M'yep. Picked up my first dud. I've been picking up AW cars a lot lately. One a week for the past two weeks. Last week I picked up a Shelby Thunderjet 500 (Earth Magnet on the chassis), went to NJ Nostalgia grabbed a set of rims and some Mickey Thompson silicones and have been running it without any problems.

Yesterday, I picked up a '67 Blown Corvette Thunderjet 500 (without a magnet) Pit Pack. Took a few minutes today, put it together, and tossed it on the track. It ran for all of 5 minutes. Real slow, made a horrible whining sound. I could see the brass gear through the window of the body jump up and down. Took it apart, tightened the plastic gear in the back up and it seemed to help take some of the slop out. Put a little dab of teflon lubricant on the gears. Put it back on the track and it ran even slower than the first time. Then just up and died. Not even a 9 volt battery will get it going.

I'm slightly disappointed. I had high hopes for my third run right out of the box car. I'm kind of stumped on this. I'm not entirely sure on how to get it going. Well, I'm going to go back to tinkering with it trying to get it running again.

Smoked the arm? :confused:

No, I think it's catching on something but I can't figure out what.

I find that if I turn the car upside down and toss a 9v battery on it I can get it to spin, but very slowly. As soon as I right it it stops spinning.

Its bizzare because, there really isn't anything to these things.

Sounds like poor brush tension. Take it apart, make sure the tip of the "V" shaped part of the brush springs (arms) are at least halfway into the brush holes at rest.

While you're in there, see here for another cause of poor JL/AW brush (http://slotcars.yuku.com/topic/492)tension, the arm may not be able to come down on them.

Its funny you mentioned brushes.

I noticed some slight scoring on the commutator plate. I metered it and measured 15.4 ohms across it. Not entirely sure where its supposed to be there but I figured if I was getting consistent numbers then it was good. I sanded the plate down a bit then took both brushes out. One was actually broken so it was wedged up against the commutator plate causing it not to spin.

The little brass ring is too far out, there is definitely a gap between the commutator and the ring. I've been trying to press it down but I am not sure what I'm supposed to use. I also don't want to break the arm.

I did get it to work now. But its still slow. I'm going to work on the brass ring. I'm also going to have to pick up a tune-up kit for it so I can replace the one broken brush.

Put the gearplate upside down on your drill press, close your chuck so it fits loosely on the arm shaft, and give it (the bushing) a little nudge. Be careful to not go too far, you don't want it pushing on the comm plate.

:thumbsup:

Thanks Gene. Worked great. Got the little bushing pushed down so the shaft goes into the hole like its supposed to.

Its definitely slower than my other two AW cars though. But, I digress. At least it now works. :)

Anytime Nick. :thumbsup:

Shoulda told you while you were in there to make sure the top of the other brush didn't get boogered up. Keep on runnin' it if it's going though, it may come around.

One other thought, I've personally never had any luck with teflon-based lubes, they seem to bog down every car I ever used it on, pancakes or inlines. If you have any light oil, try a tiny bit in all the usual spots. Even WD40 dripped on with a toothpick works.

I was thinking that about the Teflon lube. It did seem to be a bit gummy. I only used it because it was in the back of my work truck and because I couldn't find a small tube of Lithium grease; the auto parts stores near me only carry giant tubs of it.

Has anyone used mineral oil? I've got a gallon of that stuff in the back of my work truck.

I'm most likely going to pull it back apart today before my wedding and clean it all up and put some WD on it.

I'm most likely going to pull it back apart today before my wedding and clean it all up and put some WD on it.

Now that is slot car dedication! Awesome!!! :woohoo::woohoo::woohoo:

Hey, I gotta keep my self busy. Otherwise I start thinking, "What in the hell did I get myself into?" ;)

Marriage is a great institution. Think of slot cars as time off for good behavior!

I was thinking that about the Teflon lube. It did seem to be a bit gummy. I only used it because it was in the back of my work truck and because I couldn't find a small tube of Lithium grease; the auto parts stores near me only carry giant tubs of it.

Has anyone used mineral oil? I've got a gallon of that stuff in the back of my work truck.

I'm most likely going to pull it back apart today before my wedding and clean it all up and put some WD on it.

Mineral oil is probably way to thin and will sling onto the comm and foul. The viscosity is too light in my mind...but what ya have there is a gallon of great slotcar cleaner...so it does have a home in your slot program! What you currently have is two extremes (teflon and mineral oil) with regards to viscosity, try to find something in the happy medium area.

I like to use stuff that stays put on the bottom arm journal. I've had great success using Stay Lube engine assembly lube with moly/graphite. I only use the tiniest dab on the arm journals and axles. Seems to really stretch my service intervals and never fouls the comm. Strangely what tar does accumulate on the comm face appears to be quickly cutaway by the brushes. Maybe it's the graphite in the mix...who knows? Just know it works, doesnt tar the comm and seems to get slicker as the car gets hotter.

For the gear rack I prefer a lighter less viscous lubricant to keep things singing freely. Plenty of options out there in the way of light to medium oils.
Find the one ya like.