My "new" MEP002a in South America.

[Macondo]

Hello there,

Yes, I felt in love with those machines that I brought to South America, one MEP 002a and to be honest in the short term we will really need it! (this country is falling apart).

Is my first experience with GL…I risked a lot! Don’t ask me how much I paid to have it here...
I started to inspect it. It needs cosmetics, No problem with that. it has 966 hours (it is a lot?).
Immediately took off the oil dipstick and the oil was clear and new!
The fuel tank seems to be newer than the generator…in side is very dirty, rusty superficiality as I expected, No problem I will wash it and clean.
When I opened the air filter to inspect it, what a surprise! The filter was mark “service may, 14” with the same hours that its shown!!! Fairly rust and dust the canister inside (?).
Then, I went to open the fuel filter No. 2 valve, and other surprise, the fuel was like a Pilsen beer, clear with no water. Well, it smells quite vintage. Filters were new, very clean. I felt better. But the strainer was with water and dirt.
I check the [FONT=&quot]Speed Control Assembly, is not move free. I remove the clevis pin and cotter pin in order to check if cable has any problem…It is moving easily so my question is how far the cable goes out? How the governor assembly move?[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]The control arm that is in the right side of the FI and is move it by the fuel shot solenoid move ok.. [/FONT]

Well my concern is to check the FI. I don’t want to start it only if I am 100% sure that he FI works properly. Any advice?
Any others are very welcome.


It came with batteries, with very little charge. My conclusion is that they left it ready to use and them they discorporate it.

Thanks!

Sorry for my english.

 

[Keith_J]

Ok, he speed control cable is not normally adjusted by the operator, it is best to leave it in position. It moves both by pushing it in to unlock and for fine adjustment, by turning the knob. Set it onc to active 60 Hz frequency and LEAVE IT ALONE. Why? The voltage regulator can be damaged by low engine speed.

Old fuel is bad because it forms varnish. This happens when exposed to air, as evidenced by a rusty fuel tank. Do not run the unit until it has fresh fuel and a clean tank.

There red are three fuel pumps, each one has a strainer on the bottom which should be cleaned after you clean the tank. Then fresh fuel and run the pumps in the prime position, draining the filters as it primes. Since the injection pump control lever moves, you should be safe to operate. Just make sure you get the frequency to 60 Hz or ther about as soon as possible after starting. Make sure there is no load on startup either.

 

[Chainbreaker]

Welcome Macando your English is quite good! BTW, I've visited Caracas and Los Roques a few years ago and have some great memories of those areas.

To answer your question about the hours on your unit - No, 966 hours is not considered a lot of hours on these Mil Spec machines. They are a very robust design and time tested and proven to be quite reliable if maintained properly. Often these units have been known to go upwards of 9,000 hours before a complete rebuild is required. However, you can expect potential component failures along the way. The most common failures seem to be AC voltage regulator malfunction, deteriorated fuel hoses, frequency Hz gauge/transducer malfunction, DC voltage regulator malfunction and possibly fuel injection issues if not maintained properly. However, it sounds like your unit has been well maintained from your description of what you found and that is a great start.

The best advice is to run your unit monthly if not being used regularly to keep fuel and lubrication moving and run up to temperature to keep moisture driven out of unit. Keep your fuel tank filled (to about 1" from top to allow for expansion) so their is not a lot of air inside the tank where the moisture can condense out inside tank when cool at night. As Keith_J points out you never want to idle the unit. Set it to 61.5 Hz and verify that setting is holding after engine is warmed up without any load on it. That should keep it near 60 Hz (1800 RPM) when under normal loads. After properly adjusted, shut-off and start-up are normally without touching of speed control knob.

You should also download all the Technical Manuals listed on this site for the MEP-002a and read through them to get familiar with the information contained in them. Before you start the unit make sure your unit is either tied to a ground rod or hooked into house ground via proper electrical distribution cable with ground wire. You can do a search on this forum on grounding requirements and tips.

If you have any further questions or issues the guys on this forum are great and can address them as they come up.

 

[tommys2patrick]

Macondo--Howdy and welcome from Colorado. You may want to introduce yourself as a new member. Is there a Government Liquidation site near you? I can't imagine what it would have cost to ship your genny.

 

[Macondo]

Ok, he speed control cable is not normally adjusted by the operator, it is best to leave it in position. It moves both by pushing it in to unlock and for fine adjustment, by turning the knob. Set it onc to active 60 Hz frequency and LEAVE IT ALONE. Why? The voltage regulator can be damaged by low engine speed.

Old fuel is bad because it forms varnish. This happens when exposed to air, as evidenced by a rusty fuel tank. Do not run the unit until it has fresh fuel and a clean tank.

There red are three fuel pumps, each one has a strainer on the bottom which should be cleaned after you clean the tank. Then fresh fuel and run the pumps in the prime position, draining the filters as it primes. Since the injection pump control lever moves, you should be safe to operate. Just make sure you get the frequency to 60 Hz or ther about as soon as possible after starting. Make sure there is no load on startup either.

Sorry not to introduce myself as a new member !
Speed control cable: I will leave it alone, my concern was that barely moves the governor when I push and pull it .
Great fuel advice. Today I will clean the fuel tank and the filters them will write how was the experience.
I post some pictures!
Many thanks.

 

[Macondo]

[FONT=&quot]Good day Mr. Chainbreaker, [/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Glad you had very good memories down here.[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Thanks for your comments and I’m working step by step on it. I already download the TM, red several post and watch videos in youtube.[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]I have to change so far two fuel hoses and tray to find here fuel, air and oil filters; I think that will be a task.[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]I keep you inform with my progress in this wonderful machine.[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Thanks and have a good day![/FONT]

 

[Macondo]

Good day Mr Tommys2patrick,

I apologize for not introduce my self as a new member, I am more than happy to be here in this forum.
No, there is not GL here, I did everything by internet and phone; opened account in GL, bid (them my wife said "Are you nuts?") , pay, find a company that palatalized, other to move the 002 from PA to Miami, other to ship to Venezuela and at last it is here! Is amazing!
The only thing I can tell you is that cost me at least 2,25 times as I paid in the auction. So I hope it works ok! I will write here the progress.

Thanks and have a good day!

 

[Keith_J]

1000 hours is NOTHING. This is a 70 cubic inch twin cylinder expected to produce around 10 horsepower. Now, a diesel that size can easily produce 15 horsepower at 1800 RPM so this engine is barely loaded at full generator output. Like others said, it should last at least another 8000 hours, if run at 5kW. Which it will do without a complaint.

The biggest issue is fuel quality. I had to completely rebuild the tank on my unit as it was rusted through, this included acid removal of rust, TIG welding every hole (more than 20) and then sealing the tank with a polyurethane fuel tank sealant. This left the inside a light gray color. Now fuel quality is easily determined with a powerful flashlight, if I can see the bottom, it is good. Fuel typically gets murky so if the bottom cannot be seen, the fuel gets changed.

the strainers on each fuel pump are easy to access, just fit a wrench on the hex head and unscrew. There is a magnet on the cap with a rubber gasket, you will have to pull the strainer out. Wash in clean fuel and reinstall.

The filters should be fine, just drain the sediment every 50 hours. Remember, the strainers catch the bulk of the dirt. And clean fuel should keep filters clean. The fuel pumps deliver much more fuel to the injection pump, most fuel returns to the tank, this cools the injection pump and constantly polishes the fuel. But vibration tends to stir up sediment so always start with a clean tank. You should also drain 20-50 ml of fuel from the bottom of the tank every 50 hours or so.

I use Viton o- rings on fuel and oil filter housings, these seal better than the square profile gaskets. Search this forum for the specifics I posted. I bought these from McMaster-Carr online and got a bunch. Most of the old gaskets I have seen are leakers with filters lasting far longer.

Noise? Yeah, these are LOUD because they are air cooled. About like all the air cooled diesels I have operated, like Deutz. The best idea is to house these in a brick or concrete hut, 100 feet from your house. My 002 sits on a motorized carriage, running pneumatic tires so vibration isn't an issue. Good ventilation is a must, vent it up and noise will be minimal.

An 002 will start most any motor 5kW and under. It will drive up to 7500 watts constantly. Start largest motor load first, then add load until the meter reads 100%. You can go up to 125 % of rated load for 15 minutes or so but don't go much longer especially during warm weather. Shade is a must, the electronics in the control cube are most happy when not baking. Also, protect from water as the meters aren't well sealed anymore. Rubber wears out.

On he engine..as I said, 70 cubic inches. But also it has THREE compression rings with a 4th oil control ring. This is why the oil is clean. They are tight engines meant to last 10k hours. Most 5kW generators use a 25 cubic inch gasoline engine or smaller. And they run at 3600 RPM, this one runs at 1800.

Regarding the governor...how it works is like most others, a spring pulls the throttle open, flyweights driven by the engine cause the throttle to close. The black knob only increases tension on the spring. So with engine off, there is no flyweight force so any adjustment of the knob shows no real change in throttle position. The one adjustment you might need to perform is droop/hunting which is done on the star wheel, hidden in the blower housing. Droop is when the engine speed drops under load. Hunting is instability of engine speed when a load is removed. You get one or the other. A bit of hunting with load removed is ok, no more than 2-3 Hz on the frequency meter. This willgive you 61 Hz unloaded and 60 Hz at full load.

 

[Chainbreaker]

In reviewing the pictures you supplied it appears that your unit has the auxiliary fuel connection adaptor sitting in its storage hole behind the fuel filters. That should come in very handy if you are without power for long periods of time. That adaptor should have 2 sections of brass tubing that screw together. If using just one section you can use the adaptor to draw fuel from a Jerry can that has matching threads. If using 2 sections you can draw fuel from a 55 gallon fuel drum. I don't see the long aux fuel hose that originally came with it (they often get lost) but those can be made up from a shop that services hydraulic equipment hose fittings. The auxiliary pump will automatically come on when the main tank drops below 3/4 full and will keep generator's tank filled to somewhere around the 3/4 mark or slightly above when your units Master Switch is set to "Prime/Run Aux Fuel" setting after starting.

You probably already know this if you have read the TM's, however it bears repeating...When starting be sure to follow the starting procedure placard on the side of the control box. Make sure to hold the Master Switch in the Start position after engine fires off for around 15 seconds to allow oil pressure to build before releasing. If not, it could trigger the low oil pressure sensor and it will quit running after you release the start switch. Also, NEVER use starting fluid (ether) when starting these units!

 

[Macondo]

Thanks Mr. Keith_J and Mr. Chainbraker for you comments. I finished to clean the fuel tank as I said in the beginning is newer than the gen, sadly the left it whit half fuel in side and I don't know for sure if they left the cap tank open or something like that(?) but was with a lot of dirt and rust inside surface but in very good condition if I compare with others thread I red. I will finish next weekend reinstalling
Mr. Keith_J sorry to ask you again, you wrote " Since the injection pump control lever moves, you should be safe to operate..." so don't I have to open or remove cap, deliver valve holder, etc to see if the plunger move by means fan, etc? I have red a lot of thread and I'll not want to break the FI.
Thanks to you people!

 

[jamawieb]

Thanks Mr. Keith_J and Mr. Chainbraker for you comments. I finished to clean the fuel tank as I said in the beginning is newer than the gen, sadly the left it whit half fuel in side and I don't know for sure if they left the cap tank open or something like that(?) but was with a lot of dirt and rust inside surface but in very good condition if I compare with others thread I red. I will finish next weekend reinstalling
Mr. Keith_J sorry to ask you again, you wrote " Since the injection pump control lever moves, you should be safe to operate..." so don't I have to open or remove cap, deliver valve holder, etc to see if the plunger move by means fan, etc? I have red a lot of thread and I'll not want to break the FI.
Thanks to you people!

If the injector pump lever does move up and down with little effort, I agree you should be fine. It is a good idea to take the cap and everything out to see the plunger move in and out. But really not necessary if the lever is moving freely.
If the pump is gummed up, it will be very difficult to move the control lever up and down. If that is the case it is recommended to take the pump off and clean the internals with lacquer thinner or something similar.

 

[Keith_J]

Correct on the injection pump control lever. If it is free, the plunger is also free, these two have similar clearances and will gum up at the same rate. You could put some diesel injection cleaner into the injection pump by removing the delivery valve and holder but you might have to replace the delivery valve holder seal as these tend to fall apart. Or you could squirt some into the injection pump by removing the fuel inlet line. Don't know what is available in VZ...from what I hear, not much
The cleaner I use is a mix of toluene, methanol, acetone etc and it works great at cleaning varnish but it should be flushed away with fresh diesel as it lacks all lubricity.

The problem with a stuck plunger is the drive key can break, requiring detailed removal of the injection pump and complete overhaul. Not a lot of fun but a bit easier on the 002 as there are only two injection lines. Still, the engine must be turned over to align the marks on the flywheel and those 4 nuts securing the pump are real fun to remove.

I grew fond of these generators when I was in the US Army as they are quite efficient. I could leave them running connected to a 55 gallon drum for days, literally. The only downside is less waste heat so I couldn't heat a cup of water for personal coffee in the field, unlike the gasoline generators. Yes, a canteen cup on the muffler of a gas generator will get hot in 15 minutes. Nasty MRE instant coffee still is better than nothing. Now they put Taster's Choice in MREs

 

[Macondo]

Good evening and thanks Mr. jamawieb and Mr Keith_J for your replies. Today I left two hoses in a shop that they reassembly as new; also found place who sell filters and they have the oil filter equivalent because there is a forklift that use it (I think they told me a Yale?) Those are good news to me, so next weekend I will clean the fuel pumps, reasonably the fuel tank I tray to start it!
Thanks again!

 

[gimpyrobb]

I have a new fuel tank and injection pump parts if you find anything you need, let me know.

 

[Macondo]

Hello Mr. gimpyrobb and thank you for offer me you help!

Today I bought oil, fuel and air filters and pick hoses up and search for people who sell transfer to connect 002 to my home. No time to photos, but I will...especially fuel tank.
Thank you to be out there!

 

[Macondo]

Pictures fuel tank.

I have a new fuel tank and injection pump parts if you find anything you need, let me know.

Hello!
Here some pictures of my fuel tank.
View attachment 593408 View attachment 593410
View attachment 593409

 

[Macondo]

Other

 

[gimpyrobb]

Tank doesn't look bad at all imho.

 

[Chainbreaker]

I agree its not bad. I would fill it up with fresh Diesel ASAP (you don't want moisture laden air sitting in the tank for very long) and maybe some diesel additives like "Power Service Diesel Kleen" or what ever type of diesel injector cleaner additives are available to you locally.

Question: Is the diesel fuel that is sold in Venezuela considered Ultra Low Sulfur Diesel (ULSD) or is it the good stuff like we used to have? If it is ULSD you may want to add some type of lubricant to your fresh diesel to increase the lubricity. Many people here in the U.S. add a small amount of 2-stroke oil to their fuel when burned in older diesel engines to insure sufficient lubrication of injection pump, injectors, etc.

 

[Macondo]

I agree its not bad. I would fill it up with fresh Diesel ASAP (you don't want moisture laden air sitting in the tank for very long) and maybe some diesel additives like "Power Service Diesel Kleen" or what ever type of diesel injector cleaner additives are available to you locally.

Question: Is the diesel fuel that is sold in Venezuela considered Ultra Low Sulfur Diesel (ULSD) or is it the good stuff like we used to have? If it is ULSD you may want to add some type of lubricant to your fresh diesel to increase the lubricity. Many people here in the U.S. add a small amount of 2-stroke oil to their fuel when burned in older diesel engines to insure sufficient lubrication of injection pump, injectors, etc.

Thanks for your comments!

- Excellent! I will find a cleaner for the injectors it is a must!!!. I have no idea the quality of diesel ( it is a miracle we can find it! ) I am going to ask a friend and I'll follow your advice.

- I need to clean fuel pumps (inside), may ask you if is necessary to separate it from the chassis or I have to "open" the lower part only?
Thks!