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DeWitt Clinton General discussion
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Prolific poster 3,008 posts Warflight Prolific poster 3,008 posts
Warflight

Okay, so... I got a DeWitt Clinton engine from eBay (single boxed engine and tender) and it ran when I got it... but due to it's age, was a bit loud. So I bought some oil for it... "Liberty Oil" that, according to the sales page, was specially formulated for "Bachmann engines", plastic safe... all of that. I put a drop on each axle gear (on the tender, that's where the motor is) and then attempted to run it. Now, all it does is short out the track.

Any ideas here? I know sending anything into Bachmann is hit or miss... so if it's something I can fix at home, I'd prefer it.
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glenng6 Regular poster 319 posts
glenng6

DeWitt Clinton

Warflight,

I can't help with what repairs you may be able to make, but I have no doubt that Bachmann can help. A few months ago I had a FB2 Sound Value unit short out. I decided to call Bachmann and they replaced it for a very reasonable fee, even though it was out of warranty. In less than a week I had a brand new FB2 unit. The best part was I mentioned that I had an Overland Limited 4-8-4, that I purchased in the 70's and that hadn't run in a few years because of the infamous split gear problem. The Bachmann rep said to mail it in and for a small fee they sent me a brand new Overland 4-8-4 DCC Ready loco and tender. I was floored and you couldn't have beaten the smile off my face. If I was you I would call their "free" 800 number and explain your issue. You may be pleasantly surprised and it won't cost a thing to ask.

Glenn
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Warflight Prolific poster 3,008 posts
Warflight

I may have to...

I haven't had a lot of luck with their service department in the past... mostly because it came down to them not making certain things any more. I bought some Plasticville buidings... two, factory sealed, taht were missing whole parts sprues, making them unusable, and they couldn't help, and I had to fix my 4-4-0 Southern, because they could only replace it with their newer version, which I don't like, because they no longer make the one with the chains any more... I'm afraid that if I return the shorted out DeWitt Clinton, which has the springs between the engine and tender that picks up power, and the little engineer, that they will replace it with their new version of the DeWitt Clinton, which has no springs, no engineer, and the tender wheels tend to pop off as it goes down the track (ask me how I know!)

I got some advice from a Facebook group from someone who knows the DeWitt Clinton, and he suggested that oil may have got between the tender wheels, and the frame, and he was right, it had... so I cleaned it off with a q-tip and some alcohol (91%) and the shorting out stopped... but... it just jerked a little,l and started smoking.

I'm HOPING that the smoke was from a bit of excess oil inside still... and isn't the burning of electronics (it didn't smell like electronics) so I be testing it again tomorrow, and if it's still being an issue, I'll have to call them.
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