Equus Tachometer Not Working On

F

Fairlane

New Member
Remember, to set these tachs for 2 cyl you turn on the power, engine off and press the button until it reads 1000 rpm. It will read 1000 whenever tho ign is on and engine not running. When you start it it will read actual rpm. Read the directions to be sure but I think it should read 1000 for 2 cyl. I'm not really sure about that figure but thats how you set it.

Glen
 
A

ACEGOLFCARTGUY

Cartaholic
Well Frank, the tach is on hold for right now while trying to troubleshoot a problem with the engine(Kawasaki FD750 water cooled V-twin). Recently, the coolant has drop down about an inch daily from the full mark(bottom of the filler neck) and tere appears to be a hint of water in the oil. I noticed a lot of sputtering and compression has dropped to 100-105 in each cyl. Everybody I talked with so far hasn't been able to tell me for sure what it could be, we think it might be the head gaskets. What would cause both head gaskets to fail and is there any way to tell for sure they are the problem? If I go ahead and tear into the engine, what do I look for in order to make sure it is the head gaskets and not a leak elsewhere?
Thank you
 
T

treeman

New Member
My tach does NOT jump around. It tracks the engine RPM and only goes to zero after I turn the engine OFF and then turn the ignition switch back to ON. There is NO jumping around.
 
W

WALKNTALL

New Member
Dropping an inch a day? Thats a lot. You sure its just not refilling completely from the overflow jug? You would notice more than a hint in the oil if loosing an inch a day. You would see it raising up the dip stick. What does the dip stick read, way over filled?

With the Kawi's it may be different than Briggs. It's hard to get a true compression test value due to the compression release mechanism. If your compression release is functioning, 100 psi would be a good number.

It's either your head gaskets leaking or your water pump seal leaking. I've heard of some Kawi's leaking water through the water pump seal. An over heated motor can take out a head gasket.

Do not drive it with water in the oil. You can do lots damage. Keep us posted.

Frank
 
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ACEGOLFCARTGUY

Cartaholic
About the dropping coolant level, any day following driving the workhorse is when the coolant appears to be an inch lower in the radiator. So it seems to only drop when the coolant is topped off and/or the engine is ran.
The service manual doesn't specify where the coolant level should be for normal operation. It says when servicing to fill the radiator up to the bottom of the filler neck; but is it always suppose to remain there after normal operation? Mine would drop down the next day after a ride and then I refill it to the filler neck. Is it possible that I have been flooding the cooling system and over pressurizing it with to much coolant?

After it has been sitting for almost a week now, the oil doesn't look nearly as milky on the dipstick and the coolant level has not changed. I forgot to mention before, when all of this started happening the engine also began sputtering bad.
Do these sound like bad head gasket symtoms?
What should the next step be? If I pull the heads off, would the head gaskets visually appear bad if they are the problem?
Thank you Frank!! Sorry for all of the ??'s. I just can't wait to fix it and go riding!!
 
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ACEGOLFCARTGUY

Cartaholic
Found out this engine is used in the John Deere 777. On the JD web site they have a much more thorough service manual than the original Kawi. Wish I had this JD manual sooner but after reading it I'm still not clear on how the recovery tank works.
When filling the cooling system, do you pour the coolant in the radiator untill it reaches the top and then open the recovery tank and fill it up?
The Kawi and JD manual both make it sound like after servicing, run the engine and the recovery tank will automatically fill itself. Is this correct?
I ask because that is not the way it went for me. I filled the radiator, ran it and the tank remained dry.

Here's what the manual says:

1. Allow radiator to cool.

2. Fill cooling system. Cooling system capacity is 2.7 L (2.9 qt).

3. Install and tighten radiator cap.

4. Run engine until it reaches operating temperature.

5. Stop engine.

6. Check recovery tank coolant level:

· Coolant level should be at the lower line ( B ) on the recovery tank when the engine is cold.

7. Remove cap (A) from recovery tank to add coolant if necessary.
 
HotRodCarts

HotRodCarts

Cartaholic
The reason the oil doesn't look as milky after sitting is the anti-freeze and oil will seperate and the anti-freeze will be at the bottom of the case. I'd get it apart as soon as possible and get all the anti-freeze cleaned out, it will cause you a lot of grief if you let it sit with anti-freeze in the crank case.

If the head gaskets are leaking you should be able to see a mark where it was leaking on the gasket and on the head and cylinder. Also like Frank mentioned I've heard certain years of the water cooled Kawasaki engines having problems with the seal in the water pump leaking.
 
HotRodCarts

HotRodCarts

Cartaholic
I would drain the oil, radiator and block. Then fill it with oil and crank it on the starter a little and drain it again to be safe. Was the engine smoking at all? Do the spark plugs look white? If so it was leaking into the cylinders too and that can cause the rings to seize in the ring grooves and other problems. Whatever you do don't let it sit with the antifreeze in the oil.
 
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ACEGOLFCARTGUY

Cartaholic
The spark plugs thankfully are a healthy brown color and just some white smoke at start up I think from moisture in the exhaust.

I'll drain everything tomorrow. Should I leave the radiator empty?
 
HotRodCarts

HotRodCarts

Cartaholic
It won't leak into the oil if it's not running but seeing how you'll need to drain it to do the work on it you might as well.
 
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ACEGOLFCARTGUY

Cartaholic
I have HAPPY NEWS!

The head gasket is not the problem. I left the Workhorse with a local Kawasaki dealer Monday morning for their mechanic to have a look at it. He just called and said the compression is good and the oil doesn't look bad at all. He told me that these small aluminum engines tend to ''sweat'' a lot and it's normal to have some condensation in the oil. The water will burn off after running it which I really haven't had a chance do to yet. I don't know what was going on with the radiator but they started it and ran it 10 times and it checked out ok.

The problem with the choking down turns out to be just the carb needing a good cleaning which they are going to do. I'm relieved to know there wasn't anything seriously wrong with it. How could I ever have doubted a Kawasaki?!?!

Thanks for everyones help.
 
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