Mep-003a Sitting A Long Time

[ckesey]

Yes that is correct. There were only 2 on this unit. Someone had already been tinkering before they sat it in the field. One of the three was completely missing.

Just to make sure, part #11 in your diagram is suppose to be removable correct? All the parts I was able to remove except for #11.

It's been soaking in Evaporust (because it had water in it but not a ton of rust) but I'm going to take it out and soak it in something that will eat old vanished fuel to see of that helps.

 

[Guyfang]

Yep, Item #11 will come out. Unscrew it.

 

[GopherHill]

Much good advice on this thread. I wish you good fortune on your resurrection.

 

[ckesey]

That's where I've missed the boat. Didn't realize it unscrewed. Was expecting it to fall out.

 

[edgephoto]

Make a mixture to help clean those pumps.

1 part each: Acetone, Dexron II/III/VI ATF, 1K Kerosene, Mineral Spirits.

 

[Ray70]

That's where I've missed the boat. Didn't realize it unscrewed. Was expecting it to fall out.

Hold on, item #11 in the fuel pump diagram is the actual plunger. it should fall out but is often stuck in there with varnish.
The magnetic field in the pump makes the plunger "vibrate" up and down, that's the clicking noise you're supposed to hear.
Opposing check valves at each end cause the fuel to flow in 1 direction as the plunger moves up and down.
If it won't come out by banging the pump on a piece of wood, soak it in carb cleaner, acetone , ATF mixture, etc. until it frees up.

 

[Guyfang]

So much for my "Golden Memories" from the 70's!

 

[Ray70]

Well, in all fairness, whoever drew the diagram did make the shoulder on the end appear to be threaded!

 

[Scoobyshep]

Hold on, item #11 in the fuel pump diagram is the actual plunger. it should fall out but is often stuck in there with varnish.
The magnetic field in the pump makes the plunger "vibrate" up and down, that's the clicking noise you're supposed to hear.
Opposing check valves at each end cause the fuel to flow in 1 direction as the plunger moves up and down.
If it won't come out by banging the pump on a piece of wood, soak it in carb cleaner, acetone , ATF mixture, etc. until it frees up.

In extreme cases Ive used compressed air through the output to convince the plunger to come out. Right after my ears stopped ringing and i was able to dig the plunger out of the sheetrock, I was able to get the pump working again.

 

[rickf]

So much for my "Golden Memories" from the 70's!

Just goes to show you are human and as humans we make mistakes. 99.5% of your info is spot on so I think we can allow for that other .5%.

 

[Guyfang]

As long as Ray is able to keep me on the right track!!

 

[Ray70]

Don't look at ME! I was the one sending Toolslinger off to check his Pimp Lever!

 

[rickf]

Don't look at ME! I was the one sending Toolslinger off to check his Pimp Lever!

Oh I am NOT going to touch THAT one!!!!!!

 

[ckesey]

Two steps forward and one step back....

Fuel system is fairly clean now and all the old fuel has been removed from everywhere accessible. Tank is patched from the pinholes and looks to be a good long term repair. The new fuel pump (single at this point) is installed and plumbed.

I checked the unit over for quite some time looking for any nests or questionable areas. Surprisingly I didn't find anything behind the control panel, inside the electrical box or inside the air cooling passages.

I hooked up a couple batteries (from my home MEP-003A just the same way) and connected them up. Didn't hear or see anything. I flipped the light on the control panel and both came on. I flipped the switch to prime and the new fuel pump began clicking. I turned everything off and was going to get some diesel to add to the tank.

About the same I came back with a diesel container I heard a crackling noise and then saw smoke. I was coming from the J1 connector on the outside (backside) of the control panel.

I guess I need to start tracing some wires and checking for shorts.

 

[Toolslinger]

Oh that just makes me sick... Having had two of three harnesses burn up on my first 802a I feel your pain...
My best guess was corrosion in the contacts at the point it burned/melted. Since then, everything new gets a complete DeOxit treatment before it sees any voltage.

 

[ckesey]

Update: Not sure what to make of this. I checked connections and looked for shorts for several hours. Couldn't find anything. I put an amp clamp on the positive lead and reconnected. Wasn't showing anything. Waited and waited and showed nothing. No smoke, nothing getting hot.

I have been able to test the fuel system and found a bad check valve. After removing temporarily (and was able to hit it with some carb cleaner and get it working after the fact) the IP seems to be delivering fuel to injectors.

 

[rickf]

You need to trace out that circuit with the burned wires and see what it is and what it does. Those wires are compromised and need to be repaired before using the set but you really need to find what happened and finding out what that group of wires controlled is where you start diagnosing those parts. It may not have anything to do with a bad connection or short, it could be a fault within a component.

 

[Guyfang]

I went back and read the whole story again. If this gen set sat a long time someplace, I guess the first question I would ask now is, has ANYONE ever seen it run right? Second question would be, has ANYONE any idea WHY it was sitting so long? Was is left to rot because no one could fix it? Or left to rot because of other reasons? Like Rick wrote, what circuits got hot in that C-plug?

 

[rickf]

I think it can be fixed with the right people diagnosing it. Most likely it did not have the knowledge that is available on here.