MEP003a oil

[robkiller]

My mep003a has 1300 hours and had not been run in a long time. I got it started but it was smoking really bad for a while and missing on one of the cylinders. After it took time to run the rust off it stopped smoking and ran on all cylinders with a heavy load no problem.


My question is I am running the same oil I run in my diesel truck which is a diesel truck synthetic 10w 30 I think it is. I am wondering if I should not be using something that thin. What are your thoughts on that?

 

[rosco]

I run Dello, 15-40 in everything - including my Toyota. If its cold, put enough heat on it to have the oil drip off the dip stick, then start it. Commercial truck companies routinely get 1000K miles from engines with extended oil changes (20,000 to 30,000 miles, depending on the application). I see no need to go to the expense of using a synthetic oil.

 

[1800 Diesel]

....My question is I am running the same oil I run in my diesel truck which is a diesel truck synthetic 10w 30 I think it is. I am wondering if I should not be using something that thin. What are your thoughts on that?

Definitely run 15/40--Rotella, Delo 400--both good oil for diesels but prices have been holding at fairly high levels. For the last couple years (or longer) I've been running the WM brand Super Tech 15/40 in all my diesel generators, trucks & tractors.

Kevin

 

[Suprman]

Check the glow plugs

 

[Chainbreaker]

When I lived in Colorado I ran 15-40 Delo in my Diesel truck (Dodge Cummins 5.9L) and it did well on it. I am planning on running 15-40 Delo in my new to me MEP-002a when it is time to change the oil. I think synthetic is fine if you don't mind the cost. I tend to lean more towards flushing out all the oil and impurities on a more frequent basis using Dino oil rather than extended drains using synthetic and the added plumbing required for the extra filtration necessary to get extended drain intervals. IMO, just use a good diesel oil meeting or exceeding the TM spec for your generator and follow the oil change intervals and you should be fine.

 

[storeman]

Dittos to Chainbreaker.
Jerry

 

[robkiller]

Check the glow plugs

I did not think of that, you think my startup smoke could be from a glow plug not working right?

 

[jbk]

i had a couple smoke a bit on start up from worn valve guide seals.

 

[Rapracing]

I have Rotella in the 002 and Delo 400 in the 003, both 15-40. I have Delo to put in the 002 when I have a little time. I have run it for about 12 hours now on the oil I put in after getting it and just feel like changing it again now that it was ran a bit. The oil that is in it is real clean but I still think I'll go ahead and change it.

I currently have Motorcraft Deisel 15-40 in my truck.

 

[robkiller]

i had a couple smoke a bit on start up from worn valve guide seals.

No easy way to check that out or fix it is there?

 

[1800 Diesel]

No easy way to check that out or fix it is there?

Haven't done it on these engines but on others I've worked on, the head has to be removed and the guide has to be replaced. If the guide is not a replaceable part, then the guide can be reamed out & a bronze "sleeve" is pressed in. Even with new guides, the operating clearances have to be verified between each valve & its respective guide. Too much clearance & the valve will not run smoothly in the bore, creating more accelerated wear & also more clearance causes higher temperatures on the valve, due to poor heat transfer to the head.

Another option & I don't know if they're available or if another (non-Onan) part # would work, but you can also do a "band-aid" by installing valve stem umbrellas that slip over the valve stem on top of the existing guide. IIRC, they used to be made from Teflon. This can be done in place by applying compressed air to the cylinder so the rocker arm & valve spring can be removed while the head remains on the engine. The down side of this is that you're not restoring the proper operating clearance between the guide & the stem but instead "re-routing" the oil around the guide area. Also, with this repair, the oil leakage/burning problem is fixed but the valve is allowed to "wobble" in the bore of the guide, which sooner or later will require attention, depending on the wear amount on the guide.

Some guys used to buy valves with over-sized stems (~0.001-.003") & just install them in the existing guides (fitting still required), but obviously the head requires removal to do this--whether you change guides or valves....

 

[steelypip]

One note of caution - I never install valve stem seals on anything's exhaust valves. The exhaust system is under an average positive pressure - it's hard enough to get a consistent amount of oil down the valvestem without a seal. On the intake side I run a seal if there's a problem with clearances opening up or valves carboning up on that particular kind of engine - intake runs cooler and is under net negative pressure relative to crankcase, so lubrication is a pretty straightforward matter, and you can get excessive amounts of oil past a loose intake valve, particularly on an engine with some kind of intake throttle like a gasoline engine or some diesels.

Yes, you get a little puff of blue smoke when the engine has been sitting for a while if you have no exhaust valve stem seals. There's no harm in it, and it means that your exhaust valves are more likely to get the lubrication they need.

 

[1800 Diesel]

One note of caution - I never install valve stem seals on anything's exhaust valves. The exhaust system is under an average positive pressure - it's hard enough to get a consistent amount of oil down the valvestem without a seal. On the intake side I run a seal if there's a problem with clearances opening up or valves carboning up on that particular kind of engine - intake runs cooler and is under net negative pressure relative to crankcase, so lubrication is a pretty straightforward matter, and you can get excessive amounts of oil past a loose intake valve, particularly on an engine with some kind of intake throttle like a gasoline engine or some diesels.

Yes, you get a little puff of blue smoke when the engine has been sitting for a while if you have no exhaust valve stem seals. There's no harm in it, and it means that your exhaust valves are more likely to get the lubrication they need.

That's a good point--too little or no oil around the stem is a bad thing!

 

[robkiller]

So an update to this problem. I started it up again in 40 degree weather and it had not run for a month. It was really hard to start did not want to kick up the rpm it was running really low rpms. For this reason I would stop it and try again. After a few time it kicked up the rpm but was smoking bad. It seemed like it was running on one cylinder at first and after a lot of smoke and one cylinder cutting in and out it ran perfect once warm. Ran and did not smoke after warm while under load. I am thinking this is a glow plug issue and thoughts?

 

[steelandcanvas]

I'm thinking glow plugs or a sticky injector. How long after starting did it "run perfect once warm"? Fuel fresh?

 

[robkiller]

Less then a min to start running smoothly. Right around a min or so for smoke to stop. Fuel is fresh. Its behaving a lot like my tdi jetta diesel which has an engine light on for a bad glow plug.

 

[Chainbreaker]

I would test all the glow plugs (to confirm or eliminate them as a potential problem), its easy. Just follow the advice in this thread:

http://www.steelsoldiers.com/showth...nd-MEP-003A-glow-plug-and-heater-part-numbers

Remember when removing glow plugs and reinstalling them that PB Blaster and anti-seize compound are your friends.