[RE-wrenches] Kohler 8.5RES ignition glitch

[Chris Worcester]

Hi Daryl,
This sound attenuated enclosed unit does not allow a quick check of the coil, I would need an hour to dig into it just to find the coil. I am pretty sure there aren’t any points in this unit, or distributor, but it's hard to tell since there is a plastic cowling that the plug wires dive under. The motor is a V twin. I'd love to be able to change out a coil or condenser and points, that would be nice. The schematic just shows an ignition control? At the rate of snow fall when I was there it wasn't a good choice to tear into it more than I did. I did verify that the valves, springs & push rods all were in good working order. Hence the request for a service manual so I can "see" what is up before tearing it down.

Sincerely,

Chris Worcester
Solar Wind Works
NABCEP Certified PV Installer
Phone: 530-582-4503
Fax: 530-582-4603
www.solarwindworks.com
chris at solarwindworks.com
"Proven Energy Solutions"

-----Original Message-----
From: re-wrenches-bounces at lists.re-wrenches.org [mailto:re-wrenches-bounces at lists.re-wrenches.org] On Behalf Of Darryl Thayer
Sent: Sunday, November 29, 2009 9:24 AM
To: RE-wrenches
Subject: Re: [RE-wrenches] Kohler 8.5RES ignition glitch

I think you have a single coil two cylinder. they fire at the same time twice as often as necessary.  If the condenser is bad the points will burn and you will have the problem you describe.  it also and most commonly caused by a bsd coil.  I think that one uses a standard automobile type coil.  They develope an internal break down and at series firing will not fire.  Of course if the point are burned, file them but I assume you checked that. 
Darryl

--- On Sun, 11/29/09, Chris Worcester <chris at solarwindworks.com> wrote:

> From: Chris Worcester <chris at solarwindworks.com>
> Subject: [RE-wrenches] Kohler 8.5RES ignition glitch
> To: "'RE-wrenches'" <re-wrenches at lists.re-wrenches.org>
> Date: Sunday, November 29, 2009, 10:47 AM
> 
> 
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> Hi Wrenches, 
> 
> Hope you’re all having a great
> Thanksgiving weekend! I
> have a disabled off grid client with a vintage Sept. 2006
> PV/Gen Hybrid system
> we installed. The Kohler 8.5RES LPG has 262 hours on it.
> She called us letting
> me know they had a power failure. After trouble shooting
> the system in a snow
> storm, I’ve deduced the Kohler’s timing is not
> correct. We have
> spark on both cylinders & put in fresh plugs just in
> case, 11” water
> column on the propane, & it actually runs on one
> cylinder at a time. When
> both spark plug wires are plugged in it won’t run.
> The battery is good. 
> 
> Kohler was closed Friday, we tried WA,
> CA, OR, WI, & CO
> for tech support. Does anyone have a service manual for
> this unit? I believe it’s
> the ignition control or possibly another part of the
> ignition that has failed. 
> 
> Any help or advice here will be
> greatly appreciated as
> always! Thanks in advance. 
> 
>    
> 
> Sincerely,
> 
> 
> 
> Chris Worcester 
> 
> Solar Wind Works
> 
> NABCEP Certified PV Installer
> 
> Phone: 530-582-4503
> 
> Fax: 530-582-4603
> 
> www.solarwindworks.com
> 
> chris at solarwindworks.com
> 
> "Proven Energy Solutions" 
> 
>    
> 
> 
> 
>  
> 
> 
> 
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