Author Topic: SR-1 on Kohler 3.5kW gen: governor mystery  (Read 1489 times)

pinecone9

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SR-1 on Kohler 3.5kW gen: governor mystery
« on: September 22, 2019, 10:20:12 PM »
Hello, all!    I have a Kohler 3.5 kW generator set with SR-1 engine that I bought new back in the
1970s and have been using ever since.   The engine has been overhauled twice, lastly about
1 year ago.    I do all the other maintenance and repairs.    I'm hoping that someone here has
seen the following symptom:

The governor has stopped working.   The engine doesn't overspeed, but the speed wanders
and RPMs decrease with load.   Onset of problem was gradual.  Engine starts and stops just fine.
Fuel supply is fine, air intake is  unrestricted and exhaust is unrestricted.

With the engine stopped, I removed the access door to the fuel injector pump.  WIth the control
manually set to the RUN position, the mark on the rack lines up with the right edge of the fuel
injector.   Using a screwdriver to gently slide the rack to the right, it seems to move freely and
I can feel the tension of at least one spring.

I am able to measure the engine speed because this engine is part of a Kohler generator set, and I
have a vibrating-reed frequency meter on the AC output.  I am not using the engine except for
very light loads until it's fixed.  We have a solar power system, but this generator is our main source
of AC power for household use and the well pump during the winter months.

The engine itself has been highly reliable (unlike the electro-mechanical stuff made by Kohler).   
However, the remote start -- which replaces the start-run-stop handle with a mechanism--seems
to be working. 

Any ideas or suggestions, anyone?   Thanks!