My kubota V1902-b 15 kw gen set will die upon reaching around 195 degrees. Let it cool down and will fire up to around that temp and down again.The blower is putting out a lot of air out bottom. Water/ antifreeze is full. The engine is in a totally insulated box with exhaust, wrapped in insulation. Gonna change out the thermostat this weekend. The gen set has 51 hours on it. Any ideas?
How confident are you of that shutdown temp? I'd use an IR thermometer to confirm it before I went any further.
My Kubota shuts down at 220 degrees. I think the last response was a good one to find out exactly what temp your at for shutdown, then go from there.
Is that a point and shoot kind of thing? The gauges are on the dash. Sunday it was a cool 108 here outside of muldoon tx. The 8V92 was around 195 degrees on our little trip but the gen died and I haven't got the coach air fixed. Can you say, Hotter than a Firecrcker!
That one is probably going to be the shut down on the side of the pump those open with 12v and the 120v holds it open, disconnect the wire from the sensor shut down if it shuts off you know the shut down solenoid is bad, their cheap to replace only 275 bucks welcome to the bus world lol
Check the ground first and also make sure the rod has play if is is to tight it will shut down call Jason or Dick at Wrico and get you the instructions on how to adjust the shutdown.
I have those but no way can I post it here
good luck
Thanks . I'll check this out. I like that welcome to bus world ownership. The only good thing is my lovely wife is not mad yet with the project. With what I have spent since I bought my baby, That $275 will be like a tip.
Glen
Doesn't sound like the thermostat, but the shut down sensor should activate, as previously stated, at around 220 degrees. You might also consider an additional squirrel cage blower to create a bit more circulation through the box. Good Luck, TomC
Being the gen set is new it makes me think back what Clifford said about the air bubble in another post. How are you sure that the coolant is full. I would recomend measuring the amount you put in or finding a way to burp your engine. I know when I changed my coolant in mine I could only get one gallon in the radiator. After I got it to burp it took a total 3 gallons. I also know on the kabota site it said something about the type of coolant. I tried to find it but no luck yet. It did say one type would not carry enough heat away from the engine. If you go here you can get some info with your serial number. http://www.kubotaengine.com/index.html (http://www.kubotaengine.com/index.html)
Eddie, The gen set was in a 1991 prevost coach I bought that had been sitting for years. The gen set had 38 hours when I bought it a couple months ago. The bus 56,000 miles. I'll check the easy stuff first and move on from there. Is there any companies you all know in the Houston, Austin or San Antonio area that works on these. The blower is blowing out bottom but where kubota is located it's sealed with radiator in a area by itself. You can't see it but it has access panel that can be removed by screws. (Dallas where are you when a guy needs you!) LOL
Glen
Your Kubota Engines A merica dealer is M.G. Bryan in Dallas. Ph. 214-631-9787. Ask for John Gerron, mention me. He will give you a list of nearby Kubota repair facilities. Ask where he would take his.
Big John
Before you go to a shop we can probably figure this out right here on the forum.
The air pocket we were talking about before is in the water necks at the highest point of the little engine. I could not get the air out until I loosened the clamp ont he rad hose while it was running and slowly opened it until I got a steady stream of water coming from the hose (hose still clamped to the water neck). Just loosen it enough to let the air and a little water out.
Is you radiator cap higher than the water neck on the genset?
What kind of blower do you have blowing the air out the bottom?
How much air flow is allowed coming out of the bottom?
I ask these because I just got through fixing mine with the remote mounted radiator. I was traveling in the same temp as you were as I was on Hwy95 north of you. I never got over 180 on the gen temp. OH and yes it is hotter than a firecracker. I got dizzy training dogs in Troy, Texas. At one time I really thought I was going to hit the ground. I just sat down in the shade and drank some water. People ask me all the time why I want to move to Alaska. My answer is "Go outside for a little while, you will see".
Wall, I agree, but he asked for service info. I did not want him to go to BillieBob"s and get ripped. You and I have to bump into each other . We travel a lot of the same area.
I would like that very much!!
Wayne, The filler is higher than the thermostat housing. It's in a tight spot back inside coach. I don't really know the flow of air but it will kick up dust. Thanks, Big John. I will try and get in touch with them tomorrow. 'Thanks for all the help Guys.
Glen S.
I actually thought about using a larger car radiator instead of the little generator radiator. But it has worked for me so far and the real test was last week. 109 and the little radiator did just fine.
This generator is totally enclosed in it's on little insulated housing. With it's insulated door and prevost stainless door closed i don't see how it couldn't keep from overheating. I wonder if they make a louvered door that I come install. This thing doesn't make any noise, with doors closed. That seems way to airtight. The thing slides out of bay with all hoses moving out with it. The radiator is enclosed next to gen set with no immediate access except for radiator cap with no spill tank. The air comes out from bottom. I will take screws out when I get home this weekend and have a closer look at radiator system. That larger radiator idea doesn't sound like a bad idea.
Thanks,
Glen
Glen,
Had a similar experience this Summer in Texas.
When I built my generator compartment, an additional squirrel cage blower was built in to kick out excess heat if needed.
I have never had to run it due to high engine temperatures, but have run it when stopped to assist in heat removal(keep it from rising up toward the cabin).
Well, this Summer before our Texas trip I did a little redesign in the gen compartment and pulled the fan out, but, running behind schedule never put it back in.
I swear this started the second we crossed the state line, but can't be sure. We stopped at the welcome center and when we came back form walking the dog I noticed the genny was off.
My Kubota has never had a problem in any season with outside temperature, but the temps were 105 today. Long story short it needed the extra blower to stay cool when stopped in these temps, ran just a few degrees hotter from normal when moving.
Yeah, the blower is back in now. ::) And I never had an issue once we were out of the 100's on the way home.
I agree with Bob that I would verify that your reading is correct first, and a lot of other good idea's, but it just may be an air flow/removing heat issue with the temps so high.
Best of luck on your fix,
Cliff
Thanks Cliff, for the info. This coach was converted in Wyoming years ago and who knows what's behind door number one. Did that second blower house in gen department or radiator area. The kubota has no ventilation what so ever. Is that the way they do it?
Glen
The blower is in the compartment and pushes the air out the side. I have it wired to a dash switch, but the long term plan is to wire it to a temperature controlled switch (top of compartment) so it will come on, on demand and turn off when not needed.
Cliff
just wire it to the battery charging terminals if you have one then it will come on as soon as you turn the Genny on.
Now all I have to do is cut a hole in side of door. This could get ugly. I do have a 100 amp plasma.
He should have 2 gauges 1 for the remote start and 1 for the outside start 195 won't shut one down I install 195 thermostats in the Kubota's those little guys don't like cold.
I would not fool with the cooling system till the electrical was checked mine was in a closed bay with only 2 vents in the floor no blower, remote mounted radiator it never shut down in the 115+ here in AZ till the shut down solenoid starting going bad then it would shut down around 200
If he checks around I believe he will find a 3 position rotary switch for fan speeds for the engine H,M and low hidden around the generator some place on that conversion.
I know you keep saying Kubota but what is the generator brand ? and what color is it
good luck
Clifford he might not have a low medium high switch. Mine didn't have a switch but it had 3 different color wires. One wire was high one medium and the other low speed. I just wired it to high and will change it for the 2 weeks of winter ;D
Bet you he has a switch on that one Wayne and I think those guys used a marine generator his brother did here in AZ,he is probably going to have a water cooled exhaust manifold to keep the heat out mine did I sure would like to know the color
good luck
The operator manual i have in front of me (i got out of coach files) is just for the 4 cylinder Kubota V1902-B motor. It's got a 15 kw tag on it with serial numbers stapled on the manual. I will look for a switch when I get home this weekend. Do most of these have variable speed motors? There are no vents or holes in motor compartment. I will check on the color.
When my genset was first installed this month it would shut down after running a few minutes. This was in 70* weather.
The radiator top was at least 5" higher than the engine high point.
We found mucho air in the system. Finally installed two bleeder valves at the engine and solved the problem.
This system also has a water circulating pump near the radiator which is on the opposite side of the bus from the genset.
It sure would help if you could post a couple of pictures of the generator and its compartment. I'm having a similar with a 7KW Powertech (Kubota Engine) in my rig. The hot air from the generator blows out the bottom. The cool air intake is just behing the hot air exhaust. I suspect that the generator is sucking its own hot air back in causing it to overheat. This may be your problem as well.
Some gensets are very difficult to bleed and if a big bubble gets to the pump it stops pumping. The last time I changed coolant I used one of those vacuum pumps to dropping the system pressure down to a vacuum (watching the hoses go completely flat), and then using it to draw new coolant into the system.
It worked better than anythinbg else I have ever used. No bubble, no burping and I now use it on all my cars to change coolant.
http://buy1.snapon.com/catalog/item.asp?P65=&tool=all&item_ID=72508&group_ID=12500&store=snapon-store&dir=catalog (http://buy1.snapon.com/catalog/item.asp?P65=&tool=all&item_ID=72508&group_ID=12500&store=snapon-store&dir=catalog)
I'm betting on air in the system.
It doesn't have the Snap/On name or price but the MityVac for under 50 bucks from Auto/Zone does the same job, me I don't use either I use a catch jar and pull a vacuum with my AC vacuum pump or run a vacuum hose off my pickup with a catch jar
good luck
(UPDATE) Haven't had time to check anything on gen set with the fires raging around us (Bastrop/ Smithville Tx.). The radiator is remote from Kubota generator and enclosed in compartment beside it.. No switches for air flow motor. I did pull Kubota (on slides) out of bay as far as I could and it ran for about 3 hours and it shut down for heat. No air in water system. I'm thinking the blower isn't big enough and there is no inlet for air flow thur radiator area as far as I could tell.
Thanks Guys.
Glen
Our 10 Kw Kubota has 2 blowers. One is pretty good-sized. IIRC, approx 8 -10 amp 120v. and runs off generator. Air is exhausted out the bottom. Secondary smaller blower as well. Maybe 1/2 that size. Lots of air flow. If bus wasn't so heavy I'd have a hover craft. Generator is totally enclosed. No shutdowns due to overheating except for unrelated and/or self-induced problems. :o
FWIW - Hope this helps, Phil
I am with you on the self induced problems.
Saw this same situation occur this spring. Kubota engine, Powertech Generator. Owner changed thermostat and was ready to pull radiator and fan. We compared the '95 design to a '98 design. Some are very hard to bleed. In his case, analysis indicated a bad radiator cap. It could not be that simple! Could it? Yes, bad cap.
Ed Roelle
Flint, MI
On my Powertech 10kw with 4 cylinder Kubota, the generator is mounted next to the driver's seat like a front engine facing backwards (alternator facing forward). It was installed through the front door and is serviced from inside from the top-which actually I really like. With the 1" lead insulation, it is pretty quiet inside.
For cooling, the radiator is remote mounted under the driver's seat with a single inlet squirrel cage blower sucking the air through the radiator and pushing the hot air out the side of the bus. It uses a 1/2hp totally enclosed fan cooled 2spd motor with belt drive. Use high during the day and low at night for almost silent operation. The gen cabinet is cooled with a 8" inline bathroom ventilator (250cfm) that branches into 2-6" ducts. Then have 2-6" ducts out the back of the cabinet to exhaust the air. The ventilating air blows right on the alternator head. I've been in as high as 108 degree weather with 3 A/C
's running, and have not had any cooling problems. Good Luck, TomC
Cliff,
My old Kubota that came on the bus had just those two slots in the compartment, front and back, also? It also had a screened opening in the vertical door but this didn't go to anything outside so I couldn't see how that helped. Never did see how that was enough cooling. The PO remoted the radiator which surely helped but it failed so soon after I used it in hot weather I never had a chance to check it out.
How do you circulate water through a marine exh manifold? It goes overboard on a boat? Mine is dry on the cooling side and the heat exchanger was removed.
I have an 1994 PowerTech/Isuzu 3 cyl diesel 8KW (gen head tag says 7KW?), and a Onan/Kubota 3 cyl diesel 6.5 KW. The Onan/Kubota gen head is physically larger than the powertech gen head by like two or three times.
The Onan was specifically setup and sold as an RV generator, the Powertech is not. The Powertech is just a genny on a frame. Seeing as the 905 Kubota engine runs generators as large as 8 KW, my thinking is the head is much greater capacity than 8KW, and Onan derated it to 6.5 KW for RV use vis a vis possible heat buildup, not knowing exactly how all the idiot RV builders would install it.
Anyway, im going to pull the Kubota out of the Bounder for home standby power and keep the Powertech for the Bus as the Powertech is smaller and lighter. My understanding is keep the Gen head under 40C??