MEP-003 10kw diesel genset

Picked up a very decent looking MEP-003 10kw diesel genset (Onan 4cyl air cooled) for our Fire Dept (on 3/4t trl). 550hr supposedly fresh from depot.

fuel tank was dry. Installed new 6tl batteries, drained strainer and both fuel filters, and added fuel. Cranked and started/ran for about 30sec (fuel in the pump???).

But will not fire/run. Occasionlly get a couple fires in the front pair of cyclinders. Elect fuel pumps seem to work (click at rapid rate an then to a slow click). Disconnect fuel line at the injector pump and on prime/run get a good solid stream of fuel. Not sure if preheat actually is working but cranks strong.

My theory is not getting fuel likely airlocked somewhere. Not finding anything helpful in the TM-12 Any voices of experience/suggestions.

I've got 2 of these from a GL auction and can not get the parts to fully assemble them... My only bum GL purchase to date... Lucky you, they are good gensets but have to be handled with kiddie gloves!!

If it cranked at first it's got to be something simple...

I would start with the fuel filters and separator, pick up a set and a new set of gaskets for ALL of them, it only takes a small air leak to get a poof of smoke but no start/run situation going. It is possible to get fuel FLOW but not pressure on these. I have seen people goof up and double up the canister gaskets which seals fuel from coming out but lets air in. That will make you crazy trying to figure it out. I HAD the numbers for the filters and gaskets but can not figure out where I put them... If you pull the filters and gaskets, take them to Napa and get them crossed.

After you do all of that bleed it again by first disconnecting the "in" line to the IP pump and allow the fuel pumps to push fuel up to the IP... Then disconnect the return line at the IP pump (small lines that run from the back of the injector body's into a tee block, and back to the IP) Spin the engine over until the air bleeds, tighten the line up and then try cranking it.

If you are SURE that you have a sealed fuel system and you think your preheat is out and may be causing the problem (doubtful).... I HATE recommending this but give it a hit of ether.

If all else fails and you think you have a IP problem which is possible (trash/storage) I would recommend taking it to a shop.. I say this because the IP's are HARD to come by and priced like gold. The pumps have not been produced sense 90-92' and the military has a recycle program for rebuild with the manufacture which is why it is so rare to find a surplus MEP with a intact IP pump. Remans can be found for 450 but its difficult, most people ask 900-1200$, Onan thinks their worth 2200$... Funny people they are!!! (oil coolers, fan shrouds, igniters and voltage regulators are high maintenance items and also no longer produced which is why they too are often times stripped).

The glow plugs PN 330-0106 are a piss poor... The civilian 24V cross is a Champion number CH42, 14-18$ Napa can special order these but you MAY have to buy a whole box of 10 to get them. These things can be VERY difficult to remove from the head and love to snap off in the process. I recommend getting the motor running before messing with these, give it about 30 mins of run time, shut it down and then pull the glow plugs while hot, they usually come out easier and se a LIBERAL amount of high temp anti-seize when installing the new ones.

I don't think you would need the intake heaters in Iowa but the number printed on them is good for crossing also... I think they run about 48$ each.

If you want to convert your oil filter to a spin on Onan PN 122-0245 is the adapter plate needed.

Hope some of this helps... If not try here, most people have the cilivian versons of these but there are a few MEP owners around.

http://www.smokstak.com/forum/forumdisplay.php?s=d0e56e0e176e332506585c4f7a7ba69c&f=1

devilman, whats wrong with the 2 you got?

One point on the Onans. I had a problem with my John Deere 420 with an Onan 20 horse engine. The intake manifold was damaged. I went to JD and they said they could not get anything special order from Onan because they are now out of business. I was able to get a manifold on ebay. The parts for the Onans are drying up. I am sure some gaskets and filters will be available but any major mechanical problem will be a real problem with no source for parts out there. The Onans will most likely have to be replaced with another make of engine. It convinced me to fix my JD and sell it to get a zero turn with a kawasaki engine.

The moral is be careful getting any equipment with an Onan powerplant.

Good luck on the gen sets. I hope it is something simple. Sorry I could not contribute more.

yeah... I bought 2... both missing the SAME damn parts!!! My only GL "no preview" purchase... 1st time, last time!!!

and yeah I just got a Kubota V1505E which I will put one of the 12 heads on and make it a 1800 RPM single phase double delta 120/240.... You know its a bad parts situation when one is willing to build a new skid, enclosure, motor and totally rewire!!! I am some how going to cram this job in between the Deuce and hurricane season!!! (yeah right)

*edited*... he he he... Sorry Mike I missed the "whats wrong with the two I have"....

Both need IP pumps, engine cowlings, 24v regulators, oil coolers, control boxes, rec's and reg's.... I THOUGHT at first they would be an easy find and cheap to build... dead wrong, after about 20 hours of research most parts are N/A even on the surplus market... Or they are so expensive by the time I was done I could buy a new 10KW unit.

Good engines, ones been stripped and resealed, new gaskets, painted etc and both heads are good... Im prolly going to salvage the few parts I need from one to install the Kubota and scrap the rest.

ida34 said:

One point on the Onans. I had a problem with my John Deere 420 with an Onan 20 horse engine. The intake manifold was damaged. I went to JD and they said they could not get anything special order from Onan because they are now out of business. I was able to get a manifold on ebay. The parts for the Onans are drying up. I am sure some gaskets and filters will be available but any major mechanical problem will be a real problem with no source for parts out there. The Onans will most likely have to be replaced with another make of engine. It convinced me to fix my JD and sell it to get a zero turn with a kawasaki engine.

The moral is be careful getting any equipment with an Onan powerplant.

Good luck on the gen sets. I hope it is something simple. Sorry I could not contribute more.

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The MEP003 is a 4cyl diesel. Don't know the HP or engine model #.

??? Maybe JD and Onan have divorced, JD does that very frequently (they purchase a very large part of their product line from many companies around the world). Onan is not out of business.

associated point on onan engine parts availability.
http://www.tulsaenginewarehouse.com/catalog/onan/horizontal/

I tried to get parts outside of JD and no go. Check your link. At the top of the page Tulsa even says that Onan engines are out of production. The company may still exist but they are not producing engines or parts. I tried several places to get a replacement manifold and no one I talked to could get any onan factory parts.

I did check Onans website and the only engine they listed was a 20 horse that is supplied to lincoln for welders. If Onan is only producing 1 engine for 1 supplier I doubt the company is healthy. They are losing money on replacement parts.

Cummins owns Onan. I don't think Cummins is going anywhere. Onan also owns the RV generator market.

Yeah... Onan dropped part of their small engine line, which was a smart thing because they sucked anyways!!! The newer emission standard for 19HP and under are quite stringent and I don't think they were doing well enough to afford the R&D and retooling required to meet the new EPA specs.

However they are still producing 20HP and up, still producing parts for CURRENT items (10-15 years) and yeah they build the snot out of gensets...

With Onan diesels... They have be out of production for over 20 years... Small engines don't become "classics" like cars so there is no reason for Onan or anyone else to produce parts for 20+ year old equipment, there is no market for it. Especially with today's replacement costs, small engines are CHEAP to buy and VERY disposable. If I loose a motor under 30HP the idea of rebuilding never even comes into play, gas or diesel I will scrap it and buy a new one!!!

Just out of curiosity... post a pic of that JD/Onan manifold with the engine specs on here... I would like to see it... 9 times out of ten they are repairable and or can be reproduced from scratch without THAT much fuss.

I may be able to in a few weeks. I have to put a carb on it. It is very simple. Basically a tube connecting the carb in the middle with the intake ports on the other ends. I am sure I could have gotten it fixed but the ebay alternative was much easier and I got a carb with it. I agree that total rebuilds on most small engines are not economical. The only practical way to replace the Onan is with a Kohler kit and Tulsa had them for about $1600. When the garden tractor is only worth about $2000 rebuilding begins to look like a good option for a do it yourselfer. Not economical to take to a shop and have it rebuilt. At least I can still get factory parts for my new mower. I will post a pic when I get one.

The engine was originally a P43 20 horse but was replaced with a P220 20 horse at some time after 1993. The emissions sticker on the engine identified it as a 93 or newer engine.

3x MEP003A (on trl) listed at govliq for May 11 close. Located in MD. 1300+ hrs on each.

Not bad looking sets but I would not buy them unless you can inspect them... If the IP pumps, oil coolers, and/or boards are missing you will be in for big money!

devilman96 said:

Not bad looking sets but I would not buy them unless you can inspect them... If the IP pumps, oil coolers, and/or boards are missing you will be in for big money!

Click to expand...

Twice burned, thrice shy???

Learned that lesson well!!!

Finally got back to these. Picked up the trailer power plant w/2x MEP002 5kw last week so now have 3x to get in operation for 2 fire depts. The MEP002 only have 150hr each.

MEP002 fuel pumps sound to run MUCH faster than those on the MEP003 and on both can hear the overflow splashing back into the fuel tank. Can't here such on the MEP003.

Found a crossover for the fuel filters (have not picked up). Fram C1125PL = Hastings FF906

Have been able to find a crossover yet for the strainer Fram C1824.

Strainer body and fuel filter bodies filled with LOTS of rust/corrosion which can't be good. Cleaned out OK.

Could not find replacement fuel strainer so cleaned OH with spray carb cleaner. Seemed to work OK. Both fuel filters had TWO "extra" cork gaskets under the filter/on the core post. Unfortunately neither gasket that came with the Hastings filter fits the Fram filter upper housing. May have to use formagasket.

I did have air in leaking in the fuel lines. Replaced the 3pack series of fuel filters with 1 modern spinon. No air leaks away it goes runs like a champ. Think will do the same for the 2x Mep002. Don't have time to waste dinking around with obsolete filters.

This post if a bit dry, so how about an update on MEP-003 fuel pumps? My MEP-003 fuel pumps run but do not pump up (go quiet after fuel pressure come up) they continue to rattle so I am not drawing fuel from the tank. Please advise best way to trouble shoot. Will start by pulling the fuel lines and blowing out, but if someone has solved this before let me know.

Will follow advice from devilman on new gaskets and such.

Hi. thanks for the great, non-political, informative site. just bought a mep003 from g/l. w/ 180 hrs. Wondering if hour meters are replaced when 5k hr. overhaul, or are they the original hours. have not brought home yet to actually examine, but could not turn down for the price. new to this site, so hope to be in the correct forum.

There is no real standard, but it seems hour meters are replaced at overhaul most of the time, they are also replaced when they die. I bought 3 MEP generators last month and have some reason to think that the hours showing on all 3 are possibly wrong:

1, MEP-016d - 0 hours showing, but had fine red dust sludge in the fuel tank and air filter, turns out someone had connected an DC hour meter to the AC panel outlet.

2, MEP-016d, showing about 600 hours on the meter, this is a MEP-016c retrofitted with a Yanmar diesel conversion date shown as 2004, hour meter looks to be vintage 1970's with lots of wear, paint on it, etc (see photo below). So I suspect it did not get changed when the Yanmar was installed (could have been 0 or low hour then though, but I doubt it)

3, MEP-002a, marked serviced 2008 on the side showing 2060 hours on the meter (don't know if serviced counts as rebuild, or exactly what level of work was done), but it did have a brand new fuel tank, complete with strainer insert and all new filters, probably new hoses, as well as several other new looking parts (speed control assembly, etc.) Note it did have problems, the battery gauge was full of water, and the AVR going high after running a couple of minutes, but a new $5 transistor and 5 minutes with a soldering iron fixed that.

Ike