# Proto 2000 FA1/FB1... FA is creepy



## Stumpy (Mar 19, 2013)

Ebay buy. Advertised as "Brand New", and they appear to be. Out of the box I replaced the cracked gears - and 2 of the 4 were.

DCC ready.

Installed Digitrax DZ126PS decoders in both. B unit runs fine. A unit... see video link below. That is with wide open throttle.

I reset the decoder (set CV8 to 8). No change. I switched the decoders between units. No change. 

I took the decoder out and put the DC plug back in the socket. When I applied power from an MRC Tech 4 DC transformer the motor runs as you would expect - wide open at wide open throttle. 

Dubya tee H ?


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## Stumpy (Mar 19, 2013)




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## Stumpy (Mar 19, 2013)

Update:

I tried two other, different decoders in the A unit. It moved a _little_ faster, but still nowhere near like it should.

In the DC test I mentioned in the OP I had the loco chassis up on blocks. So I thought, "Maybe there's something wrong with the drivetrain." I put the DC plug back in the socket again and setup a DC test track. It runs great.


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## MichaelE (Mar 7, 2018)

Maybe some trouble on the electronics board itself where the decoder plugs in. Can you swap the electronics between the two and check again with the decoder installed?


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## Stumpy (Mar 19, 2013)

My thinking also. Going to take off the PCB tonight and see what I can see.


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## Stumpy (Mar 19, 2013)

I finally broke down a bought another FA1 that was in rough shape for a few bucks. That is, the _shell_ was in rough shape. Everything under the shell was fine. Pulled the new wheelsets/gears out of the original and installed in the "new" unit, moved the Kadees to it, lubed and installed the SAL shell. Then, one of the P2K L&N FA2 units I acquired was missing the drive shaft to the rear truck, so I borrowed one out of the original, "creepy" FA1.


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