# Accucraft Ruby sand dome doesn't fit over goodall valve



## Stephen Yoannidis (May 20, 2011)

I have an Accucraft Ruby and have recently invested in a Accucraft goodall valve for it. I am very happy with the valve, however there seems to be only one problem: the sand dome which normally would fit over the stock plug does not fit onto the goodall valve because the diameter of the valve is bigger. How should I go about fixing this? Is there other domes that will work with the Ruby and with the Goodall valve or should I somehow modify the dome?

Thanks,

Stephen


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## Shay Gear Head (Jan 3, 2008)

Put the Goodall Valve in the the water filler hole instead. Make Sure to shut the throttle when usung it though.


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## Stephen Yoannidis (May 20, 2011)

Sorry, I don't quite understand what you mean, I thought I already screwed it into the water filler hole? 

Also, I am new to this forum and don't know how to insert pictures in the messages, do you know how to do this?


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## Tom Bowdler (Jan 3, 2008)

I think Bruce means to screw the goodall valve onto the top of the steam turret in the cab. Unfortunately the plug there is much smaller than the goodall valve according to the pics posted in the Adding RC To Ruby thread and my very early Ruby. 
I think you need to machine the inside of the dome to fit the valve. 
Tom


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## Nutz-n-Bolts (Aug 12, 2010)

Stephen , I have the same problem. My goodall valve is not from Accucraft but similar. From the looks of it I think it will be easier to machine the valve. Since my lathe isn't running yet I'm going to chuck it in my drill press and hold a file to the knurled surface. I'm going to hold half of the knurled surface with the chuck and file the exposed half then flip it to get the rest. This ensures I don't mar the finish on the bottom portion of the valve by holding it. The dome cover has a piece of spring steel in it that would be more of a pain to deal with.


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## Bob in Mich (Mar 8, 2008)

Stephen,If You look at Your Original Ruby Filler plug that fit under the sand dome,It has a snap ring on it .To snap and hold the sand dome on.You have to make the goodoff valve from this filler plug for the sand dome to fit and stay on.Send Me a email


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## aceinspp (Jan 2, 2008)

Seeing how this dome is brass just take a dremel tool with a a metal cutting round bit and cut out the in side diamiter to make the dome fit. I did this and took less tha 10 min to do. You must remove the snap ring first tho. Later RJD


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## jfrank (Jan 2, 2008)

Just ream it out. That is what I did.


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## Stephen Yoannidis (May 20, 2011)

So it would be better then to just use a dremel to widen the inside diameter of the dome apposed to filing the goodall valve and making it smaller so it can fit inside the dome?


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## Charles M (Jan 2, 2008)

Stephen, 

I just opened a new Accucraft Goodall Valve to test the fit on my Accucraft Mimi. If you remove the snap ring on the inside of the sand dome , the Goodall valve fits right over it. I found the snap ring caused more problems by jamming when I wanted to remove it so I took mine out. The original filler plug has a small groove cut into it to fit the snap ring and hold the dome in place. Of course without the snap ring , don't turn the loco upside down without taking the sand dome off !! Been there, done that. ( My Mimi has had a Goodall valve from Sulpher Springs for a while, slightly different fit than the Accucraft model so no modes needed. ) 

Charles M SA #74


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## Phippsburg Eric (Jan 10, 2008)

I had no problem with the goodall valve on my 2005 kit Ruby. 
I did chuck it in the lathe to cut a groove to fit the snap ring, though it was not really required, just made the dome stay put better.
my newer "Ruby"s a#2 the red one has the fill in the steam turret, as does the new #5 Porter...should be no problems there, though I havnt yet put the goodall valve on those.

--eric SA # 5649


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## Batsco (Mar 30, 2011)

I have come across exactly the same problem with my latest model Ruby and an Accucraft Goodall Valve. 
What is the recommended/best method of solving this?


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## deltatrains (Nov 25, 2010)

If your Goodal valve is an Accucraft purchase it is very close in size to the inside of the dome and the original water filler plug. I took a Dremel type tool with the small sanding drum and rotated it inside the dome for a little bit until some of the snap ring was worn down a micrometer and the dome fit nicely over the Accucraft Goodall valve without any difficulty. 
All the best with that, Peter.


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## Stephen Yoannidis (May 20, 2011)

So you only sanded the snap ring then and not the inner diameter of the dome?

-Steve


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## deltatrains (Nov 25, 2010)

Posted By Stephen Yoannidis on 20 Aug 2011 01:38 AM 
So you only sanded the snap ring then and not the inner diameter of the dome?

-Steve *Yes, that is correct. It does not take much if you are using the Accucraft Goodal unit so if you have a small caliper check often, but if not, then do a little bit and then try to insert the Goodal valve into the dome. If it still does not fit sand a little more until a proper fit is achieved. Should take only a few tries. Here is a short video of it running around with some Accucraft Ore cars. *

*http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jxo7tUNsYH8 Good Luck, Peter. *


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