Mep002A sticky linkage on start up!!!

[RJM27]

Good News the GenSet from Letterkenny w/ 316 hrs. really looks like it only has 316 hrs. Brand new gas & oil filter, w/ brand new oil, every thing was drained and clean even though it look good to go. Fuel tank as always needed the big clean. Fill her up, purged the air let some fuel run through. 3 trys up and running, set Hertz on my meter to 60hz, idles nice. Shut her down and on restart the solenoid linkage seems to stick at low idle, push down and she recovers and runs at proper idle, oiled her up, several trys still sticks. Any suggestions.
As Always, Thanks
Bob.

 

[PeterD]

Idle? You do realize you never idle one of these generators, right?

 

[RJM27]

Yes!!!!!! Set it to 60hz with my meter, pretty close to 1600rpm. It starts out to slow, think it is in the linkage.
Thanks Bob.

 

[coyote62ny]

at 60 hertz you should be at 1800 rpm try spraying the linkage with pb blaster or wd-40 what ever you have these clean as well as lube never idle or let it run below 60 hertz or you will cook the ac voltage regulator

 

[RichardR]

RJM27,

I think you mean that the governor linkage (not the solenoid) is getting caught where it passes through the sheet metal opening next to the solenoid. When the governor linkage gets hung up, the governor is unable to unable to open the throttle all the way for startup. Most common symptom is that it won't start at all because the most common position for it to get hung up is fully closed throttle. Never seen exactly the symptom you describe with it starting but running slow.

The solution is pretty simple -- gently reposition (bend) the governor arm so that the governor linkage travels its full range without touching anything. The arm shouldn't touch the solenoid and the linkage attached to the arm shouldn't touch the edge of the sheet metal opening, although it may come pretty close. Weak design, in my opinion, but easy to fix once you know what to look for.

Hope this helps,
Richard

 

[RJM27]

RJM27,

I think you mean that the governor linkage (not the solenoid) is getting caught where it passes through the sheet metal opening next to the solenoid. When the governor linkage gets hung up, the governor is unable to unable to open the throttle all the way for startup. Most common symptom is that it won't start at all because the most common position for it to get hung up is fully closed throttle. Never seen exactly the symptom you describe with it starting but running slow.

The solution is pretty simple -- gently reposition (bend) the governor arm so that the governor linkage travels its full range without touching anything. The arm shouldn't touch the solenoid and the linkage attached to the arm shouldn't touch the edge of the sheet metal opening, although it may come pretty close. Weak design, in my opinion, but easy to fix once you know what to look for.

Hope this helps,
Richard

By God I think we got it, when I loaded back up on the trailer and took over to my friends house, we were able to get a better look (DAYLIGHT), we thought that was what was happening but was not sure. Gentle bend , we'll give it a try.
Thanks so much!!!!!!!!!!!
Bob.

 

[RJM27]

Richard R; Once again thank you!! Unhooked the linkage and was able to slightly bend the forks on the governor llinkage and everything is working just fine. Some more tunning and tightning and things should be great.
THANKS BOB

 

[RichardR]

Bob,

Great! Glad you got it dialed in. I think this problem is very common but hard to track down because it usually occurs only at startup and isn't very repeatable. I don't think there is any mention of it in the TMs. But it's easy to fix once you see what's going on.

Regards,
Richard

 

[Wildchild467]

Good News the GenSet from Letterkenny w/ 316 hrs. really looks like it only has 316 hrs. Brand new gas & oil filter, w/ brand new oil, every thing was drained and clean even though it look good to go. Fuel tank as always needed the big clean. Fill her up, purged the air let some fuel run through. 3 trys up and running, set Hertz on my meter to 60hz, idles nice. Shut her down and on restart the solenoid linkage seems to stick at low idle, push down and she recovers and runs at proper idle, oiled her up, several trys still sticks. Any suggestions.
As Always, Thanks
Bob.

I had the same problem with mine. i gently bent the governor arm also and filed the hole where it passes through a little bit to help fix the problem. i finally got it working freely, but still touches the solenoid when it shuts down. maybe i need to give it a little more tweaking and filing. i dont want to fix it twice. i also got some 8 gauge cable that i am going to use to back feed the shop through the welder outlet. at some point i will put a disconnect switch in, but for now, it will be a good way to load test it and fine tune the governor under load.

I have a question regarding the governor spring.... should that spanner nut turn without loosening the jam bolt on the governor shaft? to get mine working better, i had to move the spring on a lower notch on the governor arm. i realize the design is like a thread so you can really fine tune the governor, but mine did not want to turn and i didnt want to force it. when i first fired up the generator, it went way past 65hz and i was worried. it seems to work ok now, but i still want to fine tune it to make sure it works good when i need it. thanks!

 

[O.D. Fever]

I had to tweek one also.

 

[NJ_Toolnut]

Wildchild,

I needed to use pliers to turn my droop adjust ratchet (star nut on coarse threaded shaft end of governor arm inside blower housing). I could not turn it by hand, but turning it with pliers did not require a lot of torque. The thread may have been designed this way (tight fitting) to prevent vibration from causing it to turn by itself. In addition, the thread friction is preloaded by the force from the spring installed on the governor arm above the star nut. I'm not sure which jam bolt you are referring to, but I did not need to loosen anything to turn my droop adjust ratchet.

Stan

 

[Wildchild467]

Wildchild,

I needed to use pliers to turn my droop adjust ratchet (star nut on coarse threaded shaft end of governor arm inside blower housing). I could not turn it by hand, but turning it with pliers did not require a lot of torque. The thread may have been designed this way (tight fitting) to prevent vibration from causing it to turn by itself. In addition, the thread friction is preloaded by the force from the spring installed on the governor arm above the star nut. I'm not sure which jam bolt you are referring to, but I did not need to loosen anything to turn my droop adjust ratchet.

Stan

That is exactly what i needed to know. it looks like there is a small screw on the governor shaft that holds the governer arm on.... but anyway Stan, that helps out a lot, thank you! i hope this weekend to load test it and see how it runs. one thing i learned working on MV's is not to take any adjustments for granted. always double check everything like the valves, governor and such... you never know what private was working on them