1952 Fermont 30KW Recovery!! PICS!!

[No.2Diesel]

1952 Fermont 30KW Update Pics

Hi,

I finally got a 3ph Generator! Yay.........

Being patient payed off. I could've never afforded the MEP004 I've been looking for. Now I can run my 10.5hp 120gal. compressor, and my 300amp MIG without issue....Its got classic lines and is seabees shade OD underneath a flaky white paint job.

It was probably the easiest recovery yet: being only a few towns over, only needing to air the tires up and jack the tongue up (broken tongue jack on trailer) It was pretty easy. Now the fun part: Getting it nice.

Here's an abbreviated description of specs in case you can't read the brass data plate in the pic:

Corps of Engineers, US Army

Generator Set, Portable, 30KW, 60cycle, 120/208 - 240/416 Volt, 3 Phase
4 Wire 104-52 Amperes at .8PF 1,800 RPM

Manufactured by: International Fermont Machinery Co. Inc. Ramapo, NY.

Model No......... M30GCT-SH6-A
Stock List No... SNL-17-4780.650-375

Operating Weight: 3,300lbs.
Length: 8ft.

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Previous owner said it was running about 10yrs. ago and found a carb for it from a local boat yard as the Continental 6cyl. it has was also popular in small vessels. It has a Fairbanks-Morse Magneto, Shielded spark plug wires (someone clipped the ends at the plugs for attachment to civvi plugs)

The shell/enclosure is in pretty good shape, with a few dings here and there. The worst of it which isn't bad is that the hinges for the access panels on some of em are rusty and inoperable. Its even got shutters for the radiator.

The worst of it on the equipment itself is that the gauge panel looks to have been vandilized years ago. And the water pump leaks. As soon as the motor was being turned over coolant would come out of the shaft seal/bushing.

I can't wait to pressure wash the white paint off and disconnect it from its trailer. The trailers a whole nother story. I was going to keep it and redo it but I'm not so sure. I think I'd rather put the unit on a four wheel steerable dolly. If I need to transport it, I'll just put it in the back of the Deuce. The trailer looks to have been a telephone/utility trailer. Its got 5 lug 19.5" rims with inner/outer budd nuts.

If anyone wants the trailer let me know......

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Ok here are the questions:

1.) Anyone know where I can get a manual for this thing. Internetting has netted......not alot of info

2.) When cranking the engine the governor makes a loud clicking noise.....hmm....will investigate further

3.) Can I get new shielded spark plug wires and plugs for this easily?

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I'm pretty excited about this piece of Mil. Aux. Equip. Enjoy the pictures...

 

[brianrbull]

I have a couple complete control panels from the 004-007 Mil Standard MEP Gen Sets, might be easier to wire one of those in rather than repair yours...let me know if you are interested

 

[No.2Diesel]

Hi,

Hmmmm......sounds interesting. Do you have a pic of one of your control panels. I'd just to see its layout and if they have similar gauges. Thanks.

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I've already seperated the Gen. from the trailer. Somebody welded it to the trailer .......I was careful with the cutting torch to blow through the weld only and it came off easily.

 

[Lex_Ordo]

Looks good Dave.
Can't wait till the paint makes it OD again.

 

[brianrbull]

Guages

The control panels I have are the same on the MEP-004(15kw),005(30kw),006(60kw),007(100kw) I am sorry I do not have pics of the panels, but you can go to our FAV auction site. and look up generators for a pic of the control panel.

 

[No.2Diesel]

Hi,

How much do you want for an entire panel with everything mounted on/in it from an MEP005?

 

[KI4GSN]

PM sent reference trailer.

 

[No.2Diesel]

Hi, update:

Had it running yesterday when I got home.

Bought and installed new sparkplugs, new oil filter & oil, (takes 8qts.) and rigged an upside down jug of gasoline and bypassed the pump & lines. The smell of old varnished waxy fuel was overwhelming. I'll have to remove the tank and have it boiled out. The copper line that goes from the tank to the pump is tiny and I imagine is clogged pretty good. I tried running compressed air through the line and nothing would come out, not even air.

It would only run smoothly (or run at all) with the choke on. The governor was doing its job to keep a steady RPM. It was makin' some volts! I don't want to load test it until everything else is nice. Its amazing how much cfm of air this thing moves through the radiator.

Next is to pull the carb, fuel tank, fuel pump, & water pump for rebuilding/refurb. I'll flip down the control panel to see whats up.

 

[Ferroequinologist]

Awesome! My favorite thing to do in life is fire up a machine that has been idled for a long time. It's like raising the dead! only they dont' come back to eat you! only the green paper in your wallet....

Keep us up to date on the progress!

 

[mangus580]

The clicking noise you were hearing is probably the mag spring snapping, creating the impulse for spark.

 

[Wrench Wench]

It's like raising the dead! only they dont' come back to eat you! only the green paper in your wallet....

Naw. that's the Zombie Apocalypse thread.

Curious, why did you insist on getting a 30 kW gasser? the MEP-005 Diesels are going for literally pennies on the original government cost dollar.

 

[G-Force]

Kohler used the same flat head continental engine on their marine generators for pleasure boats. You can probably still get spark plug wires from them if you can find someone with NOS parts. Also check this website:
Old Engine.org Homepage
They have manuals and stuff like that for Fairbanks Morse magnetos

 

[OLDCHEV4X4]

Now I can run my 10.5hp 120gal. compressor, and my 300amp MIG without issue....

You forgot about vertical knee mill and lathe that you are getting from Colemans.
I will be up to help set them up and start making chips.

 

[No.2Diesel]

Hi,

-Definitely will keep ya updated. I'd like to get running for the local truck & tractor show in July. I want it to power a large siren that I got.

-Thanks Mangus for clearing that up, yes only when cranking and not firing does make that noise.

-On my budget I can't even afford GL prices. If I had the money I'd be glad to shell it out for a diesel, but I kinda like this gasser as its simple and cheap to fix.

-My Bridgeport already has a phase converter on it and it doesn't draw much anyway. You are right though Randy, I need a nice big LeBlond engine lathe mmmmmm......Hot Chips in the face........

 

[No.2Diesel]

Hi,

Update - Partial catastrophic failure and progress:

Well after the initial test run everything looked great but something was strange......hardy har har on me ...

I noticed a small puncture wound on the oil pan just beneath the pan rail. It was obvious that it was an exit wound. I immediately thought and expected the worst possible scenario....something let loose and is in the bottom of the pan.....and on top of that I had run it for 5 minutes like this. It didn't sound like anything was wrong.....

Narration of the pics:

-Well taking the pan off we can see the lower half, the "skirt" of the No.1 piston is shattered in the bottom of the pan. I did find one wrist pin retaining clip.

-The top half of the piston was shattered as well but was held together and sitting at the top of the bore. I took a wooden handle and popped it up and out of the cylinder after removing the head.

-Your probably chuckling away knowing that some serious sh-t happened inside

-The connecting rod and wrist pin are still intact without a scratch but this caused just a little bit of a problem with the cylinder wall surface as you can see, four 1/8" deep grooves cut into the walls by the wrist pin....that will require a sleeve....

-The water and fuel pump are still out to be rebuilt.

-The carb was filled with tar and the internal parts were galvanic actioned right outta the universe

-My friend just happened to have a very similar carb sitting in his shelf and graciously offered it as it was just going to sit on the shelf some more. The only issue is the mounting holes needed to be slotted to fit, everything else was the same. I took it apart and put on my cheesy table top mill and opened up the holes accordingly. This "new" carb is almost brand new and just needs a gasket or two and to be cleaned.

-On the damaged cylinder I compressed the valve springs, removed the keepers and took out the lifters, and put the valves, keepers, springs back in so they stay shut. (this engine does not have pushrods)

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So the plan for the near future is to run the engine on 5 cyls until I can afford to make things right. I do have the tools to rebore it and sleeve it at home but I'm not sure I have the patience nor the time right now.

I did take measurements of my Slant Sixes by the way Its the same width and 3" shorter. If I can find an SAE bellhousing that bolts to a Slant, it would be in there in a second.

After scrounging for hrs. I found an engine manual on-line in pdf that is very helpful.

There is a place in TX that supplies Continental & Red Seal engine parts...I just don't have the cash for the sleeve, piston and rings. It sounds silly.

This motor has a 4" bore and is 330cu. in. and rated for 120hp. compression is 6.5 It weighs 880lbs.

Enjoy the pics!

 

[OLDCHEV4X4]

Looks like fun! I take it that you have a portable cylinder boring machine, cause your not going to set that engine block on the "cheesy table top mill"......are you?

 

[No.2Diesel]

Hahaha..... I may try it on my old round ram Bridgeport.......

I know a Series I Bridgeport has a table capacity of 750lbs. and a Series II has a capacity of 1,500lbs. My bare block would probably be about 200lbs. and the tables aren't feeding during the operation so I should be good.

I have never tried something this large before but since its an in-line engine and not a v-config. it would take alot less setup time and math....

 

[scooter01922]

YUK, I rebuild a wisconsin VH4D last winter that looked similar. Lower half of the piston grenaded upper half cracked and stuck in the top of the bore. Didn't have any nasty gouges like that in the cly though. Looks like it ran like that for a little bit. Sounded fine when running??? Just think how smooth it will be when all 6 are actually going

 

[Wrench Wench]

And that wrist pin is... "still intact without a scratch"? Uh, are you planning to reuse it?

If you have a nice milling machine, you thinking you might mill a new unobtainium cylinder head from billet?

 

[citizensoldier]

What model Continental is that? I might have all the manuals for it if you dont have them. I would think parts are available they used them in many applications.. Or maybe swap a flathead Chrysler in it? They are plentiful too..