kubota generator

[BJ]

did I spell that correctly? anyway to the problem. after sitting for a year I started to work on my bus again, needing power I got my son to hook up the cable to the batteries while I worked on the fuel flow to the generator engine. He hooked the cable up to the wrong battery giving me 24 volts when we tried to start it...With starting fuel it will start and run, but it seems the heaters are not working for it will not start with the pre start switch down. I noticed 2 relays on the left (fuel filter side) on the engine and was wondering if the heater relay was burnt out, if one of these were the relay. any body help with answers?  Tulsa OK  Bill

[bigjohnkub]

As a Kubota dealer, I've seen  many times that the owner had hooked a battery up backwards and burned up the electric fuel pump. When you turn the key on , you shold hear a pump running. As to the Heat start, relays could be problem. It depends on the unit's manufacturer. Model and builder of gen set would help on the board giving you assistance.
Big John

PS. DON"T USE STARTING FLUID.

[JackConrad]

As was already mentioned, we need to know the brand and model. If it is a PowerTech, I have several of the PowerTech wiring schematics.  Jack

[BJ]

hey guys in the subject matter it says "kubota"  is that not a generator motor or am I holling at the moon?  Maybe I am taking stupid pills but I need assistance on the Kabota starting not the generator part, it works fine.....

[Len Silva]

Many generators use Kubota engines.  Kubota also markets generators under their own name, generally contractor type.  If it has relays, it is probably a Wrico or Power Tech.

[BJ]

well heck  the post where I said it was a wrico has disappeared or I need to get a new pair of glasses.....yes it is a wrico.......howling at the moon, watched "wolfman" last night, woke up hairy...........

[robertglines1]

I have brain farts all the time. Bob

[luvrbus]

On Dicks generators when you try and start you should hear a loud click opening the fuel shut down do you have that ? be careful using the starting fluid if the glow plugs are not bad and one does glow you will get a very loud bang.
Pull the glow plugs or check each one with a 12v battery a ground and a hot is all that is required to check or use a meter on the top nut and strap easy to check( bypass the relays) they will draw quite a bit of amps when working  



good luck

[Sean]

hey guys in the subject matter it says "kubota"  is that not a generator motor or am I holling at the moon?  Maybe I am taking stupid pills but I need assistance on the Kabota starting not the generator part, it works fine.....

You say this as if the fact that Kubota built the engine defines how it starts -- it assuredly does not.

Many different generator brands use Kubota engines as the prime mover, yet they all start differently.  The engine start/stop system and wiring is provided by the "integrator," not Kubota.  The integrator is usually the company whose name is on the generator set; that may or may not be the same company that manufactures the generator head.  Kubota, BTW, sells a line of generators under their own label, so they are the integrator for that line (only).

well heck  the post where I said it was a wrico has disappeared or I need to get a new pair of glasses.....yes it is a wrico...

OK, so Wrico, AKA Dick Wright, is an integrator.  Dick puts the Wrico name on the generator and he designs the start/stop system and the wiring harness.  He also mates the generator head to the engine and adds other components to achieve a compete "integrated" solution.  He does not make his own generator heads; I believe he is using mostly Newage heads these days.

As it happens I am very familiar with Dick's start/stop system;  I had a generic Kubota/Fidelity generator set that needed a new start/stop system and I ended up "reverse engineering" Dick's system so that my generator would be compatible with his other components, and I bought my temperature and pressure safeties from him.

Dick is very tight-lipped about his wiring diagrams.  However, my generator start/stop wiring diagram is here:
http://odyssey.smugmug.com/Architecture/Drawings/genny/2228264_HMEaN-O-1.gif

Other than the "prime" switch at the bottom, this drawing is probably wire-for-wire the same as the one on your Wrico and perhaps this drawing will help you troubleshoot your issue.

Components that are not shown on the diagram (only the wires going off to them) are the fuel pump and the actual "run/stop" solenoid.  Either of these could have been damaged by applying 24v.  If the stop solenoid was damaged then it will never open the fuel flow to the unit and it won't start;  this is easy to check.  It is a cylindrical solenoid connected by push-rod to the throttle assembly and probably says "Trombetta" on it.  When you move the switch to the "start" position, this solenoid should push the throttle lever to the open position.  If the solenoid does not move, that's your problem.

Dick or Justin at Wrico can walk you through the troubleshooting if needed and can supply you with any required parts.

-Sean
htttp://ourodyssey.blogspot.com

[Sean]

Sorry, should have mentioned that the very first step should be to replace the two cube relays in the start/stop system.  They are only a couple bucks apiece and, if not working right, will cause all manner of other issues.  You could just test them first, if you know how to do that.

-Sean
http://OurOdyssey.BlogSpot.com

[PP]

Sorry, not my post and don't have that particular problem, but wanted to note that I found Sean's reply very informative and put a copy away for later reference in the trouble shooting guide. Thank you, Will

[TomC]

Just as another note about Wrico generators-I have a custom designed generator from Dick Wright.  I didn't have the length to accommodate a 4 cylinder engine.  Since Kubota came out with a new 3 cylinder engine with a longer stroke that puts out only 2hp less then the 4 cylinder, instead of a 4 cylinder putting out 13kw, Dick made the 3 cylinder putting out 12kw
As to the starting systems, I have both the normal manual starting in a single switch-push down for glow plug and stop, release for run, push up for start.  Or I can also wire in the automatic starting system running through the inverter for either low battery start or start when a load is detected.  Like the option of both since if the automatic system goes out, can still manually start it.  Good Luck, TomC