- Thread starter windeguy
- Start date
Small Diesel Generator Repair needed
I have bad fuel right now myself. Same mixture I've stored in the same can to be used with my chain saws. The chain saws both run but very ****y due the contaminated fuel. Fuel was out in the barn for too long.
How old was the fuel in the generator?
How old was the fuel in the generator?
gas and Oil Mix are completely different from Diesel fuel , which is essentially # 2 Fuel Oil.. it does not lose its potency the same way .. can be stored a lot longer ..
Gasoline goes bad in just months , without stabilizer added.
His genny diesel...last longer much then gas in DR .. Use fuel stabilizer *for gennys and chain saws not used much ...if You can get your hands on seafoam in DR its great product ..
Generator repaired by Orlando
My generator has been repaired. The problem was not obvious from the outside looking in and not something I would tackle myself having never worked on this type of motor before. The problem was a nut that came loose for a rocker arm controlling the valves. That nut came completely off and fell into the lower part of the engine. Without the valve working, the engine stopped and would never restart.
This repair required the generator portion to be removed and the engine opened once the valve cover was taken off and it was found the nut had fallen off. SERELEC recommended Orlando Plantas to repair it. Orlando charged $100 US for the repair. No new parts were needed, just the removal of a slight burr on the end of one valve so it would slide smoothly. Orlando set the valve adjustment and it started up and is running well. This problem happened at only 150 hours of use.
My generator has been repaired. The problem was not obvious from the outside looking in and not something I would tackle myself having never worked on this type of motor before. The problem was a nut that came loose for a rocker arm controlling the valves. That nut came completely off and fell into the lower part of the engine. Without the valve working, the engine stopped and would never restart.
This repair required the generator portion to be removed and the engine opened once the valve cover was taken off and it was found the nut had fallen off. SERELEC recommended Orlando Plantas to repair it. Orlando charged $100 US for the repair. No new parts were needed, just the removal of a slight burr on the end of one valve so it would slide smoothly. Orlando set the valve adjustment and it started up and is running well. This problem happened at only 150 hours of use.
Must have been like that when it left the factory and it just worked its way off from not being torqued down properly. Lots of bolts needed to be turned to get at it.
that is beyond Weird... so it was the locking Nut that came loose and fell off ? the nut which kept the Adjustment screw ( usually slotted or could be Allen key) in its correct setting ?
honestly I would NOT have guessed this type of scenario.
Kudos to your mechanic for being Methodical and Logical in finding the problem .
The Slotted adjustment screw has to be kept at its setting, while at the same time the Nut is tightened down.
the factory dropped the ball ..
I wonder how many others are out there just like that ..
how many hours on the Engine, and what is the Maintenance Schedule for doing an adjustment on Valve lash. I would guess you are way under that scenario.
honestly I would NOT have guessed this type of scenario.
Kudos to your mechanic for being Methodical and Logical in finding the problem .
no doubt about it .. not torqued down properly.
The Slotted adjustment screw has to be kept at its setting, while at the same time the Nut is tightened down.
the factory dropped the ball ..
I wonder how many others are out there just like that ..
how many hours on the Engine, and what is the Maintenance Schedule for doing an adjustment on Valve lash. I would guess you are way under that scenario.
The original valve lash adjustment was around this time for the engine. I think it was the nut that locks the adjustment in place. It has less than 150 hours on it. When Orlando adjusted the valve lash, I noticed he did not use the settings originally told to me by the seller. I asked him about that and he explained that our ambient temperature meant the adjustment had to be different to burn cleaner. He would have used the suggested setting if it were water cooled and not air cooled. I will say, it does run cleaner at the setting he made.
i think its the inverse ..
Since there is not a radical difference in operating Temp from " cold" to full operating temp in a tropical setting like the DR, as opposed to like CANADA at below Zero Cold start Temps
, you can therefore probably tighten up the tolerances and not worry about a Valve staying open ( inefficient). So if it calls for .010" intake, you can probably safely go .008" as an example
Assuming the settings are being done while the engine is COLD..
but then again, the AIR Cooled vs Water cooled throws another parameter into the Mix which I am not familiar with, and the Aircooled might be running a LOT hotter than Water cooled ?
however this should not be as drastic as the COLD COLD start in a northern Climate going to full Operating temp vs the Tropical Climate going to Air Cooled " running temps"
I would imagine there is NEVER a Rocker RATTLE sound when they start any Diesels in the DR..
that is strictly a Cold Climate thing.
Try a liter of gaz de lampara. The conchos use this to clean the injectors, the diesel is horrible here.
I did mention three things to get the engine fired up:
1. Intake
2. Compression/Ignition
3. Combustion
4. Exhaust
Now we know the very first step was kaput.
1. Intake
2. Compression/Ignition
3. Combustion
4. Exhaust
Now we know the very first step was kaput.
How long has the gas been in the generator. You can try putting some dry gas or gas treatment and then try to start it.
It was not a problem with the diesel fuel. It was a nut that came loose and fell off from the rocker arm assembly.