New to me MEP-803A doesn't want to start seems to me its not be getting fuel.

[myridge]

I picked up a GL auction MEP-803a last week and just had time to mess with it last night and cannot get it to start.

I charged the two Optima batteries and checked the all the fluids and tried to start it.
I removed the filler neck and looked in the tank with a flashlight and seen what appeared to be some shiny metal flakes in a few spots in the tank so I vacuumed the tank out with my extractor and added 3 gallons of fresh diesel. When I flip the switch to Prime & Run/w Aux or Prime & Run I can hear the fuel pumps doing their thing. I select Prime & Run and let it sit for 15 seconds or so and then choose Start and it cranks over for 20 seconds or so and never starts. No warning lights come on unless I press the test button and they all light up.

It has 1/4 tank of fuel and good batteries.

NOTE: There is a wire that was pulled from its connector near the dead crank switch. I still need to review the TM & OM to see what this is but I did reconnect it. Also, there is an extra wire that is zip tied up and doesn's seem to go anywhere is this normal?
Also it looks like the shroud has been bent and pulled out away from the fuel pump. I am guessing this is why it was decommissioned and listed on GL and I got it for such a good price but any advice to help me get it going would be very much appreciated.

If it helps its a 2003 Fermont MEP-803a with a Tier 2 reset and has 425 hours on the clock. The fluids look new and pristine.
My next steps were to order a new fuel & oil filter and inspect both the old filters closely when I changed them and changed the oil even though it appears new.

 

[Bmxenbrett]

Looks to be the oil pressure switch wire. U will need to fix that. Have you cracked the hard fuel lines on the fuel pumps to make sure your getting fuel out of them? If all fluids are clean i wouldnt expect new filters to help this problem.

 

[novaman]

All of them have bent guards from fluid draining for demil. I always remove them first thing. makes it easier to check for leaks and belt wear etc. Yes that's the oil shut down switch it should still start because its off but would immediately shut down again after a few seconds without seeing oil pressure. Ive seen this sabotage a lot. My guess is they needed to spend this years tax dollars budget if they want to get it again next year so they make a few gens inop by cutting that wire and sending it to auction so they can buy new ones to use up the budget. Also the extra wire is normal. goes to that same oil pressure sensor with the colored wires. Is the fuel shut off solenoid moving when you crank from control panel? are you getting fuel pressure to the injection pumps? Is there a lot of crank case blow by when cranking?

 

[Waukesha]

Dead crank switch appears to be in "off" position. Did you move it down to "normal"?

 

[jamawieb]

The wire that is disconnected is attached to the low oil pressure switch. It has to be connected to let the unit run. The wire that is zipped tied is normal.
1st check and make sure the fuel solenoid cutoff switch is retracting (the solenoid is located in your 2nd picture with the boot on it).
2nd if the solenoid is retracting, sometimes it takes a while for the lines to prime. When cranking, make sure you do 15 second intervals so the starter will cool. Sometimes if takes up to 10 15 second intervals to get them started.

 

[myridge]

Thank you all for the reply your advice got it running. I did a half dozen or so 10-15 second cranks and eventually seen puffs of black smoke so I did another few longer cranks and it came to life and the smoke quit and it's running great. It's reading 60Hz and 55lbs oil pressure and after 10 minutes of running a temp of 180. HOWEVER, I don't seem to have full power to the convenience outlet. It badly turns my small 3/8 drill. I checked the breaker behind the gauge panel and it seems fine. I haven't checked power to the lugs yet.

 

[Bmxenbrett]

You need a meter and to check the lugs and the outlet.

 

[myridge]

I put the meter on the convenience outlet and I'm only getting 31volts from it. 60hrz and I am not getting anything at the lugs.

Any advice?

 

[Daybreak]

I put the meter on the convenience outlet and I'm only getting 31volts from it. 60hrz and I am not getting anything at the lugs.

Any advice?

Howdy,
Read through the forum

 

[jamawieb]

I put the meter on the convenience outlet and I'm only getting 31volts from it. 60hrz and I am not getting anything at the lugs.

Any advice?

A/C interrupter switch on the front controls power to the lugs. You have to close it, to provide power to the lugs.
With the voltage problem, try to increase the voltage with the voltage adjuster knob to see if you can increase it any.