Picked up 6 MEP-802A gensets and will be documenting making them all runners here

[Guyfang]

That's super! A lot of the CECOM LAR did not feel like they needed the gage. And never ordered it. 99% of the D.S. (Direct Support) units never ordered it. Sadly, lots of units when confronted with a rack or IP problem, simply ordered an engine. Got to the point, there were NO cores to be found. They were all in scrap heaps and or forgotten in a crate in the Supply activity. No hurry sending it back in for rebuild. I once found 3 MEP-802A engines sitting in a open wooden box behind a motor pool, and the unit was down range. They had been there 3/4 year. It may not rain anyplace else in the world, but here in Germany it RAINS. So the rust had started on the engines. I boxed them up and almost had to point a pistol at the Supply Wiesels, to get them to return the cores.

 

[pclausen]

That's a real shame about all those perfectly good blocks...

So I got my caliper batteries and attempted to shim the injector pumps, but I don't seem to be able to get it.

I zeroed the dial indicator at TDC:



I then rotated counter clockwise to get past a 0.99" drop and then rotated clockwise to get to exactly 0.99" drop:



But my distance X is GREATER than 51.196mm:



With a 0.70mm shim pack, I would have expected the distance X to be about 50.496mm (51.196 - 0.70).

51.196mm is B, which is the height of the injector pump, supposedly. I measured one of mine and got the following:



So that seems way off from the 51.196mm spec, but maybe that is a somewhat compressed spec? As a sanity check, I used the calipers to get a rough idea of the piston drop (this is without the head gasket which adds a little:



That seems about right.

I'm thinking that maybe I should just go ahead and re-install the pumps with the original shim packs, which were 0.70mm for both pumps. Thoughts?

 

[pclausen]

Oh and here are the dimensions of the block:

 

[Guyfang]

Normally, the shims that were under the IP, should be what you want. The measurements were done at the factory and should not change. Perhaps @Ray70 could jump in here. He seems to have a good handle on the IP's

 

[Ray70]

I agree with replacing the original shim packs. I've never actually gone through the process of measuring to determine the correct shims. I have always either replaced whatever came out originally, or if that was unknown I throw 2 black shims back in and call it good and never had a problem.

Also, your metering pump free measurement of 56.39mm is correct ( I've normally estimated them at 2 1/4" approximately when showing people how to check for a stuck pump )

I think there may be an error in the 9-2815-252-24 Engine TM. It list the metering pump free dimension as 2.02" however, it is 2.20" I bet they have a typo in there..... Maybe for giggles, recheck your measurements using 55.88mm as the pump length and see how it come out. Otherwise toss the .070 shims back in and move forward!

 

[Daybreak]

Howdy,
The Stove Bright Forest Green is a perfect color match for 2007 and newer engines. I know over the years there were variations in color.
MEP-8xx engine paint | SteelSoldiers

And if you are wanting stainless screws for re-assembly.
MEP-8xx stainless steel screw information | SteelSoldiers

MEP-802A MEP-803A Filters and Parts | SteelSoldiers

 

[pclausen]

Just putting the original shim packs back on it is!

Ready to drop the head back on next:



@Daybreak thanks for the link to the engine paint thread. Since I have a mix of models ranging from 2000 to 2009, I have definitely noticed they are not all the same color.

I'll price out the stainless fasteners. Thanks for that link as well!

 

[pclausen]

I dropped the head on but have some questions about what washers to use where since it was years ago that I took these apart.

I have all these parts left over. Granted, some I believe are from another unit that I removed the head from.



I used those thin washers above to drop onto the recess in the block below where the orange grommets go. I tried the think ones at first, but they caused the lip on the grommets to not rest on the block surface. Not sure why I have both a set on thin ones as well as a set of think ones?

The brass ones to the left of the thick/thin ones, are what I assume is used below 4 of the head bolts to ensure an oil tight seal?

The middle column of contoured washers I assume what something that came out of the heads that were rebuild? Ditto on the white cups on the far right column? The 2nd to last column looks to be regular copper washers that I'll probably find a sure for as I continue assembling the engine.

Pic of head on block:



Close up of head bolt and washer:



Figure 12 from TM parts manual:



And the parts items:



I guess that's what I get for waiting 7 years between disassembly and re-assembly, lol.

 

[pclausen]

I went looked at the 802s that I haven't started working on again and I think I answered at least the question about the head bolt washers.

The unit with the busted piston doesn't have those washers on it currently, which explains why I have extras:



I seem to recall I just pulled off what I need to get the head off to figure out why it all of a sudden stopped turning over. The busted piston laying on top of the valve cover pretty much sums it up.

This is the second unit I haven't touched in years:



You can clearly see the surface rust on the head. So this one of the units that has a rebuild head on it that I never got around to re-painting.

Anyway, taking a closer look at one of the head bolts, it sure looks like the washer on it is one of the ones with the rubber center:



I don't remember if this one runs or not or if I got that far. The engine should be good to go, but maybe there was some other issue that prevented me from starting it? I looked through the previous pages of this thread, but I wasn't very good about announcing which machine I was working on in each given post. I'll definitely make a note of that going forward.

 

[pclausen]

Made some good progress today. Got the valvetrain done and after a while, I was able to rotate the crank 2 full revolutions after the lifters had bleed down.



Next I installed the manifolds and injectors. So I figured out what those copper looking washers were for. I annealinged them first with a blow torch:



Turns out the new water pump I got years ago was not properly machined, so I had to file out the inner portion of the temperature sender thread in order for the prove to slip in all the way:



Other than that, it all came together nicely:



After adding all that stuff onto the block, especially the head, it had gotten too heavy to lift by hand. My engine hoist is at a friend's house, so I decided to use the loader on my little tractor. What could possibly go wrong?



Fortunately nothing did and I was able to safely get the block situated on the skid and got the flywheel attached:



Unfortunately, I'll probably have to deal with this before proceeding:



That's the negative rectifier. Best price I found so far is just over $90:

Rectifier-Negative, Onan 358-0070 [358-0070] :

Rectifier-Negative, Onan 358-0070 [358-0070] -

www.partsfortechs.com

Interestingly enough, the positive rectifier is less than half as much:

Rectifier-Positive, Onan 358-0069 [358-0069] :

Rectifier-Positive, Onan 358-0069 [358-0069] -

www.partsfortechs.com

Anyone know where to get these for a better price?

 

[Light in the Dark]

Those look to be the best prices I could muster as well.

 

[pclausen]

I disconnected all 4 leads on both the positive and negative rectifiers and these are the measurements I got:

CR1	Open	0.49V
CR2	Open	0.48V
CR3	Open	0.48V
CR4	0.48V	Open
CR5	0.47V	Open
CR6	0.47V	Open

Since I'm using a DVM (Fluke 17B) I learned previously that I can't use the regular Ohm, setting, but have to use the Diode setting.

Anyway, it seems that both rectifiers are fine, so I'm just going to roll with it. I cleaned up the area and it looks like the post just got bent at some point, but it didn't damage anything apparently.



I dropped the nuts and washers in the Evapo-Rust solution overnight and will re-assemble in the morning. Should look a lot better.

 

[pclausen]

Fasteners cleaned up nicely:



Got the rotor installed:



Laid the stator flat on the bell housing and knocked in the new bearing with a healthy blow on a piece of 4x4:



It then slid on without much trouble:



After tightening the 4 nuts on the long studs, everything lined up well and it spins nice and smooth:



This 802 had some pretty beat up panels, so I'll see what I can do about getting those straight next:



Also need to clean up all the fuel related items after sitting open for the last 7 years:



Someone decided to make a home of the filter housing...

 

[Guyfang]

Looking good!

 

[pclausen]

Today was slow going getting the panels straightened out. I used a vice where I could, a tamper bar where I needed, but mostly a pein hammer and some dollys. It certainly isn't show quality worthy, but compared to how banged up and ripped the panels were before, I think they turned out out. Don't have any pics of the panels as I moved on to the rusted electrical connectors next.

This unit, the 2006, did not have a top cover on it, so all the connections were rained on as seen on the following photos:







K2 didn't escape the water either:



I started with TB3 and have it along with the 24 screws soaking overnight in the Evapo-Rust.

Depending on how it turns out, I might just pick up a new terminal block.

I wonder if this would be a direct substitute?

https://www.amazon.com/Blue-Sea-Systems-Circuit-Terminal/dp/B000K2K6L6/ref=sr_1_6?keywords=12+position+terminal+block&qid=1644290338&sprefix=12+position+%2Caps%2C48&sr=8-6

 

[pclausen]

Ran down to the shop this morning to pick up the 2 air flow baffles, but was only able to find one. As far as I can tell, the left and right side are the same, so I stole one from the parts machine (the one with the busted piston), and grabbed the 2 red wire holders while I was at it:



I spread out all the loose panel I had stashed from the 2 remaining 802s, just to make sure I didn't miss the baffle:



Nope, not there... lol

 

[kloppk]

I wonder if this would be a direct substitute?

https://www.amazon.com/Blue-Sea-Systems-Circuit-Terminal/dp/B000K2K6L6/ref=sr_1_6?keywords=12+position+terminal+block&qid=1644290338&sprefix=12+position+%2Caps%2C48&sr=8-6

Looks the the 30 AMP 12 position would be a fit. Blue Sea PN 2512.
Specs for it...


Specs for existing rusted one

 

[pclausen]

Thanks Kurt! So that 12 position terminal block cleaned up pretty nicely. So I'll probably just re-use it.



But the 6-32 1/4" machine screws didn't, so I'll see about ordering a box of those.

I started removing the 8-32 1/4" machine screws from the smaller 14 position terminal block, but wouldn't you know it, I snapped a screw in it:



I actually had a box of those screws "in stock", but now that I snapped a screw, I guess I might as well replace that terminal , but I'm having a lot less luck locating one of those.

I'm going to see if I have any better luck replacing the screws on the terminal blocks on the control box. Hopefully I won't snap any more. Same for the screws on these guys:



I did get 2 of the side panels mounted that I straightened out yesterday:





Before I started, I sorted all the screws by length and color:



Made it a lot quicker to find the right ones.

Got most of the engine wiring done on both sides:





It certainly helps to have a completed unit sitting next to it to look at during re-assembly! I still had to guess on a couple of the wires since I couldn't find the wire markings on the assembled unit. Will probably need to look up a few of the wire codes to make sure they are wired correctly.

I was hoping to get this set fired up this weekend, but with the busted terminal block, that might not happen, depending on what I can do about a replacement. I suppose I could steal the one from the parts machine, but those screws are even more rusted that this one...

 

[Guyfang]

Snapped off screws in the control cube are a (sadly) normal thing.

If you just want to test the machine, and you are are talking about the snapped off screw on terminal 4, simply move the jumper between terminals 4&5 down to the bottom two holes, and put the wire under the top wire in terminal #5.

 

[pclausen]

Thanks Guy. I was able to adjust my technique to not snap any additional screws. After breaking each screw free and starting to back them out, if I got any significant resistance, I'd go forward again a little bit and then try again. With a lot of patience, I was able to get the rest of them out without incident.

Took a pic to remember where the jumpers go:



And then drilled out the snapped off screw and used an easy out to get the threads out:



Carefully labeled all the wires before removing the block:



Got the block soaking in Evapo-Rust now.

I was also able to replace all the rusted screws in the Control Box without incidence:



Looks like I'm back in business!

Does anyone know where to pick up those hold down springs for the relays?