When I started my generator for the first time this season, the genny
started fine and ran great for the first 3-4 mins before it started to
run rough and shut itself down.
After letting it sit for a min or so, I started it again and it ran
for 30-40 seconds before running rough and shutting down. My genny
only has 21 hrs on it right now, and I'm starting the think that the
carb may be gummed up (if that's possible). There is lots of water
coming out of the exhaust port.

To help figure this out, this is what I did tonight. I checked the
oil and it's at the full mark.

I pulled the screen filter for the seacock off and cleaned it out,
but it wasn't that dirty. I didn't check the coolant in the engine and
it's full but the overflow is well below the add mark.

I pulled the entire fuel filter housing off and emptied it out. The
filter didn't appear dirty, but with the fuel bowl still on I blow
it through with very little effort. So the filter appeared fine.

Before reconnecting the fuel lines to the filter housing I blow the
main fuel line back to the tank with my mouth and it wasn't clogged
at all (I did suck at one point and got a mouth full) :-)

I reinstalled everything and started the genny and it ran the same.
So I pulled the out line off of the filter and start the genny, it
started good and ran for the same period before shutting down. Did
the same think a few more times until it wouldn't start anymore (out
of fuel). I then reconnected the fuel line and it started but shut
down again, but when it shuts down it gets rough before finally
stopping.

I also checked the electric choke, and it appeared to work fine when I
started it. After all this I did start the genny again and it ran great
for a few mins and then start to run rough and spurt and finally shut
itself down. I'm now at a loss, and I'm starting the think that it may
be one of the sensors for the high exhaust temp or high water temp
safety shutdown switches.

I hope this information helps someone in helping me solve this problem,
if you have any questions please let me know.

Thanks

If the float valve is not closing properly, the engine might behave the way
you describe. My MerCruiser exhibited nearly identical symptoms. It would
start and run okay, then start to run rough and stall at idle. It would run
okay with more throttle. The float valve wan't closing and the engine was
flooding at idle speed. Installing a new seat and float valve solved the
problem

wrote in news:1151119934.737411.6660
@p79g2000cwp.googlegroups.com:

I'm starting the think that the
carb may be gummed up (if that's possible).

Yep....Right on the mark. Did you run the gennie dry until it stalled by
shutting off its fuel supply and starving it to death under full choke when
you stored it?

Sure hope you can get to the float bowl to remove it and the jets that are
all covered in shellac goo....just like the wonderful NEW 4-stroke outboard
motors do that don't have oil mixed with the gas to keep them from
evaporating into shellac.

What it's probably doing is running until it sucks a piece of hard shellac
crap up in the float bowl. You might get away with just cleaning out the
bowl, giving it a shot of carb cleaner when you put the bowl back together
so it can suck the cleaner up while you crank and crank until it gets the
gas back and fires up for good. Been there, done that....

Cut the gas off and run it until it starts to balk then close the choke to
keep it running until the carb float bowl is dry next time you store
it..... It also wouldn't hurt to remove the bowl and drain it good so it's
stored bone dry until next season. Air doesn't cause that brown
gook...evaporating gas does!

Oh I love that little drain valve and tubing Honda puts on all their
portable gensets for just this purpose....(c;

wrote:
When I started my generator for the first time this season, the genny
started fine and ran great for the first 3-4 mins before it started to
run rough and shut itself down.
After letting it sit for a min or so, I started it again and it ran
for 30-40 seconds before running rough and shutting down. My genny
only has 21 hrs on it right now, and I'm starting the think that the
carb may be gummed up (if that's possible). There is lots of water
coming out of the exhaust port.

To help figure this out, this is what I did tonight. I checked the
oil and it's at the full mark.

I pulled the screen filter for the seacock off and cleaned it out,
but it wasn't that dirty. I didn't check the coolant in the engine and
it's full but the overflow is well below the add mark.

I pulled the entire fuel filter housing off and emptied it out. The
filter didn't appear dirty, but with the fuel bowl still on I blow
it through with very little effort. So the filter appeared fine.

Before reconnecting the fuel lines to the filter housing I blow the
main fuel line back to the tank with my mouth and it wasn't clogged
at all (I did suck at one point and got a mouth full) :-)

I reinstalled everything and started the genny and it ran the same.
So I pulled the out line off of the filter and start the genny, it
started good and ran for the same period before shutting down. Did
the same think a few more times until it wouldn't start anymore (out
of fuel). I then reconnected the fuel line and it started but shut
down again, but when it shuts down it gets rough before finally
stopping.

I also checked the electric choke, and it appeared to work fine when I
started it. After all this I did start the genny again and it ran
great for a few mins and then start to run rough and spurt and
finally shut itself down. I'm now at a loss, and I'm starting the
think that it may be one of the sensors for the high exhaust temp or
high water temp safety shutdown switches.

I hope this information helps someone in helping me solve this
problem, if you have any questions please let me know.

Thanks

Had a similar problem with a Yamaha a few years back. It was traced to a
partially-blocked exhaust elbow. Took ages to find the cause.

Dennis.

On 23 Jun 2006 20:32:14 -0700, wrote:

I'm now at a loss, and I'm starting the think that it may
be one of the sensors for the high exhaust temp or high water temp
safety shutdown switches.

When the sensors trip it will shut down immediately. It will not
start running rough.

It sounds like a fuel and/or carburetor issue to me, but since this is
a new generator it should still be under warranty. I'd get on the
phone with your local Kohler dealer and have them take a look at it
before doing anything else.

Thanks for all the replies, I think I'm going to talk to a Kohler
dealer on Monday and explain the problem to him. Someone else that has
the same genny said they had the same problem and they were told to
replace the plugs. Once they did this the genny ran fine again.

If anyone else can provide some input please do so, and I will be sure
to let you know what I do to get this issue sorted out.

Cheers...
Steve

On 23 Jun 2006 20:32:14 -0700, wrote:

When I started my generator for the first time this season, the genny
started fine and ran great for the first 3-4 mins before it started to
run rough and shut itself down.
After letting it sit for a min or so, I started it again and it ran
for 30-40 seconds before running rough and shutting down. My genny
only has 21 hrs on it right now, and I'm starting the think that the
carb may be gummed up (if that's possible). There is lots of water
coming out of the exhaust port.

To help figure this out, this is what I did tonight. I checked the
oil and it's at the full mark.

I pulled the screen filter for the seacock off and cleaned it out,
but it wasn't that dirty. I didn't check the coolant in the engine and
it's full but the overflow is well below the add mark.

I pulled the entire fuel filter housing off and emptied it out. The
filter didn't appear dirty, but with the fuel bowl still on I blow
it through with very little effort. So the filter appeared fine.

Before reconnecting the fuel lines to the filter housing I blow the
main fuel line back to the tank with my mouth and it wasn't clogged
at all (I did suck at one point and got a mouth full) :-)

I reinstalled everything and started the genny and it ran the same.
So I pulled the out line off of the filter and start the genny, it
started good and ran for the same period before shutting down. Did
the same think a few more times until it wouldn't start anymore (out
of fuel). I then reconnected the fuel line and it started but shut
down again, but when it shuts down it gets rough before finally
stopping.

I also checked the electric choke, and it appeared to work fine when I
started it. After all this I did start the genny again and it ran great
for a few mins and then start to run rough and spurt and finally shut
itself down. I'm now at a loss, and I'm starting the think that it may
be one of the sensors for the high exhaust temp or high water temp
safety shutdown switches.

I hope this information helps someone in helping me solve this problem,
if you have any questions please let me know.

Thanks

Have you checked your tank vent?
Mark E. Williams

Mark,
Sorry, I never did reply to your post. But to answer your question I
have not check it because the genny uses the same gas tank that my port
side motor uses, and there isn't any problem with that motor pulling
fuel from the tank. I've already put a couple of hours on that motor
this year.

Steve


Maynard G. Krebbs wrote:

Have you checked your tank vent?

I just wanted to let everyone know, and for future reference to those
that may experience the same problem with their 5E generator. The
problem was the spark plugs, as strange as that may sound I changed the
two plugs this evening with the exact NGK ones that I took out and the
genny ran for 20 mins easily under load.

Thanks for everyone's input!!
Steve

On 26 Jun 2006 19:04:11 -0700, "Steve" wrote:

I just wanted to let everyone know, and for future reference to those
that may experience the same problem with their 5E generator. The
problem was the spark plugs, as strange as that may sound I changed the
two plugs this evening with the exact NGK ones that I took out and the
genny ran for 20 mins easily under load.

Thanks for everyone's input!!

That is very strange indeed. Did the old plugs look dirty or fouled
in any way?

I'm wondering if there is possibly another issue somewhere in the
ignition system causing weak spark for some reason. Or perhaps the
plugs were fouled as a result of the winterization/fogging process?