a couple generator questions 1976 Itasca Kohler gen set

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BigNormitasca

BigNormitasca

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Hello and thanks for reading this.

Ive got a 1976 Itasca c25c with a 4KW Kohler gen set. I'm trying to get it running. I can get it to start of I spray gas in the carb but no fuel is being pulled thru the line. Most likely bad fuel pump(quite possible. Rv sat for 3 years before I got it. Diaphram or seal could have dried out and cracked in the fuel pump)? Or is there a switch that cuts off the gass to the gen set when. The gas tank gets below 1/4 tank so it does leave you with no gas?  I'm not even sure of rigs this old had  switch or sensor. Follow up question : is there another run and kill seitch for the generator smewhere else in the vehicle other than try generator compartment?  Next to the steering wheel there's a red toggle switch labeled on/off with a fuse underneath it. I have no idea what that for.  Thought it maybe that was to run the generator. Sorry for the noob questions but thank you for an help. But hey upside generator roars to life after years f silence even if only for a few seconds. One step closer to hitting the road.
 
There's a couple of possibilities:

First, the carburetor jets could be plugged with varnished fuel from sitting so long.  There are several videos on YouTube showing how to rebuild small engine carburetors, basically it's disassembling everything and soaking the parts for a while, then putting it back together.  A guy named Mustie1 has one of the best series.

Or there could not be any fuel coming out of the fuel pump.  Usually it's mounted on the generator itself.  You could remove the line coming from the fuel tank and substitute a piece of tubing going into a gas container and see if this lets the pump deliver fuel.

If it does, you probably have a cracked fuel line on top of the main gas tank.  The generator sucks fuel out of the top of the fuel tank like drinking through a straw.  If the fuel line is cracked, the suction breaks and the fuel pump sucks air instead of fuel.  You'll have to drop the main fuel tank to replace the line, while you're there you might as well replace all of the fuel lines coming out of the tank.  There will be either one or two going to the main engine, I'm not sure if there was a return fuel line or not in 1976.

 
Lou covered it well.  In a '76 that hasn't been run in years, chances are you have all three possible problems, to one degree or another. I would assume the carb needs a thorough clean/rebuild, the fuel line is likely on its last legs if not already cracked, and a weak pump is a good probability as well.

Connect a piece of new fuel line to the pump intake and run it to a can of fuel. That eliminates the fuel pick-up line to the tank as a problem. Check the flow from the pump outlet to see if it looks solid. If OK, reconnect to the carb. That should give you enough info to determine where the problem(s) are.

I'll also add that there is no sensor or switch that cuts the genset off at 1/4 tank. It's strictly the position of the fuel pick-up from the tank - the suction pipe is set above the bottom of the tank so it simply cannot suck all the fuel out. Nor is the 1/4 tank number a hard & fast rule - it's merely an approximation based on the fuel pick-up position.

 
Yeah I rebuilt the carb before I tried edn startinvit for the first time. I will try the gas can as a to emp fuel rank and see where it goes from there. Any idea about the switch that on the dash though?
 
Sorry,  I have no idea what that switch might be. Would have to inventory what switches are there and then guess what possible functions are left for that one. Does it look to be factory or an owner add-on?
 
Gary RV_Wizard said:
Sorry,  I have no idea what that switch might be. Would have to inventory what switches are there and then guess what possible functions are left for that one. Does it look to be factory or an owner add-on?
Click to expand...

It looks factory. It's just a red toggle switch labeled on/off and there's a black knob underneath it that unscrews and has a small far in it. I will post pictures shortly. There's no other buttons or controls on the dash aside from anything that would be on a standard try to lights, radio etc. That switch is the only thing that's not standard on an other vehicle I think. I assumed maybe it was a kill seitch for the generator because so far the only button to start it is on the henerator body itself. I haven't found a remote start button in the cab anywhere. Mobsur if they had then that far back or not.
 
I don't know why they would provide a kill switch on the dash but not a remote start. Nor any reason the put a fuse on a kill switch. But RV makers are endlessly creative...
 
. Agaain you guys were right it was an aftermarket switch the previous owner added to turn on the spotlight on the roof. Update: fuel pump is bad.  Emoved I and the diaphram is old and dried out and cracked. I will let ya know when I rnuopd it and get it running on its own. Thank for the help and advice.  Everyone that replied had solid advice. A million thanks.
 
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