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MEP005 30kw

TheAlfredo

Member
165
11
18
Location
Miami, FL
Well I came across one that had extremely low hours from the Forestry Commision. Opened the Fuel cap and it looked like a rusty science project. I pumped out the fuel and it was orange and smelled of turpentine. Slime on the bottom of the tank. Looks to have all the original filters. Oil looked good. I turned the engine by hand and it moves freely.

I'm going to try and start it running a new fuel line from a external tank straight to the filters (not using the tank in the generator) and see if it starts.

any idea what would be the best way to clean out the onboard tank?
 

Guyfang

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Staff member
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Burgkunstadt, Germany
No. Wasted money. My shop had to clean almost 60 of them. Disconnect the lines that go to the tank, along with the fuel tank filler. We normally undid the bolts that hold it to the side of the set and then the hose clamp on the tank. Then pull the filler neck out. Do not forget to disconnect the wires to the fuel tank sending unit. Remove the 4 hold down brackets. Remove the lower back panel, under the Main Gen air intake. The fuel tank drain is right there also. Drain it. Maybe tip the set up, in front. Pull the tank out. I used a gallon of simple green and a pressure washer to clean out the tank. If the tank is metal, inspect it for rust. If its plastic, just put it back in.

Another way we did it, and my troops loved it, was to plug up all openings, after filling the tank maybe 1/4 full of water and a gallon of simple green in it. Then we tossed the tanks into the bed of the truck and simply drove around in the desert, racing around, making panic stops, rabbit starts, and having a grand old time. Came back to the motor pool and drained the tank. If we had denatured alcohol, we put some in the tank, shook it up and poured it out. Sometimes we used compressed air, and tilted the tank so the water ran out the drain. By now you get the picture. Then when I put it all back in, I would use something like Seafoam? Or another thing like that. I would never pay to have it done. Gives you a chance to "discover" treasure inside the set, when you have the tank out.
 

Ray70

Well-known member
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Location
West greenwich/RI
Will be interesting to hear how you injection pump faired, once you get the fuel system ready to test.
With fuel that ancient, hopefully the plungers aren't stuck in the hydraulic head.
If they are, the rebuild kit is cheap and relatively easy to do if you follow the TM closely.
The other issue with that pump is the governor weight flex coupler that deteriorates. I'm doing one as we speak where the coupler is completely gone and the machine barely runs at all.
 
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