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My Kohler 4cz23 genset on my 278 Vista is going to put me in a padded jacket!!!

Its always been pretty fickle with me. It will start sometimes, sometimes it wont. It always fails to start when Im rafted up with friends that are anxiously awaiting coffee in the morning. Its like it knows and wants to embarrass me. Sometimes it starts right up and starts service duty without a flinch.

Anyways, when it does run it only runs for 5-10 minutes, then a switch must trip (high temp? low oil psi? low volts?) and the unit shuts off and wont restart. It will crank and crank and crank, but no fire. I have the oil pressure gauge and temperature gauge in the cabin and the temp never goes about 160-170 and the oil psi never drops under 60psi. Ive got volts. Im getting 120v the whole time it runs, I checked with a multimeter. I always have real good water discharge with the exhaust.

This last time it stalled, it hasnt restarted in 3 weeks. Finally today I did an oil change. It was 1/4 quart low, at the most. I pulled the impeller yesterday for the sea water pump. It was worn, but no missing blades. The new one comes Thursday (ordered a Kohler replacement). Question: Can I disconnect the oil pressure switch or the high exhaust temperature switches and start the genny to rule them out? Or if I disconnect the switches will that result in the unit not starting?

Who else has a Kohler genset in their FW and can you please sympathize with me....lol. Has/Does this happen to you, have you resolved the problem, any troubleshooting you can provide, ANYTHING?!?! Im about to tear what little hair I have left out.

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1997 Four Winns Vista 278
T - 4.3l EFI
Kohler 4esz Genset
379 hours as of 8/8/21

Gas or weasel?

_________________
07 Azure AZ200,
Previous boat,
95 278 Vista,
And a lot of others.

Ontario, Canada

Its gasoline.

_________________
1997 Four Winns Vista 278
T - 4.3l EFI
Kohler 4esz Genset
379 hours as of 8/8/21

next time it doesn't start see if you can fit in there and check for spark to the spark plug. Carry whatever spare you have laying around to plug in the wire so you don't have to take the one out of the engine. Lay it on some metal on the engine and have the woman give it a crank. See if you see spark.

_________________
1981 Columbia 8.7
2015 Yamaha FZR - 87mph - sold
2006 Yamaha GP1300R - sold
2003 Chaparral 215 SSI - sold
2009 Stingray 195CS - sold
2000 Four Winns H180 - sold
1976 O'day Daysailer II - sold
Rick's Four Winns H180 Mods/Upgrade Thread

Sorry Ric, I probably shouldve said that in my first post but I didnt want it to get too long!

Ive done this. Because the first time it did happen I assumed I lost a coil or a fuel pump.

Got great spark on both spark plugs. Got great fuel pumping psi.

But when the control board senses something amiss (high exhaust temp, high engine temp, low oil psi, no volts going out), it cuts the fuel to the carburetor bowl via a solenoid. I cannot figure out what sensor is doing it. If I disconnect (1 by 1) the sensors after the thing stalls out, could I single out a malfunctioning sensor if it restarts and stays running? Or would disconnecting the high temp sensors/oil sensor make it not run at all?

I hate this thing...lol.

_________________
1997 Four Winns Vista 278
T - 4.3l EFI
Kohler 4esz Genset
379 hours as of 8/8/21

I'm in the same place. I have a kohler 5ecd, last weekend I tried starting it 3 times before we went out and it ALMOST started but didn't. I gave up. We went out to our favorite spot and anchored. On a whim tried it again and I'd started right up! Ran perfectly all afternoon, pulling the load on the A/C as well. The marina told me its a weak cylinder, they have to pull the starboard engine to get the genny out. I'm am really starting to question that diagnosis, if there was a weak cylinder I doubt it would run the a/c without stumbling.

I'm with you Tech, I too think something is telling it not to start. As far as disconnecting sensors, depending it they are normally open or normally closed would dictate if you left them disconnected or hook the wires together or grounded a single wire, if that makes sense.

_________________
Jeff

'14 Cruisers 380 Express "Simon Sez"
Merc 8.2 Mag MPI 380
DTS B3X, (x2) Axius Premier


(SOLD)
'08 V318
Merc 350 Mag MPI 300
DTS Seacore, B3 (x2)

I asked if it was gas cuz I was going to suggest a primary ignition failure. But as you said, you have a good spark. Well, I'm no help,,,sorry bro

_________________
07 Azure AZ200,
Previous boat,
95 278 Vista,
And a lot of others.

Ontario, Canada

yeah these kohlers can be a bit sensitive. They do have a lot of monitoring circuitry which can cause a shutdown that may be unwarranted. Thus you can never rule out the computer board in your diag.

But something strikes me about your particular problem to be maybe be choke related. I have a Kohler 5E and dont know your model real well but the 5e's do have a problem with the choke mechanism sticking etc. This would make it sometimes impossible to start, and also when engine then warms up and choke sticks would tend to kill the engine. If you can visulaize the choke mechanism while its running/starting would be good. also move it by hand if you can and spray some lubricant.

that solenoid on the carb I hear is also prone to prob/replacement. If you can get to carb easy not bad idea to take bowl off and spray with carb cleaner as well as solenoid.

My 5e has problem with "hunting". oscillates high/low in a pulsatile manor. Have diag it to be a dirty carb, just not easy to get to the carb on my 348vista with sound shield to do a carb clean and havent felt like paying big money for a tech to do for me.

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2006 348 Vista
"Cruisin Home"
Hampton NH

My 5e was doing the same thing, rebuilding the carb did fix it.

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2004 Vista 298
Twin 5.7L Volvo Penta GXi-E

yeah, really would like to rebuild, but unless I shrink to half my size anytime soon dont think I will be doing it. The 348vista desing really doesnt allow any good access to genny particulalry also having to contend with sound shield. super human just to change rear spark plug!

_________________
2006 348 Vista
"Cruisin Home"
Hampton NH

as for the "weak cylinder" diagnosis. the only thing that sounds "weak" is their diagnosis. I would try someone else before you pay them a fortune.

_________________
2006 348 Vista
"Cruisin Home"
Hampton NH

I thought access in my 298 was bad, I guess I shouldn't complain so much.

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2004 Vista 298
Twin 5.7L Volvo Penta GXi-E

Ok so I got the old (15 year old - original) Impeller out of the generator. Believe it or not - all vanes were completely intact. There were a few cracks and the impeller took an awful set (all blades were severely bent over) so it was time anyway. Cant believe nobody has ever replaced it before me (genset only has 5 hours on it).

Anyway, I changed the oil. I had 30w in there, the manual calls for 10w-40. Oops, my fault but Im sure no damage because it only runs for 5 minutes tops anyways before it stalls out! But I read on the web that using too thin an oil can cause the genset to get hot too fast and trip the temperature circuit. Hmmmm...Im not convinced at all this is my problem.

Im going to reinstall the new impeller tonight. Then Im going to backflush the seacock. Want to make sure I have 100% water flow.

After that, if it continues to stall, I dont know. Ill disconnect the temperature switches to see if they are usually open/closed when operating and go from there Theres still a possibility that after 15 years and only 4 hours of use, the carburetor is in need of a rebuild.

_________________
1997 Four Winns Vista 278
T - 4.3l EFI
Kohler 4esz Genset
379 hours as of 8/8/21

If you can get to the float bowl on the carb pull it off, usually just one bolt. If it's all gummed up it's time for a rebuild

_________________
1981 Columbia 8.7
2015 Yamaha FZR - 87mph - sold
2006 Yamaha GP1300R - sold
2003 Chaparral 215 SSI - sold
2009 Stingray 195CS - sold
2000 Four Winns H180 - sold
1976 O'day Daysailer II - sold
Rick's Four Winns H180 Mods/Upgrade Thread

and dont forget possible prob with choke sticking which is pseudo carb related

_________________
2006 348 Vista
"Cruisin Home"
Hampton NH