Accucraft Leader - Wheels won't go round

L

LittleRedTrain

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Hi Chaps,

Just been trying to steam up my new Leader (RC fitted by Track-Shack)
After some trouble getting the fire to 'pop-back' into the boiler, I finally manage to raise some steam, put it into forward, opened the regulator, and no movement.
Put it in reverse, tried again, no joy. Just lots of steam.
There's 40psi on the clock, boiler is 3/4 full and plenty of gas. I gave it a good oil round before running as well.

Eventually managed to get it to move about 1/4 turn in each direction, but nothing further.
Anybody any ideas? Anything obvious I might have missed?
I've left it to cool down now so I can inspect the motion.

Thanks
Daniel
 
Daniel,
Try the engine in reverse, see if you get any motion that way. If so, you'll need to adjust the forward-reverse valve -- it's in a rectangular block between the valve chests. There are many other contributors to this forum who are expert in this procedure, so I'll defer to them. By way of reference, here's the URL for adjusting the Ruby valve, which is the same as used in Leader and many other AC locos:
http://www.accucraft.com/manuals/2.01-RubyValve.pdf

Hope that helps
 
Keep putting the reverser into forward and reverse,it will clear the condensate.
 
As Allan says probably just full of condensate, you will probably get a big splat of oil and water up the chimney so pop a damp rag or old dishcloth over it to stop fingers getting scalded and an oily mess all over the tank tops.
Should clear after a few changes of direction and then it'll try to race off ;) I ran mine on propped up on blocks the first couple of times to get used to it.
 
The engine is obviously new so the valve settings should be ok.These engines are really good steamers one of the best Accucraft have produced.
 
I've tried the forward/reverse several times but no joy. Just tried steaming it up again and let it blow down fully, no joy there, but I'll keep trying.
I'm assuming that the wheels/motion aren't supposed to move freely when the engine isn't in steam?
 
The wheels wont be completely free when there is no power but they should still be able turn if persuaded carefully. I do wonder if the regulator has been set correctly when the R/C was fitted. If it doesn't open then of course it wont go. Once you've tried all the other things suggested and are still having trouble, try releasing the link on the reg arm and turn the regulator shaft carefully with a gloved hand (I should do this with the loco blocked up and not on the track.
 
Are you sure you don't have too much water in the boiler? Did you take out 30cc or so from full?

They will prime a lot anyway until it clears especialy while it's cold, you should try the back and forwards attempts for a minute or two and it should clear.
 
PS - as for lighting up - stick a finger over one of the air holes in the burner for 20 seconds or so....makes mine light up fine.
 
There is the possibility of an assembly error but I should imagine they tested it after fitting the rc? I wonder if the wheels won't turn if something has come loose and jammed somewhere, possibly even a piston? Is there any knocking noise if they only turn so far, or will they turn a complete revolution?
 
Thanks for all the replies.

I finally managed to make a bit of progress.
After steaming the loco and putting it up on blocks, I opened the regulator and then manually assisted the wheels around until they started going by themselves.

I was then able to put the loco out on the track and have it steam around the railway backwards and forwards, though it still seems rather stiff.
As the wheels do turn, I get the impression it is some kind of 'hydraulic lock' due to condensate, so I just need to get it run in and cleared down. Unfortunately, the fading light and RC batteries let me down, so further testing will have to wait until tomorrow.

It is fitted with a Summerlands Chuffer, I don't know if that affects how easily the loco can eject condensate.

Thanks
Daniel
 
You may also want to check the timing. if it's the same as the Edrig, it's a simple enough job to do, you just need a small spanner.
 
Hi Daniel, As other have said it does just sould like it was water in the cylinders.

I know this may sound stupid but when you say you gave it a good oil round did you also put steam oil into the displacement lubricator?. Although your engine is new (which may explain the stiffness) my experience of Accucraft piston valve engines is they they run very well out of the box.

The Summerlands Chuffer may make clearing the cylinders take slightly longer but should also stop hot oily water from squirting all over the place
 
Sounds like you've made good progress; yes it will need running in, probably three or four good sessons, after which you can start to put a bit more load behind it. There's nothing like running with someone else to get an idea of how well your loco is doing.
 
Yes I did put steam oil in the displacement lubricator, so hopefully that shouldn't be the issue. Though thinking about it, I may have made an error when first steaming up, I had the lubricator cap open when I started pumping water into the boiler, and it seemed to cause the oil sitting in the lubricator to bubble up.
I don't know whether that might've resulted in excess water being blown into the cylinders.
(The instructions do suggest leaving the lubricator cap off while filling up, but I don't know if that's only when filling with the syringe rather than a pump through the topup-valve).

I'll see how it runs tomorrow, I might try refitting the original exhaust if I still have problems, see if that makes a difference.
 
Glad to hear she's going. Mine improved after a few runs but took about 12 or so before she really freed up and got much longer runs. A glove for the hand not on the controller is a good idea while you learn as it prevents burnt fingers when you grab it to stop it quizzing off ;)
Oh and a filler valve so you can top her up without cooling down is a very good investment.
 
Thanks Paul.
Fortunately I'm blessed with asbestos fingers son they're only slightly singed, though as you say, a glove is probably a good idea.
The Leader has a top-up valve supplied as standard, so I fitted that straight away!
 
You get a filler valve with the engine Paul.
 
It's best to fill the boiler with the big syringe first, to full, then suck about 30 - 40cc back out - that way you won't over fill to start. It sounds to me like you over filled the boiler with the pump. Also, if the oil in the lubricator was bubbling up, the regulator was open - did you turn on the r/c first and close it? I think you may have filled the cylinders with cold water by the sound of it. Don't worry, you'll soon get the hang of it. :thumbup:
 
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