1993 Kohler 6.5CZ23 only runs while holding start button

[jeffnnoble]

Thanks all for you help.

Any chance anyone has a copy of the Kohler 6.5cz Service Manual

[jeffnnoble]

Thanks for your reply's please bare with me as I have a few additional questions that I will preface with; electronics have been a bit of a nemesis for me.

Tom, Thanks for your reply. Can you expand on what indicator/s lead you to think capacitor? Asking because I'm not sure of the role of the capacitor is in this system hoping you can shed some light.

Midnightsun, Do you know if the oil pressure switch is open or closed when the Kohler generator is OFF (not running)? Asking because "The oil pressure sensor simply makes contact to ground when pressure is detected." appears to be opposite of the video. I'm ok with either just confused if the switch in this application should be open or closed when the generator is off.
For what it is worth the wiring diagram shows a drawing of a closed oil pressure switch, the same diagram also shows the other safety switches (one Engine switch & two Exhaust temp switches as open)

[bud37]

Jeff, is that schematic something you could post here........I am sure there are a few things that could cause your problem other than the sensor so you will have to cross things off as you go in my opinion.....tough to diagnose in a forum setting.

[tomschauer]

With a bad capacitor, it wont generate output voltage. Without output voltage, your run relay will not latch. Capacitor should be less than $10.

[Viper]

A few good thoughts here for sure, could be a few things. Don't rule out a bad Start/Stop switch though. Having a faulty one at either end will cause the same symptom no mater which switch you try to use. I had this symptom on a Kohler but can't remember the model. A real head scratcher because I checked just about everything including the remote switch at the panel. Finally decided to also do a continuity test on the switch at the unit and that's what it turned out to be, replaced it and all good.

[jeffnnoble]

Thanks to all who took the time to read this series of posts.
GOOD NEWS! We are up and running again!

After Reading the additional replies from July 29th and doing more research on each as luck would have it Tom was on to something. In my original post I indicated that while holding the start switch I was getting no voltage. Upon inspection the capacitor looked fine, and did not have any short to ground from either terminal. I did however notice with my multimeter that there was no stored volts AC or DC. The side of the capacitor was rated for 1000 VDC or 440VAC so using a 9V battery tried to introduce voltage to see if the capacitor would hold or store voltage, and it would not. I was able to locate a replacement at a local Kohler dealer, and on a Saturday morning too! As Luck would have it as I was exiting the Kohler repair tech had just stopped in to pick up parts for a repair he was in the middle of. Giving me a few minutes of his time and running down my story, basically my initial post, he interrupted me at no output voltage and said I need to "replace the capacitor." "99.9% of the time a situation like mine with no output voltage is a bad capacitor." Showing him what I had just purchased he replied "That'll do it! which is a good thing because I'm booked out foe the next 6 weeks."
also for those interested the LED1 is the run circuit that Tom mentioned above and will illuminate with output voltage.

[Viper]

Thanks for following up. Glad you solved the issue

[tomschauer]

Luck? I think not
Glad your back to generating!

[rcaron]

I am looking for fuel gage for 2005 Voyager 56. Does anyone Know where I can buy one? The fuel gage does shows both tanks.

Thank you