Mystery fuel MEP-002

[dependable]

Just got my second MEP-002 from GL. The other one's fuel tank smelled like old gasoline. It had been sitting a long time, everything dry. The new one was recently in service and looks freshly maintained, it still has some liquid in filter housing and smells like old gas as well, very shellac like in smell and not diesel. Is there some other fuel that was used ( Does JP-4 smell like old gas?) or is some other liquid added as preservative? Thanks

 

[Ken_86gt]

The military would only have used DF-2 (diesel) or JP8 (almost the same as diesel). Maybe someone was trying to flush the system with some type of solvent- but didn't flush it out when done?

 

[Isaac-1]

I read a report online a couple of years ago about regional fuels being used in MEP generators, mostly it talked about increased wear due to lubrication properties of some fuels, specific mention of Russian Jet fuel being used in place of JP8 in Afghanistan, causing a high failure rate on MEP-002a and MEP-003a injection pumps, etc.

Also I bought a little diesel powered water pump from GL a couple of weeks ago, it had never been used, still had the depreservation instruction sheet from 15 years ago, etc. I found it had a blue shop towel which had been soaked in some volatile substance stuffed in the fuel tank, I assume to prevent rust.

Ike

 

[dependable]

Well, I was checking this generator out some more today and found the water separator canister mostly full of the stuff, it looked and smelled exactly like paint thinner or mineral spirits. maybe to flush out fuel pumps before mothballing?

 

[Ken_86gt]

Who knows what it is.... Clean it out, put in new clean fuel, and see if it runs.

 

[diesel dave]

more than likely,it's just very old diesel. it smells like this and is usualy dark colored. get rid of it and clean tank filter housings ect.

 

[dependable]

Not old diesel. and thanks Ken I knew that. Was just wondering if someone knows about how they are mothballed, second unit out of 3 that had this stuff in the tank.