Kohler 5E Marine Generator Won't Stay Running - Troubleshooting and Repair in 4K

In this video I troubleshoot the Kohler 5E Generator that won't stay running.

[@j.f.brunet6218]

The best part of the video (apart from the great tips) is the reminder to NOT wear any protective gear when using acid to clean metal parts. Lol! I love it!

[@RandomlyAwkward1]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@GD-qn7xo]

great video, I had already changed my impeller assembly but noticed not enough water going thru system and generator would still overheat after a while. Next stop is the heat exchanger, thank you.

[@RandomlyAwkward1]

Good luck with it. I had lots of mineral deposits inside, but an acid bath cleaned it right up!

[@DougAlesUSA]

Just got a new to us 2005 Sea Ray with a Kohler 5E generator. Your video was helpful to me. Thank you.

[@RandomlyAwkward1]

Awesome! Sea Rays are great boats… best thing to do is use it!

[@HRB7272]

Best help online I've found to date! Thank you for your time and narration. Saving TONS of money without any protective items now! Thanks again!

[@RandomlyAwkward1]

Glad I could help!

[@fuelflownormal]

Your dry humor is the best part 😂

[@RandomlyAwkward1]

Thanks… if I didn’t have a sense of humor about this boat, I would weep uncontrollably!

[@cme4brain11]

Fantastic video, from a fellow Rinker boat owner and 5kW Kohler generator owner. I will use this to replace my impeller in the next few days.

[@RandomlyAwkward1]

Thanks for the comment! Let me know if you need help… Mike

[@tradkisson]

Very impressive, thorough and super helpful video! I am excited to start working on bringing my Kohler 5E back to life on my Rinker 312. Thanks a million!!

[@RandomlyAwkward1]

Thanks for the comments. I would definitely look at the fuel filter and the oil pressure sensor switch first. Also, if you have drained the coolant out, there can be an air bubble which will also shut down the generator. If it runs and then turns off after a few seconds, try disconnecting the wire from the oil pressure sensor switch. If it still runs after doing that, that’s your culprit.

[@tradkisson]

@@RandomlyAwkward1 I will definitely add that to my list! Plugs, filters and impeller on order. I’ll reply if I find anything interesting

[@walterrella3788]

Bravo…nice job with explaining everything thoroughly. ⚓️⚓️⚓️

[@RandomlyAwkward1]

Thanks! Hope it was helpful…

[@formulaben]

I see this in my future...thanks for the instruction!

[@RandomlyAwkward1]

Yes, unfortunately all this maintenance is a part of saltwater boat ownership

[@kiefferbailey7037]

Very helpful. Thank you!

[@RandomlyAwkward1]

Thank you… I’m glad it was helpful to you.

[@excellberryhill3503]

Thank you for posting this video very helpful.

[@RandomlyAwkward1]

You’re welcome… I hope it answered some questions for you.

[@AdventuresofHappyOurs]

I’ve always wondered where that yellow impeller bushing goes. Lol. A couple other stalling issues I’ve discovered in this gen is a misadjusted choke and also air bubbles in the coolant or low coolant levels. Kohler gens have sensors for everythig and the old models don’t give error messages. Making troubleshooting a pita😡. Nice video. Thanks.

[@RandomlyAwkward1]

Thanks Tommy… I finally got it to stay running long enough for the blender to make Pina Coladas!

[@novanut1964]

great video, informative! i used genuine kohler parts on my smaller vintage generator

[@chadjennings5734]

I’m fighting the same issue in my Kohler 5E on 2002 Rinker 270. I replaced fuel filter, antifreeze, oil and filter, fuel filter, anode, impeller, and added a stainless steel thru hull. It never ran after my “tune up”. Pulling it apart tomorrow to check oil / antifreeze levels and oil pressure sensor switch. 🤞🏼

[@RandomlyAwkward1]

It drove me crazy but the main culprit was the oil pressure sensor switch. Does yours start and run for 10-20 seconds and then shut down? If so, it’s almost 100% the oil pressure switch.

[@bobmacey5730]

Hi... Love your site and videos. So helpful and to the point. We have a 2001 FV270 and are looking to put a generator in... what would you recommend?

[@gerardrusso9642]

great video

[@RandomlyAwkward1]

Thank you

[@dwarshow]

Nice video! I have a 5E on a 2004 Sea Ray 280 Sundancer that's not exhausting any water. I checked the screen and that's clean. Next step is to check the impeller, which is a bit hard to get to in this boat. When you took off the heat exchanger and refilled the coolant, did you have to bleed it to remove air bubbles?

[@RandomlyAwkward1]

Thanks… Yes I did. I put some coolant in it until it was full and then ran it and it bubbled a little bit and I put more in there. Incidentally, you said it is not pumping out any water. My impeller just went bad about two days ago. I’m currently replacing it as we speak. The repair itself is very easy. You just take out the four 11mm bolts that hold the water pump onto the generator and remove the hoses. The whole assembly comes off and you can just push the new impeller and O-ring in place taking it out noting which direction it turns. A little bit of Dawn dishwashing liquid makes it insertion much easier. What happened in my case was the metal collar that is inside of the rubber impeller became disengaged from the rubber so the impeller stayed put but the shaft turned. That generator has a thermal shut off so after it runs for about a minute and overheats due to lack of water circulation it will turn itself off. That sounds like what you are experiencing as well. You can also check to make sure your sea strainer is not clogged and that there’s no obstruction under your hull like seaweed or something to prevent water from coming in.

[@lendyrenegar7964]

Great video, two dumb questions. 1. Did you have to do a full coolant change after putting the heat exchanger back on (why didn’t coolant come out of anode hole). 2. The part I really wanted to see was right when your go pro fell. I can change my impeller by taking off that housing but how did you get the next housing off to reach that yellow coupler? Is it just a hard pull or are there more bolts than the 4? Thank you!

[@RandomlyAwkward1]

Thank you… not dumb questions… since it was the first time that I had worked on the generator and I did not know the history of it, I changed all of the coolant. It really wasn’t that big of a deal. The coolant didn’t come out of the hole because the rod was totally disintegrated, and it was gummed up, so nothing could come out of the hole. I dissolved all of the crud with a phosphoric acid I’d bath. That stupid housing was incredibly difficult to get off. It just press fits on, but I ended up using ratcheting tiedown straps from Harbor Freight on the different corners and banging on it with a mallet and some PB blaster to get it loose. I must’ve looked like a total idiot trying to get that thing off, but it finally came off. It was mostly just corrosion holding it on. I cleaned everything up with some Emery cloth so the next time I have to remove it, which I hope is never, it should come off much easier. The impeller change is very easy but I just wanted to kind of have a baseline so I pulled out that little orange plastic rubber sleeve. I won’t to do that again!

[@lendyrenegar7964]

Ok, awesome! Thank you very much. I was just a tad concerned because while changing my impeller on my 5E a little piece of wire was coming out of that next housing and I clipped it off. I had to run to an appointment and didn’t get to finish and fire it up. Thanks again!

[@croberson01]

Very good video - I have 2008 Sea Ray with same Kohler 5e - did you have to prime the fuel line after replacing the fuel filter. Love you sense of humor

[@RandomlyAwkward1]

Thanks for the compliment… I did not prime the fuel line. It fired up in about three to five seconds. I think the oil pressure switch is a big issue with these generators.

[@billfoote6280]

I have the exact same problem on my Kohler 4ESZ. It runs for 20 seconds and shuts down. Ran fine last season. Thanks for the tutorial. What's your best guess on which of your fixes actually solved the problem? Thanks

[@RandomlyAwkward1]

Hey Bill… there are a couple things that will for sure make your generator not work. One is to make sure that there is enough oil because it has a low oil shut down. Number two is the oil pressure sensor switch could be bad. If you disconnect the electrical lead on the top of it, and it runs, you’ll know that that’s the problem. It was fairly inexpensive and I think I may have linked the part number in the video. The other biggie is a clogged fuel filter. While possibly not the issue, spark plugs are cheap insurance and it probably wouldn’t hurt to put two new ones in. I think that they were five bucks apiece. The last thing is if you have an air bubble in your coolant, that will throw it into a shut down as well. Check to make sure that your coolant is topped off and that you don’t have an air bubble in it. I did not have a problem with the choke, but I know that the choke position and spring is another issue on the Kohler generators. I would first check the fuel filter and the oil pressure sensor switch as well as the oil level first. Let me know if you’re able to get it solved. I like a challenge!

[@billfoote6280]

@@RandomlyAwkward1 Thanks so much for replying. I know oil is full and water seems to be pumping ok. The twenty seconds thing must be more than coincidence - I'm thinking the control board senses something and shuts down after 20 seconds. I definitely suspect oil pressure sensor, but so far I haven't located it. ACCESS ACCESS, ACCESS - in addition to your access problems, I have a sound baffle thingy that surrounds the gen. i've yet to figure out how to get it off more than part way. When the rain stops, I'll try again. Will advise.

[@RandomlyAwkward1]

Bill, from what I have read, most people remove the sound baffle, because it actually makes the generator run cooler.

[@RandomlyAwkward1]

I forgot to mention that the oil pressure sensor switch is located near the oil filter on the block and will have a wire running to it. I think you can also hold down the start switch once the generator starts and it will continue to run. That bypasses the sensor. You could try that and if it keeps running as long as you hold the switch down, then you have your answer.

[@brettkirkland2916]

Thanks for the video. Mine starts fine and pumping out water but shuts down after 4-5 minutes and sounds like it is getting fuel starved. Wonder if its the fuel filter. Going to start there and change impeller too. Any additional input would be appreciated.

[@RandomlyAwkward1]

It’s probably turning itself off for one of two reasons… low oil pressure or overheating. Make sure the oil level is good and check to se if you need an oil pressure sensor. Disconnect the wire from the top of the sensor to bypass and see if it stays running. Also, check to make sure you don’t have an air bubble in your coolant that makes the level low. Lastly, the impeller could be spinning on the shaft and not “impelling”. I’m confident that it is one of those things. If not check the fuel filter or consider replacing the plugs… cheap insurance for the future. Let me know how it works!

[@brettkirkland2916]

@@RandomlyAwkward1 replacing plugs ended up fixing my issue. Thanks for vid. Helpful!

[@everythingreviewsandnews1229]

Just curious how long you let the phosphoric acid sit in the exchanger?

[@RandomlyAwkward1]

Good question… I let it soak for a total of about a half an hour and then rinsed it off with plain water before reinstalling it. Thanks for the comment!

[@gardco5380]

great how too video! I am having this same problem! only 16yrs old on mine lol I promise I will not use any safety equipment either did you change the oil too? can you please post the parts list and numbers too?

[@RandomlyAwkward1]

Hey there @gardco5380 I did not change the oil because it had been recently changed (although the generator had 14 hours after 23 years when we bought it...) but the procedure looks fairly simple. Drain via a vacuum pump and replace the oil filter. Part Numbers: The yellow rubber impeller coupler is Kohler part # 359448 The water pump impeller and O ring are Kohler part #359978 The anode rod is Kohler part #260085 The fuel filter is Kohler part # GM116125-S The oil pressure switch is Kohler part # 359789 The two spark plugs are NGK BPR4ES 6578 There should be a fuel petcock running from the fuel line out of your gas tank to the generator. Mine was readily visible with a yellow handle but you may have to scout around for yours. Also, be aware that an air bubble in your coolant can cause a thermal shut down, so check the coolant level. Hope this helps!

[@davidglover7732]

Do you have part numbers for those parts you replaced ?

[@RandomlyAwkward1]

Hi David, I used the following: Oil pressure sensor #359789 Impeller and O ring kit #359978 (2) Spark plugs NGK BPR4ES In-line Fuel Filter Kohler GM116125-S Hope this helps!

[@fatalglitch]

How difficult was it to get to the spark plugs?

[@RandomlyAwkward1]

Hey Tom...It was a bit tight behind the engine on the right side because it was against the transom, but the left side (as you look at it) was a bit easier. The hardest part for me was fitting into the engine compartment! I did most of it by feel...

[@tnsami]

My controller has no power, I switched to manual and remote but still no led light

[@mrthomasfritz]

current specs is that you need to use two hose clamps for fuel and and hoses from through holes

[@RandomlyAwkward1]

I didn’t know that… thanks for the tip. I’ll put a second clamp on!

[@formulaben]

2:48 LMAO :D

[@gardco5380]

where is the petcock?

[@jryotas]

You installed the impeller turning the wrong direction !

[@RandomlyAwkward1]

I fixed it before I installed it. Good eyes!

[@tnsami]

Hello

[@hakanottersten-lf1mb]

Parts nr on anode

[@RandomlyAwkward1]

I'm not sure that I understand the comment...

[@hakanottersten-lf1mb]

Hello I wonder what the article number is on the zinc anode

[@RandomlyAwkward1]

@@hakanottersten-lf1mb Hello...It is part number #260085 from Kohler. I typed that part number and "Kohler 5E generator anode" into Amazon and found it for about $15.00

[@Tiersmoke92555]

A for effort

[@RandomlyAwkward1]

Thanks! I thought it might help somebody out that was experiencing the same problem.

[@Tiersmoke92555]

@@RandomlyAwkward1 I have the RV variant with the PTO. It seems the only major difference is the cooling.

[@lucinatyrrell2631]

'Promo SM'

[@brandonoconnor4133]

“When handling acid never use gloves or eye ware” - @randomlyawkward1