Universal Info

Water in Fuel Guide

Overcrank? Possible causes include: Poor fuel quality Clogged fuel filter Exerciser not set Block heater not working Weak Battery Weak Starter Shorted coolant temp sensor (Kohler Only)

How to prevent intrusion of water and pests? Silicone any unnecessary holes. Put anti mouse and anti bug poision Clean any visible food and nesting from generator.

How to see if a generator issue is repetitive? Check generator repair log to see if the issue has happened in the past before.

Excessive corrosion in cooling system? Don’t mix different types of coolant. Block heater, battery charger, alternator or generator head could be causing electrolysis. Run manufacturer recommended coolant.

Remember, generator needs to run at 1800RPM to produce 60hz!

Overflow reservoir that works for Generac and can be retrofitted to Kohler? Dorman 54002

How to test run generator if fuel is potentially bad? Run two hoses into 5 gallon bucket full of fuel.

Generator running bad?

Make sure no fuel is leaking or sucking air
Make sure throttle actuator moves freely
Make sure crank sensor spacing is correct
Make sure fuel filter isn’t clogged, fuel quality is good and fuel doesn’t have water in it.
Replace fuel filter with one that has drain petcock.
If generator has miss on one cylinder or isn’t atomizing fuel correctly, injectors (poppet valves) may need to be rebuilt.

How to force engine to run without controller?

(Mechanical Diesels Only)
Jump 12v to fuel shutoff solenoid and manually pull on throttle actuator.

Ways to find engine info better?

Remember, many of these engines and other parts on this generator are just packaged together, and sourced from other companies.
Manuals may be available from source manufacturer!

Best Practices

Do not splice wires across factory harness, and try to repair factory circuit if possible! Don’t be a hack.