www.iFourWinns.com

I changed impellers at beginning of season, but now I have a genny issue. After 5 mins if running the genny just shuts down. Water comes out fine, so impellers out of question, any hints on where to look next. Only about 16 hrs on genny FYI. Frustrating!!!

_________________
Vista 318 2007

I'm assuming you have a Kohler 5E, or one of the electronic versions. Before you do anything else, invest ten bucks and change the spark plugs. These gensets eat spark plugs like candy. Chances are the old ones will look fine. Change them anyway. If that doesn't cure the problem, get your hands on an infrared temp gun and check your temps prior to shutdown. If your temps are reading over 210 at the outside of the heat exchanger, you have a cooling issue...most of these units have a 195f thermostat...overheating could be caused by air in system, thermostat, etc. if temps are normal and shutdown still occurs, the exhaust temp shutdown switch may be bad. Hopefully this will get you started on finding the problem.

_________________
Jack
2005 268 Vista - Sold

2001 Silverton 35C 8.1L Crusaders

Does it struggle to stay running before it dies?

_________________
2004 Vista 298
Twin 5.7L Volvo Penta GXi-E

No it doesn't, just when I want to tell my wife all is good it just shuts down. Thanks for the hints, it gives a starting point.

_________________
Vista 318 2007

I'll start with a big well, isn't that what you do when you find the answer and are pissed about it. I got motivated and removed the side seat in the cockpit and dove into the bottom of the boat. I remove the cover and turned on the genny. It was spitting out water a died again. I the noticed extreme heat on the heat exchange, and no coolant in the genny. It was shutting down as protection. I removed the hoses going to the exchange and there were old pieces of my impellers clogging the hoses so little water was getting in to cool the exchanger. I flushed and cleared the hoses, reattached, filled with coolant and started it up. After 20 minutes I shut it off, mystery solved. I realize more and more I should follow up on techs work since my impellers were changed by the marina as an owe to me from my purchase of the boat.

_________________
Vista 318 2007

Good find.

Also don't forget the genny fuel pickup doesn't go to the bottom of the tank, it stops at 1/4 of a tank. I had 1/3 of a tank while we were at the beach this weekend. With the boat rocking in the waves, the genny would not stay running as the fuel pickup kept sucking air. Filled her up, and no more issues.

_________________
2007 358 T-5.7GXi IB
Previous Boats
'08 H240, '08 V318, '04 268, '04 225