MEP-003A fuel tank (WTB)

[clinto]

So, I'm rebuilding an MEP-003A genset and an M116A2 trailer.

I am in the process of going through the fuel system and am running into the typical issues. Lack of maintenance, corrosion, sludge, etc.

I am soaking the filter canisters and components in CLR and getting good results. The tank was full of sludge and I pressure washed it this morning in order to get the big chunks out before soaking it in CLR and I found that the tank is toast. Multiple pinholes in the bottom.

I don't think it's worth it to try and patch this tank. I'm afraid it needs an entirely new bottom section.

So I need a replacement tank. I see Green Mountain Generators has a new aluminum tank, but it's for an 002A and only holds 6 gallons. I don't really wanna' do that, I'd like to keep my 12 gallon fuel tank.

Does anyone have a good used tank available?

Thanks

 

[GopherHill]

I'd try a tank lining solution. I've had excellent results with motorcycle tanks. Be sure and use ospho type solution first after a good pressure washing. Use tape over the pinholes. The liner will plug the pinholes.
PM me if you need more info.

 

[clinto]

So, I had considered buying an aftermarket aluminum tank and adding the ports for the auxiliary take off and all that, and then I remembered:

I have an ASK for my machine and if I put a different size fuel tank on it, the Accoustical Suppression kit may not work.

So I'm bumping this ad. Green Mountain Generators used to sell NOS tanks for these, but they are out of stock. Hoping to find someone who has a good used or NOS tank squirreled away.

If not, I am going to have to cut the bottom out of this tank and try and weld a replacement floor in. I really think with the amount of holes in this, that trying to line it is just not gonna' cut it.

 

[Ray70]

I'll tell you for sure you could fix that tank with Caswell Plating 2 part epoxy tank sealer.
But, perhaps a better solution would be to fabricate a new bottom to weld into place, then if you have any stubborn pin holes in your welds or if you have additional rust on the side walls of the tank that you want to seal in, then you could use the epoxy sealer and kill both birds!
If you get into a bind I have a couple possible solutions, I have a spare tank on the shelf that I have already epoxy coated and I have a parts 003 which I could check the tank condition on for you.

 

[glcaines]

Clint, I cleaned the tank on my MEP003A by putting crushed pea-size gravel in it with water and dawn dish soap. I then strapped it on one of the rear wheels on my John Deere 5520 tractor and drove it for hours. Clean as a whistle after that. The baffle inside makes it difficult to clean. It was difficult getting all of the gravel out after the tractor ride. Fortunately, I didn't have any leaks. When I started, my tank was as nasty as they come. I now keep my tank filled all the way to the cap to keep the bare steel in the tank away from air.

I don't know if they still sell MEP parts, but I've had good luck with Delks Surplus in the past.

 

[clinto]

I'll tell you for sure you could fix that tank with Caswell Plating 2 part epoxy tank sealer.
But, perhaps a better solution would be to fabricate a new bottom to weld into place, then if you have any stubborn pin holes in your welds or if you have additional rust on the side walls of the tank that you want to seal in, then you could use the epoxy sealer and kill both birds!
If you get into a bind I have a couple possible solutions, I have a spare tank on the shelf that I have already epoxy coated and I have a parts 003 which I could check the tank condition on for you.

Hey Ray

I think I'd be interested in one of your tanks, if you don't mind looking at them. I know mine needs a bottom and frankly, I'm not sure I'm a skilled enough metal worker to do it. I am going to attempt it, but I'm not sure how it's going to turn out. I'll get started on cutting trhe bottom out of mine soon. Once I do that, I can sandblast the entirety of the interior of the tank and start working on creating a replacement patch.

Worst case scenario, if I buy one of yours and I manage to restore my tank, I could keep mine on the shelf as a spare, or sell it to you or someone else.

Clint, I cleaned the tank on my MEP003A by putting crushed pea-size gravel in it with water and dawn dish soap. I then strapped it on one of the rear wheels on my John Deere 5520 tractor and drove it for hours. Clean as a whistle after that. The baffle inside makes it difficult to clean. It was difficult getting all of the gravel out after the tractor ride. Fortunately, I didn't have any leaks. When I started, my tank was as nasty as they come. I now keep my tank filled all the way to the cap to keep the bare steel in the tank away from air.

I don't know if they still sell MEP parts, but I've had good luck with Delks Surplus in the past.

Thanks, I'll check w/ Delks. I've been looking for people who deal with gensets other than GMG.

So, your tractor wheel thing, I've seen others do that. What about the pickup tube? Did the gravel not damage the pickup tube? I'd be worried about the tube getting knocked off or broken by the gravel as it moved through the tank interior?

I have a pneumatic paint shaker I could mount this thing in and let the gravel do it's thing. I don't have a tractor, but I could come up with something.

Thanks

 

[Ray70]

You would want to remove the float, pickup tube and aux. fuel switch and plug the holes before trying to clean it.

 

[glcaines]

You would want to remove the float, pickup tube and aux. fuel switch and plug the holes before trying to clean it.

Yeah, that is what I did. Everything that would come out came out and the holes plugged. I made sure I used crushed gravel since crushed gravel has very rough and sharp edges. The whole inside was bright and shiny and didn't stink anymore either! I initially tried shaking the tank by hand but that got very old very fast so I went with the tractor wheel.

 

[metalworker393]

Hey Clinto how are you. I keep my 002a in one spot. My tank need to be replaced or repaired.
During hurricane Sandy utility power was out for a week. My 2a kept the lights on and everything I needed working fine.
What I didn't really like was refueling it every 8 hours. So when the tank started leaking I decided I wanted a new oversize tank good for 24 hours.
I removed the batteries off the frame. That gave me alot more real estate for an oversize tank.
I went to a marine fuel tank fabrication company , gave them a drawing with all the fittings I needed welded in and they fabbed it up.
When power is out and I'm on the generator I still go out and put an eyeball on it , but I refuel it once a day.
I'm sure you could have a tank made the same size if that's what you really want. Think about that if you are going to replace your tank .
metalworker393

 

[Guyfang]

That builds character! And big arms.


You could also just find a large tank and run on Aux Fuel. A lot of folks here worry about having a spill if the fuel float goes bad. I worked on a Hawk site and we ran 24/7, 365 days a year. I worked there for 10.5 and never saw anything like that happen, Never. I trust Aux Fuel systems.

 

[metalworker393]

I'll see if I can take a picture of it tomorrow.

 

[DieselAddict]

I have one in god shape that I use as an aux tank on the MEP1030. I'll take $350 plus shipping.

 

[clinto]

I have one in god shape that I use as an aux tank on the MEP1030. I'll take $350 plus shipping.

Hey @DieselAddict , I'm going to send you a PM shortly. I'm interested.

For the rest of you, I thought I'd share some pics.

So far, I've done the following:

• Completely cleaned out the fuel system. All hoses, tubes, canisters, etc. I've soaked the canisters and gotten all the sludge out. Cleaned out the fuel pumps, screens, etc. Installed new fuel filters.
• Changed oil and filter.
• Cleaned, sanded and repainted the generator
• Applied new stencils
• Installed the NOS instrument cluster bezel I got from u/Tinstar, installed a new voltmeter.

Once I get a fuel tank, I'll clean it out, paint it, stencil it, install it and I'll be ready to throw batteries in it and see if it runs and charges.

I'm taking the M116A2 trailer to the sandblaster this week. Once it's painted, re-wired and all that, I'll mount the 003A to it and install the NOS ASK that I found on Marketplace for it.


I cut the bottom out of the fuel tank, in preparation for welding or brazing a new bottom into it. I found a ton of sludge but also found that the corrosion was not just on the floor, but on the sides as well.




That's the side of the tank (the vertical).

 

[Guyfang]

That looks pretty sporty!





When you cleaned the fuel system, did you maybe also clean the check valve? After all this work, it would be a killer if that maybe gave you problems later.

 

[clinto]

No, I'll have to go find that and attend to it.

Thanks

 

[glcaines]

Clint, are you aware of how difficult it is to do maintenance on the MEP003A with the ASK kit installed? I was going to install an ASK kit on mine, but several people talked me out of it. Excellent job on the genset. Looks new - probably better than new!

 

[Guyfang]

It is a PITA.

 

[clinto]

Clint, are you aware of how difficult it is to do maintenance on the MEP003A with the ASK kit installed? I was going to install an ASK kit on mine, but several people talked me out of it. Excellent job on the genset. Looks new - probably better than new!

I am. Unfortunately, where this is going to live is only about 220' from a neighbor. It's a heavily wooded area that separates us, but it's still close enough that I want to do whatever I can to minimize any noise. I want to be a good neighbor and all that. I'm also aware of the rodent issue. It sucks.

Thanks. I am dropping the 116A2 off at the sandblasters tomorrow. Going to blast it, paint it, new tires, new wiring and lights, dataplates, etc.

When I got all of this, it had been "Fire Departmented" and as a result, everything looked like crap. I know it's just a generator in the backyard, but I couldn't live with it like that.

 

[glcaines]

The MEP003A generators are fantastic. Mine runs my entire house without selecting circuits and I've virtually never had any problems once my tank was cleaned, filters changed and fluids changed. I did replace a burned-out transistor on the VR board with a replacement from another member here very early on. I also purchased another VR board from Delks as a spare. I think I'm now on my 3rd set of batteries. Never replaced any glow plugs. Mine was manufactured in 1992, I believe that was the last year they were made. Mine is on an M116A2 trailer as well and I keep in in the garage with the garage doors open when running. I have neighbors also, but I'm back in the woods and no one ever complains about the noise. You need to come up here for a visit. Kenny lives nearby and we could get together for lunch.

 

[clinto]

I would very much like to come up for lunch, it's been several years since I've seen ya'll.

The issue I'm running into is the cost of modifying my house to run this thing.

I have a 4-0 quadraplex line feeding power to the shop. Power enters the shop on the left side. I'm eventually going to add an awning to the left side that matches the right side so that the generator and a couple of trailers can live under cover.


The quotes I'm getting from electricians to set the house up are insane. I'd like the shop and the house to have generator power but in order to do that, I'm being told I'd need two transfer switches.

My house has a single 400A service that comes in to the service entrance. It splits off into a 150A breaker for the house and a 200A breaker for the shop.

At best, I was told I could use the shop's 4-0 line to run power from the generatorup to the house, through a double throw disconnect and that would power the house. If I wanted to also be able to power the shop, I'd have to lay a second buried line to get power back to the shop, plus a second double throw disconnect.

And the quote I got for a single double throw disconnect was almost $3K.

At that point, adding that # to what I have in the generator, I'm torn as to whether I should keep going, or just sell the generator and accept that it isn't cost effective to have a generator backup for my house.

I've lived here 20 years and for years I said I didn't want a generator, as I thought I'd do more PMCS keeping it mission ready than I'd ever actually use it. But in the last few years, I seem to have started losing power more frequently and for longer periods. I'd really like to find a way to have a backup, but if it's going to cost $6-8K (total, generator, wiring, etc.), well, I think I'd rather use that money for the shop.