www.iFourWinns.com

My generator starts fine but shuts off on its own. Sometimes it will stay on as long as 1 1/2 to 2 hours before shutting down. Once it shuts down, it cannot be restarted for hours. Does anyone have any ideas why the generator shuts off prematurely?

Your input is appreciated.

Could be a number of things. First off, what maintenance has been done on it? My guess is that your impeller needs replacing and the genset is overheating and shutting down.

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Jvalich
http://www.badcock.com

'04 FW 288 Vista "Mental Floss"

How many hours on it since the last impeller was replaced? I agree with John... for some reason (and I'm assuming you have a Kohler 5E) the impellers don't last a long time. I'd replace annualy or every 200 hrs. which ever comes first.

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2014 Vista V435
2011 Glastron GT180
2013 Sea Doo RXT-260

If you want to replace it yourself, let me know. I can post some instructions. I just did mine a couple months ago.

_________________
Jvalich
http://www.badcock.com

'04 FW 288 Vista "Mental Floss"

jvalich...

I'd love to have the instructions for replacing a 1999 Kohler 5E genset impeller. After running our generator most of the past two days, it died shortly after restarting after swimming. When I got back to the dock, I restarted and realized there was no water coming out of the exhaust. I suspect the impeller. There was a faint smell of burned rubber.

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1999 Four Winns Vista 298, 5.0 VP DP
Goosepond Marina
Lake Guntersville
Scottsboro, Alabama

What purpose does the generator have and where is it located?

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Alexj



1995 Four Winns Horizon 190
OMC 5.0 RL

The impeller is easy to change providing you can reach it.

1. The access is located on the end side with the switch and hour meter about 8" down. The access panel just spring snaps into place. You will see it as there is a 1" hose going into the end of the genset.

2. Remove the access panel. The hose should be connected to an elbow so remove of the hose is not needed. The pump hosing is located to the left if you were facing it.

3. Remove the screws holding the pump cover in place. This will expose the impeller.

4. Remove the impeller and any pieces.

5. I used a cable tie around the impeller to bend the fins in the direction they need to go and to make it smaller to easily fit into the pump housing.

6. Once I got the impeller inplace I soaked it with dish soap for lubrication.

7. Replace the oring that goes into the cover plate. I coated it with a bit of silicone.

8. Replace the cover plate and replace the access cover.

9. Start it up and see how it pumps.

Like I said, accessing the area can be the most difficult. My installation the end I need to access is stuffed into the starboard corner of the engine space. It required me to remove the left exhaust elbow on my starboard engine and then I could just squeeze in there to change it. Removing the exhaust elbow was not a bad thing as I like to visually inspect them every couple of years.

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Jvalich
http://www.badcock.com

'04 FW 288 Vista "Mental Floss"

Thanks! That sounds within my limited abilities! If my marina shop is too busy to do the job hopefully they will have the parts available.

I'm also thinking that since the sea strainer was clean, that perhaps I need to backflush in case a plastic bag is jammed in the intake. Is that a pretty common type of event? Would it stay even at planing speed?

Thanks!

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1999 Four Winns Vista 298, 5.0 VP DP
Goosepond Marina
Lake Guntersville
Scottsboro, Alabama

I would have a hard time seeing how a bag could get in the intake. The genset thru-hull does not have any kind of scoop like the A/C does. The A/C requires a scoop so forward motion of the boat thru the water primes the A/C pump which is centrifugal. The genset thru hull is flush so water is not pushed thru the system while underway as it would be forced into the engine. The pump takes up water as needed not to overwelm the engine exhaust system.

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Jvalich
http://www.badcock.com

'04 FW 288 Vista "Mental Floss"

Thanks for that intake information. That pretty much leaves the finger pointing to the impellor!

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1999 Four Winns Vista 298, 5.0 VP DP
Goosepond Marina
Lake Guntersville
Scottsboro, Alabama

Impellers pretty much need to be a yearly thing with the Kohler 5E gensets

_________________
Jvalich
http://www.badcock.com

'04 FW 288 Vista "Mental Floss"

I "thought" I had requested a generater tune-up, new anode and new impellor this spring. When I checked back in my records I see I never got billed for this. So I wonder if they never got around to it. Our shop at our marina has been short-handed this year.

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1999 Four Winns Vista 298, 5.0 VP DP
Goosepond Marina
Lake Guntersville
Scottsboro, Alabama

Never thought of the impeller. Good suggestion. How much for the 5E impeller?

My current problem is after running for about 30 minutes lightly loaded, I then start up the A/C. Stalls. Then does not start until fully cooled.

Previously my problem was dirty spark plugs following burning off the fogging solution and since then I replace after the first start and running of the season. Did not work this time.

My 2001 Vista 298 FW did not install a fuel filter/separator. You may want to check. This is replaced during winterization. My current problem sounds like a low fuel flow probably due to clogged fuel filter. So next step is to replace this.

If this fails to fix will try impeller. GENSET is 5 years old since new and use only about 5-10 hours a season in brakish water. What causes Kohler genset impeller to wear out that quickly?

Joe

I don't pretend to be a generator expert... far from it! This is our first boat with a genny and we've only had it one year. From what I've read, and what my surveyor told me, generators love to be used. An impellor that just sets is just as likely to fail, or even more so. Yours may be stiff, or missing vanes. Does not sound like it is "gone" since your generator runs for several minutes. Mine died within 30 seconds of starting after my impeller died.

I plan to replace all impellers at least every two years, more frequently if I don't put the proper number of hours on them. We usually have our generator running from engine start to engine shutdown, with stops for swimming breaks only, and after we go to sleep on the hook.

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1999 Four Winns Vista 298, 5.0 VP DP
Goosepond Marina
Lake Guntersville
Scottsboro, Alabama

I don't pretend to be a generator expert... far from it! This is our first boat with a genny and we've only had it one year. From what I've read, and what my surveyor told me, generators love to be used. An impellor that just sets is just as likely to fail, or even more so. Yours may be stiff, or missing vanes. Does not sound like it is "gone" since your generator runs for several minutes. Mine died within 30 seconds of starting after my impeller died.

I plan to replace all impellers at least every two years, more frequently if I don't put the proper number of hours on them. We usually have our generator running from engine start to engine shutdown, with stops for swimming breaks only, and after we go to sleep on the hook.

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1999 Four Winns Vista 298, 5.0 VP DP
Goosepond Marina
Lake Guntersville
Scottsboro, Alabama