Generator engines
Kohler marine generator service and repair
Kohler marine generators turn up across the local fleet and need the same disciplined attention as any other genset: cooling, impellers, clean fuel and a real load test. Servicing them on the same visit as the main engines keeps the whole system on one schedule.
Kohler on this coast
Installed across a range of power boats and yachts here, usually carrying air conditioning and house loads at anchor.
What I see most on these engines
Impeller and raw water flow
The first thing to check on a generator that overheats or shuts down under load.
Fuel supply and filtration
Gensets often draw from the same contaminated tanks that trouble the main engines.
Control and start circuits
Corroded connections in a hot damp compartment produce intermittent faults that are easy to misdiagnose.
Marine generators frequently share fuel tanks with propulsion engines, so fuel contamination that affects the main engines will also reach the generator and should be addressed at the tank rather than at the individual unit.
Factory certification is held with Volvo Penta. Work on other makes draws on 20 years of independent marine diesel experience rather than a manufacturer programme, and I will say so plainly if a job belongs with a dealer.
Services for Kohler owners
Mechanical Marine Surveys
A documented condition report on your propulsion engines and generator, from visual inspection through sea trial.
Diesel Repair
Engine, transmission and generator service on marine diesels, from routine maintenance through a complete repower.
Engine Diagnostics
Find the actual cause before parts get bought, using engine management data, live readings and a borescope.
Other generator makes
Kohler: common questions
Do you service Kohler marine engines?
Yes. Over 20 years in marine diesel I have worked across effectively every make of marine engine found on this coast, including Kohler. Call with the model and hours and I will tell you honestly whether it is a job I should take or one better sent to a dealer.
Can you survey a boat with Kohler engines before I buy it?
Yes. A mechanical marine survey covers compression on every cylinder, engine management data, a sea trial under load and laboratory fluid analysis, regardless of engine make.
Do you carry parts for this brand?
Common service parts for the engines I see most often, yes. Model specific components are ordered once the fault is confirmed, which avoids paying for parts that turn out not to be the problem.
Tell me what the engine is doing
Describe the symptom on the phone and most of the time the problem is narrowed before I arrive. Surveys are booked around your sea trial date.