003A developed sudden starting circuit short 24v to ground

[Chainbreaker]

Found this, and there are others
Starter/solenoid combo for $221 http://tinyurl.com/ln8ywwt

Does anyone use Diesel Kleen Plus Cetane Boost? Although sold at Walmart for $17/gallon, it gets good press anyway.

Or, that same Starter/solenoid is also listed here for even less: http://www.discountstarterandaltern...ications-24-volt-32-kw-191-1948-m2t66371.aspx

Although I'm always a bit leery of "aftermarket" parts. I like to know where they are made and by whom so I can gauge quality. Might be a good back-up starter so that if you do encounter a sudden failure you can swap it in and then take your time to get your OEM starter properly repaired.

Yes, I have a gallon jug of Diesel Kleen in the back of my truck and been using it in my Cummins 5.9 since 2004 and it seems to be working (original injectors and pump doing fine). However, I make my own witches brew depending on what it is going in (truck or tractor or generator or long term storage). My brew always includes a shot of some extra lubricity (2 stroke oil) and might also include a Biocide and/or Diesel Clear if going in aux tank/long term storage. I'm going to give the PRI-D Diesel Treatment a try as its getting some strong recommendations (RustyStud here swears by it) once I use up my jug of Diesel Kleen. There are also a lot of other name brand diesel treatment additives that also work well based on independent testing results.

 

[reybo]

Or, that same Starter/solenoid is also listed here for even less: http://www.discountstarterandaltern...ications-24-volt-32-kw-191-1948-m2t66371.aspx
...

Yes, I have a gallon jug of Diesel Kleen in the back of my truck .... There are also a lot of other name brand diesel treatment additives that also work well based on independent testing results.

Many thanks. For $132 it's worth having a spare starter. Not much point in having just a solenoid, since it appears the starter must come off to replace it.

Keeping the diesel fresh in the tank is the goal. For more than 25 years I've been adding ComStar Super Heat to the underground tank. Dissolves sludge, absorbs water. Solved long-standing problems caused by failure to maintain. Used that brand as it was the only one available at RE Michaels, heating and plumbing supply. They stopped selling to the public which saved me money. Grainger has better prices for furnace parts, amazon better yet, and ComStar is happy to sell by the case for half what Michaels charges.

I'll add a measured amount of Super Heat to the gen tank tomorrow. Above ground tanks are more subject to condensation than buried ones. When I had a boat, my gasoline tank was trouble free but the diesel guys were often complaining. The boating mags were full of horror stories about growths.

 

[rustystud]

I have both starters and can't say one is heads and tails above the other.

I agree, I also have both starters and you really cannot tell the difference. The military did upgrade to the gear reduction model so there must be something to it.

 

[Isaac-1]

I am not so sure the military "upgraded" so much as offered both, I have a MEP-002a that came from GL with a Type 1 starter built by Southern Automotive it is new enough still look almost brand new and has a web site URL printed on the label, I am guessing from its 2008 major service (stenciled on unit, not sure how major service differs from reset, but that is what it says) as there are several other new parts on the generator. I also put one of those ebay Type 2 starters on my hard to start MEP-003a in one of my attempts to make it easier to start in place of its Type 1, afterward it did seem to have a bit more Umph and did start a little easier, that may just have been having a fresh stater, but it also seemed to not drain the batteries while cranking nearly as fast. With the old Type 1 starter I would get about 3, maybe 4 shots at starting before I would have to haul out the battery charger.

Ike

p.s. the Type 1 starter from Southern Automotive on the MEP-002a looks to be much higher quality (Mil Spec?) than the Type 2 I bought from ebay, but still less beefy looking than the old Type 1 that came off my MEP-003a.

 

[Keith_J]

Onan made quite a few extra engines for the 002 and 003 As. As part of a reset program, new engines were put on older generators in the later 1990s. My 002 is that way.

These were military standard generators, the design was government property hence the multiple manufacturers. But only Onan made the engines as far as I know.

 

[Isaac-1]

There was a big mess with the acquisitions contract process on these generators in the late 1970's / early 1980's, googling will reveal some reports on its progress through the court system. I may get this wrong, but the mess goes something like this, you will note there are 3 common labels on the MEP-002a and MEP-003a generators, Onan, JR Hollingsworth, and Libby Welding. Onan built the engines, Libby build the generator ends (I think Libby was later bought out by Onan, but I am not sure how that fits into the timeline). Onan developed the MEP-002a and MEP-003a in cooperation with the DOD, and they received the first contract for production assembly, when this production contract ran out JR Hollingsworth, a then small shop bid against Onan and won based on some policy of preferential bidding going towards small businesses, Onan was under contract to supply various parts that were used in the assembly of the generators at a fixed price allowing Hollingsworth to buy the parts from Onan, slap the components together and sell to the government at a substantial markup. I also recall reading something about Hollingworth's massive growth after being awarded the contract, growing to several times its previous size with assembly workers. Anyway this became a somewhat newsworthy story at the time as google searches will show, and the next time the contract came up for renewal it was awarded to Libby welding, which may have been a subsidiary of Onan by then.

Ike

p.s. Onan production of engine blocks for the J series engines stopped in either 1994 or 1995 when the tooling for the assembly line finally wore out completely and it was decided it was not worth retooling for a then 35+ year old engine design. There are a few J series civilian generators with serial numbers showing production as late as 1996 or maybe 1997, but these were built using blocks that were still in stock.

 

[reybo]

Done, all finished, and it took just a year and a half. The gen is hooked to the 1000 gal heating oil tank, and it's under waterproof cover on the lee side of the house. One view is what's visible from the driveway, the other is the most exposed view.

 

[dependable]

Nice job. Might want to do something to protect the copper tubing.

 

[reybo]

Nice job. Might want to do something to protect the copper tubing.

The part not shown is covered with dirt. The part shown, and the tank pipe, are weatherproofed under a plastic pail.

 

[Isaac-1]

Looks good, hopefully the neighbors will not complain, I know that was one of your concerns.

Ike

 

[reybo]

Looks good, hopefully the neighbors will not complain, I know that was one of your concerns.

Ike

Hasn't yet been given the 4 AM test.

 

[reybo]

They tried to deliver $3,000 worth of No.2 fuel oil and found the spout to the tank too short. Had to run out and get a 5.5" extension pipe. So this is the final version.

 

[reybo]

Ike,

We're been overnight with it on and no one seems to have noticed.