Raw Water Flush Kohler Gen Set

Hey All,

I just finished doing a raw water flush on both of mains, following the process I learned here using a small bilge pump and barnacle buster. I tapped in at the raw water intake and out at the exhaust mixer. It worked great.

I'd now like to do the smae thing on my Kohler Generator, but it doesn't appear to me that it has a "normal" mixer elbow, instead it has something the manual calls a catalyst.

How does a catalyst work? How is it different than a mixer?

Also, where should I hook up the exit end of the flush system? Should I just go in one end of the HX and out the other?

Thanks,

Catalyst is probably to meet emissions standards. Similar to a muffler except makes changes to the exhaust gas chemistry.
Return the water from the last place before going into the the main exhaust system. That may mean before the catalyst. Plug the catalyst so you don't get exhaust fumes. You really want to do everything metal, any tubes, etc. But you can do just the HE.
When I do my engines. mains and 2 generators, I use the raw water pump and do it at idle. Warm, the cleaners work better. That way everything metal is done. I pump from a 5 gallon bucket that seems to keep the engine cool long enough to do the job if I start cold.

Thanks for the reply Lepke, but it sounds like you are referring to a fresh water flush after running in salt water. I'm asking about a chemical flush, using barnacle buster, to remove built up scale. It recirculates through the cooling system for 4 to 8 hours.

Maybe the HX is enough? I don't think there is an oil cooler, after cooler, trans cooler etc on the genset.

Dougcole said:

I'm asking about a chemical flush, using barnacle buster, to remove built up scale. It recirculates through the cooling system for 4 to 8 hours.

Maybe the HX is enough? I don't think there is an oil cooler, after cooler, trans cooler etc on the genset.

Click to expand...

When I flushed our Kohler with Rydlyme, it was just the heat exchanger. No oil cooler, gear cooler, etc.

Filled the HX through the zinc anode "hole" in our case. let is sit, flush, done. Or maybe I did it twice, can't remember... but the before view was grim and the after view was good.

-Chris

Dougcole said:

Thanks for the reply Lepke, but it sounds like you are referring to a fresh water flush after running in salt water. I'm asking about a chemical flush, using barnacle buster, to remove built up scale. It recirculates through the cooling system for 4 to 8 hours.

Maybe the HX is enough? I don't think there is an oil cooler, after cooler, trans cooler etc on the genset.

Click to expand...

I use Rydlyme, sometimes on both fw & sw sides. It seems to do the job and I can dump it over the side when done. I never had a heat problem since I started using it and solved other peoples problems with it. Often after a mechanic did a flush for them. I don't do many things by the yachtsmens bible. When I do the sw side, Starting with a cold engine I circulate running with the sw pump drawing from a large bucket and returning to the bucket. Warm, it cleans much faster and the engines at idle stay cool enough in my climate to do the job. Rydlyme touches every metal part in the sw circuit. On my DDs, 15 minutes will do the job. Sometimes I use Rydlyme on the fw side because is gets rust out of the cast iron other cleaners have missed doing. I don't know the chemistry, just the results.