Changed fuel filters in MEP-803A... now it won't start.

I changed the filter/water separator and the rail cartridge. It started briefly and quit. Now, after letting it prime for a while, it still won't start.

Is there a trick to getting the fuel flowing again?

THANE said:

I changed the filter/water separator and the rail cartridge. It started briefly and quit. Now, after letting it prime for a while, it still won't start.

Is there a trick to getting the fuel flowing again?

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I did the same on my 802. I only changed out the cartridge filter and had to bleed it. Open the two screws on top of the rail filter and turn it to prime untill fuel comes out. Tighten them and crack the line leaving each injector till you get a good flow. I'm sure someone else will have a better plan, but that's how I go it back up and running. Oh and a few four letter words seemed to help after the WTF phase.

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How long did you let it prime? If you didn't pre-fill the cartridges you will want it to run for 5 min or so.

You will hear the fuel trickling back into the tank once everything is full.

The 2 screws on top of the rail filter did the trick. Thanks Griz!

THANE said:

The 2 screws on top of the rail filter did the trick. Thanks Griz!

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After that, I left the separator alone. I'm afraid to attempt it now. Only found those two screws after my ordeal ( and then reading the manual). Glad your running again.

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Howdy,
The MEP-802/803 are totally self priming units. After any filter changes, you will need to turn the set on, and let it prime for a while. It will fill up and circulate back to the fuel tank.

OH, make sure the filter cartridge cup is in the ridge with rubber gasket all the way around. Some have used a touch of grease to hold the gasket in place as you push and tighten up the bolt on the bottom.

Thanks all.

I figured out why they "king kong'd" the separator. First they neglected to put some lube on the gasket and then they clocked the petcock to the rear. Necessitating a full turn past tight enough.

DieselAddict said:

How long did you let it prime? If you didn't pre-fill the cartridges you will want it to run for 5 min or so.

You will hear the fuel trickling back into the tank once everything is full.

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DieselAddict,

First, thank you for all of your contributions, they have been really useful so far. Unfortunately, I'm having much the same trouble as THANE. I've also read through pages and pages of this forum to get a better understanding of my trouble. Between you and Guyfang, I've learned a bunch so far. I've also spent a lot of time in the TM. Essentially, my 2011 803a with 900 hrs won't start either. I've replaced all filters and fluids, the panel lights up, the fuel pump works, the engine cranks, but it won't start. So, I've tried priming the fuel system based on "3-12 BLEEDING/PRIMING FUEL SYSTEM" but there are no bubbles coming from the delivery valve holder when it's cranking (or when it's priming). I'm determined to figure this out because I think I have a good genset but it just doesn't want to turnover.

I have also cracked open the fuel injectors as Guyfang has suggested. While I'm no diesel mechanic veteran, I can follow directions really easily but I just haven't found a good solution to my issue within the blog or the TMs. Thanks in advance.

there are diesel fuel return lines from the injectors you can disconnect and see if fuel's coming out of them or if it's another problem.

I only know this because mine were so damaged they leaked all over the engine while it was running when I first got it.

Good luck. Keep us posted.

I would start by making sure you have fuel leaving the pump. When you say the fuel pump is working is that by sound or have you verified it is pushing fuel?

DieselAddict said:

I would start by making sure you have fuel leaving the pump. When you say the fuel pump is working is that by sound or have you verified it is pushing fuel?

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I'm more of an experiential type mechanic.

If I open a tap and no water comes out, I don't travel to the reservoir to see if there's water before backtracking from the faucet to the shutoffs underneath, to the mains to see if my basement's flooded, then out in the yard to see if water's bubbling up or the water company has mistakenly turned off my service.

But if you want to discuss SUPPLY-side mechanical engineering, I could get behind that. It works well enough with economics. With this analogy you'd really have to start with the tank, pickup tube, etc.that's an easy enough thing to check by opening a return line at the injector and hitting prime, no?

I thought I had a full tank because I couldn't pour more into it until I removed the extension tube with the screen and saw it was gummed up and fuel would barely dribble through. There WAS fuel, but only about 1-1/2 gallon.

FWIW.

HayliteHeavy, first verify that you have good fuel flow to the metering pumps by either pulling off a hose from one of the pumps or crack the banjo bolt coming off the fuel filter housing. I've seen plenty of pumps that make noise but don't move any fuel.
If you have good flow, then verify the fuel stop solenoid is pulling in when cranking. If that is all good, the next step is going to be to check if your fuel rack is moving freely. If 1 of the metering pumps is stuck it will hang up the fuel rack ( usually in the off position ) To do this, manually pull the fuel solenoid in. use your other hand and move the fuel lever back and forth. You should feel light steady resistance as you move it towards the radiator. If it feels loose, almost like its not connected you might have a stuck metering pump causing the rack to not move.
Another possibility is that the metering pump plungers are stuck in the compressed position. However this usually happens in conjunction with the levers being stuck and the rack not moving.

Gents,

I pulled the delivery valve holder and when I prime the system, the cavity fills with fuel but when I crank the engine, there is no fuel bubbles from the high pressure fittings. In other words, I'm not getting any pressurized fuel from the pumps. I spent the last couple of evenings reading about this problem. However, I've gotten no where as I do not know what the "fuel rack" is that they are speaking of. This is apparently something that I need to manipulate to activate or deactivate the injector pumps. It seems unlikely to me that all of the injector pumps are faulty to I think the problem involves getting the injector pumps to activate. If I can get them to operate, I will then prime and bleed the fuel system. Do you have any ideas where I should begin? You can also direct to a section of the TMs but I cannot find "fuel rack" anywhere. Thanks in advance for the help.

Its sounding like the fuel injector pumps are sticking. I think the simplest and quickest thing to do is pull an injector pump and see if its sticking. You can disassemble them and clean them with carb cleaner.

Give this thread a look and see if it helps get you going:

https://www.steelsoldiers.com/showthread.php?174077-MEP-803A-Injection-Pump-sticking

On the second 803, did it run ok before the filters were changed? If yes and it acts like it is not getting fuel after bleeding, how about the magnetic pickup (mpu). I only have 804s in that style, but when it cranks and acts like it is not getting fuel, there is usually some junk stuck to the magnet so the IP doesn’t know it needs to let the fuel through.

Robert

Ray, thanks for the input. Help me out, what the **** is the "fuel rack"? I've read a bunch about moving this to: a. fire up the pumps or, b. disengage the pumps from the block. I'm just not clear on what I'm supposed to be manipulating. The fuel solenoid travels freely and what I would call the throttle travels freely with it as well. Is this related to the rack of which you speak?

DieselAddict said:

Its sounding like the fuel injector pumps are sticking. I think the simplest and quickest thing to do is pull an injector pump and see if its sticking. You can disassemble them and clean them with carb cleaner.

Give this thread a look and see if it helps get you going:

https://www.steelsoldiers.com/showthread.php?174077-MEP-803A-Injection-Pump-sticking

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Thank you, I'll check it out now. **** it, I love it when people just help other people out.

HyaliteHeavy said:

Ray, thanks for the input. Help me out, what the **** is the "fuel rack"? I've read a bunch about moving this to: a. fire up the pumps or, b. disengage the pumps from the block. I'm just not clear on what I'm supposed to be manipulating. The fuel solenoid travels freely and what I would call the throttle travels freely with it as well. Is this related to the rack of which you speak?

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The fuel rack is a bar that runs down the inside of the engine under the fuel injector pumps. It is the linkage that connects them all together and controls the fuel delivery. The lever on the outside that controls the fuel moves the rack back and forth to control the fuel injector pumps.

To check the pumps follow the instructions below
1st take the hard line off the top of the pumps and zip tie out of the way
2nd take the top of the pump off, the part the hard line attaches to, Be careful because there is a spring under the housing you're taking off. Usually its a 3/4 or 11/16
3rd take the delivery valve and holder out of the pump that is still in the engine.
4th after you take the delivery valve and holder out, you will see the top of the plunger. When you rotate the motor over, you will see the plunger go up and down. Then when you depress the fuel cutoff solenoid and move the lever you should see it turning.
5th If you don't see the plunger moving, fill the pump (that is still in the engine where the delivery valve was) with carburetor cleaner. Let it sit over night and the next morning try number 4 again.
6th If they still do not move up or down or left or right, you will need a brass punch. Put the punch on the top of the lunch and smack it with a hammer to loosen it. Then keep working until it moves in all directions.
7th after everything is moving, put everything back together and try to start.

I just finished this with 2 units that had been sitting for 2+ years. The ethanol in diesel gums up everything quickly.

Jamawieb, I did as you said an treated the upper portion of the pumps. The plungers/valves all appear to move with ease but cranking does not send fuel through or spin the plunger.

I read a bunch last night including a thread about fuel in the engine block (one that you all have been involved in) and this has answered a lot of questions. When I purchased mine on Gov Planet I picked up a trailered set that was missing the oil filter. I found water in the engine block, like some of the users here on SS, I've drained the set and changed the oil twice. I have a few questions for you all:

1. I removed an injector pump last night from the engine clock. Are the parts of the pump supposed to move freely? The plunger, spring, valve, washers, etc. all move freely but the black pin and collar do not. I’ve seen a lot of talk here about servicing every last piece of the genset but it seems like people just decide to replace the injector pumps rather than service them. Are the pumps serviceable? Can I soak the entire thing in carb cleaner?

2. I have not seen anyone discuss parts sourcing. Do people recommend Green Mountain Generators? Pumps there are $430 a piece. Are there other places you all would recommend I look?

I’m afraid by fuel rack may be seized with surface oxidation from being exposed to water. When I manipulate the fuel solenoid lever, the rack moves none. Nothing. My next step, I suppose, is to service each pump one by one and then try to get the rack to move. Which, perhaps it will after I clean up the pumps.

The set does crank, meaning, it is not seized like some have had experience with here.