Generator Coolant

[Good Timin]

I have the Kohler generator on a 2004 260 Sundancer. I think it might need coolant but could use some help from the experts here. It only has about 50 hours on it.

This is why I think it needs coolant: The plastic "over flow" bottle located on the front of the unit barely shows any pink stuff when cool. This bottle is marked "L" and "F" so I am thinking that the coolant should be between these lines. Also, the generator cut off today after running a few minutes which makes me think that it was overheating and this was a saftey feature kicking in.

This is why I am confused: When I unscrewed the pressure cap on the top of the generator, it it was full of pink stuff and when warm, the level in the plastic tank moved between empty and the "L" line. The oil is fine and the impeller was recently replaced.

So, do you think that I need to add coolant? If so, do I add to the plastic "overflow tank"? Thanks in advance for the help.

 

[Overextended]

Also, does anyone know if it is a special type of coolant??

 

[Hampton]

I think you need to check your strainer. Maybe you know this, but weeds get in there a cut your water flow. When this happens, the genset will slowly heat up and begin to expel coolant as the plastic reservoir overflows. Then, the gen shuts down due to overheating - not due to low coolant, but due to high water temp. Then, when it cools, the coolant level drops way down since some spilled out.

Add it to the reservoir to the low line - Use the orange/pink stuff that it came with. I think it's the same as my engines - Merc coolant, I assume.

 

[estebanj]

I have a Kohler 5ECD and experience the same issue with the reservoir bottle. When cold, it sometimes stays below L, but when running it sits between H and L.

I think the shutdown was caused by something else, not the coolant level. I would first check the raw water strainer and make sure there is good flow there. I believe the LCD will display the fault code for the shutdown (HE=High temp, LOC=Loss of coolant, LOP=low oil pressure, etc.).

Esteban

You can use any type of coolant. If you have the green kind, add green. If you have the pink kind, add pink. There are some also that can be added to either green or pink, and don't need to be mixed/diluted. It will say so in the bottle.

 

[Stray Cat]

I use AC Dex-Cool - and always check the water flow at the exhaust outlet to make certain there is normal water flow....even after cleaning the strainer, crack open the seacock to make certain you have good water flow entering the strainer.

I once sucked up weeds into the water intake hose and had to blow back through the hose to clear it. I hose clamped a garden hose water nozzle and connected it to dockside water spigot, it took a little effort to clear it.