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MEP-803A issue... Won't start... HELP?!?!?!

Daybreak

2 Star Admiral
Steel Soldiers Supporter
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Please explain


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Howdy,
The MEP-802A and MEP-803A have and use the same control box. (The gauges and all the stuff behind the gauges) were initially made, and sent out. They found they had some issues. Somewhere around later 200x they issued a corrective fix. Called QUAD winding fuse modification. So after this point, it was installed at the factory. A special TM went out to all the operators to install this fix. All units which were RESET, had this fix applied. There are still lots of units out there which do not have this modification done. The military had access and money and time to fix a blown stator. If you try to source one, or repair one, it cost some $$$$. The best thing is to read the forums, and if you do get a MEP-80x unit, that is the first thing you do before you start it. Make sure the mod fix is there. Or get the parts and do the MOD.

The modification can be found on PDF page 29 Military MEP generator reset information
 

Jayco36REQS

Member
300
2
16
Location
Orlando/FL
Ok, FINALLY got back to this gen....

Replaced the electric fuel pump and confirmed good fuel flow to the bottom of the mechanical fuel pumps. No start.... So I cracked the line on top of the mechanical fuel pumps and nothing... No fuel flow while trying to start!! Not even a dribble.

I pulled that mechanical pump to make sure the cam lifter was moving during rotation, and yep, it's moving up and down and should be moving the mechanical plunger...

Anyone have a good process for testing these mechanical fuel pumps? Anyone have a braekdown diagram of these pumps, or a process for taking them apart and trying to clean them?

I can always just try to take it apart and wing it, but I hate to reinvent the wheel if someone has already figured out a solid process...

Thanks!
 

jamawieb

Well-known member
1,437
556
113
Location
Ripley/TN
Ok, FINALLY got back to this gen....

Replaced the electric fuel pump and confirmed good fuel flow to the bottom of the mechanical fuel pumps. No start.... So I cracked the line on top of the mechanical fuel pumps and nothing... No fuel flow while trying to start!! Not even a dribble.

I pulled that mechanical pump to make sure the cam lifter was moving during rotation, and yep, it's moving up and down and should be moving the mechanical plunger...

Anyone have a good process for testing these mechanical fuel pumps? Anyone have a braekdown diagram of these pumps, or a process for taking them apart and trying to clean them?

I can always just try to take it apart and wing it, but I hate to reinvent the wheel if someone has already figured out a solid process...

Thanks!
So, what I do. Is leave the pumps in place and remove the hard lines and zip tie them out of the way. Then use a 3/4 wrench and take the top of the pump off, be very careful because there is a spring under there. Take out the spring, then use needle nose to take the metering valve out and then you will be able to see the top of the plunger. Spray with carb cleaner and let sit for a while and work the shut off solenoid back and forth. Then hit the dead crank a couple of times and see if the plunger is going up and down. Worse-case scenario is the plunger is still stuck and you will need to take a brass punch and lightly hit the plunger working it as described above.
I just worked on 2 low hour units with no start and did the process above and started right up.
 

Jayco36REQS

Member
300
2
16
Location
Orlando/FL
SUCCESS!!!! Ok, I took the top hard fuel likes off the fuel pumps, filled each with carb cleaner, let soak for 30 min, dead cranked for 5 sec, soaked with carb cleaner for 30 min, dead cranked for 5 sec, soaked with wd40 for 5 min, dead cranked 5 sec... soaked wd40 for 1 min... dead cranked 5 sec.

Hooked the hard lines back up... electric prime for 60 sec, dead cranked 5 sec... electric prime for 60 sec, dead cranked 5 sec... electric prime for 60 sec, and hit the starter and poof it started right up!!! [thumbzup] It sputtered a tad for the first min or so. I let it run at 60hz for a few minutes, then added a small load of a few fans and started checking the power... it's stable power on all 3 -phases, and purrs like a kitten now!! :)

THANK YOU to ALL for your input and ideas!! [thumbzup]
 

Guyfang

Moderator
Staff member
Moderator
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Location
Burgkunstadt, Germany
NOW, add a can of carb cleaner to the fuel tank, so that when you run it for a few hours, and you should do that, the recast of your fuel system gets a cleaning.
 

Leonardo82nd

Active member
Steel Soldiers Supporter
118
70
28
Location
Edinburg Texas
SUCCESS!!!! Ok, I took the top hard fuel likes off the fuel pumps, filled each with carb cleaner, let soak for 30 min, dead cranked for 5 sec, soaked with carb cleaner for 30 min, dead cranked for 5 sec, soaked with wd40 for 5 min, dead cranked 5 sec... soaked wd40 for 1 min... dead cranked 5 sec.

Hooked the hard lines back up... electric prime for 60 sec, dead cranked 5 sec... electric prime for 60 sec, dead cranked 5 sec... electric prime for 60 sec, and hit the starter and poof it started right up!!! [thumbzup] It sputtered a tad for the first min or so. I let it run at 60hz for a few minutes, then added a small load of a few fans and started checking the power... it's stable power on all 3 -phases, and purrs like a kitten now!! :)

THANK YOU to ALL for your input and ideas!! [thumbzup]
awesome , which lines did you remove and fill with carb cleaner ? I’m needing to do the same thing . Is there a photo/ diagram reference
 

Ray70

Well-known member
2,595
5,914
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Location
West greenwich/RI
Hi Leonardo82nd, you have a different issue than Jayco did.
You are getting smoke while cranking so you are probably getting decent fuel out of the injectors. ( or at least some of them )
Jayco had stuck metering pumps and used carb clean in the pumps to loosen them up.
On your machine the carb clean is going to be used as a fuel, starting assist, not a cleaner, so you want to spray a little into the air intake, not much, start with just a quick spray and try it.
 

Leonardo82nd

Active member
Steel Soldiers Supporter
118
70
28
Location
Edinburg Texas
Hi Leonardo82nd, you have a different issue than Jayco did.
You are getting smoke while cranking so you are probably getting decent fuel out of the injectors. ( or at least some of them )
Jayco had stuck metering pumps and used carb clean in the pumps to loosen them up.
On your machine the carb clean is going to be used as a fuel, starting assist, not a cleaner, so you want to spray a little into the air intake, not much, start with just a quick spray and try it.
ok I understand now , thank you very much for clarifying, and for the other assistance thru messages .
 
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