I have a GE Dash 8 dcc ready version that is a older release that is DCC ready and want to add sound,but in a attempt the motor growling noise just makes it a poor candidate for sound . I tried a soundtraxx Tsumani decoder in it and a pair of zimo speakers. It growls and moans too loud mid-throttle &up.
Trial and error determined it was the motor noise and a hard plastic motor mount set up.
A member at our club has one of the new Norfolk Southern Heritage diesels and removed the shell to find out that they were basically the same except for the drive-shafts and a blue colored motor compared to the Dash 8 gray motor.The NS diesel is quiet through the entire speed range when running without sound.The DASH 8 has been lubed ,and is free rolling with no worm gears in it to test binding if any in the gear cases and none found.
Are the new Blue colored motors that much different or higher output then the gray motors?
Anybody know?
Johnny
I have a Spectrum GP30 that sounded like a coffee grinder. Finally figured out that the worm gears were being ground into the bearings! Bought and installed new gear boxes, keeping the new ones well-lubed, haven't had a problem since.
YMMV...
-Fuzzy
Completely different drive line.Thanks! I Have seen that issue with the 2 axle trucks.I had a couple older plus versions where the worm gear moved almost 1/8 inch because the plastic frame that held the bearings in were bowed outward rather then being straight.I tried adding a few washers to shim it up but.It was never wright.Ended up replacing the truck.The 3 axle Spectrum's have all metal gear cases with the truck side frame that hold the pickup bearings like Atlas.
Johnny Adam