MEP-803A —— Did I Score? I’m not sure.

[Tinstar]

Won a 2003 MEP-803A from GSA a few days ago.
3618.0 hours.
Listing says “repairs needed. No specifics.
I paid $962 and pick it up Monday.

Could be a total parts machine but I hope not.
Did it sell cheap due to high number of hours?
I’m a firm believer in the saying “you get what you pay for”.

Been wanting a 803A for years now.
Prices never go down.

Guess I’ll find out Monday.

 

[2Pbfeet]

Kinda hard to tell from here, but the body panels seem to fit, no massive leaks, coolant looks newish, and no sign of fire, but the photos are photos of photos, so it is hard to tell.

May I suggest getting your hands on it, and taking some better photos? Then doing the fuse mod and MOV if they haven't been done, and giving it a once over cleaning to check wires, oil and fuel leaks, and especially inside the control cube, I.e. behind the voltage/phase switch S8, loose debris, and check the inside of the fuel tank for grunge on the bottom, and for the quality of the fuel in it? Add batteries, and then test to see if it runs? If it runs at that point, I would change filters, fluids, and make time to put rodent and insect proof screening on the various air intakes, but that's me.

All the best,

2Pbfeet

 

[98G]

Well, you outbid me to get it... i hope it's seized.

(I'm kidding! I simply ran out of risk tolerance. My guess says it went cheap because there were only four bidders total. One of them only threw the token opener at it. The next one was out at a nonserious ~$200. The only ones who "meant it" were you and me, and you were buying it for you and i was buying it for resale. That means I had to make sure there was margin left in it even if it had issues. I *almost* threw $1001. Almost. )

I hope it starts and runs and makes power like it should! Need a PD box and a cable for it?

 

[Tinstar]

Ok
That’s funny
You would not have won it at $1001, as I had a max of $1201

Yes
It’s for me and I too hope it runs and makes power.

I love my MEP-002A but I’ve always wanted one of these but prices were always too high and my unfamiliarity with them was also a factor.

I do know about the mods to do before starting and the obvious oil and filter changes it will need.

If it’s a total POS and ends up being a parts machine, oh well.
At lease it wasn’t $2-3k wasted.

If this turns out to be a runner and a keeper, yes I will need those.

 

[Guyfang]

Partner, from the pictures its hard to tell much. But I do not see any major holes, so I think you are going to be all right. We will be keeping an eye out on your repair thread and chipping in as needed. Ya Got To Beleve!!! Its going to turn out good!

 

[Tinstar]

Yea
I think I pulled the trigger a bit early on creating this thread.
The pictures on GSA always lack detail.

Its location is over a 6 hour drive each way for me. A bit much for running up to inspect it.

I am hopeful, but obviously have concerns. I don’t know these machines like most of you do.
Just what I’ve read here and some videos on YouTube.

I think the point of this thread was to see if anyone saw any red flags in the not so good pictures.
Coolant still in bottle, high hours, etc.

I’ll know for sure in about 36 hours

 

[NDT]

Critical exhaust flapper in place, should be no rain in engine. Huge plus there.

 

[peapvp]

One observation I made and I am sure other Members may have noticed this too,
The S1 switch is in off position, but the Oil Pressure gauge shows 35 to 40 psi ( should be 0 psi ) and coolant temp is around 140F to 150F

the gauge are most likely stuck and they got stuck when the Genset was last started / running

 

[Guyfang]

OK people, lets hold off till we get some pro pictures. Trust yea not appearances, but facts!

 

[WWRD99]

It needs repairs since it needs batteries!!

 

[Light in the Dark]

One observation I made and I am sure other Members may have noticed this too,
The S1 switch is in off position, but the Oil Pressure gauge shows 35 to 40 psi ( should be 0 psi ) and coolant temp is around 140F to 150F

the gauge are most likely stuck and they got stuck when the Genset was last started / running

On the 802 and 803 machines, the gauges you call out hold their last registered value, until you put the S1 into prime again. Should be a nonissue as of now.

 

[Light in the Dark]

And its tough to gather a lot from the photos, but nothing glaring sticks out... but rarely does. Before you throw batteries in it and give it a whirl, I would recommend taking the roof off the operator control cube to not only confirm there is no rodent nesting behind the S8 wall (and on the TB for the main genhead), but also to confirm condition and to fully deoxidize any and all contacts.

Once thats done, I would confirm the quad fuse mod has been installed (and install it if not) then get to the nitty gritty of checking fluids, cable tightness on starter, slave plug, and glow plugs. When you first prime it, let it run for a couple minutes, look for fuel leaks out of the return line... if all checks out, see if it turns over and makes power.

 

[Tinstar]

One thing I did notice on GSA.
Every single generator listed says either repairs needed or repairable.

Fingers crossed

 

[Light in the Dark]

One thing I did notice on GSA.
Every single generator listed says either repairs needed or repairable.

Fingers crossed

Thats where we are on the auction cycle. We are at the end of the bell curve on these machines, the selection is much rougher than in previous years. At least at your buy price, I think you did OK even if you need to shoot the parts cannon at it a couple times to get it going.

 

[Tinstar]

And its tough to gather a lot from the photos, but nothing glaring sticks out... but rarely does. Before you throw batteries in it and give it a whirl, I would recommend taking the roof off the operator control cube to not only confirm there is no rodent nesting behind the S8 wall (and on the TB for the main genhead), but also to confirm condition and to fully deoxidize any and all contacts.

Once thats done, I would confirm the quad fuse mod has been installed (and install it if not) then get to the nitty gritty of checking fluids, cable tightness on starter, slave plug, and glow plugs. When you first prime it, let it run for a couple minutes, look for fuel leaks out of the return line... if all checks out, see if it turns over and makes power.

Absolutely will be doing everything that you guys recommend.
You know these machines…..I don’t.

At least nothing is sending up a flare for you guys in the pictures.

 

[Light in the Dark]

Absolutely will be doing everything that you guys recommend.
You know these machines…..I don’t.

At least nothing is sending up a flare for you guys in the pictures.

Just approach it methodically. Being that you already have power backup, no rush in missing something. If it were me, up and above everything I wrote I would also on my first place replace the entire return fuel line with Gates safety stripe and new 1/8" vacuum tees even before firing. The OEM will leak, no doubt about it. Just a matter of when. I have not experienced a failure using the Gates in almost 10 years (at least not on my person equipment, or heard back from anyone whose purchased from me).

Also use the smallest opening hardware cloth you can on the underside of the machine to keep the chewers out for good (with self tapping sheet metal screws). Do the side air inlets if you are feeling froggy, won't hurt.

 

[Tinstar]

I already have all the TMs downloaded and ready.

I have two cans of Deoxit D5 to clean all the contacts.

Already have the fuse mod parts and all the filters ready to order

 

[Tinstar]

Just approach it methodically. Being that you already have power backup, no rush in missing something. If it were me, up and above everything I wrote I would also on my first place replace the entire return fuel line with Gates safety stripe and new 1/8" vacuum tees even before firing. The OEM will leak, no doubt about it. Just a matter of when. I have not experienced a failure using the Gates in almost 10 years (at least not on my person equipment, or heard back from anyone whose purchased from me).

Also use the smallest opening hardware cloth you can on the underside of the machine to keep the chewers out for good (with self tapping sheet metal screws). Do the side air inlets if you are feeling froggy, won't hurt.

Good call and will be doing that.
As long as the bones are good I will spend the money to make it reliable with good parts.

We don’t have a mice or snake problem around here.
Thanks to my wife’s encouragement, we have literally 18-20 barn cats that hang around.
A few others that come and go.

Haven’t seen a mouse or any signs of them but will be doing as recommended. Makes sense.


Appreciate the advice from everyone.

 

[2Pbfeet]

Good call and will be doing that.
As long as the bones are good I will spend the money to make it reliable with good parts.

We don’t have a mice or snake problem around here.
Thanks to my wife’s encouragement, we have literally 18-20 barn cats that hang around.
A few others that come and go.

Haven’t seen a mouse or any signs of them but will be doing as recommended. Makes sense.


Appreciate the advice from everyone.

Having cats is not the same thing as zero rodents. Ask me how I know..., and I would not overlook mud dauber and paper wasps...

 

[Tinstar]

Having cats is not the same thing as zero rodents. Ask me how I know..., and I would not overlook mud dauber and paper wasps...

Around here, Mud Daubers and Red wasps (absolutely Satan) are the issue.

The Yellow Jacket paper wasps are a lesser problem, even though I was stung by one a few days ago.
I tend to find them when I knock down a tree and wham, hundreds of them swarming the cab of the tractor.

Generator will be covered to prevent all those and agree on the cats/rodent comment.