Kholer Gen Not getting Fuel

[Lucky Daug]

I am new owner of a 2003 Sundancer 320, 350 MPI's V-drive. Kohler Gen quit working right after I bought it. Gen mechanic claims it is not getting fuel or bad fuel from the tanks. He says there is no filter or anything upstream from the tanks. I would think there should be a fuel strainer/ water separator, interlock, fuel filter or something. The main engines start fine on the fuel form the tanks. He went ahead and put new fuel pump and new carb on gen and says it runs when he connects to a portable service fuel tank. The gas in the main tanks is 2 years old and was premium from the local boat house. Any comments, thoughts, guidance would be appreciated. The generator has only 550 hours on it.

 

[mrsrobinson]

My previous boats gas gennys did not have a fuel water separator that I remember.

Did the mechanic connect it to a portable fuel tank prior to replacing the pump and carb? If not I would be suspicious of his comments. In my experience it's been the fuel pump. Did you/he try to run it off starter fluid before replacing it?

I assume the main engines are running ok off of the same fuel?

 

[KevinC]

I am new owner of a 2003 Sundancer 320, 350 MPI's V-drive. Kohler Gen quit working right after I bought it. Gen mechanic claims it is not getting fuel or bad fuel from the tanks. He says there is no filter or anything upstream from the tanks. I would think there should be a fuel strainer/ water separator, interlock, fuel filter or something. The main engines start fine on the fuel form the tanks. He went ahead and put new fuel pump and new carb on gen and says it runs when he connects to a portable service fuel tank. The gas in the main tanks is 2 years old and was premium from the local boat house. Any comments, thoughts, guidance would be appreciated. The generator has only 550 hours on it.

Check the connections to your fuel pump. When I touched mine the other day the wires were corroded at the crimp in the connector and fell off.

On my 2004 340SDA the fuel comes to a spin-on fuel water separator, then down to the inline filter and then to the fuel pump. From the pump it is a straight line to the carburetor fuel port.

-Kevin

 

[hughespat57]

Parts book for 2003/320
See page 57 item 9 - filter and electric fuel solenoid on Starboard tank.

https://s3.amazonaws.com/srweb-pvt-...ic/parts-manuals/2003__2003-320-SUNDANCER.pdf

 

[Lucky Daug]

My previous boats gas gennys did not have a fuel water separator that I remember.

Did the mechanic connect it to a portable fuel tank prior to replacing the pump and carb? If not I would be suspicious of his comments. In my experience it's been the fuel pump. Did you/he try to run it off starter fluid before replacing it?

I assume the main engines are running ok off of the same fuel?

Thanks for the reply, yes, the main engines are starting and running fine from the same main fuel tanks. And, I did get the gen running on my own and kept it running with squirting ether into it before I got him to work on it. I had thought maybe it was a low oil interlock might have kept it from getting fuel; but oil is up and looks like new that Then I was wondering if there might be some other interlock that kept it from getting fuel, but maybe it was just the fuel pump only and did not need a new carb. He has replace the fuel pump and a new carburetor and has ordered a seawater pump, he says that it is leaking when he runs the gen engine. So far he has hit me for just shy of $2K. Now he says he does not want to hook it back up to the fuel line b'cuz he says the fuel is bad. I was wondering how I could drain some out to put in a jar to look at it? I have an old outboard fuel pump that maybe I got hook to the line. and try to pump some out. any advice.

 

[Fill Ess]

The 300 has a dedicated electric solenoid and fuel/water separator for the Kohler gen so I'd assume the 320 has it just like @hughespat57 posted

Follow the fuel line from the tank to the fuel pump on the gen and you should see it in between. On the 320 the generator is at the stern, right?

 

[Lucky Daug]

The 300 has a dedicated electric solenoid and fuel/water separator for the Kohler gen so I'd assume the 320 has it just like @hughespat57 posted

Follow the fuel line from the tank to the fuel pump on the gen and you should see it in between. On the 320 the generator is at the stern, right?

Thanks for the reply, yes the gen is stern mid ship. And, on Wednesday I hope to take off work and go out and trace that line. On that Fuel/water separator that you mention, is there some maintenance that I should be doing to take the water out, or should I replace that unit, assuming I find it? Is it possible the electric solenoid is not working and not letting fuel go to the Generator?

 

[K-DUB]

This may be a silly question but how much fuel is in your tanks? The pick up for the generator is shorter than the motor pickups so it doesn’t run your mains dry.
I had a Koehler in my previous boat and had the same issue. My tanks were just above 1/4 at the time. Or perhaps the pick up fell off in the tank or is plugged.

 

[Fill Ess]

Thanks for the reply, yes the gen is stern mid ship. And, on Wednesday I hope to take off work and go out and trace that line. On that Fuel/water separator that you mention, is there some maintenance that I should be doing to take the water out, or should I replace that unit, assuming I find it? Is it possible the electric solenoid is not working and not letting fuel go to the Generator?

I replace them every fall.

 

[KevinC]

Also check the master fuel solenoid for the generator by the tank.

-Kevin

This may be a silly question but how much fuel is in your tanks? The pick up for the generator is shorter than the motor pickups so it doesn’t run your mains dry.
I had a Koehler in my previous boat and had the same issue. My tanks were just above 1/4 at the time. Or perhaps the pick up fell off in the tank or is plugged.

This is definitely a possibility as I also had a dockmate that had a similar issue with the tanks run low.

-Kevin

 

[KevinC]

Thanks for the reply, yes the gen is stern mid ship. And, on Wednesday I hope to take off work and go out and trace that line. On that Fuel/water separator that you mention, is there some maintenance that I should be doing to take the water out, or should I replace that unit, assuming I find it? Is it possible the electric solenoid is not working and not letting fuel go to the Generator?

When you find your spin on fuel/water separator (usually mounted high) open it up and pour out the fuel into a glass container. Let it sit for a while and see if any water separates out. If there is a lot of water that could be part of the problem.

If there is no fuel in it then it is possible that it was changed and not pre-filled/primed. I don't think the small fuel pump on the genny can prime through it.

Don't forget to fill it with gasoline before putting a new one back on.

-Kevin

 

[Lucky Daug]

This may be a silly question but how much fuel is in your tanks? The pick up for the generator is shorter than the motor pickups so it doesn’t run your mains dry.
I had a Koehler in my previous boat and had the same issue. My tanks were just above 1/4 at the time. Or perhaps the pick up fell off in the tank or is plugged.

No a silly question, that was my first thought too, but I have more than half tank in each and they are 100 gallon tanks. Is the fuel pick up on that round circular port with several bolts? I may want to pull it out and have a look see...

 

[K-DUB]

That sounds like the fuel sender(gage) the pick up will be attached to the elbow that the fuel line from the generator attaches to the tank.

 

[Lucky Daug]

Parts book for 2003/320
See page 57 item 9 - filter and electric fuel solenoid on Starboard tank.

View attachment 125613

https://s3.amazonaws.com/srweb-pvt-...ic/parts-manuals/2003__2003-320-SUNDANCER.pdf

Thanks for the diagram and link to the parts manual, I am sure I will refer to it a lot. This electrical solenoid, when and how does it get power to open the fuel. I am wondering if it is not opening or has failed or how to tell if it has failed or not opening?

 

[hughespat57]

Depends slightly on generator make/model. Solenoid opens while the engine has oil pressure. So if it stalls for any reason fuel is cut off.
During cranking the safety will be bypassed usually on a timer for like 15-30 seconds.
The solenoids usually have a small knob the can be turned to manually open. (for testing only)
If you take a screwdriver and hold it near the top while someone cranks the engine you should feel the magnet energize and pull the screwdriver.
If not it likely the coil or electrical problem
If you feel the magnet but still cant get fuel it could be clogged

 

[Lucky Daug]

When you find your spin on fuel/water separator (usually mounted high) open it up and pour out the fuel into a glass container. Let it sit for a while and see if any water separates out. If there is a lot of water that could be part of the problem.

If there is no fuel in it then it is possible that it was changed and not pre-filled/primed. I don't think the small fuel pump on the genny can prime through it.

Don't forget to fill it with gasoline before putting a new one back on.
ed
-Kevin

I will let you know what I find and condition of it. Kevin, on another issue, I noted from the picture of your boat, you have the same set up for the Isinglass across and above your front windshield. You have the same layout as my 320 using the 6 panels. I just took just those 6 isinglass panels to a shop to get new ones made and they quoted me a total of $3850. That is almost $650 per panel and the place wants 40% up front to put me in line for late July. I have my boat slip in Clear Lake off of Galveston Bay just down the road from NASA, Is that a reasonable price for these, or is there less expensive ways to get these replaced?

 

[Lucky Daug]

That sounds like the fuel sender(gage) the pick up will be attached to the elbow that the fuel line from the generator attaches to the tank.

Gotcha, I am learning things so I will look further for it, Thanks

 

[mrsrobinson]

I will let you know what I find and condition of it. Kevin, on another issue, I noted from the picture of your boat, you have the same set up for the Isinglass across and above your front windshield. You have the same layout as my 320 using the 6 panels. I just took just those 6 isinglass panels to a shop to get new ones made and they quoted me a total of $3850. That is almost $650 per panel and the place wants 40% up front to put me in line for late July. I have my boat slip in Clear Lake off of Galveston Bay just down the road from NASA, Is that a reasonable price for these, or is there less expensive ways to get these replaced?

Probably best to take this to another thread.

 

[Lucky Daug]

Depends slightly on generator make/model. Solenoid opens while the engine has oil pressure. So if it stalls for any reason fuel is cut off.
During cranking the safety will be bypassed usually on a timer for like 15-30 seconds.
The solenoids usually have a small knob the can be turned to manually open. (for testing only)
If you take a screwdriver and hold it near the top while someone cranks the engine you should feel the magnet energize and pull the screwdriver.
If not it likely the coil or electrical problem
If you feel the magnet but still cant get fuel it could be clogged

OK, I am a mechanical engineer and I was telling the Gen mechanic that I would suspect some kind of interlock or permissive switch up stream of the generator, and that explains it. He said there was nothing there on the line to the tank. I will look for it and let you know what I find. I sure appreciate you telling me about it and how to test it.

 

[KevinC]

I will let you know what I find and condition of it. Kevin, on another issue, I noted from the picture of your boat, you have the same set up for the Isinglass across and above your front windshield. You have the same layout as my 320 using the 6 panels. I just took just those 6 isinglass panels to a shop to get new ones made and they quoted me a total of $3850. That is almost $650 per panel and the place wants 40% up front to put me in line for late July. I have my boat slip in Clear Lake off of Galveston Bay just down the road from NASA, Is that a reasonable price for these, or is there less expensive ways to get these replaced?

We are distributors for Great Lakes Boat Top that made the original canvas for Sea Ray when your boat was new. If you send me your info here: https://www.covemarine.com and I can work up a quote for replacement panels and we can discuss further offline.

-Kevin