bradleymargkeith
Registered
Has anyone had any experience recalibrating the gas regulator on a live steam gas fired Mikado ? I have been trying for the last couple of weeks or so to re do mine.Any help or advice most welcome.Thanks
recalibrating the gas regulator on an Bachman live steam Mikado
- Thread starter bradleymargkeith
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maxi-model
UK/US/ROW steam narrow gauge railways 1:1
Re:recalibrating the gas regulator on an Bachman live steam Mikado
Hello, Keith ?
Welcome to the forum.
What is the make and the model, there are quite a few "mikes" out there. What is the specific problem/issue you wish to solve. Not sure what you mean by "re-calibrating the gas regullator". I am sure someone on here will have the answer or point you in the right direction
Max
Hello, Keith ?
Welcome to the forum.
What is the make and the model, there are quite a few "mikes" out there. What is the specific problem/issue you wish to solve. Not sure what you mean by "re-calibrating the gas regullator". I am sure someone on here will have the answer or point you in the right direction
Max
bradleymargkeith
Registered
Re:recalibrating the gas regulator on an Bachman live steam Mikado
Hi Max,the loco is an aristocraft-bachman gas fired live steam 2-8-2 Mikado.I have run this loco for about5 years without any problems,but about 4 weeks ago Icould not get any gas out of the tank.Istripped the gas tank out of the tender to try to find the blockage.As there is no means of cleaning the gas pipes,Idecided to dismantle the diaphram,Ido not now have a blockage,but liquid gas is seeping out and only a little gas is comming out of the pipe to the loco.Ihope someone out there can help.Thanks Brad
Hi Max,the loco is an aristocraft-bachman gas fired live steam 2-8-2 Mikado.I have run this loco for about5 years without any problems,but about 4 weeks ago Icould not get any gas out of the tank.Istripped the gas tank out of the tender to try to find the blockage.As there is no means of cleaning the gas pipes,Idecided to dismantle the diaphram,Ido not now have a blockage,but liquid gas is seeping out and only a little gas is comming out of the pipe to the loco.Ihope someone out there can help.Thanks Brad
maxi-model
UK/US/ROW steam narrow gauge railways 1:1
Re:recalibrating the gas regulator on an Bachman live steam Mikado
Sounds like you have not put a seal back in the right place or you might need to go over all the joints you have opened up with some PTFE tape. Your best bet now is to contact Aristocraft direct via their US website for service advice. The US companies are usually good at that. A few pictures might help but you are probably too recent a member to do this. I am not aware of anything that normaly needs recalibrating in the gas system area of most gas fired locos.
It is quite possible you have not fixed the actual problem. Usually gas not flowing from the tank to the burner is due to a blocked gas jet (the bit with a tiny hole at one end that fits into the burner). After 5 years use it would probably need a good clean and have manifested this by the symptoms you described in your first post.
I am only familiar with Roundhouse and Accucraft products (I have a K-28 Mikado) where this is a simple unscrewing removal operation. The jet should be soaked in a little cellulose paint thinners and then blown through from the pinhole end with gas direct from the canister before re-fitting in its holder. Use a little PTFE tape on the threads to ensure a good seal, making sure you don't get it into gas jet. Do not poke about with a needle.
There is post today on this site by a guy called Gerry Barnes who runs one of these. Alternatly if all else fails there are a number of specialists in the UK who will be able to fix it for you.
Max.
P.S. You might get some more responses by posting this in the "Live Steam" section of this forum.
Sounds like you have not put a seal back in the right place or you might need to go over all the joints you have opened up with some PTFE tape. Your best bet now is to contact Aristocraft direct via their US website for service advice. The US companies are usually good at that. A few pictures might help but you are probably too recent a member to do this. I am not aware of anything that normaly needs recalibrating in the gas system area of most gas fired locos.
It is quite possible you have not fixed the actual problem. Usually gas not flowing from the tank to the burner is due to a blocked gas jet (the bit with a tiny hole at one end that fits into the burner). After 5 years use it would probably need a good clean and have manifested this by the symptoms you described in your first post.
I am only familiar with Roundhouse and Accucraft products (I have a K-28 Mikado) where this is a simple unscrewing removal operation. The jet should be soaked in a little cellulose paint thinners and then blown through from the pinhole end with gas direct from the canister before re-fitting in its holder. Use a little PTFE tape on the threads to ensure a good seal, making sure you don't get it into gas jet. Do not poke about with a needle.
There is post today on this site by a guy called Gerry Barnes who runs one of these. Alternatly if all else fails there are a number of specialists in the UK who will be able to fix it for you.
Max.
P.S. You might get some more responses by posting this in the "Live Steam" section of this forum.
royale
G scale and driving my Royale Sabre kit car
Re:recalibrating the gas regulator on an Bachman live steam Mikado
Hi Keith - Had a similar problem with my Mikado - turned out it was small particles of flux from the manufacturing process which was blocking the diaphram. I cleaned out the gas tank as best I could and decided to leave out the diaphram on re-assembly to see if it would run OK. It did and still does. If yours is leaking gas, have you located exactly where it is leaking from? It may be that a seal has been put back incorrectly. I would second what maxi-model has said about cleaning out the end of the gas jet.I have contacted Jerry Barnes in the USA by PM a number of times about my Mikado and he's a really helpful and friendly guy. The Aristocraft web site has a live steam forum with questions and answers mostly about Mikados. A number of guys in the States have removed the diaphrams from their gas valves and have also upped the blow off pressure from 40 psi to 55 psi. I've done this ,too, and the loco runs really well pulling long loads.
Hi Keith - Had a similar problem with my Mikado - turned out it was small particles of flux from the manufacturing process which was blocking the diaphram. I cleaned out the gas tank as best I could and decided to leave out the diaphram on re-assembly to see if it would run OK. It did and still does. If yours is leaking gas, have you located exactly where it is leaking from? It may be that a seal has been put back incorrectly. I would second what maxi-model has said about cleaning out the end of the gas jet.I have contacted Jerry Barnes in the USA by PM a number of times about my Mikado and he's a really helpful and friendly guy. The Aristocraft web site has a live steam forum with questions and answers mostly about Mikados. A number of guys in the States have removed the diaphrams from their gas valves and have also upped the blow off pressure from 40 psi to 55 psi. I've done this ,too, and the loco runs really well pulling long loads.