# Life Like GP 38s, Junk?



## flyvemaskin (Nov 19, 2011)

I have bought three of these little diesels and all have the same problem, they don't run. Has anyone else had the same problems with them? I own a bunch of Life Like locos, and the rest are great runners, just these have problems. Am thinking about repowering them with kato motors. I did that to a few old Atlas GP 30's and it made nice runners out of them.


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## flyvemaskin (Nov 19, 2011)

Ok guys, I got an Atlas gp-35 out and hooked the LL gp-38 in front of it and ran both around a while, now the 38 is running on it's own and getting better, so I have all three 38's hooked together and all are running around and all three are getting better, one is still a little jerky but getting better. sure am wondering if anyone else has any experience with these things.


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## Big Ed (Jun 16, 2009)

flyvemaskin said:


> Ok guys, I got an Atlas gp-35 out and hooked the LL gp-38 in front of it and ran both around a while, now the 38 is running on it's own and getting better, so I have all three 38's hooked together and all are running around and all three are getting better, one is still a little jerky but getting better. sure am wondering if anyone else has any experience with these things.



When I acquired my N stash, 
http://www.modeltrainforum.com/showthread.php?t=7158

A bunch of the engines did nothing.
What a difference cleaning the wheels and lubing did.

Clean track helps too.

I assume you did that?


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## xrunner (Jul 29, 2011)

flyvemaskin said:


> Ok guys, I got an Atlas gp-35 out and hooked the LL gp-38 in front of it and ran both around a while, now the 38 is running on it's own and getting better, so I have all three 38's hooked together and all are running around and all three are getting better, ...


Well if they are constantly "getting better" after running, not just being bad and then suddenly running normally, it sounds like something is being sloughed off of either the wheels or the internal drive train. 

:dunno:


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## flyvemaskin (Nov 19, 2011)

The 38's are all new, no crud on any of the wheels, first thing I checked. Took one apart and didnt'find anything wrong, but didn't disassemble the trucks. They're still running on my little 2x4 layout building time and seem to run pretty well now. I'm going to seperate em in a bit and run each alone and see what happens. The tracks were clean before I started and still shinney, the wheels are still clean. They acted like they had burrs on some gears or something to begin with. I had turned em over and applied power to the wheels from the power pack and they just jerked and popped a little.
I'll monkey around with em and if they don't run well, I'll get some new motors and repower em all, cheaper than buying new Atlas ones. I was just curious if anyone else has had the same pproblems I have had. Thanks guys.


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## pmcgurin (Sep 7, 2010)

About ten years ago I had several Lifelike GP38s. They ran well for several months, and then I found that the wires that ran from the pickups to the motor came unsoldered. I soldered them on again, but they came unsoldered again and again. Otherwise they ran OK for a while. After a few months it seemed that the GP38s went to pieces. That's strange, because I have several Lifelike E8s that have been pulling Kato lighted passenger cars for about 15 years.


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## flyvemaskin (Nov 19, 2011)

Yes, I have a lot of life Like locos and all run great and have for a long time. Wish Life Like would redo their GP-38's like the others. Thanks for the comments.


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