[T-Man]

The 1666 motor checked out after cleaning on a bench test. I removed all wirirng from the unit and tested the coil. It was only two connections on each side of the e unit to the track. The pawl moved. Next I used the special spreader tool. There is a bar in the vicinity of the drum area. Once that was spread the sides opend up and the bottom plate of contacts fell out. Then it was a matter of alignment of the parts and pressing it back to gether. Once the rod was in it held the sides together.

The drum touches two plates one on top and one below. The secod picture shows the pawl, that moves the drum.
The two yellow seen go to the brush plate. The top plate left connection goes to the motor coil insulated lead, just behind the eunit up near the top( out of sight). The top plate right connection goes to the hot insulated lead to the top left. This is also the connection point to the e unit coil and the center roller from the track. To the right where the lever is, that is the e unit coils conection. Notice the metal rod just below the top insulated plate.

The new drum installed with the tool. The new connections.

 

[Big Ed]

Is that a special spreader tool made for that purpose?
I have never seen one.

Or is it a T man custom made spreader tool you are talking about?

 

[T-Man]

The lever was loose so I found my ruler spring and with a v cut made a spacer. I had to use a razor blade to get under that sping pressure plate. I didn't cut myself luckily. It did the trick. The motor with new wiring but no center roller yet.

 

[T-Man]

That is an official e unit spreader tool. I got it out of NY for about 5 bucks with shipping. I have seen them as high as seven. One side spreads the other aligns the drum.

Normally the sides are very stiff but this one barely holds. It is just enough because it sits inside the motor frame anyway.

 

[Big Ed]

OK...............

is that the actual tool in the picture sitting under the bracket frame?
or am I looking at the e lever switch?
is the tool pictured?

 

[T-Man]

Tool

Most of it. I will do another one.

I added this pictue since it is a good one. I found it in another thread.

 

[T-Man]

Another one

I took on another e unit. This time I replaced both panels and the drum. The sides did snap out from the rod and I replaced the items. I already soldered the wires and noticed the replacement panel slot are loose. They are so bad the fingers can be lifted from the drum not good so I used super glue to hold them in place. That will take time to dry so it is not tested.
NExT DAY. The glue worked, no movement. Time to test.

The tool with the replacement parts.

The e unit opened and the removed parts.

The cover installed from the old piece to the new. The assembled e unit.

The last picture shows the motor coil connection and the middle roller connection.

I thought it would be harder. I procrastinated for some time about doing just one of them. I have one more, a spare that needs work.

 

[T-Man]

Test ans Torque

Today I am trying to get the shell on the catfish 1666. I cleaned up the pickup roller plate and installed it. It chipped on in a slot. I borrowed two slides and track tested.

Now, I try not to over tighten a screw. The engine stalled and I notice it didn't want to turn. The culprit was the back armature support where the gear connects. The two machine screws came loose. An easy fix but you have to be viligant to problems. Pics to follow later.

 

[Big Ed]

What is the hooked end of the tool for do you know?

I got to look through my junks box I think I might have one of those.
If I do, I probably though it was a piece to a train or accessory.

I never rebuilt any e units I just swapped them out. I got a bunch in an auction once the seller said all but one worked. Got about 25 of them. Different types, $10.00 bucks with shipping as no one else bid. good deal.

(even though I didn't need them at the time!:laugh

Thanks for the e unit lesson T.

Even though at times I am not commenting I am still looking and learning.

 

[Boston&Maine]

T-Man, do you have part numbers for these two pieces, the drum, and the spreader tool?

 

[T-Man]

For the record

The second e unit has problems. Perhaps the super glue didn't hold. There was slop in those boards. Plus it didn't help the frame is tight. Maybe too tight. The is the motor I rewound a few years ago so I regrouped and moved on. I could also have a bad connection to the coil.


THe HOOK is for drum alignment when placed inside. I am not even sure I used it.

 

[Boston&Maine]

T-Man, do you have part numbers for these two pieces, the drum, and the spreader tool?

I just stumbled upon the answer myself

The two contacts are part numbers 100-45 and 100-46... The drum is part number 259E-1... $18.00 gets you all this plus the tool at Olsen's Parts... If you do not want the tool, you can get the contacts in a set for $9.00 and the drum for $6.00...

 

[T-Man]

Some how I missed your post till now. I paid 7.50 for the contacts and 3.50 for the drum at East Coast Train Parts at the Wilmington show.


E UNIT SPREADER at Stan Orr parts
$3.95
4-01ST-303

 

[Boston&Maine]

Some how I missed your post till now.

I figured you did since we posted like a minute apart and my post got stuck on the bottom of the previous page

 

[tjcruiser]

T-Man,

I'm just poking around a few threads and found this one. Boy, it looks like you and your surgical skills are bodly venturing where no man has gone!

As a Lionel novice (ultra-novice), I picked up a few "Lionel history" books from the library over the weekend. A chapter in one talked about the 1980's resurgence of the company, in many cases using old tooling and molds. They referred to something like the "1950's master service / repair manual" that was used then by certified service techs.

Is there one "master service manual" for post-war stuff, or is it really a collection of documents, insider know-how, etc.?

Just curious ...

TJ

 

[T-Man]

I use a blue hard cover book. I talked with a garage repair guy and he had a three volume set from Lionel or Greenberg. My friend at the LHS also has good references that I have seeked out but I don't have the info on them. I imagine the set is over 100.
I have found discussion excludes the novice so I try to use visuals as much as possible to generate interest. It has sort of become a caveat here. Greenberg has manual. I have an early disc that is ok It has the MPC era . Lionel.com has tech supplements full of modern information.

Sign up for that O scale club the links are all there.

As a beginner look at the basic 027/o manual. It is a composite of Lionel owner handbooks.

 

[tjcruiser]

... so I try to use visuals as much as possible to generate interest.

... and a HUGE thank you from us novices for you taking the time to do so ... much appreciated! We ARE learning ... slowly, but surely!

 

[tjcruiser]

The lever was loose so I found my ruler spring and with a v cut made a spacer. I had to use a razor blade to get under that sping pressure plate. I didn't cut myself luckily. It did the trick.

T-Man,

You had mentioned this in another recent thread and provided the link to your original post here ...

GREAT IDEA !!!

I had a loose e-unit lever on the 258 that I'm restoring. I didn't have a tape measure spring on hand, but your "razor" comment got me thinking. I used a Dremel grinder to carefully shape a little washer with a V-groove out of a single-edge razor blade. The razor metal was thin and stiff. I slipped it in carefully, and it works great ... tightened that lever right up.

You are a plethora of smart ideas, T-Man !!!

Thanks,

TJ

 

[NorCalTransplant]

Sorry to bump this old thread T-Man but I just got back from vacation with some parts and that tool waiting for me. I was wondering if you could give a quick run down on how you use the e-unit spreader tool. I'm not seeing how you used it from your first post, is it an insert and pry? or twist? Does it matter? I have new boards and a new roller. Thanks a million!

 

[T-Man]

The tool is a simple lever. The picture shows the post that hilds it together so pry close to that without bending the sides.

Here is the you tube version. Introduced by another member. It was TJ in this thread. (I guess I found it )Intro to the E unit.