T&T: Generator

[Milt Baker]

Larry,

If your genset is old or has high hours, check the heat exchanger first.  I experienced a similar problem with a Westerbeke 8 kW genset aboard my Grand Banks 42 a few years ago.  Turned out there was a problem with the heat exchanger, which was allowing water from the raw (salt) water side to get thru the heat exchanger and into the fresh water (anti-freeze) side of the cooling system, causing the overflow.  I replaced the heat exchanger, flushed the fresh water side of the system, and replaced the anti-freeze.

It seems unlikely the problem you described is due to a stuck thermostat because the fresh water side of your system is a closed loop and designed to function as such whether the thermostat is open or closed.

--Milt Baker, Nordhavn 47 Bluewater, Fort Lauderdale



Larry Santo wrote:

When I started my northern-lights5KW generator this morning, coolant started
coming out of the filler cap and also filled the overflow tank. The engine was
cold so the overflow was not due to heat. Could a stuck thermostat cause this?
If so do I have to remove the exhaust manifold  to replace the thermostat?