MEP 803A Fix-up Thread

[CallMeColt]

Everyone,

I FINALLY got a MEP 803A on a trailer for a good deal, so I am going to start one of my fix-up threads for it!



Overall, in good shape. Was listed as " not running " due to alternator being unbolted. A few minor things missing. Trailer is in great shape. Did a quick video after getting it home & some quick checks;

https://www.youtube.com/shorts/AX9iZ3dL1yM

Think I made out well. Hopefully nothing pops up!

 

[WWRD99]

Everyone,

I FINALLY got a MEP 803A on a trailer for a good deal, so I am going to start one of my fix-up threads for it!

View attachment 895526

Overall, in good shape. Was listed as " not running " due to alternator being unbolted. A few minor things missing. Trailer is in great shape. Did a quick video after getting it home & some quick checks;

https://www.youtube.com/shorts/AX9iZ3dL1yM

Think I made out well. Hopefully nothing pops up!

I got mine a few years ago not running as well...took a few fuses and it's been running since!! Very power full gensets.

 

[loosegravel]

Everyone,

I FINALLY got a MEP 803A on a trailer for a good deal, so I am going to start one of my fix-up threads for it!

View attachment 895526

Overall, in good shape. Was listed as " not running " due to alternator being unbolted. A few minor things missing. Trailer is in great shape. Did a quick video after getting it home & some quick checks;

https://www.youtube.com/shorts/AX9iZ3dL1yM

Think I made out well. Hopefully nothing pops up!

Nicely done! Looks like a great unit.

 

[CallMeColt]

Well, the wonderful south Texas weather treated me well early this morning...



It's probably all cosmetic, so I'll be able to just remove the panels & bang them out. But dang, this unit was perfect looking.

Just more to add to the list.

 

[justinn]

Well, the wonderful south Texas weather treated me well early this morning...

View attachment 895665 View attachment 895666

It's probably all cosmetic, so I'll be able to just remove the panels & bang them out. But dang, this unit was perfect looking.

Just more to add to the list.

Doh!. That sucks man.... same crap rolled through Central Texas last night. High winds and tons of rain. Like you said, it looks mostly cosmetic although that's pretty close to the radiator fill and overflow tank. Time to buy another one for "parts"

 

[CallMeColt]

Doh!. That sucks man.... same crap rolled through Central Texas last night. High winds and tons of rain. Like you said, it looks mostly cosmetic although that's pretty close to the radiator fill and overflow tank. Time to buy another one for "parts"

I'm digging in today. Looks like it's going to be okay, I just need to get all the panels straight.

 

[Ray70]

Talk about no luck but bad luck!
Looks like you have a big open field and parked the new gen right next to the only tree that came down!

 

[CallMeColt]

Talk about no luck but bad luck!
Looks like you have a big open field and parked the new gen right next to the only tree that came down!

Yeah it was dumb of me to put it there.

 

[CallMeColt]

I didn't end up getting to more than clearing the tree from it & moving it. Worked on another long overdue project. But, I did look at it & I think it's good besides the body, as I suspected. Nothing is leaking. Maybe the muffler got dented/bent. But no leaking from the radiator that I see right now.

 

[CallMeColt]

Got the generator off of the trailer.

Removed all the panels that were damaged as well as the one to have access to the fuel tank.

Should be able to work the sheet metal and door back to acceptable. Nothing inside looks bad as I suspected.

Ordered the proper Optima batteries for it & made a cross over battery cable. Everything else I should have here to make it complete, put it back together, service it, and make it up to my standards.

Hopefully the tree was the surprise on this project!

 

[CallMeColt]

Well, I made some good headway & have been documenting via video. But, ran into in issue.

Loaded it up to about 80% load, over about 10 min. It was taking it good, but after about 5 min, I could tell it wasn't happy and slowly was loosing power. Just as I walked up to it, it was about to completely fall on it's face so I opened the contractor. Thought maybe it was just wet-stacked but the signs were not there when I removed the muffler. When it was running under load the 10 mins, a lot of chunks of soot came out, so maybe there was a bunch of buildup in the muffler?

I expected it to smoke, they usually do when they haven't been loaded in a while. Quick note, all new fluids & filters. Gauges were reading okay.

Fiddled after it was shut down, and noticed smoke in the crank case. Started again quick and noticed a lot of blowby. Yikes, not a fun surprise.

Ugghhh, always a disappointment! I'm really hoping that I can just put some ATF, Seafoam, and run it a bit & it is stuck rings that will un-stick. Doing maybe 1 hour steps of ~1,000 watts, starting at 5,000 watts.

 

[WWRD99]

I didn't see how many hours were on it...sometimes the wetstack can be blown out by going lower load than move it up slowly until it gets bogged then pop it down some until you can move it up so it won't bog...it should blow out after some hot run time. Pop some good cleaner in the fuel that might loosen up the rings some like seafoam...if you got the top cover off, you can remove the glow plugs and dump it right in there. I'd do both though to clean up the ip and injectors. They're great gensets.

Sent from my SM-S906U using Tapatalk

 

[loosegravel]

Well, I made some good headway & have been documenting via video. But, ran into in issue.

Loaded it up to about 80% load, over about 10 min. It was taking it good, but after about 5 min, I could tell it wasn't happy and slowly was loosing power. Just as I walked up to it, it was about to completely fall on it's face so I opened the contractor. Thought maybe it was just wet-stacked but the signs were not there when I removed the muffler. When it was running under load the 10 mins, a lot of chunks of soot came out, so maybe there was a bunch of buildup in the muffler?

I expected it to smoke, they usually do when they haven't been loaded in a while. Quick note, all new fluids & filters. Gauges were reading okay.

Fiddled after it was shut down, and noticed smoke in the crank case. Started again quick and noticed a lot of blowby. Yikes, not a fun surprise.

Ugghhh, always a disappointment! I'm really hoping that I can just put some ATF, Seafoam, and run it a bit & it is stuck rings that will un-stick. Doing maybe 1 hour steps of ~1,000 watts, starting at 5,000 watts.

Well, we’ve read on this forum about others using ATF in the crankcase with success to free up piston rings etc. It would be nice to hear that the “snake oil” remedy actually works! I’ve never tried it before, but what the heck? The other nice thing about these Lister Petter engines is how the rods are accessible through the side of the engine, so the engine doesn’t have to come out to remove the pistons.

 

[CallMeColt]

I didn't see how many hours were on it...sometimes the wetstack can be blown out by going lower load than move it up slowly until it gets bogged then pop it down some until you can move it up so it won't bog...it should blow out after some hot run time. Pop some good cleaner in the fuel that might loosen up the rings some like seafoam...if you got the top cover off, you can remove the glow plugs and dump it right in there. I'd do both though to clean up the ip and injectors. They're great gensets.

Sent from my SM-S906U using Tapatalk

All this is what I wrote in my post #11 above, except removing the pre-heaters to put SeaFoam in. But, I don't think it is we stacked.

 

[CallMeColt]

Well, we’ve read on this forum about others using ATF in the crankcase with success to free up piston rings etc. It would be nice to hear that the “snake oil” remedy actually works! I’ve never tried it before, but what the heck? The other nice thing about these Lister Petter engines is how the rods are accessible through the side of the engine, so the engine doesn’t have to come out to remove the pistons.

I have used ATF many times to free up stuck parts, and already put it in the fuel & crank case.

 

[CallMeColt]

So, I let it sit overnight. Some notes;

It did not burn any oil.
The 3rd cylinder back from the front by the fan, has some wetness around the valve cover and exhaust manifold gasket.
Smoke in the crank case.
Temp on the exhaust manifold for the 2 cylinders closest to the fan are significantly hotter than the two farther away.
When cold starting, you can tell that for 5 seconds or so, not all cylinders are firing. Then, they do and RPM comes up slightly and the white haze clears up.

I have not dug into the TM's yet but I plan to. From my overall knowledge, my initial guess is something is keeping the two cylinders farthest from the fan from getting full compression. Could be rings, or maybe a valve(s) not seating properly? An out of adjustment valve would be the best case here. Exhaust valve for example, not seating and letting compression/exhaust escape, along with un-burn fuel. This would be why smoke & blow by are in the crank case, and good size chunks of soot are coming out the exhaust.

For those knowledgeable... would I be hurting anything by running it a bit, say 10 minuets at a time under 50% load, to get the ATF flowing & then letting it sit, to try & free up anything that might be stuck IF by chance that is the problem? Or, should I just move right to tearing it apart?

Thank you!

 

[WWRD99]

All this is what I wrote in my post #11 above, except removing the pre-heaters to put SeaFoam in. But, I don't think it is we stacked.

I didn't see that you had the upper cover off and the hours on the genset in that post.
If you think you have blow by from an exhaust valve going into your crankcase you'd need a new engine as it would have a hole in the head but then it would probably go into a water jacket not the crankcase. Wetstack is typically in the exhaust ports in the head and cast iron manifold and get a black goo running down. What actual temps are the manifold? Definitely run it with that trans fluid in the oil should free up valves and oil rings.

Sent from my SM-S906U using Tapatalk

 

[CallMeColt]

I didn't see that you had the upper cover off and the hours on the genset in that post.
If you think you have blow by from an exhaust valve going into your crankcase you'd need a new engine as it would have a hole in the head but then it would probably go into a water jacket not the crankcase. Wetstack is typically in the exhaust ports in the head and cast iron manifold and get a black goo running down. What actual temps are the manifold? Definitely run it with that trans fluid in the oil should free up valves and oil rings.

Sent from my SM-S906U using Tapatalk

I didn't mention the hours originally, I'm sorry. ~4,700 on the meter. There's not nearly that much wet stacking goo at all, but some. I am going to make another post with some pictures here now.

 

[CallMeColt]

Here are some pictures;

My bodywork from the tree falling on it.


I put new lines on the injection pump line thing as it leaked. I cut them a bit to short, but it is holding. If I need to do it again, I will.



Here is the best I can grab a picture of showing the goo around the 3 cylinder back from the fan, as well as the wet valve cover.



I'm going to go ahead and let it run at 50% load and see if it clears up at all, going off of WWRD99's advice above.

Another thought I had, maybe even just during this, an injector decided to stick & filled up the cylinder a bit? Now, it just has to burn off?

Crossing fingers! I am cutting the 5 acres, it's about 100 deg out, so I'm keeping an eye on it while cutting. Definitely will get nice & hot.

 

[Light in the Dark]

If you have a valve hung up, very possible that the combustion gases are travelling down into the case from the pushrod tubes.