MEP018A Doesnt run

[sparknotes97]

I recently got an MEP018A and am trying to get it runing. I has spark and sometimes will sit and idle if you hold the throttle linkage just in the right spot. I know nothing about it ao any help would be great. Is it suppose to immediatly suppose to spool up to full rpm? How does the timing advance work and how can you set the timing correctly? Is there a common problem with them? What is the lever on the left side under the engine close to the generator do? Is it possible that the valve timing is off. I played with the magneto position, rolled almost all the way to the right is where it seems to have the best chance at running. I assume it runs on pump gas not AV gas? My buddy is a generator tech and says the generator is producing an output so it is worth putting some time and maybe some money into the engine. Again any help or just general knowhow on the unit would be much appreciated. A manual for the engine would really help too. Thanks, Dan

 

[DieselBob]

DO NOT IDLE THESE UNITS, it will cause the voltage regulator burn up. When starting they should come up to speed right away. I had a partial blockage in the fuel line from the pickup that kept mine from running. The lever you asked about is for the oil pan heating baffle. There are some manuals in the resources section that cover operation and maintenance of these. One thing that recently came up was that the new gas with alcohol in them is causing the float in the carburetor to disintegrate.

The manuals to download are

TM 5-6115-275-14 OPERATOR, ORGANIZATIONAL, INTERMEDIATE (FIELD), (DIRECT SUPPORT AND GENERAL SUPPORT), AND DEPOT MAINTENANCE MANUAL

TM 5-6115-275-24P ORGANIZATIONAL, INTERMEDIATE (FIELD)(DIRECT AND GENERAL SUPPORT)
AND DEPOT MAINTENANCE REPAIR PARTS AND SPECIAL TOOLS LIST

TM 9-2805-259-24P UNIT, DIRECT SUPPORT AND GENERAL SUPPORT MAINTENANCE REPAIR PARTS AND SPECIAL TOOLS LIST ENGINE, GASOLINE, 20 HP MILITARY STANDARD MODELS.

Hope these help

 

[mdlbldrmatt135]

the 2a042 and 4a084 engines have a brass float so the ethanol isn't an issue....... but there still could be issues with the fuel pump... I'd check out all the lines for blockages and possibly try a new pump... but try all the TM's first.

 

[DieselBob]

the 2a014 and 4a084 engines have a brass float so the ethanol isn't an issue.......

Somewhere I missed that. Thanks for the info.

 

[sparknotes97]

Thanks for the help the manuals were very helpful. We got it running like a top and we were about to test the generator end of it and a pin for the flyweights in the magneto let go and piled up the gears breaking the cam. So it pretty much is looking like scrap now. Thanks for the help though it was good while it lasted

 

[jas67]

Thanks for the help the manuals were very helpful. We got it running like a top and we were about to test the generator end of it and a pin for the flyweights in the magneto let go and piled up the gears breaking the cam. So it pretty much is looking like scrap now. Thanks for the help though it was good while it lasted

Bummer! To bad you didn't get a chance to test the gen-end. A 10kw 3 phase gen-end definitely has some value.

Check Saturn surplus, you might be able to get the cam and other required parts from them.

 

[liftman]

Try Saturn Surplus for the needed parts. They probably have everything you need.