Katolight Diesel Generator blue smoke on start and oil on fan

   / Katolight Diesel Generator blue smoke on start and oil on fan #1  

greenmojo

Gold Member
Joined
Jun 19, 2012
Messages
297
Location
Badger Mountain, WA
Tractor
John Deere 4300, John Deere 450C
All;

Every time I've posted you've all been so extremely helpful, when I saw what I think is an issue with the generator, I immediately thought to bring my questions / problem here!

I have a Katolight 30,000 watt diesel generator that we use for about 12 hours a day while we build a new home up here in central Washington state. The generator is a 2006 that was pulled from a cellular site (they changed to an LP generator), before the generator had even been used. I bought it about 8 months ago with probably 1 hour of usage.

On cold mornings the generator usually takes a few cranks to turn over and fire up, then it idles for a few moments adjusts its RPMs and when all sounds good, I flip the breaker to send power to the main panel, etc.

This morning, after it fired up, I stepped outside of the generator building and noticed a lot of blue smoke wrapping around the backside of the building, I found that for the next 30 seconds, it was dumping blue smoke out of the exhaust, then heard the generator adjust RPMS and the blue smoke went away.

Concerned, I went back inside and started to look over the generator and noticed that in the housing between the engine and AC generator, there is now what appears to be oil spray and minor drips of oil. I've never noticed this before, and I am almost positive that it wasn't there yesterday.

The motor sounds fine, or at least to me it does. It is still running, I can hear it and have been checking on it all morning. In-fact, this post is powered by the generator.

I'm attaching some pictures, and would like to know more and if this is a serious "something has gone very wrong" or normal operation -- and if I need to call and get a diesel mechanic up here right away.

Thank you,

Moses.

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   / Katolight Diesel Generator blue smoke on start and oil on fan #2  
Does it come back if you wipe it off?

Aaron Z
 
   / Katolight Diesel Generator blue smoke on start and oil on fan
  • Thread Starter
#3  
I was just going to head out and clean the whole generator and tank top, so that I can make sure I notice any changes.

I'll do that and report.

Thank you,
 
   / Katolight Diesel Generator blue smoke on start and oil on fan
  • Thread Starter
#4  
Okay, I wiped down the whole generator. Inside and out. ;-)

Full disclosure, I checked the oil on it and it appeared to be about 2 quarts low.

Added oil, started it up and ran it for about 10 minutes and then wiped the fan cage with a shop towel to see if there was any oil splattering out. Only slight marking on the shop towel, could be just residual working its way out?

Both pictures are below.

Can low oil do this? Or is this something more serious like the main seal? I will go check it after about 30 minutes and see if there is any more oil.

Also, when I started it this time, no blue smoke and it fired up instantly as normal. I'm guessing because its warm, no blue smoke.

I am very appreciative of any insight or things to check, I don't want a generator with 400 hours to die on me!

Thank you,

Moses.

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   / Katolight Diesel Generator blue smoke on start and oil on fan
  • Thread Starter
#6  

Thanks, Excellent URL!

With such a low hour generator I am hoping it is nothing serious, but I understand that it sat for about 6 years, which could mean seals were dried out and failing before I even cranked it over.

I went out and wiped another shop towel on the fan screen and it came out about the same (clean with just minor discoloration). It doesn't appear that it is much oil that is coming out of it (might be the residual flying out), but of course I am concerned.

Is this something to get a diesel mechanic up here for? and should I go with a big company, or find a one-man diesel operation?

Any thoughts?

Thanks,

Moses.
 
   / Katolight Diesel Generator blue smoke on start and oil on fan
  • Thread Starter
#7  
Just a quick update...

Started up this morning, with no blue smoke -- it was cold, took a few cranks to turn over, but other than that it ran fine.

I ran it for about 10 minutes or so, then shut it down, changed oil and replaced oil filter. Also drained the fuel filter thingumajig, there was a small amount of water and what appeared to be rust in the first few pumps.

It's running now, and I've been monitoring it all day. I can't imagine it was just a hiccup, so I will watch closely.

Thank you all again,

Moses.
 
   / Katolight Diesel Generator blue smoke on start and oil on fan #8  
How much load is on the generator? What is the coolant temp when running?
She could be sooted up from not being run hard for an extended period of time.
 
   / Katolight Diesel Generator blue smoke on start and oil on fan
  • Thread Starter
#9  
How much load is on the generator? What is the coolant temp when running?
She could be sooted up from not being run hard for an extended period of time.

It's rated for 250amps at full load, and we haven't had any more than 50 or so amps on it. Not sure on coolant temperature, but all gauges are in the normal operating level.

Sooted up sounds possible, I added a 90' elbow to the exhaust a few days ago and noticed the inside of the exhaust pipe was just loaded with crap, a lot for 400 hours I thought.

What would be the solution?

Is it being sooted up inside the motor or turbo too?

I just don't want to destroy it.

Thanks,
 
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   / Katolight Diesel Generator blue smoke on start and oil on fan #10  
250 amps at full load - 120vac ? That would be a 30 kW generator which is pretty good size. My house back up generator is a 12kW Kubota and does 100 amp service.
I would say that your generator needs a good run at a high load, for a few hours. I don't know what you can use - maybe several electrical heaters to make good load. I assume you have both 120v and 240v connections - is there enough capacity to run an electric stove/oven.
It sure sounds like your generator has still to "run in" and needs to be run with a good load for several (or more) hours.
By the sound of it, I don't think you have much wrong with the generator and would worry unduly. Getting someone to check it to tell you it is fine can be expensive - depending on how honest the mechanic is.
I would start by putting some fuel treatment into your fuel to maybe clean up the fuel system. Where is the fuel tank for the generator ? Is there a drain on it at the bottom, so that you could drain out any accumulated water (moisture laden atmosphere) - if there is I would recommend draining a couple of pints of diesel into a clean container. Let it sit for a while and then check for water. The water will be obvious if there is any. If you have water then you should maybe treat the fuel with a biocide to prevent bacterial contamination - brown sludgy looking stuff that often smells like yeast.
Any way not to get off topic, you need to work the diesel hard for a while and get the engine working properly. Diesels are made to work hard - not really meant to run with little or no load. So you have got to load it up and watch what happens.
Hope this helps and don't worry too much - not enough to be bothered with just yet.
Let us know how you made out.
 
 
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