Kohler 6.5 fouls plugs after 30 minutes...

[Steve91T]

Originally Posted by BruceK

A boat on my marina had somewhat similar genset symptoms,though diesel. Load would cause it to blow black smoke, emit burning smells, and die.Turned out not an engine issue but a problem driving the generation end, making excessive demand on the engine. YMMV.

I hope my mileage does very because that sounds expensive!

I’ll take another video tomorrow before I take it apart.

[Art]

Originally Posted by C lectric

Once gas origin varnish has formed a spray cleaner or gas tank additive is useless.
If there is actual dirt inside the carb. a "cleaner" will not remove it.

Take the carb off and deal with it properly. A real soak in actual carb cleaner. Just be carefull to protect your hands, rubber gloves, as the chemicals are strong and will attack your skin. Read the directions. From a local Napa.

I disagree with your statement: "Once gas origin varnish has formed a spray cleaner or gas tank additive is useless".

Used straight, kept on for hours to days: Berryman B-12 Chemtool cleaner [spray or liquid] will strip [i.e. dissolve] most all coating items. It's a great additive to gasoline tank for a general fuel line cleaner too! Been using it for many, many years!

[C lectric]

Fair enough. I have never seen it where I live so it may be one of those things available depending upon where you live.
My experience has been as I stated. You have found a good product.

[Art]

Originally Posted by C lectric

Fair enough. I have never seen it where I live so it may be one of those things available depending upon where you live.
My experience has been as I stated. You have found a good product.

I'm surprised that Berryman B-12 Chemtool cleaner is not available where you live. NAPA stores up there? Can also be ordered on line.

B-12 Chemtool's ingredients are bad-ass. Toluene will dissolve most anything. - Use rubber gloves [although it can melt rubber] and don't breath it... have good ventilation! I'm a product user only and not affiliated with the company at all.


https://www.berrymanproducts.com/vid...olvent-test-3/ - This link is a shocker!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eUxaTvGTi6w

[C lectric]

I looked it up. GOogle. I may have seen it but not payed any attention. I do still clean the odd carburettor but for the most part they are small and when they need it , they really need it so I don't fool around, get out the soaker cleaner and leave it overnight.

Tried Google some more. Napa, Canadian Tire does not seem to carry it not does Walmart. According to a 2 yr old question on the Berryman site they do not have a distributor in Canada, definitely not in the Vancouver area.

Oh well, There are products that simply are not available here due to language and labelling requirements. Must be labelled in English AND Quebecois.
Rule quit selling bilge cleaner years ago for the same reasons. Many other products, if available, are difficult to find.

My old Gunk carb cleaner still works but even that I had to pester the local Napa to bring in a gallon for me.

I'll think about looking for it the next time we travel.

[Art]

Originally Posted by C lectric

I looked it up. GOogle. I may have seen it but not payed any attention. I do still clean the odd carburettor but for the most part they are small and when they need it , they really need it so I don't fool around, get out the soaker cleaner and leave it overnight.

Tried Google some more. Napa, Canadian Tire does not seem to carry it not does Walmart. According to a 2 yr old question on the Berryman site they do not have a distributor in Canada, definitely not in the Vancouver area.

Oh well, There are products that simply are not available here due to language and labelling requirements. Must be labelled in English AND Quebecois.
Rule quit selling bilge cleaner years ago for the same reasons. Many other products, if available, are difficult to find.

My old Gunk carb cleaner still works but even that I had to pester the local Napa to bring in a gallon for me.

I'll think about looking for it the next time we travel.

Years ago I purchased a "barn find" Pink color 1955 Cadillac Coupe DeVille. Not been started for nearly two decades. After making sure the engine's piston rings etc were well lubed and had turned her over first by hand crank... then by starter; I put some gasoline into the carb. No fire at all.

I then took the carb off and set it in a 5 gallon metal bucket containing few gallons gasoline and one full canister of Berryman's B-12 Chemtool. I'd removed needle valve screw/pins and also poured straight B-12 into the carb's air channel before placing in the solution bucket.

That carb sat for well over a week. The gasoline/B-12 solution became very dark. I pulled out the carb and began dunking it in and out of the solution... the liquid turned nearly black . Then, a couple times, I changed the solution to pure gas and continued dunking till color was clear.

I put the carb back on, primed her... and engine quickly started. Being Scotch of nature I poured two full cans Berryman B-12 into gas tank and then poured all the solutions for cleaning the carb into tank with top off of new gasoline from 5 gal gas tanks.

Results were great! 331 ci powerful old engine ran like a charm after tune up, carb performed well, gas in tank I'd mixed gave no problem.

I always have a can or two of B-12 on hand!

[Steve91T]

I just got done messing with the carb. I found a little dirt in the bottom of the bowl. I cleaned it out and everything else I could. I didn’t find anything but I know it doesn’t take much. Blew out jet and all the openings with carb cleaner. The float looked fine. But my gaskets are terrible. I’m thinking that’s causing my issues. I put a light coat of oil on the gaskets and put it back together. I did notice there isn’t a hose clamp on the intake boot. While this could allow unfiltered air in, could it cause an issue with the way it runs? I don’t think so.

I’m quick at pulling the carb now, I can have it off in 5 minutes. I think I’ll order a rebuild kit for the next time I’m here.

Here are some pics. That bold with the two O rings goes into the bottom of the bowl.


Can anyone point me in the right direction for a rebuild kit?

[High Wire]

At the top of the 3rd picture sure looks like a mixture adjustment screw.
A manual would probably help.

[Steve91T]

Originally Posted by High Wire

At the top of the 3rd picture sure looks like a mixture adjustment screw.
A manual would probably help.

You’re right....didn’t even think to try it. I’ll give it a turn and see what happens

[ctjstr]

Normally that mixture adjustment screw affects idle speed adjustment only. Once the carb is off idle, which is it certainly should be when pushing a load, I doubt that screw will have much effect. but never hurts to try.

As for chemicals, I agree with B-12 and also agree with techron. Both work well. But I've found times when the tiny little holes in small carbs get so solidly packed, chemicals by themselves just don't get it done.

I've got a set of the little assorted welding tip cleaners that I can pretty much adapt to any hole in a carb/jet/needle jet. You can get those anywhere...cheap. If you take it apart again, i would make certain to clean out every hole you can find manually, but running some sort of small wire through it. Be a bit careful not to hog out the holes, but making sure they are clean is not that difficult.

One last kind of goofy idea. i've actually seen motorcycle fuel lines collapse internally. Old lines that don't resist alcohol well can kind of prolapse in on themselves, looking great outside, but being a mess inside. If you're shutting down under load, when the unit should be using the most fuel, maybe its not the small stuff, but bigger, fuel line issues.

good luck

toni

[Steve91T]

We’re going to the boat next week to move it from Myrtle beach to Wilmington. I’d like to get a rebuild kit for the carb since the gaskets and orings are obviously bad. Since that’s a known issue, I want to start there. And it’ll only take me about 30 minutes to do. I’ve been searching but not finding a rebuild kit.


Can anyone help me out? I need these gaskets by middle of next week.

Thank you

[High Wire]

If you go to the Westerbeke site you can find the whole suite of manuals and documents for your generator assuming it is an 6.5 BCG. You can get part numbers and find them for sale using Google.

The electric fuel pump has a large strainer in the bottom cap. Has that been cleaned?


Home
Carbureted Gasoline Generators
6.5 BCG
Technical Documents

[rochepoint]

Here is the link to their website.
https://www.westerbeke.com/category/...BF636#techdocs........

[foggysail]

Originally Posted by Steve91T

We’re going to the boat next week to move it from Myrtle beach to Wilmington. I’d like to get a rebuild kit for the carb since the gaskets and orings are obviously bad. Since that’s a known issue, I want to start there. And it’ll only take me about 30 minutes to do. I’ve been searching but not finding a rebuild kit.


Can anyone help me out? I need these gaskets by middle of next week.

Thank you

Jack's Small Engine carries a wide assortment of rebuild kits. Also you could do a search on Ebay for a new carburetor if you have the Kohler engine number or the carburetor part number from the Kohler manual. I have purchased many carbs on Ebay usually for under $20 delivered

[capt jerry]

squrit brake cleaner into the jets it works great

[High Wire]

Originally Posted by High Wire

If you go to the Westerbeke site you can find the whole suite of manuals and documents for your generator assuming it is an 6.5 BCG. You can get part numbers and find them for sale using Google.

The electric fuel pump has a large strainer in the bottom cap. Has that been cleaned?


Home
Carbureted Gasoline Generators
6.5 BCG
Technical Documents

Sorry, Kohler, Duh!

[Steve91T]

Generator runs like a champ! So I ordered a carb gasket kit and brought it with me. The paper gasket was the wrong one, so I just oiled up the original and reused it. But the rubber O rings were correct. I replaced the two on the fuel bowl bolt and the large rubber o ring for the bowl itself. The ones that came off were plastic like and totally falling apart. Unfortunately the generator wouldn’t start. No fire. So I pulled the plugs and sprayed them with carb cleaner. I think it acted more like a starting fluid than anything. I got it to start but then it starve for fuel. I did this several times with no change. I pulled the carb back off and found the fuel bowl dry! So then I put the carb back on and pulled the fuel lines and hit the starter. No fuel. So then I pulled the other cover, well first I grabbed another beer, then I pulled the other cover to access the fuel pump and disconnected the electrical plug. I ran two wires from a battery directly to the fuel pump connector to make sure it had life. Sure enough it turned on. Since I couldn’t telll which was positive and negative, I tried both. I’m sure it just spun one way then the other. Feeling defeated, I plugged the connector back in and hit the starter one more time. It started right up and ran smoother than it ever has! My wife and I just looked at each other in disbelief. We were at anchor and getting this generator running was the difference between being able to make dinner or going to bed hungry, not to mention hot and sweaty. We carefully started loading it up and it wasn’t surging at all! This time my wife brought me a beer. It ran all night powering one AC and the rest of the small things. The next day we shut it down, boated to our next anchorage and again, it fired right up and handled the load. I did notice a slight surging when under the load of the Ac compressor, but nothing like before.

I guess the bad orings were allowing air into the carb and the no start after was just an air locked fuel pump.
Thanks guys for your help!

[RT Firefly]

Greetings,
Mr. 91. Good news. So, what's next on the list?

[Steve91T]

Originally Posted by RT Firefly

Greetings,
Mr. 91. Good news. So, what's next on the list?

On Sunday I’m going to spend the day working on the boat. I want to figure out why my tachs will jump and read high every now and then. I’m thinking bad grounds. Also the morning of the 2nd day of anchoring, I must have developed a small fuel leak from the generator. Covers are going to come off and I’m going to figure out where it’s coming from. I’m guessing a fuel line or something. Then, if I have time, I’m going to get the buffer out and start making progress on bringing the gel coat back to life.

[Steve91T]

One more question. When running the generator when not moving, the exhaust exits out the small hole on the side of the boat. When underway, nothing comes out at all. Is it exiting through the main engine exhaust? Is that small hole just a secondary exhaust when stopped?

What stinks is when underway, you can’t hear the generator so you can’t tell if it’s still running. And we have no gauges at all. The only indication is to flip something on like the outlets and see if they work.