'06 290AJ Kohler generator smell rich

W

William Miller

Member
Mar 16, 2007
327
Darnestown, Maryland
Boat Info
290 AJ
Engines
Twin Mercruiser 300 hp Bravo III
our generator is used very little probably less than 30 hours since new in spring 2007.
It runs fine but the smell is a bit anoying.

Were to start to diagnose this?

Does your generator have its own battery or is it tied to one of the mains?
 
With that liitle hours good luck. Carb is most likelly gummed up so get it rebuilt first and then run it more. You are killing it kindly. Run it every time you are out as much as you can and it will be fine. I can't figure out why people buy a $10k option and don't use it. Not trying to be rude but these things are made to be used.
 
I have an 04 AJ with Kohler 5E... It had 26 hrs on it in 2010... It would never run right, as the carb was badly gummed up.. Tried cleaning it to no avail , hence bought a new carb, new plugs, fuel filter and it runs great. You have to exercise it every week in order to keep it in good working order
 
No idea what you mean by the smell is annoying. I now see the title, change the plugs and if that is not it remove and clean the carb. You might try running Seafoam through it. If your setup is the same as mine the STBD engine and the GEN are connected to the single battery while the 2 battery bank runs the PORT and the house.

More importantly, if want to keep it running good you better pay attention. RUN IT! As often as you can and keep it loaded (AC, water heater, fridge, ect.) even if you don't have the need.
 
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Kevin, i only can wish that i had the time to actually use it more often!
Except for the battery going dead it actually runs very well. It's just that when its running, there is sometimes a lingering smell of unburnt fuel. As my wife is sensitive to the smell of diesel fuel, this is just as bad to her. So, thus it often gets shut off if not really needed.


I was asking about the batteries because my dealer added a fourth, seperate battery for the generator as they said it has an issue
with the altenator on i think the starboard engine which it originall shared one battery. Thus this battery is stand alone with no connection to the charger. It made no sence to me why they did this.

With all te suggestion, i'll try and run it as much as possible, but i dont see it fixing itself. Who knows....

Thanks again everyone!
 
Your gen exhaust should not smell bad if it's running right. Sound like it's running rich and the carb will cause that. I would either get it fixed and run it alot or have it perserved and locked out so the next owner can enjoy it. I went through this with a Westerbeke that had 26 hours on it at survey. Some how it passed but didn't last long. After getting it sorted out I ran it all the time and didn't have any more issues.
 
ok, so.. its just like any other small engine with some fancy diagnostics lights, fuses etc. nothing special on the intake side?
Then my guess is that the choke is partially stuck. (About the only thing that could make it run a little rich and still run well.) I cant imagine that the main jet is the wrong size or something like that.

what do you think?
 
When was the last time the small on motor filter was changed? I had the some problems with my gen. Running well for while then surging and getting a bad gas smell like it was running rich. I took off the carb. Cleaned it, changed the plugs. None of the worked, but when I changed the inline small filter just behind the fuel pump it ran well for the remainder of the season. That filter is a chock point, and could realistically be changed twice a year. Its a pain to change. You have to remove the fuel filter 2 nuts, and the metal gas line, then you can unscrew the filter.

by the end of the season it happened again and I changed that filter and it fixed the condition
 
Bill it could be the choke but I doubt it. More likelly the carb is gummed up from fuel sitting in it so long. That can cause the jets to not meter fuel correct. I would start with a rebuld or better yet a new carb. These gens should run pretty clean. My Westerbeke didn't smell bad and when I have been on Perrys boat his Kholer didn't smell either.
When are you smelling the exhaust? Are you Anchored and using a stern anchor to prevent swing? If so that could cause the smell to be stronger do to the bow not being in the wind. Hope this helps and hang in their we will figure it out.
 
Few months later:
Ive ordered every manual i caan find on the generator and engine and cant find anything on the fuel injection system.
I did replace my battery (it was dead) I found and replaced a fuse that controlled the generators altenator for battery charging.
It was running, now it starts foe a few seconds and shuts itself off and displays the dreaded UU code..

I have read to chech the fuel pressure and bought the gauge but now cant find what the correct pressure is supposed to be..

anyone have the specs and or documentation on the correct way to check the pressure?
 
William Miller said:
Few months later:
Ive ordered every manual i caan find on the generator and engine and cant find anything on the fuel injection system.
I did replace my battery (it was dead) I found and replaced a fuse that controlled the generators altenator for battery charging.
It was running, now it starts foe a few seconds and shuts itself off and displays the dreaded UU code..

I have read to chech the fuel pressure and bought the gauge but now cant find what the correct pressure is supposed to be..

anyone have the specs and or documentation on the correct way to check the pressure?
Click to expand...

If you dont solve it and decide to throw in the towel... Contact Brian at Annapolis Crusiar. I cannot say enough good things about the company and Brian's skill at diagnosing my 5E issues when I was having problems with surging.

Most of my experience wont help you because my generator is carbed, but I tried and tried, replacing nearly all the fuel system parts. I started with the local SR dealer's repair guys and they coudln't solve it, but Brian did! Turned out to be a bad carb (original) and then a bad brand new out-of-the-box from kohler replacement carb. Brian and AnnapolisCruisair covered the re-repalcement and parts under their own warranty even though the project started just before hauling for and eventual boat winterization during hurricane sandy. When it wasnt beahving still the next spring, they took care of me, no questions asked, and no new bill.

Seems like you've tried most of the "normal" fixes. Give them a call, it's worth the sanity. Oh and as all have said, there shouldn't be a raw/unburned fuel smell if the generator is working properly. You may smell a little bit of exhaust fumes briefly if the wind changes direction on you, but not gas smell.

James

P.S after-thought... didnt mean to sound like a sales guy... I just really went around the block with the generator, and those guys came through for me. Hard to find quality service. Being a small family owned business, they are in demand and worth it.
 
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JimFromMD said:
If you dont solve it and decide to throw in the towel... Contact Brian at Annapolis Crusiar. I cannot say enough good things about the company and Brian's skill at diagnosing my 5E issues when I was having problems with surging.

Most of my experience wont help you because my generator is carbed, but I tried and tried, replacing nearly all the fuel system parts. I started with the local SR dealer's repair guys and they coudln't solve it, but Brian did! Turned out to be a bad carb (original) and then a bad brand new out-of-the-box from kohler replacement carb. Brian and AnnapolisCruisair covered the re-repalcement and parts under their own warranty even though the project started just before hauling for and eventual boat winterization during hurricane sandy. When it wasnt beahving still the next spring, they took care of me, no questions asked, and no new bill.

Seems like you've tried most of the "normal" fixes. Give them a call, it's worth the sanity. Oh and as all have said, there shouldn't be a raw/unburned fuel smell if the generator is working properly. You may smell a little bit of exhaust fumes briefly if the wind changes direction on you, but not gas smell.

James

P.S after-thought... didnt mean to sound like a sales guy... I just really went around the block with the generator, and those guys came through for me. Hard to find quality service. Being a small family owned business, they are in demand and worth it.
Click to expand...

Thanks! Starting my spring project and Replaced the hot water heater last weekend. I got the generator running a few weeks ago so thats a start! I'm going to get some fresh gas this weekend. Im going to replace the plugs, change oil and the zincs. hoping for the best.

By the way, your the second that has recommended their shop. Thanks!
 
I had the same condition and after countless hours of work, it turned out to be the tiny inline filter on the motor. They barely last a full season. Change that filter and it should cure the problem. When that condition comes back, it's time to change the filter again. I found this out the hard way. Took off the carb, cleaned it and the air filter and nothing changed, Didn't even notice the inline filter. Changed that and its been running smooth ever since. But it needs changing at least once, sometimes twice a season.

Additionally those gens don't like being over loaded, that condition will occur when over loaded too. So run appliances like blow dryers and electric stoves at different times.

Hopes this helps
 
and put in new plugs first because they'll be gummed from all the miss firing.
 
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