PS Magazine - TB 43-PS-690
PS, The Preventative Maintenance Monthly
ISSUE 690
MAY 2010
48
PS 690
MAY 10
If the fuel is OK but the M17’s
burner engine won’t start, it
could be that the fuel pump
has locked up. That sometimes
happens if the M17 has not been
run for weeks. An easy way to
check the fuel pump is to pull out
the burner return fuel line while
you’re trying to start the M17.
If nothing comes out, you’ve
probably got a bad fuel pump.
The engine will usually be
easier to start on cold days
than the heater because
MOGAS ignites easier than
JP8 or diesel fuel. It’s a
good idea on cold days to
first start the engine and
let it run for 5-10 minutes.
The engine exhaust warms
up the burner and helps its
fuel ignite.
If you make sure
to get all the fuel out
of the fuel system at
shutdown, you will have
an easier start next
time. Otherwise, fuel
that stays in the fuel
system thickens and
clogs the carburetor.
The best way to
completely empty the
M17 at shutdown is to
pull out the fuel hose
and hold it up until the
M17 sputters off.
One safety note:
Wear hearing and eye
protection while operating
the M17. It’s very loud
and can damage your
hearing if you’re not
wearing ear plugs. And
you don’t want whatever
you’re spraying to get in
your eyes.
SGT Damaris Vanzundt
21st Chemical Co
Ft Bragg, NC
Dear Editor,
Getting the M17 started is often the hardest part of deconning,
especially if it has sat unused for a long time. Here are a few suggestions to
stop start-up problems:
Using the wrong fuel in the
M17’s engine is one of the
biggest problems. The
burner
can run on MOGAS, diesel fuel
or JP8, but the
engine
runs
only on MOGAS mixed with
one pint of oil per five gallons
of MOGAS. So a good check
before you try to start your M17
is to look at its fuel filter. If
you’ve got the correct fuel going
to the engine, the fuel in the
filter will be a bluish green. If it’s
not, you’ve got either the wrong
fuel or the wrong fuel-oil mixture.
Editor’s note:
Get started on these start-up
suggestions, deconners. Thanks, Sergeant.
M17-Series Decon…
Stop
Start-up
Problems
Check fuel
Flter for bluish
green fuel
Any other color
and you’ve got
the wrong fuel
If nothing
is coming
out return
fuel line,
you may
have bad
fuel pump
Hold up fuel line until
M17 shuts down to get
all fuel out of system
better wear
your ear plugs
since I make so
much noise.
what!!!
I can’t hear
you because you make
so much noise I have
to wear ear plugs!
it’s
cold
out
there!
this m1
7
just
doesn’t
want to
start.
I think we
let it sit
too long.
you did let me
sit too long.
..
and now my get
up.
.. and go.
..
got up.
.. and.
..
went.
better
let my
engine run
awhile
to warm
up my
burner!
690.48-49.indd
1-2
3/28/10
10:39:30 AM
SGT D.V.
Click here for a copy of this article to save or email.
Back to TopBack to Top
