# Diesel wheels



## alaft61ri (Oct 11, 2019)

I was cleaning the wheels and to me they look like bronz or brass. What is a good polish to use to get them bright and shinny. Thanks. Al this is for my 490 and 492 diesel.


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## MichaelE (Mar 7, 2018)

I use Mother's Wheel Polish.


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## alaft61ri (Oct 11, 2019)

Ok do u polish by hand or use soft white cotton wheel on dremel. Thanks Al


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## MichaelE (Mar 7, 2018)

I've done both. It usually easier to do it by hand with a soft cotton cloth.


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## alaft61ri (Oct 11, 2019)

Ok thanks


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## mopac (Feb 24, 2011)

I use copper cleaner by hand. That's what I use on tender wheels. Makes them bright and shiny.
Mine is called Twinkle and I got it at my grocery store. I know others here use it.


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## alaft61ri (Oct 11, 2019)

Ok thanks and it so happenes i work part time at a grocery store and iam working tonight thanks.
Al


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## mopac (Feb 24, 2011)

Easier to clean if you remove them from the trucks first. Its amazing how fast and quickly Twinkle will take off the oxidation off brass or copper. You will want to shine the wheels on
your tenders. I had some pics of some tender wheels I had cleaned but can not find.


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## AmFlyer (Mar 16, 2012)

Al is asking about the wheels on his recently acquired 490 NP diesel. Take out the two screws holding on the truck sideframe to remove them, then spray some electrical contact cleaner on a clean cloth and wipe the wheels. They need to be electrically clean and conductive with no coatings or deposits. Check for any pitting, there should be none because these engines have sliding pickup shoes on the truck sideframes. If there is any pitting that indicates an electrical continuity issue in the truck or worn out shoes or springs. The metal polish is fine on brass tender pickup wheels but I would not use it on the diesel drive wheels. They are not actually brass like some tender wheels but do have a faint copper color.


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## alaft61ri (Oct 11, 2019)

Ok thanks if wheels have pits buy new wheels . idid order new springs and shoes. Thanks everyone.

Al


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## AmFlyer (Mar 16, 2012)

For any wheels on cars and dummy diesels here is the quickest and easiest way to clean them. Spray contact cleaner on a paper towel, lay it across the track and roll the car back and forth several times. Wheels get totally clean, takes less than 10 seconds/car. Note the tracks of black deposits on the paper towel.


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## AmFlyer (Mar 16, 2012)

Al, I would not buy new wheels. Pulling and reinstalling is a major pain. Just power the engine when off the track and use between a 400 and 1,000 grit sand paper against the spinning wheels to smooth out the surface. They should clean up fine.


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## alaft61ri (Oct 11, 2019)

Ok thanks


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## alaft61ri (Oct 11, 2019)

AmFlyer said:


> Al, I would not buy new wheels. Pulling and reinstalling is a major pain. Just power the engine when off the track and use between a 400 and 1,000 grit sand paper against the spinning wheels to smooth out the surface. They should clean up fine.


Ok good i dear. Thanks again


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## AmFlyerFan (Jan 27, 2019)

AmFlyer said:


> For any wheels on cars and dummy diesels here is the quickest and easiest way to clean them. Spray contact cleaner on a paper towel, lay it across the track and roll the car back and forth several times. Wheels get totally clean, takes less than 10 seconds/car. Note the tracks of black deposits on the paper towel.
> 
> 
> View attachment 544382


That's the first thing I do with a new piece of rolling stock, works well.
I tried Twinkle polish on a bunch of stuff. I like Simichrome Polish better, I've been using it on motorcycles for years. Simichrome will make your wheels look like with just a few q-tips.


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## alaft61ri (Oct 11, 2019)

Thanks.


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## mopac (Feb 24, 2011)

If those diesel wheels are not brass, do not use Twinkle. I do not have any original AF diesels. 
So I do not know what they are. My newer Lionel/Flyer diesels do not have brass wheels. Might
be some kind of sintered metal. They will not shine. No biggie. You want clean. Alcohol or CRC
will work. I even think a couple of my tenders have sintered wheels, not brass.


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## AmFlyer (Mar 16, 2012)

None of the diesel drive wheels are brass, they are all sintered metal, metallurgy unknown. Should only be cleaned with a plastic and rubber safe solvent, that is why I use an electrical contact cleaner.


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## alaft61ri (Oct 11, 2019)

Ok thanks that what i been doing.


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## alaft61ri (Oct 11, 2019)

I cleaned wheels on 490 and 492. Problem the 490 wheels spin on track but doesn't go any were. Why . when i first got them they worked so i must have done something. Help would be appreciated. Thanks
Al


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## mopac (Feb 24, 2011)

Got to be the traction tires. Maybe clean them. Or replace.


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## alaft61ri (Oct 11, 2019)

Ok cant understand it worked before now nothing. But iwill clean traction wheels . thanks.
Al


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## alaft61ri (Oct 11, 2019)

Cleaned same . so i took it apart again saw one set of wheels in forward poistion going clock wise and 2nd set of wheels going opposite. So reversed front set placed on track without shell and truck holder. Would not work. At all i think it was because traction tirees were on one side. Stumped.


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## AmFlyer (Mar 16, 2012)

I just hate it when that happens! When the wheels spin with no movement on a dual motor diesel it means only one of the two motors is working. Since the two motors share a reverse unit that can be ruled out as the issue. It is almost always bad brush to commutator contact on the non-running motor. Less likely causes are a broken wire or broken connection at the motor. We hope it is not a motor winding failure, but that is rare.


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## AmFlyer (Mar 16, 2012)

Just saw your latest post. The traction tires should be on opposite rails for the two trucks. Something was assembled backwards?


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## alaft61ri (Oct 11, 2019)

Yes tinking about i wonder when i took the armature out maybe i put it in backwards. Its weird because it good but the issue was sparking. 

Thanks Al


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## mopac (Feb 24, 2011)

Tom is right about one motor no working. I had that problem on a newer Lionel/Flyer PA diesel.
After the one traction tire spins, it gets a glaze on it, and I doubt it will ever work. I had one motor
not running because one of the windings off the coil was catching on the armature. I need to get
some new traction tires. I am sure Jeff Kane has them. Where many of us screw up, including me,
after working on an engine we don't put engine up on blocks to test it. Sure would save the traction tires.
Putting engine up on blocks works for diesels and steamers.


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## alaft61ri (Oct 11, 2019)

I did set it up on blocks but both set of wheels were spining but in opposite direction.


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## mopac (Feb 24, 2011)

Just my opinion, those open frame motors are a PI A. Spinning in opposite direction would sure make the wheels spin.
Did you do any rewiring?


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## alaft61ri (Oct 11, 2019)

No took one side apart cleaned maybe armature in backwards. Your right it is pi.A. lol

Al


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## mopac (Feb 24, 2011)

I doubt armature in backwards. Motor brushes would not align with commutator.

I have 4 sets of the Lionel/Flyer PAs. One is the open frame motors. The other 3 are can motors. They are much easier to work with.

Maybe someone messed with the wiring before you got them. I can not think of any other reason they are running in opposite direction. Try switching the 2 wires running to the coil.
LOL, not on both motors, just one of them. Is the reverse unit workng?


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## alaft61ri (Oct 11, 2019)

Well i guess i will strip it down .

Al


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## mopac (Feb 24, 2011)

You already did. Just try switching 2 coil wires first. And see what you get. Good luck finding a
wiring diagram. I never could.


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## alaft61ri (Oct 11, 2019)

Great thanks 

Al


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## AmFlyer (Mar 16, 2012)

The correct wiring diagrams for the 490/492 NP's are on p145 of the K-Line Service Manual. The parts list and assembly diagrams begin on p144.


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## alaft61ri (Oct 11, 2019)

Ok i will ck it out thanks. Al


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## alaft61ri (Oct 11, 2019)

Well fiexed the 490 i reverse d the armature s. Test before putting back all 8 wheels go the same direction . thank god pain in the A. Thanks everyone for your help.

Al


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## AmFlyer (Mar 16, 2012)

Most of us do not want to work on the diesels. They are nice to run when working.


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## alaft61ri (Oct 11, 2019)

I guess it is a pain . no sparking either.

Thanks Al


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## alaft61ri (Oct 11, 2019)

I have been runnig the diesels they can move also finding how much it can pull so far i have 2 955's 1 650 green new haven and one 662 silver dome they r on my outside track which do up on a incline. So far so good.


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## alaft61ri (Oct 11, 2019)

I tooked the 492 shell off and looked at the date i was wrong it is april of 1958 the 490 is clear as day. I have jewelers light with a big magnifine glass. Does the speaker sound always on when it running i thought you had to have the button part. Thanks 

Al


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## AmFlyer (Mar 16, 2012)

The 492 is equipped with both the Diesel Horn feature and the Diesel Roar feature. The horn requires a special control box plus a rewiring of the power connections to the track. You are hearing the Diesel Roar which is always on, it simulates the sound of a diesel engine. There should be an on-off switch for it on the chassis.
For info, engines with the Diesel Horn can only be run with transformers that output a pure sine wave, such as original Gilbert or Lionel transformers. If a modern transformer is used the Diesel Horn will sound continuously because of the harmonics in the output power to the track.


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## alaft61ri (Oct 11, 2019)

Ok thanks i will ck it out.

Al


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## alaft61ri (Oct 11, 2019)

I couldnt see a switch hete r photo's of it.


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## AmFlyer (Mar 16, 2012)

The vibrator making the diesel roar sound is on the right. There is no switch.


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## alaft61ri (Oct 11, 2019)

Ok i thought so. Thanks

Al


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## AmFlyer (Mar 16, 2012)

If you want to stop the diesel roar just unsolder the black wire coming from the vibrator where it connects to the speaker terminal.


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## alaft61ri (Oct 11, 2019)

Ok didnt think of that. Thanks shaw do like that diesel. Glad i bought it. 
Al


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