# Aristo-Craft Live Steam 0-4-0 #ART-84200-01



## ScottB (Jan 8, 2010)

I just purchased this locomotive and was told it has never been run. It does look like it has been fired at least once but still in like new condition. My question is with the butane tank regulator assembly. On my first fire up everything worked well and I was able to bring the loco up to steam and run it on a set of rollers. I do have a issue with the pressure gauge as it is not registering any pressure in the boiler. I did check for a blockage and I see nothing, this will require further investigation. I topped off the butane tank for my second run, Lit the burner and 10 seconds later the flame abruptly stopped. I removed the silicone gas feed line from the tender to check the gas flow from the tank and there is nothing. I removed the tender cover and I see a regulator on the side of the tank. If i unscrew the large outside adjustment plug the gas will flow but it has to be unscrewed almost all the way out. Any help or suggestions would be greatly appreciated. 


Thanks, 

Scott


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## SalM (Jan 2, 2008)

Scott.the short and sweet of it ...........bypass the regulator with a piece if tubing.............the lines on the regulator are so small that the gas freezes and blocks the flow of butane. Most folks have done this and your engine will run much better.....


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## Naptowneng (Jun 14, 2010)

There is a recent thread on this very topic, good photos also 

http://www.mylargescale.com/Community/Forums/tabid/56/aff/11/aft/126292/afv/topic/Default.aspx 

Jerry


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## Bob in Kalamazoo (Apr 2, 2009)

Posted By ScottB on 04 Nov 2012 03:26 PM 
I just purchased this locomotive and was told it has never been run. It does look like it has been fired at least once but still in like new condition. My question is with the butane tank regulator assembly. On my first fire up everything worked well and I was able to bring the loco up to steam and run it on a set of rollers. I do have a issue with the pressure gauge as it is not registering any pressure in the boiler. I did check for a blockage and I see nothing, this will require further investigation. I topped off the butane tank for my second run, Lit the burner and 10 seconds later the flame abruptly stopped. I removed the silicone gas feed line from the tender to check the gas flow from the tank and there is nothing. I removed the tender cover and I see a regulator on the side of the tank. If i unscrew the large outside adjustment plug the gas will flow but it has to be unscrewed almost all the way out. Any help or suggestions would be greatly appreciated. 


Thanks, 

Scott

Scott,
If you look at the thread that Jerry refers to you will see that I took my regulator apart, cleaned it, put it back together and then adjusted it so it's doing nothing now. It's screwed almost all the way out and seems to work much better. I'd suggest that if yours is working good now to just leave it as is. I was going to bypass mine but found that this worked and so I decided to leave it until I have to do something else. 
Bob


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## ScottB (Jan 8, 2010)

I have taken the regulator apart and cleaned it and now it is working fine again. If I have any more issues in the future I believe I will just back out the adjustment bypassing the regulator function. Now I just need to take a closer look at the pressure gauge, Will most likely just purchase a new one from PM Research. Thanks for all your help. 

Scott


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## aceinspp (Jan 2, 2008)

I'd say if you have issues again I'd just remove it. I have done this on both my Mikes and never had a problem since. Most folks that have this loco have had issues with the pressure gauge. Some have been able to clean and got them to work. Later RJD


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## ScottB (Jan 8, 2010)

This was a nice weekend here in western Pa for running some outdoor Live Steam! I took the 0-4-0 to a friend of mine that has a small outdoor track. As of now the regulator is being bypassed as the small diaphram inside and the spring has been removed allowing a " pass thru" situation. I ran two times without any issues and the third time I could not get any butane to the burner, Turned out to be a clogged jet. I got the jet opened by backflushing with butane and ran three more times. All appears to be working well in by passing the regulator, what i did notice is that I was getting a film of steam oil in my sight gauge. I have been cracking the fill valve loose after every run to release pressure in the boiler and to eliminate a vacuum in the boiler when it cools down. Is this oil in the boiler common to these locos? I did a boiler flush with Citric Acid to clean out the oil before my next steam up. 

I did get a setup procedure for the regulator from Navin at Aristocraft. Navin says that the 3 screws holding the inside plate to the housing should be backed out 1/2 turn from being tight. I will put my regulator back together as per his procedure just to see if it works. 

Scott


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## aopagary (Jun 30, 2008)

Posted By ScottB on 04 Nov 2012 03:26 PM 
.... I do have a issue with the pressure gauge as it is not registering any pressure in the boiler. I did check for a blockage and I see nothing, this will require further investigation. ...
i tried to bring up a picture of the cab without any luck, but thought i might mention that a pressure gauge indicates water pressure, not steam pressure. if there is not enough tubing between the boiler tap and the gauge (you usually will see at least one loop in the tube), the steam will not condense and you will get no pressure reading. sounds like this locomotive needs some re-engineering before they produce any more defective units. did it just come out?


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## ScottB (Jan 8, 2010)

No the loco did not just come out , in fact it has been discontinued a few years ago. The pressure Gauge does have a full loop of tubing before entering the gauge so the design is correct. Looks like its a manufacturing issue with the gauge.


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## steveciambrone (Jan 2, 2008)

"I might mention that a pressure gauge indicates water pressure, not steam pressure. if there is not enough tubing between the boiler tap and the gauge (you usually will see at least one loop in the tube), the steam will not condense and you will get no pressure reading" 

This statement is really incorrect. 

A pressure gauge will indicate or register pressure no matter what the medium, be it water, air, steam, oil, hydraulic fluid, even no medium if it is a vacuum gauge. The main reason for the siphon tube is to dissipate the heat from the boiler to the gauge. Gauges are easily damaged by heat. 

Try it yourself, remove any gauge off one of your engines and attach to an air source, be sure the source is below the maximum pressure of the gauge. If the gauge is accurate, for example 20Psi in will indicate 20Psi on the gauge under test. 
Thanks 
Steve


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## ScottB (Jan 8, 2010)

I have repaired the Pressure Gauge. The problem was right where I suspected it to be, In brazzing the steam supply tube to the Gauge the braze material sealed off the tube. I was ale to drill exactly opposite the tube entrance to the gauge and go in with a small drill mounted in a pin vise and " Hand Drill" out the braze material. The access hole I drilled was then tapped to a 4-40 thread, a little loc-tite and a 4-40 set screw was placed to seal the access hole. gauge now works perfect! 

Scott B


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## Gary B. III (Dec 23, 2013)

*Aristocraft Live Steam 0-4-0 Pressure Gauge Problem*

If anybody can help me, heres my problem:
My pressure gauge for my ariso live steamer has broke into pieces. I need a new one. is there an easy, cheap ($0-30), easily installable replacement I can get?


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