MEP-002A, will Start, Run then dies....any suggestions?

Scoobyshep said:

Yes thats the point. The slug seizes up, when the pump is disassembled (except the slug) compressed air in the output can be used to dislodge the slug if a solvent and tapping doesnt work.

I have only had a pump badly gummed up once to need to blow it apart.

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You are correct, I was not thinking on all cylinders last night. The ball I mentioned is in the bottom of the piston so pressurizing it will push up on the piston. Have a rag over the end in case it blows out and do not use full shop pressure.

rickf said:

You are correct, I was not thinking on all cylinders last night. The ball I mentioned is in the bottom of the piston so pressurizing it will push up on the piston. Have a rag over the end in case it blows out and do not use full shop pressure.

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Hey now, not only am i going for removal, I am also trying to break a distance record

Ray70 said:

Definitely sounds like fuel starvation to me too, but the smoke has me puzzled.
Typically they don't smoke like that when starved for fuel.
I'm thinking 2 things, fuel starvation or possibly insufficient air flow.
I wonder if you could be getting CO building up in the shed if the air outside is stationary ( no breeze )
Do you have an easy way to open up the enclosure ( roof maybe ) to try it.
Or put a fan blowing air into it?
Lastly, be careful letting it run and die down like that too many times, you can blow the VR transistors doing that.
Might be worth disconnecting the field wires from the VR until you get the engine sorted out.
Check the schematic, I think it's wires 7&8 or 8&9 ?? look for F1 and F2 to the generator.

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You can't see it in the videos but when the Gen Set is in used I can and do open all 4 sides of the shed for air flow. When I built it, I knew that was important and have never had an issue when it was running for extended periods.

I will also look into how to disconnect to VR for added protection while I (we) figure it out.

Right now, its dumping rain here and expected to do so for the next 3 to 4 days. So, I'll be holding off doing anything on the unit until the weather clears a bit.

Guyfang said:

Troubleshooting. The only way to exclude the Fuel system from the problem equation is to:

Remove all three pumps. Take them apart. Its easy. Soak them in some wonder fluid to remove the crud/lacquer, and reassemble. Bench test them. Both electrically, and by pumping fuel into a bowl. Then sand down the points where the Bolts/nuts attach the pumps to the frame. I would 100%, put new serrated washers on all the mounting hardware, on both sides. These pumps need good grounds. Then if you haven't , take the whole fuel system apart and clean/inspect it. Put it all back together, and test. If you have no leaks, this system will last you many, many years. Do not forget the check valve.

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Once the weather clears here a bit a will get into checking/cleaning the whole fuel system.

Two question...
What "wonder fluid" would you recommend for soaking?
I see 3 check valves between the Fuel Tank and the IP, is that all of them?

@1FAST4 Thanks for the informative videos.

So, it could be fuel starvation, but when I have experienced fuel starvation, the engine tends to start, run, then fade, and die, not fade and get better, and then fade and die.

The three things that I have seen do fade, better, fade and die are a) debris intermittently clogging fuel line somewhere (engine vibration can knock debris around), b) an air leak into the fuel system causing injection issues (and since yours runs ok for awhile, the leak is likely small), and c) a gummed up governor rack that isn't moving freely and sticks. Given the smoke on dying, I would tend to suspect option b or c.

I think that that style pump typically has two check valves per pump.

This storm does look to be a gulley washer for a lot folks in NorCal/Oregon.

All the best,

2Pbfeet

+ on the air leak ( in suction side upstream of pumps ) check lines, fittings and the dip tube inside the tank.
You won't see any fuel leaks because it's on the suction side.

On the 002 / 003 you have an external fuel lever assembly, not an internal rack, therefore when the machine begins to die if you manually push up on the linkage coming off the pump and the engine revs back up, that would eliminate a fuel supply issue and point towards a governor control issue.

2 check valves per pump, normally they are blow through so a weak pump shouldnt cause a stall, there is also one in line between the filter and IP. its in the hose right by the oil pressure gauge.

Not on this series of set but i did have another piece of equipment where a check valve failed so bad it would block both directions randomly

I just watched the videos and I will tell you I have one that does the exact same thing except it does not die. It stumbles and picks up and runs great then stumbles again. I had a thread on it a couple years ago on here. I suspect the pump has been replaced and possibly the timing is off, I have not had time to get back into it. But I checked fuel by bypassing all of the filters and the tank by running the suction into a can and out to an inline filter direct to the pump. I watched the fuel return and it never faltered during these stumbles. Blue/white smoke is usually unburned fuel and could be caused by low compression or wrong timing. I will be following this closely. But does the injection pump look like it might have been changed? A little cleaner or different color dirt than the rest of the unit?

Yea Ray, I know, get my butt in gear.

The check valve.

I've never seen one die like that... with initially both cylinders running and then one cylinder running & other quitting & white smoke. My thoughts are perhaps it could be Injection pump timing, or... perhaps a bad injector on the failing cylinder. If a bad injector on one cylinder & its slowly dropping RPM's then the governor would request more fuel to maintain RPM thus over fueling the good cylinder until it quits? Just a thought...

Guyfang said:

View attachment 935928

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Und?
What is the importance of the photo? I guess that I am missing something. Thanks!

All the best,

2Pbfeet

I thought I wrote, "The Check Valve" above the picture. Corrected now.