MEP002 Exhaust exploded

[Scoobyshep]

So has anyone seen this?

New purchase, It was cheap enough and i have spare parts so fun project incoming

 

[Chainbreaker]

Never seen one or heard of one doing that. My guess.... is that rust/corrosion coupled with ongoing vibration eventually won out.

Also, any idea of actual hours & year of mfg?

 

[Light in the Dark]

Well being the cylinder right next to the oil cooler, probably thermal stress did it in. Hours might tell the tale here.

Any sign of leakage from above, that could have exacerbated metal fatigue?

 

[Guyfang]

Yep. Saw it in COMMO units, in 2007-2009, back from down range. Don't forget, RESET was not really interested in doing the MEP-00X anything. The old sets were supposed to be gone. The only reason they were still around were the Desert Wars. These sets are old.

 

[Ray70]

Definitely looks fatigued more than corroded etc. IIRC the muffler assembly is all stainless, so fatigue seems more likely...
Only other thought would be perhaps running the set a long time with a stuck open / leaking injector may have led to elevated EGT on that front cylinder??
If so I suspect you will find at minimal, an overheated and seized injector nozzle assembly in that hole.

 

[Scoobyshep]

Definitely looks fatigued more than corroded etc. IIRC the muffler assembly is all stainless, so fatigue seems more likely...
Only other thought would be perhaps running the set a long time with a stuck open / leaking injector may have led to elevated EGT on that front cylinder??
If so I suspect you will find at minimal, an overheated and seized injector nozzle assembly in that hole.

The original owner did say it got loud (hole does that) and after he couldn't get it up to speed.

 

[Ray70]

Yea, giant sections of missing exhaust will tend to increase noise a little!
Definitely check compression and the injector in that hole. Fingers crossed that the piston doesn't resemble the exhaust pipe!

 

[Scoobyshep]

Yea, giant sections of missing exhaust will tend to increase noise a little!
Definitely check compression and the injector in that hole. Fingers crossed that the piston doesn't resemble the exhaust pipe!

If it does I do have a spare engine in the shop

 

[Ray70]

Perfect! If you run into any issues needing parts that don't warrant tearing into an otherwise good spare engine, feel free to ask.

 

[rickf]

Time for straight pipe stacks! Take this cranky neighbors!!!

 

[Scoobyshep]

Time for straight pipe stacks! Take this cranky neighbors!!!

Unfortunately the set ends up right outside my bedroom wall otherwise id be game

 

[2Pbfeet]

I've seen something similar on other older diesels that I thought was just thermal cycling coupled with thermal stresss that lead to metal fatigue and cracks. I've seen it in both tubes, and castings.

I would comment that it does not take that long running a diesel in an over fueled condition before there are extremely high temperatures in the exhaust header / pipes /muffler. I've seen exhaust pipes white hot, and that isn't going to do anything for the lifetime of that metal. So, I wouldn't necessarily think that the engine has a fueling defect now, but I also would not be surprised.

All the best,

2Pbfeet

 

[Scoobyshep]

Thanks all, Ive had to order some tools I might try to get a boreoscope into the cylinder soonish (I leave on a trip soon so tinker time is short). When I do get some info I'll update.

 

[Scoobyshep]

Had some time to tinker, compression testing (used the glow plug holes) was 350 psi on both cylinders. Next when time permits is the injector testing

 

[Scoobyshep]

So I'm pretty sure this engine is toast. I was turning it over by hand using the blower bolt and the blower feels loose. I can rotate it 10 to 15 degrees freely without the generator rotor moving. First I thought shrug keyway. But the blower is still well secure on the crank. Soo I'm leaning to fractured crank.

Time to dust off the spare