Kohler 5ECD Not Running EC62, UU, UF

anyone in Australia want to ship me one?

Sorry, I bought mine online from ASAP in Pennsylvania.
The local guys keep very little in stock and certainly not high value items.
 
It works! Pressure tested at 44-45 psi and it held perfect. Primed fuel line and it started right up. Switched 1.5 kw load on and off and you couldn't even hear a difference in the engine trying to adjust for it.

Will report back in a few weeks when it goes in the water and we have a better chance to test it, but I'm calling this fixed!



Let us know what you decide to do. If you take the fuel module apart, let us know what you find. Unless the housing is in much better condition than mine was and a similar regulator can be found, I don't think its repairable.

would you happen to have a picture or the part number of your right angle schrader/pressure tester? Finding something that fits isn’t easy. I have some cobbled together junk, but I wonder if 9 different fittings is effecting my readings at all
 
I don't recall exactly, but I'm pretty sure we had the rigid line off the manifold and fuel pump at this point, and connected it to a fuel pressure gauge set directly. So the fuel pump was pumping directly into a gauge.

Here is a picture of my fuel prime tool. I feel the fitting is oversized compared to the presto valve (I think that's what it's called). Its ok for bleeding, but not sure for an accurate fuel pressure reading. It was difficult finding a fitting that would fit in there. I think I picked this up at lowes near the pneumatic adapters.

kohler1.jpg


kohler2.jpg
 
I don't recall exactly, but I'm pretty sure we had the rigid line off the manifold and fuel pump at this point, and connected it to a fuel pressure gauge set directly. So the fuel pump was pumping directly into a gauge.

Here is a picture of my fuel prime tool. I feel the fitting is oversized compared to the presto valve (I think that's what it's called). Its ok for bleeding, but not sure for an accurate fuel pressure reading. It was difficult finding a fitting that would fit in there. I think I picked this up at lowes near the pneumatic adapters.

View attachment 80219

View attachment 80220
You made the exact same fitting I did for a bleeder then. I have a cobbled together mass of crap to take pressure readings. A lock on tire valve, a nipple, a 90, another male schraeder . Who knows how accurate.


In a fortunate turn, it seems now that my pump may arrive this week. I’m not sure anyone actually knows
 
FB67A7B8-2ACF-4BB9-9C91-00FA549EA796.jpeg

well, I guess i gotta get some zinchrome and some barb fittings.

I think I shall paint it pink, teal, purple or Yamaha silver.

I have a lot of leftover paint from standup jetski projects :D
 
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IMG_20200313_193617.jpg
It lives!

Ran the water heater, a space heater, the stove and the microwave for almost an hour dead on at 120v/60hZ, restarted several times.

When I unplugged the high pressure pump the exact symptoms returned, so I was definitely only running on lift pump previously
 
After reading this thread in its entirety, I'm convinced the possibility the wrong choice on a 5ECD.
I purchased this generator from Florida. Unit has 130 hours. Anything I should look at prior to installing? I'm taking out an aged non functional quicksilver 7.5 and installing this one.
Kohler 5ECD-11.jpg
 
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After reading this thread in its entirety, I'm convinced the possibility wrong choice on 5ECD.
I purchased this generator from Florida. Unit has 130 hours. Anything I should look at prior to installing? I'm taking out an aged non functional quicksilver 7.5 and installing this one.
Kohler 5ECD-11.jpg
Looks like the module has been replaced already.


Kohler makes a solid generator end and control system. Kawasaki engines are excellent as well. I'm a Kohler dealer for standby power and they're pretty bulletproof.

The biggest issue with marine units is lack of use, light loading, and improper maintenance. Take care of it, it will last a long time but it will cost some maintenance$$
 
Looks like the module has been replaced already.


Kohler makes a solid generator end and control system. Kawasaki engines are excellent as well. I'm a Kohler dealer for standby power and they're pretty bulletproof.

The biggest issue with marine units is lack of use, light loading, and improper maintenance. Take care of it, it will last a long time but it will cost some maintenance$$

Pulled Mine a few weeks ago to strip and paint all the rust.
Chasing pretty much the same issues for the same reasons.
Where did you pick up the pump?

My mains and outdrives are in the garage for the same reasons.
Going over everything while its on blocks.

I bought the boat new in 2007.
It took me several years to figure out that one original sparkplug never fired.
It was the coil.

Not used often. mostly because its always not working.
60 hours! Total on the Kohler
 
So, Its all repainted and back together yesterday.
Bench test.
Ran for about an hour (Ran like a dream) and another shutdown.
LOC which I cant explain.
On restart attempt the dreaded UU.

Slept on it and decided to pull and clean the fuel injector.
It was not so bad so I decided to go ahead and remove and disassemble the fuel cooler.


kohler.jpg
 
This is the bottom half. AFTER first cleanup with lots of water.
The center section is the raw water passage.
Right is where the fuel pump sits in fuel.
Left section is where the pressure regulator sits and returns flow back to the right side.

Before cleaning the center section was clogged with dried up salt deposits.
I had cleaned it up earlier by sticking screwdrivers in both the water inlet and outlets.
It was barely flowing.

My guess is that the generator uses so little fuel that most of it goes back thru the pressure regulator and continues to circulate as the high pressure pump continuously runs.
The tube that goes to the fuel injector runs up just above the exhaust manifold which was being kept at about 190deg.
My bet is that with after about an hour of running with no load that the fuel eventually vaporized and I guess it cut off. And would not restart.

I am wishing that I did the fuel prime procedure to see if that helped.

After pulling the cover off the seawater pump, the impeller vanes look as new as when I started it up. No clog in the hose to the fuel cooler. No bits in the fuel cooler. No bits in the hose up to the heat exchanger.
Ill backflush that to check later








kohler fuel module bottom.jpg
 
This is the top half after cleaning with just water.
The corrosion is really only in the gasket void between the two sections.
The pump has some fluffy white corrosion on the case and a little bit of trash on the filter screen on the bottom.

I guess I have to make a new gasket and put this thing back together.
My hope is that this was the problem and I was very lucky that mine was not that bad.

The other thing that I noticed is that this Housing and cooler system is very simular to Mercruiser's Cool Fuel III that I was rebuilding just last week.

The pump, the regulator and housings seam similar
The little wire harness, the seal going thru the cap and even the wire connector are the same. The cylindrical pump is very familiar if not the same.

kohler fuel module top.jpg
 
Dreaded Cool Fuel III on Left.
Kohler top on Right.
Same harness.
By the way. I was able to find the replacement housing and the cover as parts.
I loaded it back up with my original pumps, Filter housing and fuel pressure regulator.
What I learned is that the bolt holes in the fuel cooler housing and the two that hold the pressure regulator to the cap are NOT tapped from the factory.
I believe the screws they use are a form of self tapping screws. That may explain why their torque value is so high. AND why they almost always break when you try and remove them.
That was my biggest fear in taking the kohler fuel cooler apart!

I hope this works!
I feel like it would be a good thing to take this fuel cooler off and clean it out every winter.

Fuel Coolers.jpg
 
One thing to consider since you have the entire generator out. As you probably know, most of the junk steel they use is very prone to rust in salt environment. I ordered a stainless bottom pan for maybe $100. Very happy with that.

Also I've run my generator for an hour before with little load, and after fixing it does not vapor lock, so I doubt that's what it is - although I agree with you that it certainly appears this could happen.

For the $20 or whatever it is, get your injector cleaned. Even if it looks good.
 
One thing to consider since you have the entire generator out. As you probably know, most of the junk steel they use is very prone to rust in salt environment. I ordered a stainless bottom pan for maybe $100. Very happy with that.

Also I've run my generator for an hour before with little load, and after fixing it does not vapor lock, so I doubt that's what it is - although I agree with you that it certainly appears this could happen.

For the $20 or whatever it is, get your injector cleaned. Even if it looks good.

I think I may have misled you.
I cleaned out the fuel cooler just the other day.
The water passage was open but maybe only 25%.
It should now flow much better and help cool the fuel at least as much as when it was new.

I hope to paint it today, Install it and with a cleaned out tube. The injector is is pretty good shape, but I cleaned it all inside and out anyway.

Maybe get it running after and see if that solves the problem.

I'm going to also remove the exhaust and look for any clogs. It was cleaned the other day.
Also back-flush the heat exchanger. I had done this before, but there could still be a chunk in there that made its way up from the fuel cooler.

Who knows.
Really easy to do this while its on the cart.
By the way, where did you find a stainless tray?
 
pyro did you end up using injectorRX to service the injectors? what did that run you? i just ordered both fuel pumps and am deciding if cleaning the injectors is worth it. thanks for the great write up.
 

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