3.5KW runs great for 30 minutes, Dies, Wait 30 minutes, runs great for 30minutes

[TheBishop]

Like the top says the generator starts and runs great for 30 minutes, dies and will not start again for 30 minutes, but starts quickly again and again.
The 1965 era military generator is a 3.5kw that was given to me buy a friend we helped move into a nursing home three years ago. It's electric start and mounted on a small trailer.
I set it up at a little house on our property when we built a larger home to retire in. It's too small to run the new house but perfect for the little house we retired in.
I wired it into the little house with a outside switch to disconnect from the power company service. I did this two years ago. I thought I had everything ready for a power outage and hurricane Laura hit us three days ago here in South Louisiana

As expected the storm knocked out the power service, so we went to say in the little house powered by the military generator. It started fine and ran great for 30 minutes and died. I found thru trial and error, if I wait 30 minutes it will restart and run for another 30 minutes, over and over again.
I thick it might be the Coil getting hot and cooling down, but I don't know for sure since it's not my knowledge.

Does anyone have a clue on the repeat problem? It's not fuel supply because it runs so smoothly when it does run.

Please help me fine the reason why,

Thanks

 

[TheBishop]

I forgot to say,

I have started the generator every few months to keep it in good shape. But each time I would let it run for about 20 minutes and shut it down. I never ran it more than 20 minutes, so this problem now was a cmplete surprise during hurricane Laura.
I thought I had it all worked out, but teh old military let us down. I hope someone here knows why it runs for 30 minutes on and 30 minutes off.
Today, I'll connect one of those spark plug inline lights between the plug and watch it after 29 minutes.

I did pull off the fuel line once after it died to check fuel flow and it poured out the fuel line like a good pee for an old man like me.

 

[Light in the Dark]

Does it abruptly die, or does it sputter out?

 

[TheBishop]

Does it abruptly die, or does it sputter out?

It dies like I shut it down.

 

[Light in the Dark]

What model number is this? Does it have an external fuel shutoff solenoid like the bigger sets?

 

[TheBishop]

What model number is this? Does it have an external fuel shutoff solenoid like the bigger sets?

No fuel shutoff that I know of. I put a fuel filter and new fuel line three years ago. I believe it's a gravity feed fuel and I have a five gallon fuel tank placed three feet away and i foot above the carb.

Don't know the model due to wear and tear before I got it. Several scraps accross plate but it's a Kohlor single cyl, very big engine 3.5KW I think. It has a large coil and new plug wire. Yesterday I changed the plug just in case.
It acts like it gets hot after thirty minutes and cuts off. I tried to start it at 10, 15, 20, and 25 minutes, but will not start. After trail and error when I got to 30 wait time it starts fine.
Basicly 30 on 30 off.

 

[Scoobyshep]

Spark air or fuel, I had a gas generator do something similar, ended up being a bad coil

 

[nextalcupfan]

If you could take several pictures of your set I'm sure someone here could identity it.

 

[TheBishop]

If you could take several pictures of your set I'm sure someone here could identity it.

https://www.steelsoldiers.com/attachments/001-jpg.777017/

I was looking to replace the breaker and took a few pics last year here.

 

[TheBishop]

It's still raining here is south Louisiana. When it stops I'll post some pics

 

[TheBishop]

https://www.steelsoldiers.com/data/attachments/474/474973-c3e446ffc4dd0d42e1eb5866fdcf35fb.jpg

 

[TheBishop]

If you could take several pictures of your set I'm sure someone here could identity it.

I pulled the coil, it's a Delco Remy 430.

I'll upload pics tonight from iphone.

 

[TheBishop]

I'm having a problem with the photos I took with windows 10. I sent the picss to the PC but now the PC can't find them to upload.

I miss XP

 

[Guyfang]

This post is just to hold a place here. Then when you can post pictures, I want to take a look see.

 

[chucky]

Have you tried to meter the water temp sensor usally in the thermostat neck to see if its triping out or its geting too hot or oil pressure switch telling it to shut down . And make sure fan belt is tight or thermostat stuck shut.

 

[Chainbreaker]

Have you tried to meter the water temp sensor usally in the thermostat neck to see if its triping out or its geting too hot or oil pressure switch telling it to shut down . And make sure fan belt is tight or thermostat stuck shut.

How do you know that it is water cooled? He said its a single cylinder Kohler and no mention about it being water cooled. I suspect its an air cooled engine being a single cylinder.

 

[Guyfang]

How do you know that it is water cooled? He said its a single cylinder Kohler and no mention about it being water cooled. I suspect its an air cooled engine being a single cylinder.

This is the biggest problem. We know nothing about the set. Everyone is "Assuming". I have seen a bunch of gen sets. None of them were 3.5 KW. So this set is VERY old, OR not Army. Could be Air Force, Navy and or Marine Corps. We need a look see, and a picture of the data plate, no matter how scratched up it is.

 

[chucky]

How do you know that it is water cooled? He said its a single cylinder Kohler and no mention about it being water cooled. I suspect its an air cooled engine being a single cylinder.

I dont know if its water cooled and if it is these are the things that i check on my generators when they stop for no aparant reason . It looked as if everyone had coverd all the other ideas .Should i check with you first before i post any more ideas ???????

 

[Guyfang]

I dont know if its water cooled and if it is these are the things that i check on my generators when they stop for no aparant reason . It looked as if everyone had coverd all the other ideas .Should i check with you first before i post any more ideas ???????

Dont get hot. We all assumed. Having just hung my butt out in another thread, I sure wish someone had corrected me. And no, not all other steps were covered. I would say check fuel also.

 

[chucky]

Dont get hot. We all assumed. Having just hung my butt out in another thread, I sure wish someone had corrected me. And no, not all other steps were covered. I would say check fuel also.

It runs 30 min then quits every time maybe the tanks not vented and cant draw fuel after a certain pressure is reached 30 min worth ??