like a jet engine spooling up. The engine ran okay - no grinding or otherwise - except for this high-pitched noise. Removing the shell didn't seem to help.

Any one else had this problem?

Thoughts?

Thanks,

Marty

[3rdrail]

Motor bearings need a tiny drop of oil...High pitched whine or screech is usually the motor bearings.

[CVSNE]

Should have added I tried oiling the bearings -- after listening to it a little more closely it sounds like the whine is only coming from the rear truck - I think I'll try to loosen the frame halves and see if they are too tight since that may be causing a bind as well.

Thanks,

Marty

[John]

check to make sure the truck sprockets are all inline .. was it an F14 or an F18 engine? .. Oh forgot .. SWO

[wm3798]

You also want to check the nub on the worm gear that fits in the flywheel...  If it's loose it will spin noisily on the shaft.  A dot of CA usually does the trick.

Lee