MEP 003 Hard To Start

[khamill2000]

Bought my MEP 003 a couple of months ago. Test fired it a week later. Little hard to start but once it started, it ran great. Hard wired it into my house. Read a recommendation on this forum that said to replace the glow plugs. Did that and it started much easier. Did my monthly test in September and it started about like it did originally. 60 sec glow plug and crank for about 30. Doing my test for October today and completely ran down the batteries cranking on it. Finally had to jump it from the deuce and got it to run after about 45-60 seconds of continual cranking.

Temp is 82 degrees. This definitely won't work well in the winter.

Why is this thing so hard to start cold and what can I do about it? Restart when warm is easy as pie.

 

[DieselAddict]

Have you tested your glowplugs and GP relay to make sure they are actually working? The MEP003 I had would NOT start cold without a generous dose of GP even on a warm day. On a cold day it took 60-90 seconds MINIMUM before even trying it or you could forget it. If I preheated it long enough it would light right off. I figured it was pretty standard for the machine. When it was running it would make full load with no struggle. It was just a hard starting thing without a lot of preheat.

I would know in 5 seconds of cranking if it was going to start (It would keep dragging on the starter). If not I would stop and give it 30 more seconds of preheat.

If you know for sure that you are getting heat in the cylinders with the GPs the next step is to check timing and after that check fuel pump pressures / injector.

Oh, before I forget, you may want to check the RPM of the crank. That will also make it not want to start.

 

[khamill2000]

How do I test the glow plugs? Ohm meter? Also, i had to replace some electrical ends on the glow plug wiring SD o I probably ought to test that too.

 

[doghead]

What batteries do you have and are they good?

 

[khamill2000]

What batteries do you have and are they good?

I believe they are Interstate. Seem to be working fine to the best of my knowledge

 

[jamawieb]

It shouldn't take that long to get started, one thing you may want to consider is the injectors or compression. Does it smoke a lot before it fires off?

 

[khamill2000]

Puffs of white smoke

 

[Triple Jim]

Right Jamawieb, I was thinking it might be worth doing a compression test, if for no reason other than to eliminate that as a possible cause.

 

[khamill2000]

Glow plugs ohms 1.3-1.4. Manifold heater shows similar but shows about 1.0 between the adapter plate and the glow plugs.

I don't have equipment to check the compression. send me a link to the tools and I'll get them.

 

[robertsears1]

My 003a has always needed some preheat to start, even in the summertime. Lately, I have run the main pump until I hear the return fuel dribbling into the tank, then crank. If I don't start to see white puffs within about 5" from the exhaust, I will hit the heat again. I have never tested my plugs but they have always seemed to work as expected.

Robert

 

[Triple Jim]

I don't think you can start an 002A or 003A without at least a couple glow plugs working. I suspect guys who think they don't need glow plugs don't realize the glow plugs are powered during cranking.

 

[rustystud]

I don't think you can start an 002A or 003A without at least a couple glow plugs working. I suspect guys who think they don't need glow plugs don't realize the glow plugs are powered during cranking.

I believe the "manifold" glow plugs come on when cranking but the "head" ones only come on when you turn the switch to them.

 

[Triple Jim]

I believe the "manifold" glow plugs come on when cranking but the "head" ones only come on when you turn the switch to them.

It looks like I'm right about there being a misunderstanding of the glow plug operation. All glow plugs are powered during cranking. K2, the preheat relay, is powered through terminal 15 of S1, both when S1 is in the "preheat" position, and in the "start" position. All glow plugs are wired to a single contact of K2, so they all operate together.

 

[Chainbreaker]

Just to clarify for semantics purposes - HR1 & HR2 are referred to as "Heaters" (the air intake manifold heaters with resistive wires) and HR 3,4,5,6 are referred to as "Glow Plugs". Yep they are all on according to the schematic when cranking or using pre-heat. The common tie point on the schematic indicates they are tied together at TB4-7-8 which is activated by K2 as Triple Jim states. I think some people could become confused and think they are not using any glow plugs if they don't use pre-heat which is not the case. Regardless, I always use ~ 30 seconds to 1 minute of preheat depending on ambient air temperature unless engine is hot and then no preheat, as is stated on the "Starting Procedure" placard on side of control box.

 

[87Nassaublue]

I haven't gotten my 002A running yet. I still have to repair the IP on that one, but my 016B won't start without a good bit of preheat. My 016D with the little Yanmar engine fires right up, no problem with or without preheat. I believe It must be the old Onan engines that need a lot of preheat. I have an old international 504 tractor that is the same way. It will not start cold with no preheat, whether it's summer or winter.

 

[Triple Jim]

Diesels with indirect injection (pre-chambers) need glow plugs to start. Direct injection diesels may not.

 

[87Nassaublue]

Very interesting. You're never too old to learn something new. Thanks!