Since you've already had the shell off, pop the top of the smoke unit and make sure nothing is amiss. I'm assuming you don't get the three blinks of the cab light, so the smoke motor isn't stalling. When you look into the fan chamber hole, is the fan spinning when you have no smoke?

 

GRJ - The electronics hatch is right next to the smoke unit. I have not had the shell off.

I can see the fan spinning and no 3 blinks.

I'm almost thinking I might be a little paranoid about overfilling...

 

Well, I use about 30-40 drops to prime a brand new dry unit, then I add fluid as necessary when the smoke volume falls off. You can over-fill, and the fact that it stopped suddenly leads me to believe something was amiss. I get quite a lot of running out of my Legacy stuff before I have to refill. Without actually seeing the problem, it's hard to really say if it's just fluid or something else.

 

As it turns out the problem was me. Terrified to overfill a new loco, I clearly didn't give it what it needed.

Added 40 drops this AM and it smoked out the basement.

Thanks GRJ!

 

Yep, I think Doug (laidoffsick) posted a video on Youtube about how much fluid it takes to actually properly fill a smoke unit, it was pretty amazing how much he used.

 

I've watched that video!! 200 drops if I recall.

 

120 drops

Also depends on whether it has a rope wick or the precut square stuff.

Its hard to judge once you have it really really soaked and smokes you out, then have to refill. With my new GS4s I primed with 60, and then added 20 more after a couple mins of sitting. Then come time to refill and like you I wasn't sure how much I could add. 20 didn't do squat, so I added 40 more and got my room filled again. Each engine acts a little different, especially with the 2 different wicks. I started keeping a chart cuz I can't remember them all after they have sat for months.

 

laidoffsick possibly a sheet showing all engines and as you use them write the appropriate smoke fluid drops and use as a reference sheet for later use? just a thought

 

Yeah thats exactly what I started. Sort of a spead sheet for all my engines with the ID #9, when I did major service on it last, and how much smoke fluid it takes to fill it. Between all the engines my dad and I have we can't remember the IDs because the cab number combinations get used up. It seems all the UP and SP engines have the #4 in them.... then add the Lash Up ID #'s. Ehhhh, I need a lamintaed cheat sheet.

 

A sheet like that would be a public service. I'll take two!

Newer Legacy smoke units are temperamental, which I suppose might be related to the variable voltage/smoke output function. I've found with the twin chamber whistle steam ones (FEF3, AC-12) that there's a sweet spot in terms of smoke fluid amount and EFX setting where you get consistently high output. My only experience with a diesel unit was that it would not take even 40 drops without overflowing so Jeff's experience is a surprise to me.