www.iFourWinns.com

Heres the picture of the impeller. The old impeller (right) was fully intact until I started pulling on it with pliers to get it out of the housing. So it was intact when I first opened the housing. Not too shabby for 15 years old!



Note they are both "Sherwood" impellers but the new one came in a Kohler sealed bag. The new impeller (left) appears to have thinner blades. But it is the correct one. I referenced it against 3 different sources (my Kohler manual, sierra catalog, and by calling our local Kohler parts dealer).

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

AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!



Im going to kill this stupid genset.

I replaced the impeller today, no start.
Spray carb cleaner in the carb and it will run until that runs out.

Has anybody else had a no start problem with their Kohler? The reason I ask is there are a few things it could be and I need to go to the easiest and most common thing to test first. A control board monitors several inputs and will cut fuel. I dont know if its doing that or if the electric fuel pump or carb is cutting fuel. To make matters MORE complicated, the carb bowl has a "anti-diesel solenoid" that cuts fuel from going into the carb bowl. I dont know where to start and Im getting disgusted by this thing.

I took the fuel line off going IN to the electric fuel pump and there was plenty of fuel there. I cant even find the line going IN to the carburetor?! Its metal for sure but there are 3-4 different lines it could be, it seems.

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

Ah HA!

Ive made slight progress... went out to the boat, tested the fuel pump. Plenty of fuel at around 4psi!

Removed the carburetor (keep in mind - Ive NEVER worked on a carb). Brought it inside, removed the bowl. It had at least a teaspoon of crap in the bowl Looked like grit.

Cleaned the bowl and the whole carb out with carb cleaner and a can of compressed air. Re-installed. Still no start Again, if I put carb spray in the carb, it starts right up but stalls out when that runs out. My carb bowl was full of gas. Gas isnt making it up from the bowl to the intake.

Now I just figured out I should've checked the "jets". I had no idea. From what Ive read on the web, the jet is the tube that comes down by the float, right? Do I remove that? When I looked up that tube, there was what looked like a screw (the jet?) with a slot, like you could unscrew it with a small screwdriver.

Should I go remove the carb again, remove the bowl, and unscrew the thing up in the tube? Any advice is appreciated.

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

The little thing with the screw slot is the jet. Take it out and blast carb cleaner into the tube and try that.

If I remember correctly, your genny has hardly any hours, correct? If so, your fuel system in the genny could be varnished up big time.

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

Ontario, Canada

Ok I cant get it out, its completely stuck and I started to round it off trying to get it out

I sprayed tons of carb cleaner and compressed air through it. I put a very fine sewing needle through it and it went through to the top (carb throat) with nothing on it. The rest of the carb is very clean. We cleaned the bowl out very good with carb cleaner and compressed air. All of the carbs passages are clear. We have been sticking the needle through it and carb cleaner/compressed air combo.

We just got back from outside. The anti-diesel solenoid in the carb shows 7.5 OHMs. When I put 12vDC to it, it did nothing - I can visually see the pintle and it didnt move. Anybody have any idea what the anti-dieseling solenoid should OHM out at, and should it respond when 12vDC is applied?

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

GOOD NEWS (I think?!)

Came back in, cleaned carb a final time. Paid special attention to the float valve. I noticed I could NOT blow air through the fuel IN part of the carb, even with the float down.Turns out the float needle had a lot of "Crust" buildup on it and in the bore. Cleaned it out. Wasnt expecting it to run, really. STARTED RIGHT UP!!

Next project: INSTALL A SMALL MICRON FUEL FILTER!!!!!

Heres what came out of the bowl the first time I drained it:

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

Congrats Technologic! If anyone deserves the busted knuckles mechanic award, it would be you for running this thing down and gettin er fixed...

You should post a end-of-thread summary of what you did and how you finally fixed it for future posterity

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1996 205 Sundowner DLX
5.0FL Volvo SX Cobra
Tow Veh: 2012 Nissan Frontier Pro-4X

Can I just describe all the work Ive done on this thing with an emoticon? If so, I'd pick this one:

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

Any suggestions on a fuel filter to install in line?

I'd like to install one of these: http://www.amazon.com/Moeller-Universal-Inline-Glass-Filter/dp/B000MT94OM/ref=cm_cr_pr_product_top but Im afraid it would leak in the bilge because its a 2 piece unit. Bad, bad, bad. But I like the idea of being able to change/clean the filter AND see whats in the filter.

I want something CLEAR I can see through. Do you guys think something like this would suffice?
http://www.amazon.com/Wix-33001-Complet ... m_sbs_sg_4

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

I understand your hesitation on the 2 piece unit, but considering how it goes together, it should be fine as long as you check it periodically to ensure it is tight. If not, the other one would be sufficient as well.

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1996 205 Sundowner DLX
5.0FL Volvo SX Cobra
Tow Veh: 2012 Nissan Frontier Pro-4X

I'd want something that is coast guard approved for a filter. Any chance of leaks is not good, I know you can't have the spin-on type filter with plastic water separator type bottom on it for any type of inboard/stern drive engine.

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Terry
Current: 07 Crownline 255 CCR cuddy - 350 Mag MPI/B3 "Casi Cielo"

Previous:97 245 Sundowner 5.7GI/SX

Tow vehicle: 1986 GMC 2500 Camper Special 454/TH400

Not an approved ( Coast Guard) filter for below deck. Get yourself a fuel/water seperator and mount it in the bilge higher then the fuel tank

Overtons sell the complete kit for $30.00

What size fuel line should I buy for? Its the same size fuel line that FW used for the engines.

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