Kohler - LOC Shutdown problem

[jkim1990]

All,

We have 2005 300 Sundancer with Kohler 5kW gennie that we purchased at beginning of the season. Change impeller, oil and replaced coolant. At startup after this service, gennie kept shuting down and would display Loss of Coolant (LOC) status. After bleeding coolant system, gennie has run great for several months and many hours.

On the hook over the weekend and left gennie running for 2-3 hours on load. Shut her down for hour or so, cabin got hot so went to fire it up and ran for 10-15 minutes and then shutdown with LOC status again.

Next day, I did the following:

1) Tried starting gennie and it shuts down after 10 seconds or so. LOC status again. While it is running, water is coming out of exhaust.

2) Bled the coolant system, it took a little coolant through bleeder valve, overflow bottle is filled between the lines.

3) Opened stainer basket, nothing in it and with strainer top off and seacock open, water is flowing into bildge at good rate so would not seem link any intake issue.

4) Took off cover to impeller and all fins in place (again, just changed this a few months ago) and started gennie for few seconds to make sure it spun/had water flow.

Not sure what else this it could be. Would appreciate feedback as to other things I could try. Thanks in advance... spent enough money on mechanic this year :smt021 , would be good to solve one more issue on my own!

Best,
Jason

 

[jkim1990]

Quick bump. Help!

 

[electricaldoctor]

low oil level?

 

[electricaldoctor]

check your coolant sensor. Bypass it to see if it is the sensor.

 

[jkim1990]

check your coolant sensor. Bypass it to see if it is the sensor.

Did not check oil but will do. Any sense of where the coolant sensor is? I will check manual but Kohler manual does not provide great detail, IMHO. Thanks electricaldoctor.

 

[jkim1990]

Did not check oil but will do. Any sense of where the coolant sensor is? I will check manual but Kohler manual does not provide great detail, IMHO. Thanks electricaldoctor.

Also, to bypass, just short sensor wires together or leave open?

 

[electricaldoctor]

Do not leave your sensor "open" as all of the sensors in the protection circuit will have to be "normally closed" for the generator to run. I have a 6.5 kw Onan generator on my boat and I am told that when you attempt to start the generator, all of the protection sensors are bypassed to allow the generator to start. When you release the starting switch after the generator is running, the sensors are then reinstated back into the control circuit. They are all wired in series with each other, so if any one of them is "open", the generator will shut down. I can only assume the protection for your generator is similar to mine. I hope that this will give you a better understanding of what you are up against. Good luck.

~Ken

 

[skolbe]

When I have had that issue it has always been raw water flow. Make sure your sea cock is not clogged and back flush the heat exchanger.

 

[jkim1990]

Quick update - gennie runs great from cold start, ran for 20 minutes with AC on no problem. Turned it off and fired it back up 1 minute later and shut off within 10 seconds with LOC alarm.

Tried to flush out heat exchanger and not sure I accomplished anything but getting myself wet! Any guidance on this. or feedback based on update above?

 

[jkim1990]

Update and conclusion - coolant sensor was bad. Mechanic bypassed the sensor and she runs like a champ with all good temp levels. Each sensor on my unit is home run to the head end, sensors are in normally open position. He disconnected two wires from the sensor to diagnose. New sensor on order. Thanks for the input.

 

[jkim1990]

Update, no conclusion! Ran gennie for 15 minutes or so and then tried to re-start again and went into auto shutdown again after 10 seconds. When I tried to re-start it, it ran rough and died. My mechanic is going to look at it when he replaces sensor. Strange...

 

[skolbe]

Bypassing the sensor just tells you something is restricting water flow. Mine was in the seacock. Some water was getting in but not enough. Used a coat hangar and found a little piece of wood jammed in it. The sensor is pretty reliable. Been through all of this. You really need to find the clog.

 

[jkim1990]

Bypassing the sensor just tells you something is restricting water flow. Mine was in the seacock. Some water was getting in but not enough. Used a coat hangar and found a little piece of wood jammed in it. The sensor is pretty reliable. Been through all of this. You really need to find the clog.

I heard this before and pulled filter out and opened seacock, water seemed to come in pretty quickly. Also, mechanic and I ran for 15-20 minutes and all tempuratures measured with a heat gun were good. I will hit with a coat hanger and see if anything is clogged, thanks.

 

[skolbe]

I messed with this for a year and that was my issue. So just sharing what worked for me. Had Kohler and MM on my boat. A coat hangar fixed my problem.

 

[Stray Cat]

I sucked up some weeds once, had to back flush the sea cock and water pick-up to clear it. In the NY water that you are in, is there any chance you have some livestock living on your water pick-up?

 

[jkim1990]

I messed with this for a year and that was my issue. So just sharing what worked for me. Had Kohler and MM on my boat. A coat hangar fixed my problem.

Experience is much appreciated, will be the first thing I try when I hit the boat this weekend.

 

[jkim1990]

[/QUOTE]

I sucked up some weeds once, had to back flush the sea cock and water pick-up to clear it. In the NY water that you are in, is there any chance you have some livestock living on your water pick-up?

I cleaned out water pick up but did not stick anything down in it or backflush it. Per recomendation from my mechanic, put a strainer on the water pick up this year. Bolted right to the hull and helps keep some of the eel grass that we have in Great South Bay out of intake.

Did you just put a garden hose down the strainer to back flush?

 

[Misterhelms]

Guys - can I ask a stupid question? I just bought a 04 340 DA. Generator was running fine and well maintained. Driving up the ICW in NC and the alarm goes off for the generator. I immediate shut it off and when we stop for the day try to turn it on to see if I can diagnose the issue. As stated here no water coming out of the exhaust. I don’t have an LED readout so there are no codes to determine issue but started it up to see if water would come out of the exhaust which it didn’t.

My question is this - when I open up the sea strainer with the sea cock open would water rush into the boat if it was unclogged? I didn’t think about it until later but trying to figure out if it’s an impeller issue or blockage. With no water coming in I’m thinking it’s blockage. I don’t have a wet/dry vac but thinking of either using a coat hanger or turning on the hose and try to push out the blockage that way.

 

[Todd320]

Guys - can I ask a stupid question? I just bought a 04 340 DA. Generator was running fine and well maintained. Driving up the ICW in NC and the alarm goes off for the generator. I immediate shut it off and when we stop for the day try to turn it on to see if I can diagnose the issue. As stated here no water coming out of the exhaust. I don’t have an LED readout so there are no codes to determine issue but started it up to see if water would come out of the exhaust which it didn’t.

My question is this - when I open up the sea strainer with the sea cock open would water rush into the boat if it was unclogged? I didn’t think about it until later but trying to figure out if it’s an impeller issue or blockage. With no water coming in I’m thinking it’s blockage. I don’t have a wet/dry vac but thinking of either using a coat hanger or turning on the hose and try to push out the blockage that way.

In the future, just ask the question in one location, typically a new thread, and someone will answer! See my reply on the new thread you created. Good luck...