# Lionel 2037 Smoke Unit Help



## msak24cardss (Jul 25, 2013)

I received a 2037 the other day and found it to run great, but the smoke unit is not working. Not sure if its getting power as I can't see a glow down the stack after running it for a few mins. So I opened it up and have taken some photos to see what you all think on here. Thanks to all of you that have helped me in the past and going forward. I'm also in the proccess of rebuilding another 2037 which seem to be missing a lot of parts. I've also attached a couple of photo of that one. It looks to be different with a black bar coming out the front and the pickups (if thats what they are) are different also.

Thanks Mike

















Here's the rebuild :
















here are the two frames (the one with the smoke unit is the complete unit):


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## T-Man (May 16, 2008)

Well I do not have any 2037's. So I will take your word on the first one. 

Now the second frame. I know. It is dark, with slide shoes and the trailing truck is wrong. It is in the front. See the tabs. they go forward so that motor sits backwards with the e unit up front. It also has can brush holders. It belongs on a 1666 shell.

The little tail. No idea. I can check some manuals.

We do have some smoke repair threads and I know Lionel does too. I just haven't done anything with steamer smoke units.

You can search and see a 1666. I am sure I wrote about it..


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## TrainLarry (Jan 15, 2012)

Mike,
To see if a smoke unit element is good, put the locomotive in neutral and turn the power all the way up. Any smoke pellet material should melt and smoke, and the element should start to glow if it is not clogged with smoke pellet material. If the element is dead, check for good connections, and look for a bad heater element. Yours look like they need replacement. You can either replace the units with the original style ceramic wound element for pellets, or you can convert to a newer style element and use liquid smoke. You can use liquid smoke in the older style elements also. 
The last picture shows the chassis of a 1666/2026 locomotive; however they have a 2 wheel rear truck, and not the 4 wheel one you show. The black lever in the front is a smoke unit lever. You may be missing the smoke unit for that engine. Here is the service manual page for the 2026.Here is the page for the rear truck.

Larry


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## msak24cardss (Jul 25, 2013)

Thanks Larry & T-Man. See thats what I love about this site. Always somebody out there lending a hand for us rookies. I did'nt even know that was a pellet smoke unit. Since it looks cooked I'll update it to a fluid type. On the other one, I was told it was a 2037 frame and motor so I bought a 2037 shell and some parts. Maybe I'll make a frankenstein loco with parts from the 2037 and the 1666 frame & motor. I have the linkage for that loco (if its the same as the 2037's) but need one more drive wheel & gear. Or I'll just save the parts and build a 1666. Thanks for the links they always help. 

Did the 1666 not have roller pickups? see photo.

I also have a 675 on the way to learn about.










Mike


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## Kwikster (Feb 22, 2012)

I have a 2026 (very similar to the 2037) and do not see a glow from the smoker at normal track volts. Haven't tried "cooking" it in neutral though so idk there. If you do go the conversion route to modern style liquid type consider adding an on/off switch unless you plan to always run it smoking. The old pellet type could handle being empty, but the modern unit can't. Even though the new style smoke better, I still like the pill types.

Currently reviving an older 2025 (1947 version) which is similar to the 675. I enjoy making them run. One thing about your 675, they are very, very fast. Mine pulls strong at very low track volts even with several cars. It'll cruise along at around 4-5 volts without a hiccup.

Carl


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## eljefe (Jun 11, 2011)

I agree with Kwikster. I pulled out my 2037 and left it on the track in neutral. Some old smoke pellet wafted out but I never saw the element glow.


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## callmeIshmael2 (May 28, 2012)

I have a Lionel #2018 (nearly exactly a #2037, I believe) which I got for next to nothing. It runs very fast, but it's got a nice old #6026 whistling tender that sounds great. I replaced the pill smoker with a unit from Jeff Kane at the Train Tender. It came with easy instructions for installation and using JT Megasteam fluid, it is my best smoker out of 5 steamers, both postwar and modern. I love running it now just to watch it puff like crazy. Total cost including fluid was well under $15.


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## T-Man (May 16, 2008)

The 675 looks a lot like your 1666, aside from the Baldwin drive disc. It has a forward reverse unit and can brushes. No slides but rollers. I can't remember how it sits in the shell.

This is a 675/2025 thread you may find it of interest.


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## BigAl56 (Dec 14, 2011)

A couple of thoughts:


The mechanism shown in the photo is from an older model. I'm pretty sure the 2037 was made only with rollers and not center rail sliding shoes. 
Are you sure the 'glow' is from inside the smoke unit? I sometimes see a glow but it's from the headlight bulb as the smokestack gasket has deteriorated an is allowing light to pass through.
As long as you have everything apart consider rebuilding with a liquid smoke kit. The kit will come with all the parts you are going to need anyway. It's not a difficult conversion and your smoke output is much better.

Good Luck. Be sure to post photos as you go.


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## Wabashbud (Jun 25, 2010)

Amen to the liquid smoke unit conversion, I've don three and its the only way to go.

Bud


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## msak24cardss (Jul 25, 2013)

Kwikster said:


> I have a 2026 (very similar to the 2037) and do not see a glow from the smoker at normal track volts. Haven't tried "cooking" it in neutral though so idk there. If you do go the conversion route to modern style liquid type consider adding an on/off switch unless you plan to always run it smoking. The old pellet type could handle being empty, but the modern unit can't. Even though the new style smoke better, I still like the pill types.
> 
> Currently reviving an older 2025 (1947 version) which is similar to the 675. I enjoy making them run. One thing about your 675, they are very, very fast. Mine pulls strong at very low track volts even with several cars. It'll cruise along at around 4-5 volts without a hiccup.
> 
> Carl


I'll pick up some smoke pellets and give her a try. If it still works I'll leave it alone (like to keep it stock) if it doesnt work I have a couple options. I'm still new at this so I'm not sure how to service a pill type. Everything seems burnt in there and hard as a rock. Not sure if thats normal for a pill unit or not. And the plunger is not connected to the rod to make it puff. I tried to fugure out how to attach it with no luck. Heres a photo of it. 

Thanks for the info Carl


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## msak24cardss (Jul 25, 2013)

eljefe said:


> I agree with Kwikster. I pulled out my 2037 and left it on the track in neutral. Some old smoke pellet wafted out but I never saw the element glow.


I tried that and even ran it at a good speed for 5 mins and nothing happened. Everything is hard as a rock in there (even the stuff in the bowl) so I'm thinking its cooked. I think it'll be easier to just replace the unit.

Thanks Mike


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## msak24cardss (Jul 25, 2013)

callmeIshmael2 said:


> I have a Lionel #2018 (nearly exactly a #2037, I believe) which I got for next to nothing. It runs very fast, but it's got a nice old #6026 whistling tender that sounds great. I replaced the pill smoker with a unit from Jeff Kane at the Train Tender. It came with easy instructions for installation and using JT Megasteam fluid, it is my best smoker out of 5 steamers, both postwar and modern. I love running it now just to watch it puff like crazy. Total cost including fluid was well under $15.


Sounds like a good deal to me for under $15. I would like to keep it original so I'll buy some smoke pills first and try them. But I really think this unit if fried. I'm not getting anything at all from it. I checked the wires and took the unit apart as you can see in the photos with no luck. But for a couple bucks I'll try some pills first. After that if nothing happens I'll change it out to fluid.

Thanks Mike


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## msak24cardss (Jul 25, 2013)

T-Man said:


> The 675 looks a lot like your 1666, aside from the Baldwin drive disc. It has a forward reverse unit and can brushes. No slides but rollers. I can't remember how it sits in the shell.
> 
> This is a 675/2025 thread you may find it of interest.


Great read T- Man. I learned all kinds of stuff from that thread. And great job on that restore. I hope I can learn to do all those things like that. Some of it was over my head but the more I'm on here the more I learn. And being on leave from work the past couple weeks has worked out well for me.

Thanks Again Mike


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## msak24cardss (Jul 25, 2013)

areizman said:


> A couple of thoughts:
> 
> 
> The mechanism shown in the photo is from an older model. I'm pretty sure the 2037 was made only with rollers and not center rail sliding shoes.
> ...


No glow no smoke. Going to try some pills anyway to see if I can keep it original. If not then convert over to fluid.


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## Kwikster (Feb 22, 2012)

msak24cardss said:


>


Those pics are correct. In pic 2, the crosshead pushes the lever forward raising the smoker piston. It is very normal for the old smoke units to be horridly crusty. The top comes off fairly easily. Insert a small flat blade screw driver inside the smoke port, and gently work around prying upward and it will come off. It's actually quite easy. Use part #2026-44 return spring it help make the smoker a bit quieter and small smoke improvement.

Carl


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## msak24cardss (Jul 25, 2013)

Kwikster said:


> Those pics are correct. In pic 2, the crosshead pushes the lever forward raising the smoker piston. It is very normal for the old smoke units to be horridly crusty. The top comes off fairly easily. Insert a small flat blade screw driver inside the smoke port, and gently work around prying upward and it will come off. It's actually quite easy. Use part #2026-44 return spring it help make the smoker a bit quieter and small smoke improvement.
> 
> Carl


Hi carl,
It pushes it forward but then just sits there. How does it pull the plunger back down? It just seems to sit there nothing happening.


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## Kwikster (Feb 22, 2012)

It's likely got old pellet material making it stick. The piston side is heavier so the weight usually causes it to drop back down, another reason I like the return spring. Remove the 2 screws holding the pilot (front) wheels on, the two holding the crosshead guides (they slide into slots on the steam chest) and then the two holding the steam chest on. The smoke lever just rides in the slot in the shell. Mine would stick a bit even after cleaning, a couple drops of 5w30 cured it.

Carl


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