Mep002a trouble starting runs good need help

[WILLYSOVERLAND]

I have a mep002a generator I purchased. it doesn't want to start. it blows thick white smoke but just wont fire. a small shot of starting fluid and it fires right up. runs smooth, burns clean. I have 24 volts at the glow plugs. with the terminal disconnected I get a 5 ohm reading from each of the both glow plugs. it was running rough and I found the two screws loose that hold the gov linkage in, I tightened the screws and like I said it runs smote now but I don't want to use liquid Harley everytime I want to start it. it has 150 hours on it.
like most problems it something small I am sure. any ideas or thoughts? thanks in advance willy

 

[Triple Jim]

You're running the glow plugs 20-60 seconds before you try to start it, right?

 

[recksmilparts]

Hi, have someone crank gen. At the same time,you manually lift lever at injector pump all the way. Should start. Worst case injector pump. But prob just needs adjustment to governor assembly. Hope that helps.

 

[WILLYSOVERLAND]

Tried a 60 second glow plug ,no start!
Tried holding the rod in the up position (i have about 1/4 " space between the rod and the solenoid plunger) still no start but lots of white smoke.
Any more ideas?
If i swap out the ip do i have to ajust timing? Is it a simple part swap? I have a feeling it has something to do with the loose screws i had on the side of the pump where the linkage comes out of the pump. I forgot to say i had a run away condition before i tightened the screws, i had to disconnect the fuel line to starve it out of fuel to shut it down. The linkage stuck in the down position. Its a rock solid engine it was running at a very high rpm for a diesel.
I would like to put one of these engines on something else lawn mower, quad, razor, go cart.
Did you local guys see i am giving away light cases?

 

[Triple Jim]

Have you done a compression test?

 

[WILLYSOVERLAND]

have you done a compression test?

no compression test done. It runs it just doesnt want to start. A 1/2 second blast of liquid harley and it fires right off.
I can make up a compression tester with stuff i have around here. Ill try that in the morning. Thank you
if anybody has any other ideas i am open.

 

[Guyfang]

If you are going to try an Injector pump swap, you NEED to read the book. Its in the manuals section. Its not hard, but it is critical that you get smart on the proper way to do it. Believe me.

Having said that, I think you need to do a bit more trouble shooting. Look at the troubleshooting section in the TM's. Triple Jim's suggestion is a great place to start. Often, an engine will not start on its own, but with a shot of harley, it starts, the engine warms up and runs. Bad rings would come right to mind in that case. BUT you need to check it out before you just start swapping parts.

 

[DieselAddict]

My $$ is on low compression or timing being off. The other thought is the starer not spinning the engine fast enough.

If you are getting LOTS of white smoke then you are getting enough fuel in there.

When it is running have you loaded it? Will it take a full load and hold reasonable RPM?

Can you possibly post a video of it trying to start?

 

[rustystud]

Another possibility is the one-way check valve before the injection pump. If this is dirty it could be holding up the valve and allowing the fuel to drain back. Or the injectors could be dirty. Or the filters plugged or the fuel pumps filters dirty or pumps not working properly. All these things can make for a hard to start generator.

 

[Guyfang]

But the white smoke? If there is enough fuel going to the injectors/cylinders, then it is enough to start. That part is what makes me say test the compression, then you can go from there.

 

[Chrispyny]

had a similar isue with mine until i figured out how to start it.

Many here say set the throttle at 1800 rpm (60 hz) and LEAVE IT THERE. well, when i tried that, at THAT throttle position, my mep-002a WOULD NOT START. it chugged, and chugged, but would not start.

It seems i was flooding it at the 1800 rpm throttle position. So i backed the throttle down a bit (push it in) and then tried to start it. I moved the throttle in and out until i found a sweet spot where it started EVERY TIME. Once started, i'd pull the throttle out QUICKLY up to 1800 rpm (60hz). This worked EVERY TIME.

I LOVED MY MEP-002a. It took me a LONG time and dumb luck to adjust the governor linkage as well. It wasn't holding a load and bogged at anything over 2500 watts. I had a weeks vaca and decided to sit down at the genset and not get up till it held a 6k watt load comfortably without bogging down. It took less than an hour. Adjust, try, adjust, try again. Finally got it. Dumb luck. I only sold it cause i bought my current mep-802a and one had to go so the VERY LOUD mep-002a was sold.

Good luck. Try manipulating the throttle in and out, find a sweet spot, and enjoy your set. I hope this helps.

 

[Triple Jim]

It seems i was flooding it at the 1800 rpm throttle position. So i backed the throttle down a bit (push it in) and then tried to start it. I moved the throttle in and out until i found a sweet spot where it started EVERY TIME. Once started, i'd pull the throttle out QUICKLY up to 1800 rpm (60hz). This worked EVERY TIME.

It sounds like your injector pump may have been timed incorrectly, or something was wrong with the injectors themselves. It's definitely not normal to have to adjust the speed cable to get an 002A to start.

 

[Chrispyny]

It sounds like your injector pump may have been timed incorrectly, or something was wrong with the injectors themselves. It's definitely not normal to have to adjust the speed cable to get an 002A to start.

Maybe the pump but not the injectors. I sent them off to ... storeman ? for an adjustment .. he set them perfectly. Dunno, but it was running great once i adjusted the governor. Regardless, its gone. If the IP was timed incorrectly, it was timed wrong at the factory. Cause the whole unit was completely unmolested. I got it at like 73 hours or something. Won it at the Delware govliq site. Came from Tobyhanna PA.

 

[WILLYSOVERLAND]

ANYBODY KNOW WHAT THREAD THE GLOW PLUGS ARE? I figured they would be 1/4" or 3/8" pipe thread. I was wrong. I could cut up a old glow plug and weld it but its easier if I can just get a fitting and adapt from there.

 

[Guyfang]

Once again FEDLOG would be of immense help. The Item description in FEDLOG would tell us what size the threads are. I will take a look and see what i can find.

 

[Guyfang]

AG9	2920-01-040-0308	Glow Plug	Special Features: Lg 5.000 in. Mounting Facility Nominal Thread Size: 18.0 millimeters I found this in the internet. Help any?	0B231	Quote

 

[massey]

7/16-20 if I remember correctly.

 

[WILLYSOVERLAND]

glow plug is a ch-42 which has a 7/16-20

 

[WILLYSOVERLAND]

I cant find a good fitting to make a compression tester. Looks like i will make one from a old glow plug. 7/16-20 is not very common. They make hydraulic fittings and brake fittings but none of them have long threads to go into the block to engage the threads.
I have a video of the machine running and another one trying to start. I think they are too big to post here.

 

[Triple Jim]

Best post them somewhere like YouTube and put a link to them here.