Garden Railway Forum

Does anyone have any theoies on why my mss loco will not steam?
Its comletely stock using solid fuel tablets and fuel... What do you recomend?

Callum Of the SLR

MEths burner and a pimped out saftey valve!

made-in-england:45309 wrote:MEths burner and a pimped out saftey valve!

Will do after Christmas when i have money First two things, Safety valve and a wate filler valve

MamodFan:45310 wrote:

made-in-england:45309 wrote:MEths burner and a pimped out saftey valve!

Will do after Christmas when i have money First two things, Safety valve and a wate filler valve

I wouldnt worry about the filler valve untill you have the meths burner, you wont need it unless you plan to do continious running, wich is a struggle with a meths burner let alone solid fuel.

Will

MamodFan:45308 wrote:Does anyone have any theoies on why my mss loco will not steam?
Its comletely stock using solid fuel tablets and fuel... What do you recomend?

Callum Of the SLR

Callum I have some ideas:
For your first part: It's a mamod!
Reccomend: To sell it and buy something better Or the begginers start pack from Dream Steam, with all the things you need to make it move

a meths burner is a must have (gas is very good too, doesn't smell as nice though).  I've got them to work successfully on tablets but its a bit of a struggle at the best of times.  If you get a meths burner, be sure to scrape any old crud left on the bottom of the boiler from the tablets to give it a good chance of making as much steam as possible.

MamodFan:45308 wrote:Does anyone have any theoies on why my mss loco will not steam?
Its comletely stock using solid fuel tablets and fuel... What do you recomend?

Callum Of the SLR

Hi Callum.
When you say it won't steam what is happening?
Lets assume that you have oiled then watered it to the fill level in the sight glass. You light the fuel tablets, it gets hot and you move the lever to put steam to the pistons. Does the steam come out anywhere?

Sir Clothem Cap:45739 wrote:

MamodFan:45308 wrote:Does anyone have any theoies on why my mss loco will not steam?
Its comletely stock using solid fuel tablets and fuel... What do you recomend?

Callum Of the SLR

Hi Callum.
              When you say it won't steam what is happening?
Lets assume that you have oiled then watered it to the fill level in the sight glass. You light the fuel tablets, it gets hot and you move the lever to put steam to the pistons. Does the steam come out anywhere?

There is no leacage as there is no preasure being created atall :l I can be steaming it for 10 minures and it wont create any steam, it not like its leaking either as the water gauge is still full :l

Ok thats weird, Here is a test that will help Please forgive me if I explain it as if you have never seen an engine before  but it hopefully means that others that may not be experienced as you will find it helpful. oil the bottom of the engine by putting a drop of oil anywhere a moving part touches a stationary part.

     While cold first check that the whistle is tightly seated onto the boiler. then put a drop of oil in the whistle cut where you can see the spring, work the whistle a couple of times for the oil to form a seal.

     Next remove the safety valve push it open from the bottom and put a drop of oil at the rubber seal. Check the water level is at the "max"  on the sight glass and no higher.

      Break your tablet and put half in each of the burner trays light them both (sometimes a little drop of meths on each part of the tablet helps guarantee they light.)

      Wait for the the water to boil there may be some minor bubbling at the whistle and/or safety valve  try the whistle every now and then and as the water boils the sound will get stronger,

      If you have got steam run her you can put the engine of a brick each end with the wheels dangling in the middle to see if the wheels drive without having to push the whole engine along.

Try that and post what happens. and if theres a problem still tell us.

well put

One theory may be too much water in the boiler would stop steam being produced.