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803 not generating

fpchief

Well-known member
1,041
220
63
Location
South Alabama
Chief. The hour meter is not always right. It is often changed, when a set gets a new engine, (but not always). Its often changed after reset, (but not always). It often goes bad. Do not put too much store in the hour meter is what I am saying.

The OP's problem was not the Flywheel, it was sheared off flywheel bolts. That will NOT happen unless the engine stops suddenly. I think there is more to be seen in this story. I saw, in the 8-9 years I was a contractor, 1 set that happened to. ONE.

If you want to check the bolts, you can. Got some spare time? It requires taking the set completely apart. If I bought a 802 or 803 I would certainly take it apart, down to the bits and pieces. But I have done a few times. I don't think you need to worry about something like this.

Most big gen sets, have a "Belt" that goes around the end bell of the engine, and the end of the main gen. You simple remove 1-2 bolts, take the "Belt" off, and can reach, (if your hands are small enough) into the space between the two peices of equipment and feel the bolts. If your like me, I had to use an off-set wrench, to get in and check them. This was one of my biggest complaints about these small sets. It requires a complete disassembly to get at those bolts.
Sir, great reply. Yea, I didn't think about maybe having the hour meter replaced. I will just not worry about it. I know we ran these things for 1000's of hours...most with no swap over to alternate gensets. I really cant remember one failing. I am glad I bought mine when the corps was doing their big swap out from the preposition stock...got in it cheap and brand dang new.
 

funky winkerbean

Member
Steel Soldiers Supporter
55
9
8
Location
whiting nj
When I purchased this unit it had 12 hrs on it. Real hours. You could tell by how everything was new. Everything. Most hrs that I put on it were very low load. Not that it matters. And as I said the engine was still running when I realized it wasn’t generating. Running rough because of no flywheel to balance things out. I shut it off. Since then I have rotated engine several times by hand with no noise or binding. Not saying that there may be another problem. Maybe bolts were never torqued properly or at all? Hopefully I will find a flywheel soon and we will know.
 

Guyfang

Moderator
Staff member
Moderator
16,689
23,876
113
Location
Burgkunstadt, Germany
Here is a reason they could have sheared off. Wrong bolt. This is not your run of the mill bolt found in K-Mart. The bolt listed in the TM's was not really up to snuff. There was another bolt used, later in life. The new NSN is: 5305-12-197-2990. The "12" in the NSN tells me that the bolt was procured from German sources. Its metric. I looked it up, and one of the part numbers for it was: DIN 961-M10X1.25X35-10.9. The DIN stands for the German Standard Norm. The bolt size is: M10 X 1.25 X 35. Hardness is 10.9. We went through this in the late 80's and early 90's with our flywheel bolts on turbine gen sets. The army could not find good hard bolts for the gen sets in the States, so we bought German bolts.
 

funky winkerbean

Member
Steel Soldiers Supporter
55
9
8
Location
whiting nj
Thank you for that info. It could very well be true. I am trying to find bolts for it also. The finer thread makes it slightly more difficult. Maybe someone that has a flywheel will have bolts also.
 

Chainbreaker

Well-known member
1,787
1,948
113
Location
Oregon
Still looking for a flywheel. Anybody?
Good idea to also post in the free "Parts Wanted" section of SS. More exposure is always good.

You never know what a currently non-active generator forum SS member might have squirrelled away,,, perhaps an inoperable MEP-803 genset gathering dust under a tarp just waiting to be parted out.
 

funky winkerbean

Member
Steel Soldiers Supporter
55
9
8
Location
whiting nj
Also in the parts for sale there’s a guy selling a whole 803 but I can’t figure out how to message him. I tried to start a conversation but no response?
 

funky winkerbean

Member
Steel Soldiers Supporter
55
9
8
Location
whiting nj
Well- got my 803 up and running. Thanks to Light in the Dark located 2 parts machines. So off to Vermont I went and picked them up. Took 1 apart for flywheel and put mine back together. Everything works perfectly. Thanks for everyone’s help. I have 2 engines (don’t turn) and 2 generators. Good for parts if anyone needs something.
 
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