MEP 803a Fuel Water/Separator

[ZackMan]

Greetings,

I recently acquired an MEP 803a and am in the process of "going through it," I am replacing the primary fuel/water separator and the secondary fuel filters as well as the oil filter. After reviewing the owner's manual and TM there was no reference in regard to the fuel/water separator replacement. I am baffled as to how to remove the primary fuel/water separator.

I used a strap wrench on it and there was no movement. I also used an adjustable wrench to turn the bottom where the fuel drain is and it was just as resistant.

Am I missing something? It can't be this difficult. Any recommendations? I hope I am in the right place on the forum.

Thanks!!

 

[SCSG-G4]

It will come off, and the sooner the better! We just had an experience with an MEP 802A, where the fuel drain is. It broke and was pouring fuel out the bottom. Wound up tearing the old filter completely apart to get it to turn, but it finally did. We found it has a bunch of crossreferenced filters, and got one of them. Left off the drain, as that seemed to be the trouble point (right angle fitting, going into a hose with an outside the box drain point) where the vibration broke the filter housing. Oh, and you just about have to take the blinking thing apart to get a grip on the filter. We had to do it in the dark, while it was raining. Much better to do it now, in the daylight, when you are not stressed and the stores are open.

 

[ZackMan]

SCSG-G4,

Thank you for your response. It now makes sense. I will delicately remove this filter by using whatever I have that will work.

 

[Daybreak]

Howdy,
Some filters have been put on overly tight. I think maybe they even tightened the fuel filter even tighter on my MEP-802A unit thinking it would stop the small seeping leak. I totally destroyed the filter taking it off. I almost thought I was going to break something else. Anyway, after replacing the filter, I still had a seeping leak. The leak was from a bleeder valve on the top of the filter base. I had to take off the filter base and connections. I resealed the threads and put it all back. no more leak.
Fuel cartridge filter = take it easy putting the cup back up in place. Make sure you have a good seal with the gasket in the slot. Some say maybe a little petroleum jelly to hold it in place until you have it sealed. As you tighten it down, keep the gasket and edge in the slot.

Filters listing here

Low hour unit oil here

Battery info here

24v charging info here

Fuel return line info here

 

[ZackMan]

Howdy,
Some filters have been put on overly tight. I think maybe they even tightened the fuel filter even tighter on my MEP-802A unit thinking it would stop the small seeping leak. I totally destroyed the filter taking it off. I almost thought I was going to break something else. Anyway, after replacing the filter, I still had a seeping leak. The leak was from a bleeder valve on the top of the filter base. I had to take off the filter base and connections. I resealed the threads and put it all back. no more leak.
Fuel cartridge filter = take it easy putting the cup back up in place. Make sure you have a good seal with the gasket in the slot. Some say maybe a little petroleum jelly to hold it in place until you have it sealed. As you tighten it down, keep the gasket and edge in the slot.

Filters listing here

Low hour unit oil here

Battery info here

24v charging info here

Fuel return line info here


Thanks for your response and the links to other processes affecting our military generators. I was able to finally remove the fuel filter water/separator but without much anguish. The method I used initially was to access the filter via of the right-side rear door and using a filter strap, pipe wrench and finally drilling a hole through the filter, inserting a large flat blade screwdriver and trying to break it free. None of these methods were successful and I ended up mangling the bottom half of the filter when I used the screwdriver.

I decided to go further by removing the right-side top front panel and accessing the filter. I continued to use the filter strap and screwdriver method but nothing worked. I concluded that I needed to remove the housing that the filter attaches to and therefore, I removed the fuel lines and wrangled the housing and mangled filter out of the unit.

Upon further inspection, I knew that I had to use my propane torch to heat the top of the filter housing so that I could start to unseat it from the plate it was connected to. This took several tries, but it finally started to turn after using a flat blade screwdriver inserted into one of the round holes and a hammer.

This was both a challenging experience and a headache because I did not anticipate such a monumental task of removing a simple filter. Lessons were definitely learned on this one.

 

[Daybreak]

Thanks for your response and the links to other processes affecting our military generators. I was able to finally remove the fuel filter water/separator but without much anguish. The method I used initially was to access the filter via of the right-side rear door and using a filter strap, pipe wrench and finally drilling a hole through the filter, inserting a large flat blade screwdriver and trying to break it free. None of these methods were successful and I ended up mangling the bottom half of the filter when I used the screwdriver.

I decided to go further by removing the right-side top front panel and accessing the filter. I continued to use the filter strap and screwdriver method but nothing worked. I concluded that I needed to remove the housing that the filter attaches to and therefore, I removed the fuel lines and wrangled the housing and mangled filter out of the unit.

Upon further inspection, I knew that I had to use my propane torch to heat the top of the filter housing so that I could start to unseat it from the plate it was connected to. This took several tries, but it finally started to turn after using a flat blade screwdriver inserted into one of the round holes and a hammer.

This was both a challenging experience and a headache because I did not anticipate such a monumental task of removing a simple filter. Lessons were definitely learned on this one.

Howdy,
OK, you did what I did. (3 finger grabber, screwdriver thru unit, a large strap wrench) But, I was lucky enough to finally get mine off after barrowing a small diameter metal strap wrench. I then had the new filter in place, but still had a seeping leak. I took the top panel off and got the filter base out. That is where I found the bleeder screw on the top was leaking past its threads. Fixed that up and no more issues.

 

[Daybreak]

Howdy,
I still had the old fuel filter lying around.
I had to get it off, so...

 

[ZackMan]

Howdy,
I still had the old fuel filter lying around.
I had to get it off, so...
View attachment 594617

Now that's a mangled fuel filter water/separator. The one I removed was in bad shape also and I even managed to take off the nut attached to the bottom trying to remove it.

 

[Daybreak]

Howdy,
I still had the old fuel filter lying around.
I had to get it off, so...
View attachment 594617
Find the strap wrench which fits it the best and pull. Really pull hard, it actually does come off. But king kong must have put the filter on. Just be careful of the edges around to not cut your hands.

I have found this to be a problem on both MEP-802A and MEP-803A

 

[Daybreak]

Howdy,
It seems all the units which still have the factory installed water/fuel filter installed are stuck on hard. It could be because of the age, dry installation, over tightened, etc...

Another filter which was a bear to get off.

 

[Daybreak]

Howdy,
Every MEP-802/803 unit I have come across, has had the spin-on fuel filter put on by King Kong. I have destroyed every single one taking them off.

 

[jcollings]

Great, I haven't try to remove the one on my 803a yet. Not sure I want to I will definitely take in concideration everyone experience here. I have destroyed some oil filters that have been over tightened before with the same results. I now AWAYS start high on the edge where It is seated to get any movement, band wrench, strap wrench and sometimes large chanal locks.
Hopefully to get a little movement.
Patience patience patience.

Thank you

 

[Light in the Dark]

Just take the side panel off so you get get the wrench in from there. Dont waste any other time doing it any other way. And make sure to oil the new gasket when you put it in

 

[jcollings]

How many hours did you have on your generator before changing yours?

Thank you,

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I317 using Tapatalk

 

[Light in the Dark]

I have only replaced them as needed (ie... damaged or sign of leaking). Past that, its just a water separator. Run clean fuel, and just do a small test dump everytime its run for any length, and you should be good.

 

[Daybreak]

Howdy,

Every single filter is replaced before trying to even start them.
long oil drain, oil filter, fuel cartridge filter, water/fuel spin-on filter, drain fuel tanks, clean fuel tanks, slosh another gallon of fuel and empty, fresh 50 cetane diesel with additives, empty and flush radiator and block, fill with fresh coolant, fresh fully charged batteries, fresh filters, fresh oil, ok, now its time to start it.

 

[jcollings]

Being I got mine with 11hrs I just changed oil to JD break in oil
After checking with DB. changed coolant ( came out clear green)
Oil filter (wix) new fuel with Stanadyne performance additive
Quad winding mods. And have been load banking hard to get to 100+ hr mark. Everything going great!

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[Buickrat]

Best way to get that separator off is to get the strap wrench up high, at the 'base' of the filter, and apply slow steady pressure. It will move a little at a time. The lower end of the filter is the weakest part, that's why they collapse.

 

[JRM]

My turn, figured i better get the OEM one off while I have time at home.. so, same story as above except my filter is twisting in half like a soda can- what tool did you guys use? Im thinking a huge pair of channel locks? my rubber strap wrench would stand zero chance

 

[smokem joe]

The large channel lock filter pliers work really well if you grab it up by the top