Advice needed - new guy with MEP004A

[Chainbreaker]

Yep, this poor neglected orphaned genset certainly fell into the right hands.

It's gonna be a looker. Hmmm, perhaps it needs a metal flake 283 green clear coated paint job!

 

[Back-in-Black]

Well, It's pretty much ready to drop the motor / main alternator back on the skid assembly. Will probably do that Sunday. Guess I better finish my control panel design and get that ordered. Still got a lot of old paint to get off and a lot of new paint to put on but it's getting there... s-l-o-w-l-y.

I put some high density foam rubber feet on each corner of the skids. I'm hoping:
A) they'll last a while.
B) they'll cancel some of the vibration being transferred to the concrete while it's running.
C) they'll keep the steel skids from sitting on wet concrete.

Not real sure how this will work but it's worth a try. Might need some high density non-foam type rubber. We'll see.

Looks a little better anyway...

 

[Back-in-Black]

Yep, this poor neglected orphaned genset certainly fell into the right hands.

It's gonna be a looker. Hmmm, perhaps it needs a metal flake 283 green clear coated paint job!

I was thinking about a racing stripe.

 

[Back-in-Black]

How many colors and layers can you see?



Ready for blasting.


Rust!!!! Lots of rust.

 

[Chainbreaker]

How many colors and layers can you see?

I'll say 6 judging by the color display on my monitor.

 

[Back-in-Black]

Got some more done today.

First, found a product / tool that really does well stripping paint. They came in today and I just had to try them out. Work pretty damn good. Best thing I've tried so far. Used them on the side grinder rather than the 36 grit discs. Much better! At ~$5 each, it's probably about as cheap as any other option other than sanding discs but it does a much better and faster job.



Sandblasted most of the day today. About 7 hrs worth, less stopping to move parts, flip parts, refill sand, and take a breather. Checked my compressor hrs after I was done blasting, blowing sand off, painting, blowing more sand off, cleaning paint gun, etc. Only added 2 hours run time to the hour meter on the compressor after using it ALL day. Running sandblaster wide open at 125 psi for hours and hours + about 5-10 psi on the blasting hood and still only put 2 hours run time on the compressor! I'm pretty happy about that!

Anyway, blasted some doors in all the cracks an corners and crevices that can't get with the grinder and put a coat of primer on them before they started rusting.

Tried out the new grinder discs on another door. It's ready for blasting now.

Put the motor assembly back on the skid assembly! FINALLY, I put something back together on this project!!!!.







Check out my new, hi tech, see thru oil drain hose! All I could get in 1" ID.

 

[Guyfang]

This is all I use here in Germany. Works very well.

 

[Back-in-Black]

Did a little bit of "body work" on the panels. Spot putty and sandable primer in rust pits and such,

 

[Back-in-Black]

View attachment 860872

This is all I use here in Germany. Works very well.

They work pretty darn well. I'm sold on 'em.

 

[Back-in-Black]

Progress:

Got the "body work" done on those panels and painted one coat of color on them before I got so pissed off at my paint gun that I threw it across the yard. Ordered a Devilbliss gun / kit. Should be here Monday or so.

Cleaned paint form a couple more panels. Some are ready for blasting when weather allows. Made a "filler plate" to fill the big hole where the fuel fill used to be. Put the front case back on - mainly just a dry fit type thing. Dry-fit the controls box and installed the new 47 pin connector(s) so I could get a measurement for my engine side wiring harness. Secured the engine side harness along it's route.

Let's talk paint dust!

Before:


Before I blew the dust off the panel (just the dust that piled up as I was grinding it off):


After I blew the dust off:


Dry-fit:

 

[Mullaney]

Progress:

Got the "body work" done on those panels and painted one coat of color on them before I got so pissed off at my paint gun that I threw it across the yard. Ordered a Devilbliss gun / kit. Should be here Monday or so.

Cleaned paint form a couple more panels. Some are ready for blasting when weather allows. Made a "filler plate" to fill the big hole where the fuel fill used to be. Put the front case back on - mainly just a dry fit type thing. Dry-fit the controls box and installed the new 47 pin connector(s) so I could get a measurement for my engine side wiring harness. Secured the engine side harness along it's route.

Let's talk paint dust!

Before:
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Before I blew the dust off the panel (just the dust that piled up as I was grinding it off):
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After I blew the dust off:
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Dry-fit:
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.
It just looks better and better!
Nice for sure...

 

[Back-in-Black]

Working on trying to finish the control panel design now so I can get it ordered. Then I will get to spend hours and hours re-wiring the control box. May try to do some more blasting today.

 

[Back-in-Black]

Got the control panel design finished.
Got 4 more panels ready for paint.
Got a good start on blasting the intake "grille". Been dreading this piece but since it hasn't been painted 10 times the paint on the louvers is coming right off with the blaster.

 

[Back-in-Black]

New paint gun should be here tomorrow. Not a moment too soon.



This was probably the easiest one so far to remove the paint.... there was almost none left.

 

[Chainbreaker]

The suspense is growing! I'm waiting for the day this genset is fully dressed and belches smoke and generates AC!
I do hope you video the maiden voyage!

 

[Back-in-Black]

The suspense is growing! I'm waiting for the day this genset is fully dressed and belches smoke and generates AC!
I do hope you video the maiden voyage!

Heck, that makes two of us!!

Maiden voyage: Hadn't really got that far in my thoughts yet but I will make sure to do a video LOL.

Something WONDERFUL happened yesterday (Sunday) while I was out blasting parts. Wife and granddaughter were going to a movie with a friend / neighbor who has a child same age and goes to same school (they carpool with us). Anyway, he was asking the wife what I was blasting on and she told him. He says "oh we have several sandblasters / cabinets at work. Think he'd like it if I blasted his parts for him?" He went back to his house and got his truck and proceeded to load every single piece I hadn't got to yet to bring to work today!!!!!!! Said he have them all done in a few days!!!

Awesome!!!!

 

[Back-in-Black]

Busy afternoon / evening. Not done yet though. One more coat of paint before I call it quits.

Made a plate to cover the hole where the fuel filler used to be. Drilled and tapped the fame so I could bolt it on. The small plate is for a hole near the control panel. The old plate had a big, ugly hole in it so I just decided it was easier to make a new plate.



Big plate covers this hole:



Spent the rest of the time painting and making freckles. Yes, freckles. Couldn't see painting it all up nice and purty with all those rust pits.



Spot putty (some people call it glazing putty).



Freckles!





My battery boxes came in today. Not sure if the lids are gonna fit under the radiator / fan but I'll just leave them off if not. Got some straps and stainless steel tie-downs for them. My goal with the boxes is to keep battery acid from eating up more of that steel plate where they sit.





Haven't heard from the guy who's sandblasting my parts. I warned him about how much paint there was. He just shrugged. He probably hates my guts by now LOL.

 

[Back-in-Black]

Oh, one more thing; got an email from the panel maker place. My control panel shipped today. Heck, I just ordered it Sunday!

Sure hope I didn't screw up anything on the design. That would be a nice chunk of change to blow.

 

[Back-in-Black]

Spent Wednesday and Thursday evenings painting.

The friend who offered to sandblast parts is regretting it, I think. He delivered 3 blasted pieces Wed evening. Said that the paint was "recalcitrant". I think it's kicking his butt LOL. Told him again that he didn't have to do it but he's apparently like me... a bit hard-headed.

Today / tonight I bolted on the freshly painted box side for the oil filter side of the box ( where the fuel filler used to be). Bolted the oil filter back on. Remounted the fuel pump. Installed a bunch of small plates that just cover holes. Wired up and re-installed the convenience receptacle. Mounted the strap hold-downs for the battery boxes.

Tomorrow, I'll get the battery cables started and attached on the motor end. Haven't purchased batteries yet so not gonna finish them until I have accurate way to measure them (batteries in-place). Will probably touch up the parts he blasted too. He got the majority but they still need a bit of work before I can paint them.

 

[Mullaney]

Spent Wednesday and Thursday evenings painting.

The friend who offered to sandblast parts is regretting it, I think. He delivered 3 blasted pieces Wed evening. Said that the paint was "recalcitrant". I think it's kicking his butt LOL. Told him again that he didn't have to do it but he's apparently like me... a bit hard-headed.

Today / tonight I bolted on the freshly painted box side for the oil filter side of the box ( where the fuel filler used to be). Bolted the oil filter back on. Remounted the fuel pump. Installed a bunch of small plates that just cover holes. Wired up and re-installed the convenience receptacle. Mounted the strap hold-downs for the battery boxes.

Tomorrow, I'll get the battery cables started and attached on the motor end. Haven't purchased batteries yet so not gonna finish them until I have accurate way to measure them (batteries in-place). Will probably touch up the parts he blasted too. He got the majority but they still need a bit of work before I can paint them.

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Sure is looking mighty good.
Wondering now when you plan to paint the power plant.