Not sure what to do with 2 MEP-003a

Hey all,
I've recently been put in charge of our growing MV fleet with the Sheriff's Office I work for. We currently have 2 M923 5 tons, an RG31 MRAP, and a trailer mounted with 2 MEP-003a generators.

The vehicles were just purchased/ acquired this year and things are going well with them, however, the generators we've had for about 18 years. They have never been used, officially. Mainly because when they were acquired nobody in the department knew how to operate them. For the first 8 years they were started weekly and relatively maintained (at least engines running). Then they were just left to sit.

So, 10 years of sitting outside in the weather and not being started. NOT GOOD.

I've got two trains of thought here.

1. put in the time, and money to get them up and operational again. This would really depend on the severity of the damage caused by poor storage.

2. Get rid of the gennies themselves, and just use the trailer for other purposes.

If you've got some guidance or even an opinion on what course of action I should take with these things, I would appreciate hearing it.

All the best,
Chad

Chad, take some pictures. Good pictures. Open the control panels, and shoot 2-3 of the insides. Let's see if it's a case of faded paint, or missing parts or mice nests.

Get newer running gensets from 1099. Send these to auction. Lots and lots of work to rebuild the fuel systems on these.

I sure will. As soon as I get a chance to get out there where it's stored I'll take some good photos. I did notice that some of the insulation looked to be nested some.

That's what I was thinking too. Need to dig a little bit before we start throwing any money and time at em.

If they weren't prepped to be mothballed and haven't been run for 10 years and have been sitting with any amount of stale fuel in them during that time they may only have some value as parts machines. The fuel tank, fuel lines, fuel pumps, filters, injection pump and injectors are all going to be in bad shape.

Therefore, I would vote for option 2.

You should also evaluate the need for them. If they have sat 18 years without use, do you really need them? As you have noticed, even free stuff often has an ongoing cost to keep it ready to use. Possible any uses for the trailer portable generators might now be met with hand portable inverter gen sets from Home Depot or equiv. LED lights put out a lot of light with little power requirements. A few LED light bars on the top of the MRAP should do a good job of lighting up a crime scene or disaster site. 18 years ago, it likely would have taken 10kw or more for a similar light output.

That has also been part of the thought process.

They have been needed, but nobody put the thought into actually running and maintaining them. They have gone with the other options for power sources and left these to rot because of a lack of knowledge. I think it might be a hard lesson for them to learn, but they understand more in the need for upkeep by qualified personnel now.


Option 2 is looking more like the way to go. I guess I'll have to set up a meeting tomorrow..LOL

Guyfang said:

Chad, take some pictures. Good pictures. Open the control panels, and shoot 2-3 of the insides. Let's see if it's a case of faded paint, or missing parts or mice nests.

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Lets see some pictures. It will not cost a cent. AND, perhaps we can help you come to a price, if need be. "Take not, council of your fears". Don't assume it's junk or over your head.

Make some shots of the inside of the fuel tank, fuel lines/hoses, oil dip stick and generally every other thing. Even if you hock it off, it can still help with price, and perhaps someone in the forum might need a parts machine.

I'm with Guygang on this one. Don't assume it's junk. Spending 15 to 30 min. with each generator can tell you if it's worth going farther or not. First thing is to pull the dipstick and see if it's way over full. Second thing is to pull the engine oil drain just enough to see if water comes out. If a lot of water comes out, not a good sign. Next is to put a wrench on the crankshaft and see if it turns over or if it is stuck. If it is stuck, I'd recommend buttoning it back up and selling it the way it is for parts. If it turns over okay the next step would be draining the fuel tank and flushing if necessary and at the minimum draining the fuel filters, then put in some fresh diesel. Borrow a couple of batteries from another piece of equipment. Prime the fuel system and see if it starts. If it starts, check and see if it produces power. If it's at this point, this should bring the most money in for the department to spend on what you need.

One thing to consider...if you attempt to turn the engine over on a unit that has not been run in years you run the risk of breaking the injection pump’s plunger guide.

Do a search on MEP-003a stuck plunger & you will find how to determine if its stuck & how to unstick it using a brass punch BEFORE turning the engine over.

I 2nd that motion! Check your throttle linkage as well, if it seems stuck spend a little time on the IP plunger before you crank it. I've had good luck removing the fuel line and hooking up a fitting and hose, mount it upwards and fill with carb. clean or lacquer thinner and let it sit a few days and soak, then check the linkage and plunger and gently work it free.

Thanks everybody. Once I get the trucks finished up I'm going to spend some time with the gennies. I will definitely add some photos and test results. You guys are the best.

Chainbreaker said:

If they weren't prepped to be mothballed and haven't been run for 10 years and have been sitting with any amount of stale fuel in them during that time they may only have some value as parts machines. The fuel tank, fuel lines, fuel pumps, filters, injection pump and injectors are all going to be in bad shape.

Therefore, I would vote for option 2.

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Is there a preparation schedule for mothballing a unit , I’m asking because I trying to figure out long term storage


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maniatopoulosg said:

Is there a preparation schedule for mothballing a unit , I’m asking because I trying to figure out long term storage

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Not aware of any Military documentation for long term storage but here's a link to what John Deere recommends.

In every -12 or -24 manual is a "Preperation for long term storage."