# Shorting in one direction



## JMedwick (Feb 11, 2017)

I have been working away on one of my 312s. Clearly I am in good company with Broke. 

Anyway, I put some of it back tigger to test tonight and she flys in the reverse, but wobbles and runs erratically in the forward. I will check the thrust washers tomorrow for that (it only came with one on the outside of the armature). But it also stops dead sometimes (lots of vibration but no light and no e unit cycling), but only when going forward. Any chance it is a drive wheel shorting it, but only in one direction? Any other ideas?


----------



## flyernut (Oct 31, 2010)

Check for loose white insulators on all your drive wheels.


----------



## mopac (Feb 24, 2011)

Is transformer showing a short?

I would check for a bent side rod. Turn the armature with your fingers and see if you
get to a spot that seems like side rods are binding. Maybe even remove side rods and see how engine runs. If it runs smooth start adding the side rods. One at a time.


----------



## flyernut (Oct 31, 2010)

What happened????


----------



## JMedwick (Feb 11, 2017)

Finally got a little time to work on this on Monday. I figured out it wasn’t a short. I hadn’t tightened the screw that holds on the smoke gear enough and it was loose and getting stuck when in the forward direction. I tightened that, put on the side bars, and off it went well forward and backward. 

Then I put on the rest of the linkages, it wouldn't go, and figured out that I put the linkages on wrong (which i had). Now it goes great forward, but not backward with the middle set of linkages on (those that connect toward the front of the engine). The engine also had a wobble when I ran it with only the sidebars, but some lateral pressure with a screwdriver on the front left wheel seems to have fixed that. 

I haven’t gotten back to test with a few more linkages changes to see if that addresses the issue (but I suspect it will since the train went fine with only the side bars).


----------



## JMedwick (Feb 11, 2017)

Finished it up this weekend and I am now the proud owner of a working 312. Runs good and smokes great.

Now back to the other 312 with a wobble. I worry that it’s wheels need quartering, but maybe it will just be a linkage issue. Never done quartering and don’t have the tools, so I would have to figure something out for that.


----------



## flyernut (Oct 31, 2010)

JMedwick said:


> Finished it up this weekend and I am now the proud owner of a working 312. Runs good and smokes great.
> 
> Now back to the other 312 with a wobble. I worry that it’s wheels need quartering, but maybe it will just be a linkage issue. Never done quartering and don’t have the tools, so I would have to figure something out for that.


I've done the quartering, and have the tools.. The next step is up to you.:smilie_daumenpos:


----------



## JMedwick (Feb 11, 2017)

Thanks for the offer Flyernut. I know it would be in good hands with you. But I want to try a few things first and will keep your generous offer in mind.


----------



## mopac (Feb 24, 2011)

Remove the side rods and linkages and see what happens. If it runs smooth start putting rods back on trying after each piece is installed. If wheels have not been removed then
the quartering is probably not off. (You might not know if wheels have been removed)


----------



## JMedwick (Feb 11, 2017)

Hehe. Oh, I know that at least two wheels have come off because when I took it apart for the first time, one fell off in my hand when I removed the side rods and another (on the opposite site but attached to the gears) was loose when I cleaned the wheels.


----------



## flyernut (Oct 31, 2010)

JMedwick said:


> Thanks for the offer Flyernut. I know it would be in good hands with you. But I want to try a few things first and will keep your generous offer in mind.


Not a problem buddy, the offer still stands whenever...


----------

