Kohler 5e carb adjustment

craigswardmtbcraigswardmtb Member Posts: 1,015 ✭✭✭
in Generator Discussions
I recently replaced my carb and it ran perfectly after replacement. I had to adjust the echoke to a richer condition compared to the old clogged up carb but after adjustment all was well. Well a week later and I fired her up and she backfired pretty good at start up. I turned her over again and she would run and then stall pretty quickly. I had to then adjust the echoke to a leaner position to get it to run. It was such a fine line between to rich and too lean. If too lean it would surge non-stop. If to rich it won't run past a couple seconds. I almost have to run it lean while surging to get it warmed up, then readjust the choke to a richer position to rid the surging and it runs well. I'm thinking my choke heater may be done. 
Or is there an adjustment on the carb I'm missing?  There are only two screws I see you can adjust. One adjusts the throttle rpms. The other I have no clue what it does. Any ideas What the black screw adjusts?  Its located just below the choke linkage. Perhaps related to the backfire?  
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  • Liberty44140Liberty44140 Member Posts: 4,380 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Just had the same last week Craig, adjusted choke too rich and the back fire blew the muffler. BD said to pressure check the heat exchanger which I did this weekend and all was well and I installed a new muffler. With regard to the choke adjustment i am going to have a tech come do the final adjustment. I was telling him how I started playing with the choke because it took a while to get the genny started and then it would hunt for 5-10 seconds and then settle in smooth. He agreed with the choke adjustment for starting but said that the initial hunting was what most of these units do. Not sure on that. 
    07' Cruisers 390 (Previous Rinker's: 06' 342EC & 01' 310FV)

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  • reneechris14reneechris14 Member Posts: 3,134 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Most small motors I've use the adjustment on the bottom of the bowl,in this case it's the antideiseling valve.must be a air gas adjustment?
    2005 Rinker FV342  Pawcatuck river,Ct
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  • Liberty44140Liberty44140 Member Posts: 4,380 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Hey Craig - tech who was going to adjust my choke just called me. He does know these generators. He said that the spring is off and the vacuum wasnt pulling right so in reality it was best just to buy the $250 choke kit and know that its new rather than buy a $70 heater or spend more hours trying to dial it in. I appreciated that so I'll buy the kit and he will install. Thought I'd pass that along...
    07' Cruisers 390 (Previous Rinker's: 06' 342EC & 01' 310FV)

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  • craigswardmtbcraigswardmtb Member Posts: 1,015 ✭✭✭
    thanks for the heads up.  The springs and linkage seems to be in good shape, so i may gamble...  Perhaps i'll learn a lesson...
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  • rasburyrasbury Member Posts: 8,410 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Don't we all... We need to start a lottery fund and when we win, put it in a trust to pay for someone to fix all our boat repairs...
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  • Liberty44140Liberty44140 Member Posts: 4,380 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Funny thing is that when they did my drive work in March I strongly considered buying the $250 choke kit and having them do it while there. Gambled instead on adjusting. Now have to buy muffler, choke kit and have double labor. 
    07' Cruisers 390 (Previous Rinker's: 06' 342EC & 01' 310FV)

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  • Liberty44140Liberty44140 Member Posts: 4,380 ✭✭✭✭✭
    And now 5 months later the choke kit is $320!
    07' Cruisers 390 (Previous Rinker's: 06' 342EC & 01' 310FV)

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  • craigswardmtbcraigswardmtb Member Posts: 1,015 ✭✭✭
    Yeah the guy at Parts for techs was telling me Kohler prices just recently went up 20-30% across the board on parts. Crazy...  it's mostly rebranded auto components at a 300% markup. Gotta love the marine industry. 
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  • Black_DiamondBlack_Diamond Member Posts: 5,439 ✭✭✭✭✭
    All 'resold' parts have a massive markup.  Auto or boat.  Usually a 200% minimum.

    Funny part is the buyers at Kohler probably beat the snot out of their suppliers for pricing...then do this.

    Past owner of a 2003 342FV
    PC BYC, Holland, MI
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  • reneechris14reneechris14 Member Posts: 3,134 ✭✭✭✭✭
    I want invent something that everybody buys it breaks all the time and I'm going to call it Marine then Mark it up 200%
    2005 Rinker FV342  Pawcatuck river,Ct
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  • Liberty44140Liberty44140 Member Posts: 4,380 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Craig, I'm thinking about proactively rebuilding the carb on my 5e. I've done small carbs like a blower and snow blower before so I am making the assumption that this is not a ton more involved. I replaced my ads last year and the old one was clean so my carb should be clean but I'd like to know it's clean and all seals are fresh. Did you just buy the $40 kit to do yours? Was it as simple as other small lawn engines? Any adjustments that need to be made or is it rebuild with seal kit and go? Thx 
    07' Cruisers 390 (Previous Rinker's: 06' 342EC & 01' 310FV)

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  • rasburyrasbury Member Posts: 8,410 ✭✭✭✭✭
    carbs are just not that complicated- may be just a jet that plugged up which could make it lean out and run hot. would not take much of a build up, especially if your using non ethanol fuel...
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  • Black_DiamondBlack_Diamond Member Posts: 5,439 ✭✭✭✭✭
    The law of retail: sell for 2x the cost.  At a minimum. 

    Past owner of a 2003 342FV
    PC BYC, Holland, MI
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