Attacking Martian: Broken Robot Help

[RotoBadger]

I just took my mint Attacking Martian off the shelf after a year or so to show my daughter how he works. I popped some fresh batteries in turned him on and...not good. He made a small move and stopped. Now he just lights up and I can hear the motor whirring. No movement at all. I've tried a few light smacks but nothing has worked. Any thoughts or advice? This really stinks as he is mint with box and worked great the last time I used him. Also, I've tried moving the legs but they are somewhat frozen.

[Morbius]

Try GENTLY poking a 'chopstick' or similar wooden implement (so as not to scratch or maim) into his innards if there's an entry and try to locate the gears which may have ceased up and give 'em a gentle prod to get 'em moving again while running him or not, this could get him going again. That's about as mechanically inclined I will get with these!

My Star Strider ceased for a couple of years until ROBOTNUT came for a visit and Strider just suddenly woke up and worked fine! Go figure! That's one reason I originally left the hobby as these toys have their fits of working and other times being just plain lazy! They seem to go on strike when you try to demo them to 'non-robotologists'!! B) Maybe ROBOTOID ARTHRITIS or a bad case of ROBOTULISM!!! :o

As with the Corgi Lincoln limo I have, I'm convinced that some of the really 'minty' toys which were not ever used just sort of dried up and became non-operational. In the case of this die-cast, the ones with the worn roofs are the ones that still have an operational light-up TV whereas the old store stock ones appear DOA.

Best of luck!!

[milwaukeemachineman]

I had a PLANET ROBBY with the legs that used to stick on occasion so I took the trusty can of WD-40 with the little red straw thingy and put a little fast squirt up through the chasis and jiggled the legs a few times and what do you know it started moving again.

Good Luck and be gentle and don't use a lot.

[dratomic]

I've heard that WD-40 isn't such a hot idea... I seem to remember our resident Mr. Wizards, John and Henk, saying something to this effect. Anyone remember that thread? Robert? You seem up on this stuff, too...

Until an answer to this one pops up, I'd be careful with the WD-40 on these precision toys, Rotobadger.

I wish I could find the darn thread now...

[Fineas J. Whoopie]

I know that you want to keep the WD-40 (or any oil) away from flints and strikers because they won't spark any longer if they get oil on them. I'm not sure about how recomended WD-40 is on battery ops.

[Joe K.]

Here ya go, Doc. From the TIPS & TRICKS section:

http://danefield.com/alpha/forums/index.php?showtopic=42

I seem to remember a later post or two suggesting silicone spray. Try to find the pure silicone, no added lubricants. Or even better, a pin-point oiler. For those really hard to reach places, a straightened, large paperclip with a single drop of oil on the end!

[milwaukeemachineman]

Yeah, Wooden stick first, then only if needed, a dab of silicone, only on the gears as the last resort!

Or just leave it on the shelf, so it looks pretty..................!!

[RotoBadger]

Thanks for the advice so far. I've been poking and prodding with a wooden stick and peering inside with a flashlight to no avail. I have discovered something disturbing however. As I've been examining the robot I've noticed brown touch up paint around the metal tabs on the front and some suspicious "looseness" to other areas. In short this robot has been open at some point before my wife bought it for me as a gift 4 or so years ago. That really pisses me off as she really took the guys word for its condition and paid top dollar. It still displays nicely but a broken/opened robot is not worth nearly what she paid.

[funkrobotik]

The paint touch up is more than likely factory done as most AMs I've seen have this in all the colours.

If you can hear the motor running but nothing else the chances are that a plastic gear is just spinning on the drive shaft and not turning the mechanism. It could even have cracked.

Either way it's a pull apart job with the sound of it.

[dratomic]

Yeah, factory touch ups are common in many of these toys. Not only are tabs FREQUENTLY touched up (because they're bent after the litho process), but they're done so with PAINT. So the color is incorrectly matched and it's usually not as "metallic" looking as the litho portions.

There are also those infamous "burn" marks on the shoulders of many robots -- particularly the S.N.K. guys (Sparkling Mike, Flashy Jim, and Robby the Roving Robot) and the Gang of Five. Again, the litho suffers when the toy is pressed for assembly.

So I wouldn't be too nervous about this, Rotobadger.

[robothut]

When you can hear the motor running but nothing is happening then don't bother poking in it with anything or spraying in any thing what you have is a split gear. Probably the pinion gear on the motor. You will have to replace the gear.

(Now he just lights up and I can hear the motor whirring. No movement at all. )

[bartzenegger]

When you can hear the motor running but nothing is happening then don't bother poking in it with anything or spraying in any thing what you have is a split gear. Probably the pinion gear on the motor. You will have to replace the gear.

(Now he just lights up and I can hear the motor whirring. No movement at all. )

i agree with hut....unless the motor is "trying to move" but not. ---( frozen) its more serious.

also if its the earlier atta mart ...... open door fire...fly eye ..all tin. gears will be metal ... maybe you could find star strider or like for a replace gear. good luck.

[honestjoe]

Hi rotobadger...let me first say well done on bagging that attacking martian....nice piece...now it does sound as if the lime green plastic pinion gear has split....this happens as the oils in the plastic dry out over time...the good news on my travels repairing these guys i found a brass replacement....its a slot car inline pinion gear...SIP 108...very common...i replace all the plastic ones with these....its a tight fit to do with the robot undismantled but i do it....i find if i take a piece of emery paper and roll it in to a match shaped object..fit this into the center of the gear and gently roll the paper back and forwards between fingers.THIS IS DONE TO MAKE THE GEAR EASIER TO FIT WITH THE ROBOT UNDISMANTLED...check with another motor shaft for fit..(if one available to you).(it wants to be a tight fit!.).now....i would heat the brass gear...before fitting.(use longnose pliers)..when the gear cools on the robots motor shaft its a great and permanent fit!.ONCE YOU HAVE DONE ONE IT GETS EASIER.(i have just come in from work my mind is racing a bit!!.......i"ve posted some pics...for reference.....there maybe better ways of doing this but i found this works for me and is relatively a quick proceedure!!!!....good luck...hj....one thing to mention...the replacement brass pinion is not as long as the original gears(plastic)..checkout pic!..but positioned right works and meshes a treat...there is also a slight difference between the gears in the spacing between teeth....but not a problem...super smooth operation....blah! blah! blah!...(i"m starting to waffle)...............terminated.

[honestjoe]

Hi rotobadger...let me first say well done on bagging that attacking martian....nice piece...now it does sound as if the lime green plastic pinion gear has split....this happens as the oils in the plastic dry out over time...the good news on my travels repairing these guys i found a brass replacement....its a slot car inline pinion gear...SIP 108...very common...i replace all the plastic ones with these....its a tight fit to do with the robot undismantled but i do it....i find if i take a piece of emery paper and roll it in to a match shaped object..fit this into the center of the gear and gently roll the paper back and forwards between fingers.THIS IS DONE TO MAKE THE GEAR EASIER TO FIT WITH THE ROBOT UNDISMANTLED...check with another motor shaft for fit..(if one available to you).(it wants to be a tight fit!.).now....i would heat the brass gear...before fitting.(use longnose pliers)..when the gear cools on the robots motor shaft its a great and permanent fit!.ONCE YOU HAVE DONE ONE IT GETS EASIER.(i have just come in from work my mind is racing a bit!!.......i"ve posted some pics...for reference.....there maybe better ways of doing this but i found this works for me and is relatively a quick proceedure!!!!....good luck...hj....one thing to mention...the replacement brass pinion is not as long as the original gears(plastic)..checkout pic!..but positioned right works and meshes a treat...there is also a slight difference between the gears in the spacing between teeth....but not a problem...super smooth operation....blah! blah! blah!...(i"m starting to waffle)...............terminated.

second pic shows location of problem gear(beneath right hand gun front view..hj.

[MetalRobotHead]

RotoBadger, Does your AM still have the brass gear in place like this one. Apologise honestjoe didn't see your same pic.