There is a fine blog on the internet that came way before me, it got me started on the path of troubleshooting and repairing z. This is a short entry because I just want to introduce another blog that has very useful and important information:

http://www.zscale.org

I just wrote an entry about the easy repair and motor upgrade for a diesel F7, but other repairs are not so easy. If general maintenance is all the doctor ordered stay away from tear downs of locos with side rods except if you have nothing to lose due to a major issue, wheels are completely tangled in who knows what in this case the choice is easy but not the repair. I find repairing locos to be very enjoyable, I have repaired every type of z train including complete tear-downs. Taking everything apart and putting back together again is easier than Humpty Dumpty by a long shot, but aligning side rods can be difficult work for the uninitiated. Side rods on locos attach to multiple wheelsets, their function on models is decorative, but if they are poorly aligned they will not move, or if pairs are misaligned directional travel is interrupted such is the case with the Swiss Krokodil: loco might only run well in one direction if the side rods are not synchronous.

Word of caution: get some experience with diesels and electrics before moving into steam engine repair.

Particularly difficult locos to tear down are all versions of the ‘mallet’ locos, followed by Swiss Krokodil, and finally followed by big steam and little steam.

The 8862 Amtrak F7 is a member of the original line of F7’s produced for mini-club. And it features the “tried and true” 3 pole motor #264440. No need to upgrade original 3 pole locos to 5 pole except for the following reasons: 5 pole motors are quieter and lower idling speeds. Some members of the z community feel 3 pole motors are more durable, but I am not of that thinking. The current cost of the replacement 5 pole motor is on average $50 for the #211903 that replaces #264440. Marklin has made available almost all 5 pole motor replacements for the diesel, steam and electric locos, there are a couple of exceptions including the Zeppelin. I highly recommend upgrading 3 pole rail buses just for the lowered noise, these locos don’t seem to have as much buffering as the rest.

For an easy 5 pole motor upgrade I chose the 8862.

Parts Breakdown:

First: use a pair of synthetic .70mm or thinner guitar picks gently slide each between the shell and chassis either side as illustrated, shell will slide off easily, Marklin depict small screwdrivers used in their literature, but the soft flexible guitar picks risk much less damage to inside of the shell. Photo exaggerates use of the guitar picks, shell slides off with very slight pressure using these.

Second: with a toothpick or very small screwdriver push the axles out of chassis thereby releasing the trucks. Set aside the top gear for cleaning.

Third: unscrew the single black screw in circuit board followed by prying off circuit board, very gently apply just enough pressure the release circuit board from 4 clips that hold it in place.

Fourth: remove lightbulb and set aside, very carefully bend capacitor straight up to allow easy removal of circuit board mounting frame (I use a pair of tweezers as a way of holding wires in place as I gently bend them equally), unscrew circuit board mounting frame from chassis, careful not to lose the three tiny screws. Set aside circuit board mounting frame.

Fifth: with motor and transmission gearing still installed in chassis please take notice of the brass bushings and how they sit perfectly in place in the chassis, they need to be reinstalled in the same way.

Notes: motor only fits one way in chassis and worm drives face ends of loco.

Further notes: before installing new motor apply electricity to confirm it works, also break-in the brushes with slow and fast speeds, forward and reverse.

Follow a reverse course when putting the loco back together with a couple of important observations: use great care bending the new capacitor wires, check the whiskers from the circuit board engage with the capacitor wires, don’t forget the all important black screw attaching circuit board to chassis, a spot of Labelle 108 oil sparingly to all moving gears only except gears from motor those will get enough oil from transmission gearing, lightbulb will slide into clips before screwing in place black screw for circuit board, and lastly cattle catcher if you choose to install slides on post at end of loco after removing coupler at that end: gently prying open the truck will allow access to coupler and spring, I normally leave the spring intact in case I want to reinstall the coupler at a later date.

Hope this information is helpful, and you may consider upgrading other locos with 5 pole motors.

I recently completed my collection of VT 11.5’s with the addition of 88733 + 87933. Sets 8873- 88735 are stellar sets that have been continuously modified by Marklin not just in design but function that being electrical function with the couplers that link each car together. Keeping things simple and uncompromising are Marklin Z attributes, one need only look inside one these loco’s to fully appreciate the good functional design, they are easy to take apart and put back together with side rod locos being an exception. Well this is a first, I just received a lightly used 88733 (mint cosmetically) with one end car not working properly, the motor turned over very sporadically thereby becoming a ball and chain to the working end car. I have never encountered a faulty Marklin z motor before so discounting everything else from electrical shorts, mechanical and other electrical misalignments seemed to make sense, it is after all fairly simple to trace the electrical flow from the track to the motor. To my great surprise the problem rested with the motor and a very poor repair to a brush, even with new brushes the motor was rubbish. Not sure of its prior history, but I would not be surprised if the poorly repaired brush had something to do with the motor being fried. If the gears and wheelsets are moving freely, circuit board is not cracked and black screw is present that attaches board to chassis, wheels are clean, and whiskers are properly in contact with motor brushes then the problem is most likely the brushes themselves and maybe(?) the motor.

Side note: If you have congealed oil otherwise referred to as “hardened oil syndrome” (HOS) considered using the synthetic oil Labelle #108 which is a lightweight oil and plastic compatible as your oil of choice.

Along with lots of spare parts my toolbox for Z includes:

-several variations of micro screwdrivers of the slotted type for retaining screws in locos

-guitar picks size medium .70mm for easily removing plastic loco shells

-Labelle #108 sythetic oil safe for plastics and correct viscosity for Z gauge

-small camel hair brush for safely removing dust without scratching

-tweezers of all sizes for lifting out gears and adjusting whisker wires for contact with capacitor

-GPS500 foam work station tray and organizer available on Ebay from GPS_97 for $22.49 with free shipping, it keeps your loco safe during repair and keeps parts organized

-Original Windex (blue) for cleaning gears of old oil and dirt (*not recommended for any type of painted surface or electrical components)

-Marklin 89932 Roller Bearing Stand or something similar for testing running performance of locos

-magnifying goggles (all round good equipment for lots of Z related activities)

Marklin Z locos with side rods include examples from all three types of locos: electric, diesel, and steam. Before attempting to dismantle one of these locos please be sure of the pitfalls: usually these locos have numerous wheel sets and gears of varying size with side rods permanently mounted to two pairs of wheel sets and the challenge will be reassembly. Most of the time cleaning the wheels and a little oil will be all that is needed, but a fully cleaned and re-oiled loco is sometimes required for those trains that have either been stored a long time and have HOS (hardened oil syndrome) or run a lot and just need a deep cleaning. There are fewer service centers in the United States than there used to be and far fewer that are qualified to work on these types of locos. A long time local and exclusive Marklin dealer has never offered service on these types of locos partly due to the numerous small parts. One day I plunged in and discovered that logic bears out, and  it is possible to repair these beautiful little machines. Nothing will fly out once you have taken off the oil pan except coupler springs, wheel sets and gears may roll away so bearing that in mind keep track of each part and place in a container. Next thing to keep in mind is time, you may need to take apart and put back together again several times to make sure everything runs smoothy: side rods should have no tension when you are assembling, if they are bound up the two pair of wheel sets have not been placed correctly in relation to the distance between the axle grooves in the chassis. With the SBB Krokodil the side rods from each articulated end need to be positioned in correct relationship otherwise the loco might run well in one direction and not so well in the other. When the oil pan goes back on the following factors have to be satisfied: gears and wheel sets in correct position with wheels engaged with electrical contacts, pilot wheels were applicable need to in place, and springs and couplers installed. *Keeping it all together for attaching oil pan is a test of patience and resolve, but sometimes we have no choice but to proceed. This repair follows a logical course that will be apparent soon into the repair. Recommendation: try this repair on a less important loco in your collection to use as practice or one you bought in poor condition on Ebay. Do to the many variations of side rod mounted locos I have opted for a more general approach to this topic, for those who venture here patience and logic will get you through.

Changing out an original 3 pole motor with the current 5 pole motor is easy for the Marklin Z rail buses.

Parts needed: Marklin 209452 (motor) and 89881 (brushes)

Notes: The shell of all Marklin Z rail buses slide of the chassis by very gently prying off from either end (Marklin illustrates pulling shell from center, I don’t find this works successfully), but use extreme caution as not to break those parts of the shell that extend out such as the buffers. A little gently prodding and pulling will do here. Nimble fingers and magnifying goggles plus one very small screwdriver is what is needed with this entire repair. No screws are used to hold trucks and internal framework to chassis instead Marklin devised a brilliant clip system that holds each in place securely. No circuit board in this loco instead electrical contacts have been installed within the clear plastic superstructure that incorporates the two headlamps, brushes, and traction contacts.

Step by step: 1. turn loco upside down, using a very small screwdriver gently insert of with small amount of pressure lift off truck housing exposing wheel set and small gear that engages with the worm drive transmission gear: give these gears a good cleaning in a solution of Original Windex (blue) and dry thoroughly  2. turn loco right side up and remove the two brushes and set aside  3. *stay clear of couplers (the objective is to leave coupler and springs installed in chassis during entire process) with very small slotted screwdriver very gently wiggle plastic superstructure from each of the four corners: equal small wiggles to each of the four corners: plastic housing is not removed at this point, it just needs to be freed from the metal hooks of the chassis (*careful not to break the plastic!!!) 4. with the plastic superstructure slightly elevated from the metal clips on the chassis frame begin the process of pinching the plastic clips (two pairs) located one third from each end respectively: disengaging these two sets of clips will allow the plastic superstructure to wiggle free from the chassis and thereby expose the motor  5. motor easily lifts out, give the chassis a cleaning, but do not use solvents of any kind to be safe and kind to the metal finish 6. the new 5 pole motor (#209452) slips into place and reassembly takes place in reverse order Notes: 1. brushes compatible with the new 5 pole motor are 89881 2. apply equal pressure to clip mounts during reassembly 3. wheel sets will need to engage with contacts putting one side on first at an angle and then the other works well for me (the rail buses are easy because each truck has only one axle)

I strongly advise new collectors of Marklin Z who run their trains to learn proper care and maintenance of their locos, it is fun and the techniques can be learned. Plus very little down time for repairs if you do it yourself and more money for your collection.The beauty of Marklin Z is not only what you see on the track, but also the internal design; they are meant to be quickly and easily taken apart and periodically maintained. And should last for generations.

My tips for cleaning and repair of Marklin Z diesel and electric locos is based on techniques that have been successful for me. Rail buses plus diesel and electric locos with side rods will be discussed during another post.

Train not running and lights not on: Verify that dirty track is not the culprit by running pos/neg wires from your Mini-Club transformer to the wheels (positive runs one side of the loco and negative runs the other side) if nothing happens verify that the whisker wires from the circuit board are in contact with the wires extending from capacitor. Also verify screw is properly engaged to receive electric from the tracks in the case of locos with catenary.

Train not running smoothly on the tracks is likely caused by dirty track. My solution is cleaning track with a lint free rag dampened with rubbing alcohol. Another solution if track is slightly dirty or dusty is to use a micro fiber cloth and/or camel hair brush, my first choice is Leica Camera’s micro fiber cloth which is simply the best and can be cleaned and reused over and over again (available from B&H Photo in NYC). I also have on occasion used a micro vacuum attachment on my Miele vacuum cleaner to remove loose particles of dust. Cleaning track around catenary is tedious and difficult work!

HOS (hardened oil syndrome)- locomotive lights turn on but motor does not turn is likely HOS: Original Marklin Oil eventually hardens in less used locos, this oil hardens to a clay like mass not allowing the gears to move freely, if the motor cannot move the gears if may suffer overheating and burn-out. No way to get around a complete tear down: requires time but it is easy and fun with a bit of enjoyable music. To safely remove the shell without damage I use two guitar picks flexible plastic sized Medium .70mm placed on near front truck on both sides respectively. With very little pressure shell will slide off. The objective to not to damage the shell. Also keep hands clean each step of the way. *Tiny screws and springs get lost easily with this scale, keep a container handy to house these parts, some people I know use a jewelers apron to keep parts together and off floor. GPS97 on Ebay sells a wonderful high density foam work station for $19.95 with free shipping this is a highly recommended item for loco repair. Chassis: 1. using a tiny screwdriver push the silver axle pin out which will release the truck from the chassis. This step will be the first reveal of the hardened oil, the axles may be stuck because of the hardened oil, so a little more pressure than normal to remove those pins  2. unscrew the one or two screws that attach the circuit board to chassis  3. very gently using a very tiny screwdriver work without cracking the circuit board pry the circuit board from retaining clips in each of the four corners 4. very gently bend the capacitor and its wires straight up this will facilitate a much easier deconstruction and reassembly of the rest of the parts  5. Unscrew the slotted screws that hold the two black plastic frameworks to the base of the chassis 6. remove the two drive transmissions notating the how the brass bushings fit into the chassis *note some brass bushings have a flat side and others are completely round, the flat side always faces up and round side always faces down with the bushings that are not round all the way around 7. remove motor and set aside 8. hardened oil happens over time with the particular oil that Marklin used when your loco was manufactured, it is ever present for those pristene locos you are lucky enough to find that were in display collections only and never run. *Note: A loco when it is stored should always be wheels down when stored to help prevent oil from pooling in the gears and housing 9. separate the parts into two groups: group 1- motor with brushes, circuit board and all painted parts (metal chassis) and group 2- all screws, all gears, assembled trucks, axles and plastic frameworks from the top of the chassis that the circuit board sat on. Group 1 set aside until reassembly, whereas place group 2 in a small glass dish with enough “Windex Original (blue color)  to cover, let soak for 10-15 minutes. Note: do not touch Windex and then touch painted parts most notably the shell, although clear lacquer was applied over paint and graphics at the factory Windex more than likely will damage all painted surfaces it comes in contact with: keep Windex away from circuit board, painted chassis (not all are painted), and shell. Original Windex is a very mild solvent that is great at removing old hardened oil but it should not come in contact with Group 1. 10. carefully remove parts from Windex bath and gently dry with Bounty paper towels and let stand for a hour or two giving any of the Windex remaining time to evaporate 11. place trucks on even paper towel surface installing center gear and re-oil with the truck gears with plastic safe synthetic oil recommended for Z scale, Labelle 108, move the trucks back and forth to well distribute the oil 12. reassemble chassis in the order it was disassembled and oiling gear transmissions