MEP 003 Need Help.. Fuel Not Priming

[RonJones]

I just bought a MEP 003 Generator and it works well until I shut the unit down.. If I shut the unit down I have to "push" the diesel through the lines until it starts again. Once it starts it runs like a champ.. I have to bleed the fuel filters and open each injector on top to get the air out. Also when I move the master switch to the run & prime position I don't hear the fuel pump running.. What should I check?

 

[storeman]

I don't know how you are "pushing". Sounds like you should troubleshoot power to the fuel pumps.
Jerry

 

[RonJones]

Hello Jerry,

pushing - just cranking the engine until I get fuel through.. since the prime is not working its the only way to get fuel to move

 

[Isaac-1]

If air is getting in while the unit is stopped, then you have a leak somewhere, most likely between the fuel pumps and the injector pump. If your not seeing a leak I would look at places like the top of the filter canisters where there is some sort of gasket or O ring seal, which may act almost like a check valve and seat under pressure but allow air to suck back in.

Ike

 

[RonJones]

Thank you Ike.. I will check the gaskets, I am sure they are very old and need replacing

 

[storeman]

"Also when I move the master switch to the run & prime position I don't hear the fuel pump running.. What should I check?"
If the fuel pumps are not operating (no pump sounds). I think you have an electrical problem.
Jerry

 

[Harleyd315]

Like storeman said check electric pumps first. With the master switch in run you should hear the pumps running and should have a return flow back to the tank.

 

[Isaac-1]

If you hot wire the pumps and they still don't run try removing the inline capacitor (not needed for generator operation, only needed to minimize radio frequency noise)

 

[doghead]

Have you cleaned the filters in the bottom of the pumps?

If they are plugged, the pumps will make no noise(not pump) because they are holding the pressure.

 

[Jimc]

as stated, you should check or remove the capacitors. the pumps also pickup their ground though the bracket and then the frame. be sure all that stuff has a good ground / continuity back to the batteries. there should be a negative cable from the batteries going to the ground stud under the control cabinet. in most cases when you remove that cable the pumps wont work.

 

[glcaines]

Before you do anything else, do as Doghead said and clean all filters on the fuel pumps and replace the large fuel filters, Fram C1125PL. You can also replace the filters on the pumps, but these are very expensive and hard to find. They are relatively easy to clean. You should also flush out the tank and lines with clean diesel. If you still don't hear the fuel pump running, check out the electrical feed to the pump and the pump itself. You should always hear the pump running prior to starting and it makes a significant amount of noise that is easy to hear.

 

[steelypip]

To further that, I always wait until 1) the pumps quiet down in the prime and run position (they clatter when pumping air, not when pumping fuel), and 2) I can hear the fuel trickling back into the tank via the return line. That tells me that everything in the low pressure fuel circuit is fully primed.

 

[Isaac-1]

There is a place in the Dallas TX area that sells the filters that go on the bottom of the Gold-Flo pumps at a much cheaper price than I have found anywhere else, I think their web page is aftermark.net I bought some from them a while back, and was very impressed with their service on the phone, they even offered me a cheaper non-retail packaged option as I was buying several (6-.

Ike

 

[doghead]

I buy mine from Sierra Marine supply.

http://www.wholesalemarine.com/shop...r-kit-for-westerbeke-onan-25920-149-1445.html

 

[Isaac-1]

Not too bad, about $4 more than aftermark, but you do get free shipping at $50 instead of at $500 Here is the aftermark filter page link http://shop.aftermark.net/shop/Heavy-Fuel-Pump-Filters/

Ike
p.s. those clothes in your avatar look warm about now, we have no heat in the office here today and bordering on freezing rain outside

 

[Harleyd315]

Try aircraft spruce http://www.aircraftspruce.com/catalog/eppages/facetpumps4.php

 

[storeman]

Chris,
Aircraft Spruce is pretty impressive.
Jerry

 

[Harleyd315]

They are indeed. I now use airtex pumps from rock auto. They are cheaper, but require an inline fuel filter between the tank and pump, there is no strainer built in like in the facet pumps.

 

[hurst01]

You should be hearing the pumps run if it is in the "Prime and Run Aux" position or if it is in the "Prime and Run" position, at least to some extent. Turn the unit to "Prime and Run" and crack open the drain petcock on one of the fuel filters. If the pumps are not running to some extent... even faster when the drain cock is open, you are not getting fuel. These gensets do not require all the bleeding that you are performing. Could be that the primary pumps have sludge in them and can't cycle. The bottoms will come off them and they have small screens inside that can be cleaned. They are electromagnet and can get gummed up. I would check all three pumps. Only two of them run in the "Prime and Run" position. The third will only run when you have it in the Aux prime position.

 

[lxawolf]

When I got my MEP-003a, all 3 fuel pumps were bad. The two main did not make any sound or pump and the axillary tank pump pumped much slower. After replacement it now runs like a champ. I did go with new facet fuel pump they are easy to find with a quick internet search. The only difference I have found is the inlet and outlet, the new ones have female ports not male. So you would need to get a short pipe nipple to attach the elbow NPT to AN fitting.