Newb questions about the MEP017A

[FireFighterHill]

I read through the TM and I still have a few questions about start up.

On the two MEP017A's I have they do not have a permanent fuel tank instead the have a fuel line meant for either jerry cans or fuel drums.

My question is, does the generator require priming before starting or do I just spin it until the pump sucks up the fuel?

If it does require a manual prime, how is this achieved?

Also I do not know as of yet if the fuel pump on either unit is any good, if they are not I would rather replace them with a universal inline fuel pump. Is this a bad idea?

Does anyone know the fuel pressure required?

Also does anyone know if there is a video clip showing the start up procedure? I wanna make sure I do it right the first time and do not burn out the voltage regulator.

Thanks in advance!

 

[jbk]

the jerry can is the fuel tank. their is an aux. fuel conn. also. they had no primming feature on them. make sure your choke is ajusted correctly. fuel preas. is low 4-7 lb. i installed primer bulbs on all mine about 10 inchs from the fuel siphon at jerry can. you will hear it filling the carb. just take it easy on the primer bulb. i do this because mine set for long periods of time and it aids in starting. i pull the choke out all the way untill i get a putt while starting then i release the choke and the electric choke takes over, about 3/4 closed. let it start at full govered speed. if you idle it for a min. it will zap your vr. and a new fuel pump for these are 40 bucks, an electric one would have to be 24 volts and would probally cost more than the original.

 

[coyotegray]

Does it have a Yanmar engine..?

 

[jbk]

no ,5 kw gasoline. 42 ci. horizontial air cooked twin cyl. ffh, you also will wont to check the plugs to see if your getting fuel and fire. points in the mag have given me trouble before.

 

[coyotegray]

Oh, ok a MEP017a not a MEP701a....

 

[FireFighterHill]

Hey do you remember what size fuel line it has. Im going to order the plugs might as well order the primers at the same time? I just need the diameter. Are the 1/4 inch by any chance?

 

[jbk]

5/16, i changed mine over to barb fittings and removed all the comp. fittings.

 

[FireFighterHill]

According to what I could find by looking up the NSN for the fuel hose the I.D. of the hose is 0.250 inchs I.E. 1/4th inch correct?

 

[jbk]

if you are going to change the compresion fittings and hose to allow for the primer bulb go to your nearest napa get the size you need on the treaded end with a 5/16 barb on the other with 5/16 fuel line then cut to fit for the primer bulb.

 

[FireFighterHill]

I was just going to cut the hose and put the primer bulb somewhere in the fuel line. Or another thought is to go down to walmart pick up a boat style fuel tank and line and adapt it. That way no hacking involved.

The only other hacking I will be doing is to the battery cables. I need to switch them over to screw in type fittings. The lawn mower batteries I plan to use dont have post like the military batteries had. So my plan is to hack the ends off and silver solder new copper ends onto the cables and make up a bridge between the two 12v batteries to get 24v.

Then when my new carbs get here I will be ready to fire them up!

 

[jbk]

if you want to use the marine fuel tank and bulb just replace that brass fitting at the fuel filter on the aux. inlet side with the 5/16 barb. that way you dont hack the original fuel line.

 

[FireFighterHill]

I WAS going to go that route but after seeing the prices it would cost me about 60 dollar x2 to do that. So I will do what I originally planned and just cut the hose and place the primer bulb inline.

On another note. It was only a dollar more at walmart for pre-made battery cables then it was for just the ends. Question though, is 6 guage wire thick enough?

 

[jbk]

the original hose has a metal spring made into it. i think its hydro. cutting it might not work so well. you could remove the old line from the filter up to the fuel pump put barbs on the fuel pump inlet and at the fuel siphon then just use 5/16 fuel line. ill try to get some pic. of mine. the cables are 1/0 i think #6 is a little light.

 

[jbk]

here you go if they came out

 

[Humpy]

FWIW the guy I got mine from stored the 017A in his basement and cranked it every 30 to 60 days year round and left fuel(non ethenol) in the pump/carb as he found if he ran it dry the gaskets went South in fuel pump. With the fuel additives we have now we should be able to store fuel onboard for years. I plan to run mine at the same schedule under load for 15 minutes to keep everything moving right and it will be stored in my shop which never gets colder that 40°F.

As well I will be changing out the fuel in the 5 gal Jerry Can every 6 months by putting it in tractor and replacing it with new for the on board tank.

Also going to be changing oil to Mobil 1 10W40 synthetic as it is closest thing to the lube order I found for it and the even better the multi weight Mobile 1 won't create sludge as the conventional multiweight oils do. My source on that tidbit was the Mobil Lube Lab about 20 years ago who explained to me that multiweight oil requires addition of polymers to get it to mix and it creates a black gooh like sludge. I used to run Texaco URSA in my 76 F250 and lost the source and went to 10W30 and noticed on one time I saw the glops of sludge coming out drain hole and did the research and went back to 30SAE and problem never returned.

PO had a real neat idea, he had a riding lawn mower that was shot so he cut off everything and rigged up a mounting frame to match the 017a SLED and bolted it on. He put a tongue on the front so it could be steered by hand or pulled with a garden tractor. It is work but I can pull it by hand and place it where I need it before the next ice storm cometh (I hope haha). I am going to rig a frame over it and cover it with a light tarp when doing duty outside as well.

Also did some research about quieting down the noise and found muffler number 18762 and adaptor number 548526 and 1 1/4" elbows and staight pieces should be the right combo to quiet it down. I will connect to 1 1/4" threaded outlet from muffler and mount it above and support the additional weight from the 017A frame and it should be no louder than a car as muffler is for a 4 or 6 cylinder car. Once I get everything finalized I will get my buddy to do his magic with is wire welder and seal up everything.

If anyone would like a pic of the conversion he did email me at ac4ht@aol.com and I will send you a set of pics.