New Member/Western North Carolina RE: MEP 003A

[ZeusDiesel]

I have a MEP003A purchased from GL couple years ago. Set-up as home backup Gen. I exercise it bout once a month for an hour at full load. No problems for 2 years. Tried to start it 4 days ago, it cranks but no smoke, nothing. Voltage is good (batteries rated 650CA), tank is full, plenty of air, transfer pump pushes fuel to the IP and the return tank line (not to the injectors). I disconnected the hard lines at the IP and cranked the engine, the 4 ports all spit fuel though not with much force. I pulled and blew out the check valve,bled the line at the filter and IP, primed the hard lines by cranking the engine. Used my Toyota Tacoma to boost the flagging batteries thru all this cranking and priming. Still nothing happening. I could really use some guidance. Thanks for your consideration!
ZeusDiesel

 

[jacobsk]

I have a MEP003A purchased from GL couple years ago. Set-up as home backup Gen. I exercise it bout once a month for an hour at full load. No problems for 2 years. Tried to start it 4 days ago, it cranks but no smoke, nothing. Voltage is good (batteries rated 650CA), tank is full, plenty of air, transfer pump pushes fuel to the IP and the return tank line (not to the injectors). I disconnected the hard lines at the IP and cranked the engine, the 4 ports all spit fuel though not with much force. I pulled and blew out the check valve,bled the line at the filter and IP, primed the hard lines by cranking the engine. Used my Toyota Tacoma to boost the flagging batteries thru all this cranking and priming. Still nothing happening. I could really use some guidance. Thanks for your consideration!
ZeusDiesel

You may want to try posting a description of your dilemma in the Auxillary Equipment forum, where it'll surely get more attention

http://www.steelsoldiers.com/forumdisplay.php?55-Auxiliary-Equipment

 

[ZeusDiesel]

Jacobsk:
Thanks for the heads up. I posted it in the Auxillary Equip. Forum.
ZeusDiesel

 

[Warthog]

Moved thread.

 

[Harleyd315]

Did you check the operation of the shut off solenoid? Make sure it is working properly or no fuel will get into pump. The plastic heim ends are problematic and sometimes break. Also you can apply 24 volts directly to the solenoid and work it up and down to free it up and check operation, be sure to disconnect the wires of the solenoid before you do this. Sometimes a little pressure with a screw driver on the lever is all you need to unstick a frozen solenoid

 

[jbk]

you may have a stuck plunger in the ip. i have been able to get a couple to work again once i tapped it free. this can be done without ip removal. refer to tm. the large nut on the ip must be removed and also the nut underneth it (delivery valve holder)

 

[Jimc]

Adding to what harley said, also if the solenoid does work. When the plunger lifts be sure the gov linkage rod comes all the way up freely. The one i just had here would bind and not pull up on the ip arm all the way where it should. Had to lube and readjust to work freely.

 

[ZeusDiesel]

Harley and JimC:
I have just double-checked the shut off solenoid and its operation and everything seems to be moving freely. Been raining here a lot so its been hard to get to this, but sure do appreciate your input. I'll be looking thru the disassembly/assembly pages on the IP to try out JBK's thoughts on the Delivery valve holder possibly stuck. Hope I don't have to remove the IP sittin on a bucket in the rain. (We're 25" above normal rainfall and its rained every weekend but 1 since April.)
ZeusDiesel

 

[Munchies]

Get yourself a few brass punches, after removing the Delivery valve, valve holder, spring and the big hex cap, you can see if the plunger is frozen. Put the largest brass punch that easily fits down in there all the way in and give it a baby tap.
Ridgid, or did it give? If its ridgid, give it a few more baby taps and attempt to make it move. Tappy tap tap. Crank it over 2-3 rotations so the cam taps it back to you. Now tap tap tap it back.
If its already able to move, and you can feel it wiggle when you tap it and all other things are checked, the pump needs to come off. Make dead sure the control arm comes up, maybe even go over and hold it up at 100% while someone else cranks it over.

 

[ZeusDiesel]

Munchies:

Thanks for the info. Have to find a brass punch in that size, bout a 5/64ths. Nobody local seems to have one, will check Asheville Monday and online.
ZeusDiesel

 

[Munchies]

Should be around 1/4'' IIRC make sure you get the delivery valve out. You can use steel honestly, the plunger is hardened and ground, lets face it, the cam smacks the **** out of it on the other side and it is just fine. A junk drill bit turned backwards could work ok.

 

[Triple Jim]

If you want brass, McMaster-Carr has brass rod in various sizes cheap. I get orders from them less than 24 hours from when I place them.

 

[storeman]

If you are getting "squirts" from the pump, IMHO, the pump isn't your problem. The pump doesn't spew fuel far or in quantities at high pressure. It dispenses tiny amounts of fuel at what looks to be low pressure....looks are deceiving. . If all air is out to the injectors, you will get the same unimpressive spurt of fuel when the fuel line at the injector is removed. Again, unimpressive in open air.

Fuel does not compress (next step is solid). So, with no air in lines and fuel being provided to injectors, you get ignition, providing you have compression in the cylinders and sufficient temps to allow fuel to ignite. Compression occurs at the injector. It would also occur ir you were to put your thumb over the feed line to "feel the pressure" instant thumb penetration...a no no.

Long story to say... Don't mess with your IP if it is producing fuel. Save yourself headaches.

Jerry

 

[Munchies]

Did I miss where he was getting fuel through the pump? I was thinking he had a stuck plunger, I read back and saw no mention of fuel past the IP but I was out in the swamp heat all day, and broke my glasses so I kind of skim read at times.

 

[storeman]

I disconnected the hard lines at the IP and cranked the engine, the 4 ports all spit fuel though not with much force. I pulled and blew out the check valve,bled the line at the filter and IP, primed the hard lines by cranking the engine. I could really use some guidance. Thanks for your consideration!
ZeusDiesel[/QUOTE]

Munchies,
I think a lot of folks missed it. I've been tied up or would have responded earlier.
Jerry

 

[ZeusDiesel]

Everyone:

Thanks for your inputs. I have checked the IP again, and am getting fuel to the injectors. The transfer pump has good flow to the IP. As mentioned in the beginning, when I exercised the Gen 1 month ago, everything ran fine, I shut it off and all seemed good. Since, when I crank it, no smoke, just runnin down the batteries. I checked the air filter, clean and set on summer-run. My batteries, one is 4 months in use and the other is 2 years (this one I had tested 1 week ago and they said it shouldn't be a factor. both are 650 CA and 550 CCA, been using this set up for almost 2 years, exercising monthly. 3401 on the HR Meter. Must be somethin easy to this, just can't figure it.
ZeusDiesel

 

[1800 Diesel]

Everyone:

Thanks for your inputs. I have checked the IP again, and am getting fuel to the injectors. The transfer pump has good flow to the IP. As mentioned in the beginning, when I exercised the Gen 1 month ago, everything ran fine, I shut it off and all seemed good. Since, when I crank it, no smoke, just runnin down the batteries. I checked the air filter, clean and set on summer-run. My batteries, one is 4 months in use and the other is 2 years (this one I had tested 1 week ago and they said it shouldn't be a factor. both are 650 CA and 550 CCA, been using this set up for almost 2 years, exercising monthly. 3401 on the HR Meter. Must be somethin easy to this, just can't figure it.
ZeusDiesel

How about pulling the injectors and reconnecting to the HP lines outside the cylinder and then cranking over and observe spray pattern (if any)...maybe you have one or more clogged injector or one or more not functioning properly. Though unlikely, you could also have a compression problem, maybe incorrect valve lash, valve spring problem?? You could also check compression just to remove that from the list....It's always a head-scratcher though when an engine runs fine & then decides [out-of-the-blue] to start acting up.....always eliminate the basics first....

Only other thing that comes to mind--you might have a pinhole (or unseated fitting) in the fuel line between the tank & the 1st transfer pump. This would show up as a slight seepage when the engine is not running. While running, the transfer pump could pull in air and send it to the IP....probably far-fetched but worth a look...

 

[ZeusDiesel]

Since last we spoke, I have load tested the batteries(good), re-primed the HP lines(no air, no leaks), glow plugs are glowing well,transfer pump is strong, the fuel shut-off solenoid is strong and moving freely, the only thing not working now that was before is the battery indicator (since I jumped the batteries about a week ago). Just seems I have air, fuel and cranking. It shutdown fine last time I used it. Getting no glimmer of smoke. Any electrical problems (devices/gauges) you can think of that might have failed on shut down that would keep it from turning over. It is stored in a wooden shed to keep it out of the elements, didn't get wet, has plenty of air to breathe. It doesn't seem that all the injectors would go out at once, wouldn't I get at least some smoke from a few of them hitting.

Thanks for your consideration,
ZeusDiesel

 

[Jimc]

Well if your getting no smoke and you have good fuel to the pump then it can only be two things.....the pump or the injectors. If the injectors were firing then you would see some smoke. You did check that when the stop solenoid is retracted the governor arm is infact pulling the throttle arm up on the pump? If so then send out the injectors to be tuned which im sure they need it anyway if its never been done, then pull the pump and go through it to see what you find.

 

[1800 Diesel]

Since last we spoke, I have load tested the batteries(good), re-primed the HP lines(no air, no leaks), glow plugs are glowing well,transfer pump is strong, the fuel shut-off solenoid is strong and moving freely, the only thing not working now that was before is the battery indicator (since I jumped the batteries about a week ago). Just seems I have air, fuel and cranking. It shutdown fine last time I used it. Getting no glimmer of smoke. Any electrical problems (devices/gauges) you can think of that might have failed on shut down that would keep it from turning over. It is stored in a wooden shed to keep it out of the elements, didn't get wet, has plenty of air to breathe. It doesn't seem that all the injectors would go out at once, wouldn't I get at least some smoke from a few of them hitting.

Thanks for your consideration,
ZeusDiesel

Maybe timing has changed....good fuel pressure & IP sending fuel to the injectors all good until the timing is altered. I agree some smoke should be showing up even with some residual fuel in the cylinders.

Try this:

1. Remove air intake hose from the engine.

2. Soak an old rag in gas.

3. Hold rag near intake and crank engine over. See if it'll try to start or actually start. (Obviously don't let rag get drawn into engine.)

If it "runs" only with the gas, then compression is probably not the issue, and you have a fuel delivery or fuel timing problem.

I would still remove each injector and connect to it's respective fuel line outside the cylinder. Agree the "four at one time" thing makes it a long shot, but without doing that you still are in the dark as to whether fuel is getting delivered to the engine. And then there's the possibility of fuel timing....I'll let Jerry (or others) provide those details....there are several who know way more about the IP parts than I do...