Need to purchase an MEP-003A injector pump

[Carl_in_NH]

The good news is I went and picked up my MEP-003A at the end of last week - and thanks go to member Earth for being instrumental in its recovery. The unit appears reasonably clean, and develops good oil pressure while cranking. Inside the control cubicle it looks almost new.

The bad news is the IP needs replacement. The fuel system has a tag on it mentioning it was drained in March 2009. Put in fresh fuel, electric pumps are building plenty of pressure up to the IP inlet line. Fuel is running back into the tank via return link. Loosened all four injector lines - both at the injectors, and at the pump - no fuel is coming out of the IP during cranking. Fuel control valve is also binding, and only somewhat helped by an external application of penetrating oil. Methinks this IP is junk; while I might be able to bring it back to life, I don't have a good indoor location to store the generator while I've got the pump out to try and effect repairs - so I really don't want to disconnect everything and leave a hole in the block while I try and see if this pump can be saved.

Does anyone have a good MEP-003A injector pump they want to sell? I'd like to buy one right away and see if I can get this generator running before it gets any colder outside. Please send me a PM if you've got one for sale, and let me know what you want for it.

There are other parts I need - fuel gage is inop, and the metal cover over the injectors needs to be replaced - but all this can wait until I can make the darn thing run.

Thanks!

 

[drgreg]

I know a few guys here know these units, I wish I could be more help but I am a hands on guy. Good luck, Greg

 

[rat4spd]

You are looking for the part that everyone with an 003 wants as a spare, and if they have one, it'll take a good amount of cash to get it from them. You are almost better off trying to get another unit for parts.

 

[derby]

Does the soleniond lift when You are cranking? Mine was stiff and would stick in the off (down) position so it would crank but not start. I think Speddmon is very good with the Mep003.

 

[Speddmon]

Thanks derby, your embarrassing me

Before you pull the whole IP off, I would do as derby suggested, pull the linkage apart for the stop solenoid and make sure it's moving very freely....you may still have to end up pulling the IP, but you might just get lucky and have to clean some gunk out of the stopper rod area.

I don't know a lot about the IP's as I've been lucky and never had to work on mine, but these seem to be pretty hardy IPs and can take quite a beating before they "give up the ghost" so to speak. Short of getting grit in the fuel or running out of oil, I haven't read or heard of too many out and out IP failures on these sets, most of the IP stories I hear about are sets coming with missing IPs.

The parts set I picked up was in very sad condition, sand packed in the injector housings, fuel lines disconnected, motor siezed up and numerous other things wrong with it, I sold the engine to another member that needed a good block for a rebuild, but kept the IP for a spare. After his rebuild, he noticed when his engine let go, it broke a couple of teeth on his IP, so we traded IP's, I know his worked because it was working when his motor blew, but I had no idea of the condition of the one I pulled off of that parts set. He got it, cleaned it up a little and put it on, and it worked great...even after all that was wrong with that engine it came from.

 

[drgreg]

OH, watch out, Speddmon's head may not fit in the tri-state area. Next thing you know he will be raiding WI for more goods.

 

[Speddmon]

ya know Greg, I only come up there because it's such a beautiful state...and I like Cheese!!!!
















Oh, and the trucks out of McCoy ain't bad either

 

[Carl_in_NH]

Thanks, guys. Yes - one of the first things I did when it didn't start was check the fuel shutoff solenoid. It is retracting normally, but the fuel control was not; this is where I discovered the binding in the fuel control. I've soaked it externally several times with penetrating oil, but that remedy is only partially successful. Since I didn't want to chance starting the unit with a fuel control that wasn't behaving properly (and possibly causing a run-away condition that would destroy the engine), that's when I decided to see if it was producing any high pressure fuel at the pump outputs with the fuel control in the full-open position. I took all the proper precautions to not get wounded by jets of 2000 PSI fuel, but what I found was no fuel at all from any of the pressure ports on the hydraulic head. I had also removed the fuel shutoff solenoid at this point so I wouldn't constantly be beating on a fuel control lever that's binding.

So, the short story is the IP must be pretty well gummed up internally. Looks like I've got no choice but to tear it off and start cleaning.

I was told on another board that this is a common injector pump and any competent diesel injector pump rebuilder could get the parts to do the rebuild work and do a proper job of it with a flowbench. I started looking for someone in New England to do that, but Google searches haven't yielded all that much of use. Does anyone know of a good shop in the area?

Thanks

 

[Speddmon]

The pump is an Ambac model 50 pump....not being made any longer, but parts can still be had.

There is an authorized Ambac rebuild shop in MI somewhere, but I forget who it is....you can call Ambac to find out. The guy I was talking about who I traded IP's with called and got a quote for the repair of his....but the price of the new gear and repair made it almost as much as a remanufactured pump.

Until you are positive that the pump is trashed, I would use the disassembly and repair section of the TM and tear it down myself and clean everything and re-assemble. It is my understanding that it's the button thicknesses that are critical during a rebuild....but you already have the correct buttons and everything....so just taking it down and putting it back together shouldn't change anything.

I never really looked that closely at the TM section for the pumps...maybe you can get the stopper rod cleaned up without having to tear into it too far. A cheap and easy fix maybe????

 

[O.D. Fever]

Before you remove the pump try to unstick it. I have done this with success twice. Remove the long hex nut, then remove the 12 point nut under that nut, use needle nose plyers to remove deverter valve inside the hole, don't loose small plasic spacer. Use a small brass punch and tap the plunger that works the valve back in, roll engine over a crank or two and punch it again. If it starts to go in and out on its own, your done. Good luck Joe

 

[LuckyDog]

Sorry to raise an old thread.... (ok, I am not sorry)

I am thinking of doing what OD Fever suggested to try and un-stick my IP pump. I have plenty of fuel going to the pump BUT I have only dribbles coming out of the return line into the tank. Should that be a strong flow out the return line when the motor is not being cranked?

The fuel pumps spin well and then stall when everything is up to pressure. Is this normal?

This is my first MEP so I don't know what normal is yet.

Please help.

 

[Carl_in_NH]

Sounds about right; I'd say more than a trickle from the return line, but not a solid stream by any means.

The pumps 'click' rapidly until pressure builds, then they slow until they click a time or two per second. This is normal.

 

[PaulbusMax]

My 003A wouldn't start, same symptoms. I ended up ordering a new IP and while waiting for it to arrive i tore down the old one, couldn't see anything wrong, put it back together, and reinstalled it. It's been working perfectly ever since. It was just gummed up a little. Make yourself a little block off cover for the IP hole in the block while you have yours off of the engine, throw a tarp over it.

 

[storeman]

Carl,
How did your problem turn out? Did OD Fever's suggestion work or did you wind up replacing the IP? I'm trying to absorb all the MEP002/003 issues I can to prep me to get my winnings running in April.
Jerry

 

[Carl_in_NH]

I replaced the IP; the pump that was on my machine had parts in the high pressure plunger section missing, and would therefore never work.

Timed (by purchasing the correct button) and installed a new pump, and she was up and running in short order.

 

[LuckyDog]

I like OD Fever's idea BUT...

Sounds about right; I'd say more than a trickle from the return line, but not a solid stream by any means.

The pumps 'click' rapidly until pressure builds, then they slow until they click a time or two per second. This is normal.

So, is it ok to keep the juice to the pump when it is down to a 'click' or two a second? I was worried I would burn up the fuel pump by letting it in that condition too long.

Would a stuck plunger cause the return line appear to be clogged?
Would a clog in the return path (inside the pump) prevent fuel from being delivered to the injectors?

My 003A wouldn't start, same symptoms. I ended up ordering a new IP and while waiting for it to arrive i tore down the old one, couldn't see anything wrong, put it back together, and reinstalled it. It's been working perfectly ever since. It was just gummed up a little. Make yourself a little block off cover for the IP hole in the block while you have yours off of the engine, throw a tarp over it.

I haven't been inside the pump yet. I am trying to avoid that if possible. That is why I wondered if ODFever's suggestion of the brass punch through the delivery valve was safe. I would start by putting in the brass punch (rod) and turn the motor by hand through two or three revolutions to see if I could sense the plunger moving first.

If not, then how far should I turn the motor after PC (Port Closing) before tapping on the plunger? (This unit is an 002A)

About how far would the plunger move before bottoming out on the cam shaft?

I like ODF's idea but my past experience with other IPs (more complex designs than this one) suggests having a LOT of knowledge before attempting this.

 

[Speddmon]

Check your feed and return lines really closely. There is a 90 degree fitting right at the pump that other members have had get clogged up with gunk and prevent the free flow of fuel. It could be something as simple as that.

 

[Carl_in_NH]

There's a check valve, too, that could be limiting the amount of fuel flow. Take all that stuff apart and check it - it's really easy.

As for removing and replacing the pump, that's really simple, too; the only hard part is finding that crows foot adapter in the bottom of your tool box that's been sitting there for 20 years unused - because you'll need it to remove the nuts from the studs that mount the pump in place.

To retime the pump, you'll just need a piece of 1/8" brass rod and a socket and extention to turn the engine over - after removing the valve cover so you can see when #1 is on the compression stroke.

 

[LuckyDog]

Check your feed and return lines really closely. There is a 90 degree fitting right at the pump that other members have had get clogged up with gunk and prevent the free flow of fuel. It could be something as simple as that.

If you mean the fitting on the input of the pump, I doubt that it is that. I have a strong and steady stream coming out of the delivery valve.
If you mean the fitting on the output side of the pump, I haven't pulled that yet. Too cold and snowy right now.

As for removing and replacing the pump, that's really simple, too; the only hard part is finding that crows foot adapter in the bottom of your tool box that's been sitting there for 20 years unused - because you'll need it to remove the nuts from the studs that mount the pump in place.

Dang, I haven't seen that piece in .... I can't remember the last time. But I can garuntee that as soon as I buy one I'll find it again.


Guess the safest thing to do is pull the IP when the weather warms a bit.

Will I HAVE TO find o-rings and seals?
OR do most member re-use the same seals after tear down?

 

[Carl_in_NH]

If the O-rings are not mangled, then I'd say reuse them. The ones in my old pump were fine - I kept them for spares.