Kohler light plant/generator

[WHGuy413 2,689]

My home town fire department had this stashed in the garage. It had been used up until about 20 years ago when it was replaced and has been sitting since. It’s loaded with bad gas and the carb is a mess but salvageable. The boys are intrigued by it so they were right by my side. Shockingly it had spark and fired right up on carb clean and it also generates light at the light bulb. The electrician at work seemed pretty optimistic that it would work just fine when I get the engine running. He also is going to make me a plug so I can test it. It’s powered with a Kohler K90. I can’t find much info on the unit online but I’m assuming it’s pretty old since it’s a K90 powering it. 

[953 nut 55,265]

                                  

I picked up this little generator with a K-90 at a flea market, it was an old military unit. Even came with the shower head muffler and recoil starter. Replaced the spark plug wire from the coil and it is as good as new,

[WHGuy413 2,689]

40 minutes ago, 953 nut said:

                                  

I picked up this little generator with a K-90 at a flea market, it was an old military unit. Even came with the shower head muffler and recoil starter. Replaced the spark plug wire from the coil and it is as good as new,

My department was very much into military surplus when our old Chief was in charge so it very well could be also. I do notice that your governor is set up differently then this one. This is typical of your k series where yours seems to have a box there. 
 

here’s my favorite piece of military surplus that we have. I absolutely love this truck. It’s our brush/forestry truck. 

[WHX?? 48,821]

I got one of them gennys and wasn't so dang heavy would take it to shows and display it & run things at camp just for the halibut. paid 30 clams for it so shower head was worth the price of. Couple of regulars at our shows have vintage genny displays. 

Think @Lane Rangerhas or had one too.  Wished I could find that globe for the light. Lane says they are around but I have yet to find one. OIl bath is cracked so can't put oil in it. 

 

I rigged up a grounded pigtail to get the power out but the orginal male plugs are around yet. 

Edited May 24, 2022 by WHX??

[WHGuy413 2,689]

1 hour ago, WHX?? said:

I got one of them gennys and wasn't so dang heavy would take it to shows and display it & run things at camp just for the halibut. paid 30 clams for it so shower head was worth the price of. Couple of regulars at our shows have vintage genny displays. 

Think @Lane Rangerhas or had one too.  Wished I could find that globe for the light. Lane says they are around but I have yet to find one. OIl bath is cracked so can't put oil in it. 

 

I rigged up a grounded pigtail to get the power out but the orginal male plugs are around yet. 

So I’m not sure if my outlets have been rewired or not. I can’t tell from your picture. The 2 outlets on the left are non grounded round plug and the 2 on the right are grounded 3 prong round twist locks on this one. 

[ebinmaine 67,540]

Nice find. 

Kohler put out generators in a bunch of sizes back a few decades. 

I have a 4 cylinder flathead 5K Watt (?) I got from @Oldskool and a 2 cylinder 5K Watt I got from @Stepney

the 2 cylinder one runs and makes power.  

One of the two makes 220 V. Can't remember which.  

 

I have a pamphlet from back in the day. If I can find it I'll post pics.  

[WHGuy413 2,689]

I made some progress on it tonight after I got home from Alex’s baseball practice. Carb is clean and reinstalled. I drained the old gas out of the tank and flushed it with new stuff. I pulled a glass fuel bowl off of my complete k90,  that sits on display, just to test it but the cork gasket that seals the glass to the fuel shut off is bad and leaks gas. Tomorrow I get home before 8 for once (baseball is life for these boys even over tractors) since there is no baseball. I’m going to try cutting my own gasket and see if I can get it to fire up.

[WHGuy413 2,689]

12 hours ago, WHX?? said:

I got one of them gennys and wasn't so dang heavy would take it to shows and display it & run things at camp just for the halibut.

 

You ain’t kidding. This thing weighs a ton. We have a big show this weekend. The thought crossed my mind to bring it and run it. My friends are trying to get me to bring my pellet smoker so I could run that with it I hope. I can always bring the little inverter as a back up.

[WHX?? 48,821]

10 hours ago, WHGuy413 said:

’m going to try cutting my own gasket and see if I can get it to fire up.

Those gaskets are available ... think it was on fleabay I got some. 

We run our pellet grills at shows off our vintage tractors don't we @Achto 

Think the Ponds would have dreamed we would be charging smart phones & smoking pork off cigar lighters when they put them on in the 60's?!?!? 

[Achto 27,590]

1 minute ago, WHX?? said:

We run our pellet grills at shows off our vintage tractors don't we @Achto 

 

It is for this reason that the first thing that we get working on a new to us tractor is the cigar lighter. Gotta make sure that works before we determine if the engine will even run.

[ebinmaine 67,540]

42 minutes ago, Achto said:

 

It is for this reason that the first thing that we get working on a new to us tractor is the cigar lighter. Gotta make sure that works before we determine if the engine will even run.

Priorities MUST be in order

[WHGuy413 2,689]

12 hours ago, WHX?? said:Think the Ponds would have dreamed we would be charging smart phones & smoking pork off cigar lighters when they put them on in the 60's?!?!? 

What are you running for a pellet smoker? And how exactly are you using the cigarette lighter on your tractors? Now I’m intrigued 😂

[WHX?? 48,821]

Both Dan and I have Green Mountain Daniel Boone models. Small ones designed for tailgating and camping. Runs on 12vdc but comes with a power supply for 115.  Plugs into a cigar lighter or alligator clips. 

You can run yours off a small inverter if it's 115 only so there's no excuse for not grilling at shows! Well maybe if it's a big heavy one and takes up real estate on the trailer.

Dan tending a heart attack loaf.

Edited May 26, 2022 by WHX??

[Achto 27,590]

9 hours ago, WHGuy413 said:

What are you running for a pellet smoker? And how exactly are you using the cigarette lighter on your tractors?

 

The Green Mountain, actually Davey Crockett model @WHX?? are very handy little pellet smokers for camping & tailgating. Pretty easy on a battery as well. I can do an 8 to 9lb pork butt or a beef brisket (about 10 to 12hrs cook time) and have enough battery left to start the tractor when I'm done cooking. This is with a common GT battery. 

 

https://www.amazon.com/Green-Mountain-Grills-Crockett-Controlled/dp/B078RXH95C/ref=asc_df_B078RXH95C/?tag=hyprod-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=385286480360&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=8503564619477931235&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9019421&hvtargid=pla-828794225944&psc=1&tag=&ref=&adgrpid=80078690538&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvadid=385286480360&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=8503564619477931235&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9019421&hvtargid=pla-828794225944

Edited May 26, 2022 by Achto

[WHX?? 48,821]

Yes Crockett... my bad... my big one is a Boone.