Another Kohler 5EC love story

M

majmacv

New Member
Jun 3, 2009
28
Sacramento, CA
Boat Info
2001 410 DA
Engines
8.1 Horizon x 2 (V DR)
What is with these 5EC's? I have had issues with mine from the day I purchased my 280 new in 07'...Anyway, my latest issue is a LOC code....When at the shop with a hose connected for cooling it runs flawlessly...Once in the water it starts and runs 4-5 sec, then ****s off with an LOC code. I have rulled out a bad impellor as the flow is fine at the shop with a hose connected. Further, I have checked for positive water delivery from the seacock. I have "skirted" this issue before by disconnecting the temp sensor lead and it runs fine...But that's not a good answer in the long run (and will always end in writing a bigger check). Any Idea's?
 
Is the hose providing pressure that your impeller can't provide on its own? Might be worth the 10 minutes it takes to check for a bad one?
 
You likely have pieces of a past impeller blocking the heat exchanger. We had another member and I fighting a similar issue and that was the answer for his problem. I still have to try mine. On the hose the pressure (push) is great enough to bypass the particles, in the water the pull attracts the blockage.
 
I drained the strainer, turned the petcock back on and realized I have a flow issue from the hull inlet to the petcock and/or strainer.....I'm sure this is common....Has anyone installed an electric pump in place of the impellor set-up? Just curious
 
How are you hooking up a hose? Mine flows nicely from the inlet through the ball valve into the strainer.
 
floriduramax1 said:
How are you hooking up a hose? Mine flows nicely from the inlet through the ball valve into the strainer.
Click to expand...

I have a tendancy to pick up sea grass but when the strainer is clean mine flows fine. Isn't the 5EC the new low CO genny? I think we have the older model.
 
I stand corrected, the low CO genny is the 5ECD.
 
Problem solved.....used a portable air tank @ 80 psi, created a good seal with the petcock hull inlet hose and viola! after a good 30 sec of pressure the obstruction (plastic debris) dislodged from the hull inlet and floated away....My key learning point here was the realization that while on the trailer, in shop, the hull pick-up is not accessible and requires yard arms and a big hassle (more $$$$) to lift the boat for access to the inlet and connection of a "plunger" to provide a replication of being afloat to diagnose the problem...with an alternate water source plumbed in, the genny ran fine, never replicating the real culprit..As we say in the Army.... lessons learned; I hope this helps other 280 owners ;)
 
majmacv said:
Problem solved.....used a portable air tank @ 80 psi, created a good seal with the petcock hull inlet hose and viola! after a good 30 sec of pressure the obstruction (plastic debris) dislodged from the hull inlet and floated away....My key learning point here was the realization that while on the trailer, in shop, the hull pick-up is not accessible and requires yard arms and a big hassle (more $$$$) to lift the boat for access to the inlet and connection of a "plunger" to provide a replication of being afloat to diagnose the problem...with an alternate water source plumbed in, the genny ran fine, never replicating the real culprit..As we say in the Army.... lessons learned; I hope this helps other 280 owners ;)
Click to expand...

What was the "plastic debris"? Impeller?
 
No impellor debris....It was a plastic bag of some sort sucked in from the river....And i'd expecting it again at some point...
 
I know there has been discussions on this site about installing a screen over the hull pick up to prevent this type of problem. Try a search or maybe someone can chime in with the post.
 
Screen not a good idea. Will only plug up faster.
 
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