• Steel Soldiers now has a few new forums, read more about it at: New Munitions Forums!

  • Microsoft MSN, Live, Hotmail, Outlook email users may not be receiving emails. We are working to resolve this issue. Please add support@steelsoldiers.com to your trusted contacts.

Two Part MEP-005a Problem - IP Seal and No Output

276
22
18
Location
Hobart, WA
I have had a 1984 MEP-005a for a while now and got it running well a few months ago but didn't have anything of note to load test it with so I have only briefly run it...

I was having issues with the day tank not refilling and had taken out the float; found that lower stop for the upper float was set too high preventing the circuit from making up but even after adjustment it seemed to act intermittently...

Fast forward to now - got a take out day tank and swapped in that float - fuel delivery system now works great. On and off as it should - part of the previous issue was that I had noticed was the day tank was always empty...

Well I figured out where it had been going :( In the process of setting up to test the transfer switching and shop power circuits I finally hooked up I started the machine, flashed it and got all the panel gauges to jump, brought the RPMs up to have 60 Hz and was showing 109 - 111v per leg and around 228-235v between legs...

Closed the main breaker and nothing seems to happen, I get indication that the breaker closes but that's about it - no power on either side of any of the phases on the breaker which I thought was odd since the one side should be hot if the panel indicates voltage being produced.

Opened the opposite side from the breaker to look around and saw oil and fuel mixture coming from the rear main seal and pouring out the alternator vent screens! - also had a small amount coming from the crankshaft pulley on the free end of the machine - regardless this ended the testing for the lack of output.

Tracing the fuel system is easy enough and I gather the seal on the drive shaft for the injection pump has failed or was installed incorrectly from the get go (which probably explains why this unit only has 342 hours on it and was surplused from US Forest Service Fire Management after doing a stint in the military)...

Anyone know sources to get a new seal? Is this the only barrier from having the diesel in the injection pump body leak into the crankcase where it mates to the front gear case of the engine? I am going to pull the pump soon and see how damaged the seal is (maybe it's salvageable? not likely...)

SOOO - that side of the problem is pretty straight forward and I don't think the engine was damaged (I have had some big marine diesels break fuel lines and fill the crankcase with 400+ gallons of diesel until it was coming out the explosion doors and everything bearing wise was just fine despite being under load when the lube oil was diluted).
:tigger:

Main question is what could cause zero output and the main breaker and lugs while the control panel shows Hz and V that can be altered via speed and the voltage control knob?

Any thoughts?

Matt
 
Top