MEP-002a Smoking

[jamawieb]

I've got a MEP-002a that smokes (white) when started and sounds like it's running on 1 cylinder. But after about 3 minutes, the smoke clears and runs good. I load tested it at 100% for 1 hour, without any issues (no smoke, minimal droop). Turned off and restarted with smoking again. I believe it's an injector but wanted some feedback from others. The injectors look like they have recently been changed at the Depo before I got it from GL. I've changed the fluids, filters, and flushed the fuel system.

 

[storeman]

If both glow plugs are good, you are right, it sounds like one or both injectors out of adjustment. Can you get 125% out of the unit? If not, another pointer to the injectors.
Jerry

 

[Isaac-1]

It is likely an injector problem, even if recently rebuilt these units do tend to sit up in less than ideal conditions for a while before being sold. White smoke like you describe is usually caused by either a injector problem, or by a compression problem, either valves or rings. I recently had a similar problem although not as bad with my MEP-003a changing the injectors on the 2 problem cylinders greatly improved the situation, but has not completely cured it. I am now working on checking the likely causes of low compression, although honestly just changing the injectors has probably helped enough.

Ike

 

[dangier]

Jerry
Your post---
"If both glow plugs are good, you are right, it sounds like one or both injectors out of adjustment. Can you get 125% out of the unit? If not, another pointer to the injectors".

125% for how long? One of my 002a's will run at 125%, but after 1/2 hour starts to lose speed and I have to drop the load back to 85% to regain speed/hertz. Normal? Have not noticed it on the other 002a.
David

 

[Rapracing]

My 003 smokes white from one pipe for about 60 seconds and them seems to clear. It sounds like it is mis firing on one/two cylinders until it clears. Almost like those cylinders are not firing until they get a little heat from the others. I haven't taken the time to check the glow plugs yet. Need to do that. I have been running the 002 when I need power.

 

[Isaac-1]

Rapracing, that sounds like my MEP-003a before I changed the injectors on the 2 cylinders that smoked, now it still starts rough, but clears up and stops smoking after only 5-10 seconds

 

[storeman]

In my opinion, your 30 minutes is fine. If you can get to 125 or 133, depending on gauge, you are good. If you can't get there at all, likely injector problem.
Jerry

Jerry
Your post---
"If both glow plugs are good, you are right, it sounds like one or both injectors out of adjustment. Can you get 125% out of the unit? If not, another pointer to the injectors".

125% for how long? One of my 002a's will run at 125%, but after 1/2 hour starts to lose speed and I have to drop the load back to 85% to regain speed/hertz. Normal? Have not noticed it on the other 002a.
David

 

[bsorcs]

For what it's worth, my 003 smoked white from the aft exhaust for 20-30 seconds after starting until I replaced the broken double-male/female stack adapter that connected the aft-most glow plug with the harness. After the replacement, white smoke goes away in a few seconds, like the forward-most exhaust. Appears that, before the adapter replacement, the cooler cylinder cleared up once enough heat had been generated during run.

 

[s011883]

I have a mep003a that ran good but just didn't sound right and a friend told me to put a little ATF in the fuel. I put about 1/4 of a quart per 10 gallons of fuel. It only took about 15 minutes and engine's sound changed tone and ran even better. I was talking to my injector guy about this and he said ATF is highly detergent, a good lubricator, and is good for injectors. I guess when these generators were built, diesel fuel was high in sulfur and fuel now has less sulfur.

 

[jamawieb]

Thanks everyone for the feedback. I'm going to take the injectors out and have storeman troubleshoot them in the next week. I'll keep everyone updated to what happens.

 

[steelandcanvas]

For what it's worth, my 003 smoked white from the aft exhaust for 20-30 seconds after starting until I replaced the broken double-male/female stack adapter that connected the aft-most glow plug with the harness. After the replacement, white smoke goes away in a few seconds, like the forward-most exhaust. Appears that, before the adapter replacement, the cooler cylinder cleared up once enough heat had been generated during run.

Mine 003A has exactly the same symptoms. The glow plug problem looks to be the easiest item to check, then I guess injectors would be second?

 

[jmenende]

If both glow plugs are good, you are right, it sounds like one or both injectors out of adjustment. Can you get 125% out of the unit? If not, another pointer to the injectors.
Jerry

Hello. How do you adjust these injectors. What are the valve clearances needed? Thanks

 

[Guyfang]

Have you looked in the -34 TM?

 

[jmenende]

Have you looked in the -34 TM?

I must admit that I was looking at the wrong manual.

 

[Guyfang]

I seem to do that all the time. Getting old I guess.

 

[Ray70]

All above is correct and good info, one last anomaly I saw, if the Injectors don't fix the issue, was a machine with an incorrect timing button ( too thin ) that was causing an 003 to smoke from just 1 cyl. I rebuilt the IP, the injectors , checked compression, lapped valves, changed head gaskets and nothing fixed the 30-60 seconds of smoke at start-up until I found the timing button was incorrect straight from the factory, the machine has an original Libby with just 6 hours on it. There is a thread I posted a while ago titled " A tale of 2 timing buttons" that describes what I found.