Northern Lights Generator

[Chasemmc]

Hello everyone,
Attempted to fire up the 20kw NL w/1,200hrs on it. It fired right up and ran for about1 minute and then died. On the restart it would fire and run a second or two and then die. When running was pushing the right amount of water out the exhaust, at least based on my past experience.

Up here in Chatanooga, no one (not even the NL Distributor) will service the unit. The independent guy will drop the oil, but no more.

So I guess the unit ran until it was starved of fuel. Have full tanks and the racor show normal range pressure. Tried to prime with the little lever on the side of the fuel pump. Same result.

A couple of questions:
1. Does anyone know of a NL service person who would come to Chatanooga to look at it?
2. Should I crack open the fuel filter top valve when bleeding?
3. What other things might it be?

I'm no mechanic and I guess no one at the marina service location is one either.......

Your help as always is greatly appreciated.

mark

[JD5652]

How old is the unit? Is it a 1980's vintage with the glass fuel filter where you can actually see the fuel inside the filter? If yes, is that filter full? Does it have an air space? Can you see air bubbles in it when you try to start unit?

When was the last time it was operated? If the fuel supply system is not super tight, then you can get air in the line over time.

Pumping the onboard primer pump can be helpful. But if that doesn't work, then you will need to crack open each injector fitting and bleed each one.

A relatively easy job for any descent diesel mechanic. Doesn't have to be a NL mechanic.

[CGHOST4]

Just a reminder, is there a fuel valve ahead of the Racor, and is it open. I had a similar issue with my NL 20.

Caesar's Ghost
1980 58 YF #472

[Pascal]

It s been a few years since I ve run a boat with NL20s

1)- if it fires up and then dies after a second or two, it s unlikely to be a fuel issue. If it was not getting fuel, it wouldn’t fire up at all

2)- do you have a start AND a run switch? Does it stop when you release the run switch? If so chances are the problem are with one of the safety switches (oil pressure or temperature) since when you release the run switch, you are activating the safeties. Wait a couple more second to release the run switch and see if runs longer

3)- the NL20s I am familiar with had electric fuel pumps and would self bleed.

4)- to eliminate a fuel issue, get a small low pressure fuel pump from a local auto part store and temporarily insert it between the tank and the racor and see if that helps.

5)- does the oil pressure gauge show good oil pressure ?

Any half decent diesel mechanic should be able to troubleshoot this. Didn’t have to be an NL specialist.

[Cricket]

Pascal is right, any diesel mechanic should be able to work on your NL, they are very simple diesel engines.

[Captain Ralph]

I had customers at Green Turtle, Grand Rivers.
When It warms up, I can fly in to you.
Seems the airports do not have problems with hammers and tools, Just pocket knives.

[Eddieclemons]

I had the same problem ( Engine died after 1+3 minutes requiring a fuel bleed) and after troubleshooting I came down to the loss of fuel. During this time I rebuilt my Racor 500, but then I went down the rabbit hole of the poor performance of the little NL/Perkins Lift pump that made changing the engine mounted fuel filter a huge task. I never put my Racor back on, I installed a Tony Athens setup with a priming bulb. All my problems were instantly gone.

[Eddieclemons]

I also replaced all of my fuel lines so I can't rule out that they weren't contributing to the problem, but I love the new setup with the Fleet filter of choice. Good Luck

[Eddieclemons]

FYI, my problem was only on a cold start. Once I started cold, it died after 1-3 minutes, then after a cranking or bleeding fuel to get a restart it would run as normal. Then on the next cold start it would be a repeat.

[Captain Ralph]

FYI, my problem was only on a cold start. Once I started cold, it died after 1-3 minutes, then after a cranking or bleeding fuel to get a restart it would run as normal. Then on the next cold start it would be a repeat.

Probably a low fuel tank also.
You kids have/had a lil air leak somewhere.
This small of a leak could just be the O ring on top of the Racor or an old tubing flair.
Patching it would be an electric pump or priming bulb, the correct fix will be finding the leak.
If not enough grey hairs yet, finding this lil air leak will help cause more grey hairs but a required task.
It will not fix it self but may get worse,, rite when you really need the gen-set.
Have fun and stay safe.