How to Fix a Lionel PREWAR 1666. Gets Power but Won't Move

I purchased this Lionel 1666 and was informed by one of the viewers it is a PRE-war model not a postwar. I was very excited to learn that, and am proud to have this beautiful locomotive in my fleet. It was part of a package deal and turns out was missing was key part which kept it from running.
This video is a detailed tear down that any beginner can handle.
Enjoy!
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[@jamesdenny4734]

About the oil can, i was told harbor freight had them, they dont carry smell plastic squeeze bottles. I found some at walmart. I checked their website B4 leaving this comment, n they don't have the ones I bought last year. I bought a set; four 4oz, and one 8 oz bottles, and a syringe all with metal applicator tips w/caps! I dont know if you were meaning a literal oil 'can', but the needle applicator delivers better control ! 😊

[@mylennyuym]

Great job Warren, runs well.

[@Train2589]

So of all things to happen. I bought a 1666 today with the same issue of power but won't move. I looked up the engine to learn a bit about it and saw this video first. After watching I opened mine up. Low and behold, same thing with mine! The drum was long gone

[@inscoredbz]

I have a 1666E gunmetal grey from 1938 (i believe) and i love it.

[@yambo59]

for working on model trains ya really need at lease a cheap set of small sockets and screwdriver bits with a nutdriver handle - theyre not expensive at all and might save stripping a screw or nut in the process

[@waynewolfe8817]

I also have a prewar 1666, it took me a long time to figure that out, but one of the give aways is the draw bar, mine has a loop that shortens the bar, but has the two little wings on the part that connects with the tender. The way its bent looks like it was a factory fix to use with postwar or something like that.

[@petemiksich5760]

All fine and dandy. The trick is to remember which screws go to what.

[@warrenmuzakpostwarguy4331]

I have done this so many times I can tell which one goes where. That said, this is a VERY good point you brought up and I will mention it moving forward. Thanks for watching, Pete.

[@mafed451]

You can get fabric covered 18 gauge wire from tube radio restoration sites. I think one is called just old radios. And they get rusty on one side from laying on their side in a cardboard box for decades. Cardboard holds moisture. Enjoyed the video!

[@josephplankinton612]

Very Good video using off the shelf tools. Wish I had a junk box like yours. I have three 1666 2x4x2 engines Marx . I did not know that Lionel made also a 1666 engine. Thanks.

[@warrenmuzakpostwarguy4331]

Thanks for watching! I really want to show people these trains can easily be fixed with common tools. It helps people coming into the hobby to know this and not be discouraged thinking they need to spend money on fancy tools to keep these running. Lionel 1666 is from 1946 - 47, a bit older than the Marx 1666. Also the Lionel 1666 never had a smoke unit and wasn't a very strong puller. People think Lionel are "bulletproof", in my experience Marx models are super reliable and I always liked how they're reversing units didn't have big ugly levers sticking out of the boiler.

[@joesattler2773]

very nice video, good to see the differences between the earlier and later models A+++

[@stevesoscaletrainchannel.1901]

Thanks for sharing your postwar knowledge. I plan to provide better Maintenace on my postwar Lionel trains now.

[@warrenmuzakpostwarguy4331]

Thanks for watching Steve! I'm so glad you found these useful. That means theres a few more of these ol' beauties that will stay on the tracks and out of the dumpster!

[@robertnielsen2461]

The e -unit changes which brush is grounded, which changes the direction of rotation on the armature

[@warrenmuzakpostwarguy4331]

Thanks for watching and thanks for that explanation! I know that will be useful for others to see.

[@dorians4148]

@@warrenmuzakpostwarguy4331 l9

[@StephenCarlBaldwin]

Great video -- very valuable for those who've never repaired an e-unit. Classic loco. Thanks for making this!

[@warrenmuzakpostwarguy4331]

Thanks for watching Stephen. I am so glad this was helpful to you! I just got some repro E unit parts from Trainz.com and will be doing a partial rebuild of an Eunit. I'll post that video in the near future.

[@poconotrainman]

Thank you for another excellent video.

[@warrenmuzakpostwarguy4331]

You're welcome, and thanks for watching!

[@quickturn66]

You can get another pilot pretty cheap, it’s rusty on the side it was lying on for years.

[@northpennvalleysteamrailroad]

Nice!

[@randomideas5193]

I hope this helps me fix my Lionel 675.

[@warrenmuzakpostwarguy4331]

Thanks for watching! All the basic "guts" that makes these run are the same. That said the 675 is nearly identical to the 2035, which I did a detailed tear down and rebuild, which can be seen here: kzbin.info/www/bejne/i2qliqd6e9t3gNU

[@jimweikak457]

My guess would be that it's Broken!, But hey that's just me!!, LOL

[@user-ji1sb9ni9u]

Nice! Can you elaborate on a Lionel 685 that only goes backwards?

[@warrenmuzakpostwarguy4331]

Thanks for watching. When you are trying to change the direction of the 685, can you hear the eunit clicking as it tries to cycle through positions?

[@michaeltorrent7829]

4:30 Can I send you a pair of needle nose pliers?

[@warrenmuzakpostwarguy4331]

Hey Mike, I laughed out loud at this! I was too lazy to stop the camera and pull the needle nose pliers out of the toolbox. I really should keep a second pair HANDY! Definitely will do that in the future and give you a shout out if thats OK with you. Cheers my friend and thanks for watching!

[@ronaldwalters5584]

Great video! My 1666 cannot get traction...wheels spin. Suggestions appreciated.

[@warrenmuzakpostwarguy4331]

Thanks for watching Ronald. The 1666 is not a strong puller especially with vintage postwar rolling stock which can be heavy. I think 5 vintage cars is what it can handle. Modern era rolling stock can be MUCH lighter, which allows the smaller Postwar locos to pull more cars. That being said heres a couple things to look for. Is the track clean? Are the wheels on the locomotive "greasy", dirt or oil residue that may cause them to slip excessively. How are the trucks on the rolling stock? Do they roll freely? They may need lubricating or cleaning?

[@philliprowe2656]

Someone put a two wheel trailing truck on mine!

[@jamesdenny4734]

So you are saying the bell is an indicator of a pre-war 1666?

[@warrenmuzakpostwarguy4331]

Since this video was shot I have found out the 1666 is only postwar. 1946 is its first year. The Prewar model that shares the same body casting as this is 224. Lionel just swapped out the number plates from 224 to 1666 for 1946. The main indication that this 1666 uses a prewar cast is the squared off back of the cab floor. The bell is on the later versions BUT it is one solid cast piece like the 2037,2026,2018. The bell does not pivot or swing like the early 1946 model does. These little details are what I really enjoy about the early version.

[@darius7760]

I recently bought a pair of 224 Lionel locomotives looks similar to your 1666. How do you reinstall the eccentric cranks linkage without jamming? Interesting video, thank you

[@warrenmuzakpostwarguy4331]

Thanks for watching. I have run into that many times. I do one side at a time. When you get the crank on, turn the wheels to make sure it doesn't bind. If it does, look at where the arm of the eccentric crank is pointing. Let's say it's at 12 o clock, back off the center screw and turn the crank to 6 o clock. It should not jam now. Hope this helps!

[@darius7760]

@@warrenmuzakpostwarguy4331 Thanks, I'll keep that in mind. I was looking online, and found 3M Scotch Brite score pads, is this the similar ones you use to clean armature and other motor parts, remove rust and old gunk? Also would you recommend spring WD 40 on scour pads to help clean?

[@darius7760]

I misspelled I meant spraying WD 40 on scour pads to help clean and remove rust?

[@warrenmuzakpostwarguy4331]

@@darius7760 I don't use WD40 or penetrating oil too often. Those green pads on their own are really good. I have used contact cleaner for the commutator plates on the rare occasion when they are really fouled up.

[@genemanno1533]

So is it a 1946 or is Mr Cranky correct saying it’s prewar? I have same domes and it is straight floor behind cab and was informed it is 1938/39. I don’t have tender to confirm any of those features.

[@warrenmuzakpostwarguy4331]

It is in fact a pre war. The straight floor is a pre war tell tale design. The other thing I notice with pre war and early postwar (pre 1950ish) is the windings are much better so the locos run more efficiently at lower speeds. Thanks for watching!

[@waynewolfe8817]

I think they were made from 1938 to 1942, when the government wanted them to make war material, they started back in trains around late 1945. The 1666 was a carry over, some prewar parts were used in postwar.

[@genemanno1533]

@@waynewolfe8817Lionel did a great job producing the 1666 both pre and post war versions. I have two pre war 1666’s and they are real tanks, everything is cast. Nice details, high quality, and so advanced for their time. The drive wheel “linkage” is so cool running on the tracks. Simple maintenance and they keep chugging along. A close cousin to the 224 “O” gauge steamer.😊😊

[@williamlee1429]

Well, I see you’ve got tools to rebuild a big block Chevrolet now you just need some tools to rebuild a Lionell engine. L O L.

[@jims7078]

E unit drum and fingers need repairs