Ether on mep-002a

[R Racing]

I have had great luck with the gear drive starters on E bay at around $160.00 I actually prefer them to the older styl as they seem to crank a bit easier with low batteries than the old style.

 

[trooper632]

Problem is not with the speed of cranking, is getting it to stop cranking, I just cant understand why it works on the bench but not in the machine, either machine for that matter

 

[R Racing]

Have you checked your switch to see if it's sticking and providing power after you let go ??

 

[Ray70]

By "Bench Test" I assume you mean they apply power and the motor spins and stops as it should but not under any load at all.
I bet there is a mechanical problem in the area of the drive assembly which is physically holding the drive gear engaged with the flywheel which is in turn physically holding the solenoid in the engaged position which causes power to continue to flow to the starter motor, even though the solenoid is not energized.
Is this the old Style 1 starter with the exposed yolk arm on it?

 

[trooper632]

R Racing, don't think its the switch because I have another starter that I can put in this generator and it works fine,,, Ray70, that is correct on the bench test and yes on the old style starter. I guess im taking it back and gonna have the guy open it up again and look inside the starter again but he didn't find anything wrong inside the first time either.

 

[Ray70]

If the starter that works correctly is also a style 1 you might want to consider bringing that one with you for the guy to compare with the broken one. Maybe something is assembled incorrectly and he is just overlooking it? Lets just hope you don't get back 2 starters that won't release!

 

[trooper632]

That was my plan for the morning, thanks.

 

[BADJOHN]

I still think the starter is the problem.... But I can't tell by remote control. Also advice is cheap but good answers are expensive so please email me at hanleyj@lcc.edu and send me your address and I will ship you a starter that I know works on that model generator MEP-002A or MEP-003A. I share your frustration and I can't think of anything else I would or could do to help you. So swap the starter and if that fixes it well... that's the goal is it not. I am curious, how did the starter fail in the first place or was it bad when you got it from DMRO?

I had some other thoughts: 1. The control box has a poor or open ground connection. 2. The connections internal to the starter solenoid do not match the military model.

 

[Isaac-1]

We really need to refer to these as Style 1 and Style 2, not old vs new style. I have a MEP-002a that according to the stencil markings was serviced in 2009 and has what appears to be a new Style 1 starter, (starter is new enough to have a southern automotive web address label on it) I also originally had a Style 1 of much older apparent manufacture on my MEP-003a.

 

[trooper632]

BADJOHN, Man I really do appreciate your generosity on the starter but I think we may have the problem solved. I took both starters to him and he measured and looked and took apart. What he found and thinks the problem is was the "Shift.....Something", I already forgot what he called it. Its the arm connected to solenoid into the starter, it was bent alittle and looks like it has been dragging due to scarring on it. So he is going to order a new one 10 bucks and hope this is the fix. And yes that how I got it from GL, the starter has a rebuild sticker on it showing 2004 and looks new still, but that shift arm is definitely bent a little.... Issac-1 let call this a Style 1 starter.

 

[Keith_J]

Could have been incorrect adjustment of the drive link, causing the starter drive to go over center and hang up. This would keep it engaged and running despite the solenoid being de-energized. I overhauled a starter out of a M35A2 and had that same problem, just on the bench test.

 

[trooper632]

Well got the starter back from the shop today, put it on and s**t, it still doesn't work. I guess I'm going to have to find a working starter to buy , as the gremlins in this one got it good. If anyone has a WORKING starter, please let me know. Starter repair guy said he would refund my money 86.00 for the new parts, thought the was nice because he didn't charge me any labor. Now I will go back and get my refund and pay for his labor