MEP-003A just goes click when trying to start - fully charged fresh batteries

[Isaac-1]

These electric fuel pumps should make a distinctive clacking sound when running, if there is no sound make sure you are getting power to the pumps, the wire at the pump itself does not detach, often the inline capacitor a few inches from the pump does go bad though, these can be cut out and ignored as they are installed for extra RF suppression. Also note the bottom of these electric pumps unscrew (there is a place for a socket to turn them) and there is a filter inside depending on if you have the new style or old style it may be a thin mesh cup, or a white permeable ceramic disk, there is also a maget in the cap, that may or may not be fixed in place depending on the revision of the pump.

 

[pclausen]

Ike,

The pump does make the clacking sound and I can feel it vibrate as it does so. I already removed the bottom cover, removed the magnet and cleaned it and the inside of the cover, as well as the gasket and the little white and red filter and put it all back together again. I understand these pumps a self priming, but perhaps I should "help" it by forcing some diesel into it and hope it will work from here?

Like I said, with both the IN and OUT open, I'm not feeling any suction on the IN side when I place my thumb over it.

 

[R Racing]

You wouldn't happen to have you battery terminals swapped?? The pumps will still run . But may run backwards. Ask me how I know ? LOL

 

[Isaac-1]

Let me guess, you too ended up with one of these from GL with black positive, and red negative battery cables?

 

[R Racing]

Yeppers lol had me stumped. And the starter just didn't work. Swapped them and everything worked. But at first I was scratching my head.

 

[pclausen]

Lol, yes that sounds like it would easy to hook up backwards with the cable colors reversed. In my case, I'm confident that my positive and negatives are correct, and my starter works and turns over the engine.

I guess I'll try manually priming the fuel pump to see if it begins sucking once it is filled with diesel. Maybe something has dried up preventing it from making a vacuum.

 

[Keith_J]

There are check valves in the pumps that can be clogged or held open with debris. Check the first pump inlet check valve, if it is leaking, it won't pump.

 

[Isaac-1]

In my case it was my second MEP-002a / MEP-003a and I spotted the, there is something wrong here before connecting the batteries. In their defense whoever installed the red negative cable did at least wrap the end with a loop or two of black tape, and the black cable with a loop of red, of course by the time it made it into my hands the red tape had faded to some shade of faded tan.

 

[m-35tom]

so by now i guess you know, but the 003 will not crank if batteries are reversed. it's a safety function of a diode in the starting circuit. protects the rest of the system that does not turn on until it is running.

 

[BadBrad1]

Check the hose routing, make sure the in and out hoses are not reversed....simple but it happens. Also check fuel tank dip tube, a hole in it will stop fuel pick up. These are low pressure pumps, 3 lbs. only so the suction may not be felt by your finger on the inlet. You could put a hose directly into the diesel tank to check it out.

You have two pumps in series if you can hear them clacking I suspect they are functional and I doubt that both would fail but if in doubt use the aux pump as a test pump. Would be really odd for all three to be bad.

 

[pclausen]

Thanks for the excellent trouble shooting tips! I'll try them out and report back.

 

[lxawolf]

Check the hose routing, make sure the in and out hoses are not reversed....simple but it happens. Also check fuel tank dip tube, a hole in it will stop fuel pick up. These are low pressure pumps, 3 lbs. only so the suction may not be felt by your finger on the inlet. You could put a hose directly into the diesel tank to check it out.

You have two pumps in series if you can hear them clacking I suspect they are functional and I doubt that both would fail but if in doubt use the aux pump as a test pump. Would be really odd for all three to be bad.

I actually had the two pumps come inoperable. So it can happen, I ordered two new production pumps. The only difference is the metallic color not the OD green, and the inlet and outlet lines are female not male so I needed to get 1/4 pipe nipples to hook back into the AN elbow fittings. If you do need a new pump I would recommend going this route not going with new old stock or a used part. As this new pump came with a year warranty and customer support. And if the silver metal color bothers you just spray with a rattle can of paint.

 

[pclausen]

I played with the pumps some more this morning.

• Checked the tube going into the tank. No pin holes
• Blew out the line between the pickup tube in the tank and pump #1. It was clear.
• Connected the line on the pump IN end and left the OUT open. Used a small funnel to fill the line and tried priming. Pump did not pull in the fuel.
• Removed pump #1 and took off bottom cover. I can see the check valve ball and it is free and moves when I push it.
• Checked voltage to pump #2, I got a solid 24V. Ditto for aux pump (when moving the main switch to aux pump/prime). Checked ground connections and they were good.
• Removed pump #2, tapped it good with a rubber mallet and connected it directly across the battery terminals. Some mild sparks, but no action. Ditto on the aux pump.

Should I cut out the in-line capacitors on the 2 non-running pumps? (assuming that's what those in-line fuse looking things are with a bracket that mounts into the same bracket as the pumps themselves)

 

[Isaac-1]

They are inline RF filter capacitors, are a common source of failure and are not needed for operation, so if the pump is not working try cutting them out and see if it comes back to life.

 

[m-35tom]

if pump draws current, rf filters are ok. admit it, you have 3 bad pumps.

 

[pclausen]

I'll try cutting out the inline RF capacitor on pump #2 just for grins, but yeah, the fact that it draws current probably means that's not it. So is there a good place to source these pumps other than that large online auction site where they are going for around $200 and up?

I'm tempted to rig up a fuel pump from one of my disassembled 802s, just to see if I can get it running...

 

[Isaac-1]

Many people like aircraft spruce and specialty, if not them you might try aftermark.net both seem to have fairly prices on Gold Flo pumps and filters, so you may have to comparison shop, just make sure you don't get a model with a postive fuel cut off as those don't work when installed in series.

ps best current production replacement is probably going to be
[h=2]477003N Facet Gold-Flo Fuel Pump[/h]

 

[pclausen]

I was able to get the secondary fuel pump going by tapping on it a lot harder than I did at first. Re-installed primary and secondary and it was drawing fuel and after the filters had filled up, I could hear the fuel recirculating back into the tank. I then bleed both filters and loosened the inlet to the injection pump and was not getting any bubbles.

Cranked for 10 seconds maybe 5 times and nothing. Next I loosened all 4 injector lines at the injection pump. They remained bone dry when cranking the engine. So I guess the next step now is to remove the injection pump and service it. Is there a recommended thread on here for that procedure?

Getting close!

Thanks!

 

[pclausen]

I found this thread very informative on the IP:

http://www.steelsoldiers.com/showth...P-003A-injector-pump&highlight=injection+pump

As it turns out, all I had to do to get my IP working was to move the stop solenoid shaft up and down a few times. After that I was getting fuel out on the injector lines and it almost started with all 4 of the still loose.

Tightened them up, and it started and ran smooth on the 3 attempt. I think the rpms are a little low, but I still don't have the end connector to hook up my new throttle control cable so I shut it back down within 30 seconds. Oil pressure came up, and I had voltage but frequency was off the scale on the low side. I don't think a 003 is that loud, I'd say my tractor is louder at the same rpm (my guess is it was running at around 1500 rpm).

Once I get the throttle cable connected and properly adjust, it will be time to load test.

 

[pclausen]

I worked on installing the throttle cable tonight and I was wondering what the proper location/routing is for the clip midway between the control handle, and the actual throttle arm. I'm talking about the clip by the red arrow. The way it is now is how it was when I got it. I'm thinking that perhaps the clip should be mounted below the plate instead of above it?


http://www.cstone.net/~dk/MEP003-10-27-01.JPG

After removing the air shroud, I also noticed that the hose feeding the intake manifold has a cut in it. Is the 002 hose the same length? I ask because I found one of those for sale. If not, perhaps I can just take it to an auto parts store and try to match it up with a radiator hose or something?


http://www.cstone.net/~dk/MEP003-10-27-02.JPG

I'm also missing the 4 square nuts held in via clips in the locations marked by the read arrows in the pic below. Where can I pick these up?


http://www.cstone.net/~dk/MEP003-10-27-03.JPG

I popped the control box open and was pleasantly surprised at how clean and rust free everything looked. Much more so than any of my late 2000's 802s, go figure.


http://www.cstone.net/~dk/MEP003-10-27-04.JPG

Hopefully a few more hours tinkering with this genset and it will be ready for service.