Kerosene for MEP-003A

[Roadracer86]

I started playing around with this genset I bought from Ft Meade a few weeks ago and it looks like there was straight kerosene in the fuel pumps when I popped off the bottoms to check the fuel screens. It also looks like it was in the fuel tank as well.

Fuel lines to the injector pump were loosely connected so I'm wondering if they ran the kerosene in the pumps and filters to keep them from gumming up? Surely you can't run this genesets on straight kerosene can you? I didn't think kerosene had any lubrication properties to run in a diesel engine? Cripes I hope the motor isn't toast on this rascal.

 

[O.D. Fever]

Please test this and post the results..

 

[Roadracer86]

Please test this and post the results..

That's ok; isn't straight kerosene used to cut #2 diesel in the winter? Could it be something else in the tank? Sure smelled and looked like straight kerosene to me. I guess its better than gas or water!

 

[n1oty]

It may be jet fuel. Most of the flavors of JP fuel are basically kerosene with some additional additives.

John

 

[Roadracer86]

It may be jet fuel. Most of the flavors of JP fuel are basically kerosene with some additional additives.

John

I was reading about JP8 which the US military switched to for tanks, gensets, and aircraft back in 96. I guess it was that stuff in there; could have fooled me since it isn't everyday I'm fueling my A1 Abrams or my YF-23 vectored fighter. The only diesel I've owned in 45 years is my Kubota tractor.

 

[coyote62ny]

i know here in the north east we mix kerosene in the diesel fuel to keep it from jelling in the winter cold i get my fuel from the farm next door and we mix it 50/50 diesel fuel and kerosene has never hurt any of the john deere tractors we also use power service additive in the mix as well you wont be happy if you go to use your gen set in the middle of the night when its 15 below zero and find all of the fuel filters jelled up thats a real mess and not fun in the cold. i would not run straight kerosene in any diesel as was stated not much lubrication in kerosene

 

[storeman]

The 002a I picked up from Portsmouth also had what smelled like kerosene in the primary fuel filter (and no spring in the oil filter). The missing spring in the oil filter seems to be the latest fad and Delks wants $35 for it according to a friend who had the same experience on one of those depot rebuilds that went for big bucks at Meade a couple weeks ago.
Jerry

 

[Speddmon]

I'm willing to bet it was JP8 or some variant in the tank and pumps. Mine one had a clear fuel in it as well when I got it, although I can say I didn't take the time to smell it. But I can tell you this much, I dumped the probably 1 1/2 quarts total of it on some weeds I had beside the garage and they were literally blackened and dying/dead by the end of the day about 6 hours later, and didn't re-grow until the following spring almost a full year later. So it definitely was NOT diesel and/or Kerosene.

 

[ETN550]

That stuff seems to evaporate and leave a gum residue when left around for a while. Recommend a good flush with #2 diesel. The aux pumps on my 016B's were both gummed up. One freed itself up the other needed disassembly and solvent flush to make it work.

Most diesels will run on K1 and the JP8 is probably close. Reduced power though because heating value is less than #2D. The lubricity is less than #2D so an additive may help.

 

[Roadracer86]

i know here in the north east we mix kerosene in the diesel fuel to keep it from jelling in the winter cold i get my fuel from the farm next door and we mix it 50/50 diesel fuel and kerosene has never hurt any of the john deere tractors we also use power service additive in the mix as well you wont be happy if you go to use your gen set in the middle of the night when its 15 below zero and find all of the fuel filters jelled up thats a real mess and not fun in the cold. i would not run straight kerosene in any diesel as was stated not much lubrication in kerosene

That's what I thought and was a bit confused when I pulled the filters out today. **** even my wife said, "hey ya know that smells like kerosene." I'm in the NE as well; if you buy the diesel today would it already be cut for winter. Once I get this rascal up and running (fingers crossed) I was going to fill a 500 gallon ast tank with winter mix.

Thanks for the clarification; I'm quite the newbie with these gensets but learning fast from this site.

 

[Roadracer86]

The 002a I picked up from Portsmouth also had what smelled like kerosene in the primary fuel filter (and no spring in the oil filter). The missing spring in the oil filter seems to be the latest fad and Delks wants $35 for it according to a friend who had the same experience on one of those depot rebuilds that went for big bucks at Meade a couple weeks ago.
Jerry

I pulled my filter cover and luckily I have the spring and spacer in there for the filter. This unit is also a tan 003A and there wasn't a speck of sand anywhere. The control panel looks new and the gauges look new; as long as she starts and puts out juice I'll be tickled.

 

[Keith_J]

The fuel in the filters of my 002A smelled AND looked like Minwax oil-based wood stain. A dark cherry tone too.

Injection pump was locked up tighter than Fort Knox too. Had all filters and gaskets, only these were twisted and over-tightened to somehow effect a seal.

New filters, fresh diesel and R&R of the control lever with Berryman B12 Chemtool worked fine. If you use the B12, flush it out within 30 minutes as it is hard on o-rings.

I've driven a 7.8 kW load with it. That was my welder at 200 amperes. Not bad for a 5 kW rated set

 

[scrapdaddy]

My two sets are tan also and didn't have any sand on them, until I opened up the control panel. Yup, 1/8th inch of powder. came from Kuwait.

 

[flyxpl]

It was probably jet fuel in your gens. , very close to kero . My mep004 had jet fuel in it from GSA.The fuel and tank did not have that old varnishy smell . I have ran 100% kerosene in my Bobcat and my Kubota mower at times when diesel gets higher than Kero .Maybe a little bit of oil for some lube .

 

[Keith_J]

Kerosene is quite useful. Old side valve (flat head) gasoline engines can use it if you have a heated intake manifold and dissolve 5% mothballs in it. Old school naphthalene, not that newer paradichlorobenzene (urinal cakes).

I've run a garden tractor on it, ran fine. I had a few gallons of dyed off-road kerosene and didn't have a non-highway diesel at the time.

 

[storeman]

Roadracer, glad you have the spring assy. I've saw a post on this board about another ss who didn't get his either.

 

[PeterD]

As to running kero, I do know that for the MEP-004a (and I'd guess 005/006 too) there is a advisory in the manual to only use it if there is no other choice. IIRC, this also says that jet fuel is not optimal.

I believe that lubricity is the main issue, so adding some lubricant (say perhaps 2-stroke oil?) may resolve the issue?

 

[Roadracer86]

Roadracer, glad you have the spring assy. I've saw a post on this board about another ss who didn't get his either.

Yeah the less I have to buy the better since I think I paid too much for it during the sale. Not as much as some but enough to want to keep the costs contained somewhat. One of the sets I bid on I think went to $2800 or $2900!

 

[tractors0130]

We make aviation turbine fuel (jet fuel) at work, it can also be sold as #1 fuel or kerosene. Jet fuel must be certified before it is shipped and gets a few extra tests. The newer kerosene is "ultra low sulfur" or ULSK, the more sulfur that is pulled out of the fuel, the more lubricity that it loses just like the newer ULSD fuel.

 

[skidunits4you]

Having worked for a fuel transport company I would say that fuel in North East is not yet blended with Kero. or #1 ULSK(ultra low sulfur Kero) In jan and feb in our area some suppliers will mix as much as 75% ULSK with ULSD for fleet use. our fire dept runs 50/50 with power service additive for lube and jelling. I have deliveried a mix from Erving Petro that was as much as 85% ULSK rated to not jell at - 40 ( I dont want to find out) Hope that helps