MEP 018 / 4A084 engine question

[Elza]

Engine threw a rod. Total rebuild and it runs fine. One jug was replaced the other three reused. I ran a glaze breaker through them and all looked well. It has 14 hours on overhaul.

The only problem is I see white mist coming out of the crankcase. I'm wondering if this is blow-by from the rings not being completely seated? I don't know if 14 hours is enough time for the rings to seat or not. If not blow-by any ideas what to look at?

It has only been run for short lengths of time and the generator has not been loaded yet. I didn't want to chance destroying a freshly rebuilt engine.

Any thoughts or ideas will be greatly appreciated.

 

[Guyfang]

How about a picture or video? Have you done a compression test on ALL the jugs? Who did the rebuild?

 

[Elza]

How about a picture or video? Have you done a compression test on ALL the jugs? Who did the rebuild?

Thanks for the reply.

Compression runs 120 pounds down the line. I did the rebuild.

I suspect that there was moisture collected in the crankcase. The vapor was light and thin and I only ran it for a short time. I changed the oil and it all but disappeared. After shutdown there is the slightest wisp when the dip stick is removed.

God only knows how long it's been since I started it. (I can see and hear the disapproving looks and comments. Yeah, I'm an idiot and deserve every one of them.) I needed it a while back and it wouldn't start. Dead magneto. Had it rebuilt and she started right up.

I've been running it a bit and all seems well. Time will tell.

Again, thank you for the reply.

 

[Guyfang]

Moisture would have been my guess. Its an air cooled, so thats the only way it can get moisture in the engine. We had that problem several times, after installing new/rebuilt engines that had been in storage a long time. These are good engines. Keep an eye on the oil, and not just low oil. When the fuel pump has a bad gasket , the crank case fills up in a heart beat!!

 

[Elza]

Moisture would have been my guess. Its an air cooled, so thats the only way it can get moisture in the engine. We had that problem several times, after installing new/rebuilt engines that had been in storage a long time. These are good engines. Keep an eye on the oil, and not just low oil. When the fuel pump has a bad gasket , the crank case fills up in a heart beat!!

I thought about the fuel pump as well. I'm tempted to go with a electric fuel pump but I like the idea of it being independent of any power to run. However, as I'm rapidly approaching the age of 70 rope starting this beast is highly unlikely. After all, that is one reason why they make battery maintainers.

 

[Guyfang]

Back in the 70's we had to often rope start the 5 and 10 KW gen sets. They started pretty easy. There is a brass screw in the middle of the carb top. take it out, dribble a bit of gas in the hole, and replace the screw. That normally will help start the engine , "Right Now". We often used a oil squirt can. The fuel would sometimes drain back from the carb.

 

[Elza]

Moisture would have been my guess. Its an air cooled, so thats the only way it can get moisture in the engine. We had that problem several times, after installing new/rebuilt engines that had been in storage a long time. These are good engines. Keep an eye on the oil, and not just low oil. When the fuel pump has a bad gasket , the crank case fills up in a heart beat!!

Many thanks for the heads-up. It is leaking! I noticed the oil level rising. I have since replaced it with an electric pump, ran it for a while and the oil level went back down.

When I first got it it had an electric pump. I purchased and installed a mechanical pump. It was apparently bad from the git go. The engine threw a rod and required the re-build. It really pisses me off that I caused the original engine to die. Anyway, many thanks for saving my engine!