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It’s my time to ask for help.

#1

R

Rivets

This past weekend a friend dropped off a 30 year old Coleman/PowerMate generator and asked me to get it running. Unit is in excellent condition for its age and when I pulled the carb it was sparkling clean. After checking everything out and putting in fresh fuel I was able to get it running, but extremely rough. In-line spark tester tells me I have an ignition problem. That’s where my problem lies, point unit. I’m unable to find any info on this unit. If anyone call point me to an owners and/ or parts manual I’d be very appreciated. Unit model number and engine numbers are on the attached pic. Hoping someone can help me before I have to contact Coleman/PowerMate and Kawasaki. Thank you in advance, Rivets.
cid:2EDF053E-2356-43FF-B304-05338A6263C9


#2

I

ILENGINE

Doesn't look like the picture loaded correctly. Just a series of numbers and letters showing. And Coleman/powermate is now owned by Generac.


#3

R

Rivets

I know engine, photos are not my forte. Here’s the info as printed on the tag.
PowerMate 1500
Agtronic Model PM1500
S/N 19611

Engine numbers
Kawasaki
Model KF34DU
Spec 31361N


#4

Scrubcadet10

Scrubcadet10

Hey riv, if you can text or email the pic, i'd be happy to upload it here for ya.


#5

R

Rivets

I’ve got all the info from the tag in my last post. I’m going to stick to fixing engines and simple typing. I’ll leave the pictures to those younger than me. Thanks for your offer.


#6

7394

7394

This may not go back that far, ​

Videos of Coleman 1500 watt Generator Manual​


Coleman Powermate Generator Manuals​



#7

S

SeniorCitizen

Have you disconnected the kill switch to determine if it may be faulty?


#8

R

Rivets

Yes, I’m pretty sure that it’s either the points floating or condenser going bad. Looking for some specs, point gap, and parts list. Manual does not seem to be there.


#9

B

bertsmobile1

There is always the option of a points eliminator .
Unfortunately Atoms are no longer made so you only have a choice of the Nova or magnatron units


#10

R

Rivets

You are correct, but I would like to keep it original if at all possible. Problem I’m having is that no one seems to have seen this engine. Sent an email to Kawasaki, but haven’t heard from them yet. If I don’t hear back in a couple of days, I’m going to give them a call and ask for the oldest fart in tech services. Personally this is the first Power Mate generator I’ve seen with a Kawasaki engine on it.


#11

Fish

Fish

Look like these?


#12

B

bertsmobile1

Rivets said:
You are correct, but I would like to keep it original if at all possible. Problem I’m having is that no one seems to have seen this engine. Sent an email to Kawasaki, but haven’t heard from them yet. If I don’t hear back in a couple of days, I’m going to give them a call and ask for the oldest fart in tech services. Personally this is the first Power Mate generator I’ve seen with a Kawasaki engine on it.
Click to expand...
Unless the points bolt directly to the condenser , or it is a capacitor discharge system you can put just about any radio shack one in there
We regularly replace the caps in our Lucas magnetos with a modern ceramic one rated between 150nF & 220nF
If the cap has gone open circuit then you can run a test one in parallel


#13

G

Gord Baker

Rivets said:
Yes, I’m pretty sure that it’s either the points floating or condenser going bad. Looking for some specs, point gap, and parts list. Manual does not seem to be there.
Click to expand...
Highly unlikely that points are 'floating' I haven't heard that term since the '60's and 8500 RPM. Gap at 0.028 after filing them flat.


#14

S

SamB

Rivets said:
You are correct, but I would like to keep it original if at all possible. Problem I’m having is that no one seems to have seen this engine. Sent an email to Kawasaki, but haven’t heard from them yet. If I don’t hear back in a couple of days, I’m going to give them a call and ask for the oldest fart in tech services. Personally this is the first Power Mate generator I’ve seen with a Kawasaki engine on it.
Click to expand...
I have a PowerMate small genset that has a Kawasaki engine in it. I bought it from Northern Tool quite some time ago. As I remember,it was an extra cost upgrade over the Briggs standard engine. don't think it came with an engine section in the owner's manual,though.
I need to thank you,Rivets,for prodding/reminding me that I hadn't given my little genset any attention since the last time I had it running last Spring. Before starting it,I checked the oil and thought,well,I'd give the air cleaner a look. Turns out this was a good thing,a very,very good thing to do! The foam air filter had turned to crumbly mush. Starting the genset would have sucked this mess into the carb,causing no telling what issues. Not good. I wish I could help with the ignition issue you're having,but my Kawasaki has solid state ignition. IMG_5641.JPG


#15

R

Rivets

Fish, those look like the points I may need, but not at that$$$$.
Bert & Gord. I’ve gotten down to the points and condenser and found the points burnt and pitted. Points were set around .016” before I removed them. Seeing how badly burnt they were, I’m going to take the condenser to an old friend of mine (electronics instructor) who says he has a machine to check the capacitance. I know I’ve got a few old condensers to compare them to. I’ve sent emails to both Kawasaki and PowerMate, so will be waiting a few days for possible answers. Thank you to all who’ve taken time to help me out and I’ll keep you posted. Rivets


#16

Scrubcadet10

Scrubcadet10

Riv, do these look like they're for the KF34DU? this info may be irreleveant now though, it appears you're on the right track.
www.ebay.com

Kawasaki Kf24 Kf34 Kf53a Kf68 for sale | eBay

Get the best deals for Kawasaki Kf24 Kf34 Kf53a Kf68 at eBay.com. We have a great online selection at the lowest prices with Fast & Free shipping on many items!
www.ebay.com


#17

R

Rivets

Look like they might work, thanks for the heads up.


#18

VRR.DYNDNS>BIZ

VRR.DYNDNS>BIZ

Rivets said:
This past weekend a friend dropped off a 30 year old Coleman/PowerMate generator and asked me to get it running. Unit is in excellent condition for its age and when I pulled the carb it was sparkling clean. After checking everything out and putting in fresh fuel I was able to get it running, but extremely rough. In-line spark tester tells me I have an ignition problem. That’s where my problem lies, point unit. I’m unable to find any info on this unit. If anyone call point me to an owners and/ or parts manual I’d be very appreciated. Unit model number and engine numbers are on the attached pic. Hoping someone can help me before I have to contact Coleman/PowerMate and Kawasaki. Thank you in advance, Rivets.
cid:2EDF053E-2356-43FF-B304-05338A6263C9
Click to expand...
If a metal capped/covered plug connector that mounts to the base of the plug, it probably has a cracked insulator internal and the arc is coming out that insulator to the metal shield then to the base of the plug, never reaching the gap intermittently. A common problem caused by wiggling the thing off.


#19

B

bertsmobile1

The cylinderical caps are tar paper & aluminium foil have a set life , even when sitting on the shelf.
The side points BSA motorcycle use a cap as the mounting point for the points and it is not uncommon to find only 1 in 10 brand new ones to still be good .
One big reason why I try to convince owners to swap to electronic ignitions
The ceramic ones have a shelf life of around 40 years.
Very hard to tell some one who just paid $ 50 for a NOS cap that it was dead before the fitted it.
If they insist on using points then I fit an old open circuit one ( most fail that way ) then go the auto store and buy the cap they sell the most of then run it parallel with the old one.


#20

T

txmowman

The engine is a FZ130D-_SO3. It is doubtful that you will find very many OEM parts. What parts are you looking for. I can at least give you the original part number.


#21

R

Rivets

Txmowman, the engine is a KF34DU, serial number 31361N. These numbers come right from the ID tag. Going to test the condenser today, depending on the weather, we’re supposed to get 6-12” of snow today. What I’m looking for right now is the point gap. One individual told me it is somewhere between .011-.014” and another said .028”. Would like to set it properly before reassembling.


#22

StarTech

StarTech

Order PN 99924-2001-01 service manual. Its retails for $14 and if you got an account with RBI they should be able to order you a copy if it is not NLA. Or you can see if the following is still valid.

https://instockmotorsports.com/new-oem-kawasaki-99924-2001-workshop-manual-kf24-34-53a-68-nos/


#23

R

Rivets

Thank you, that will be on my to do list after I get in contact with Kawasaki next week.


#24

T

txmowman

The point gap for the engine is, 0.3 - 0.5mm (.012"-
015"). The service manual that StarTech noted is no longer available from Kawasaki.


#25

R

Rivets

Thank you. Are you lucky enough to have a copy of the service manual? If so can I contact your if I have more service questions?


#26

T

txmowman

Rivets said:
Thank you. Are you lucky enough to have a copy of the service manual? If so can I contact your if I have more service questions?
Click to expand...
You can contact me with any questions.


#27

T

Telesis

Rivets, the manual is on ebay right now for $10.99 w free shipping.

Here is title: OEM Kawasaki KF24 KF34 KF53A KF68 Engine Workshop Manual 99924-2001

FYI....


#28

T

Telesis

Forgot to mention, I have the Operator's Manual and schematic for the PM1500. I have a PM800 and both are covered. Interesting though, the Op Man which includes a parts list and diagram list the engine in the PM1500 as the FA130D (not the KF34). The manual is from Feb 89. You may still find useful info in these docs. Interesting also that neither manual includes a parts list breakdown of the engine itself.

They are too big to attach here but I'm happy to share with you. PM me your email address and I'll send them. (I'll also include the service or 'workshop' manual for FA130D so you can see what kind of service info Kawasaki includes)


#29

R

Rivets

Telesis, thank you for the offer. I may take you up on your offer if I don’t get any help from Kawasaki and Coleman/PowerMate. Generac, which now owns Coleman, has contacted me saying they need more numbers which I can’t find, but at least they are looking into it. I’m calling Kawasaki this morning, as they haven’t gotten back to me yet. At 70+ years old I really don’t want to invest any money in another manual if I don’t have to, especially on a unit that I’ll probably never work on again. Will keep everyone posted as I get more info. Thanks


#30

R

Rivets

Well I found more (less) about this unit than I would have thought. First, I still don’t know who is actually owns the naming rights to this unit. I’ve contacted PowerMate, Coleman/PowerMate, Generac, and one other company Generac pointed me to. I’ve got 9 different phone numbers and no one can help me with owners, service or parts manuals for this unit. I contacted Kawasaki about the engine with model and serial numbers, but they say they have no info on this engine, that I need to go through one of their authorized dealers. I found out my contact at Kawasaki has retired. I contacted three different dealers and none of them could help me find a parts diagram. One even contacted his authorized distributor, but no help, I’m on my own. I’ve been doing this for over 50 years and have never run into so many brick walls or people who didn’t really want to help me, just said “can’t help try this number”. Talk about frustrating.
Monday I went to see my buddy to test the condenser and found that it would no hold a charge and was shorted out. Found a medium capacity (.20mfd) condenser that I could fit in the engine, cleaned the points and set the point gap to .014”, reassembled everything and the unit started on the second pull. Inline tester now showed a good steady spark and after adjusting the carb and governor to proper voltage and hertz (110VDC and 50 hz) I feel everything is set to go. I hope that I’ve installed the right size condenser, so the points do not burn up and want to say thank you to everyone who has tried to help me in this project. Have a great holiday season. Rivets.


#31

S

SamB

Rivets said:
Well I found more (less) about this unit than I would have thought. First, I still don’t know who is actually owns the naming rights to this unit. I’ve contacted PowerMate, Coleman/PowerMate, Generac, and one other company Generac pointed me to. I’ve got 9 different phone numbers and no one can help me with owners, service or parts manuals for this unit. I contacted Kawasaki about the engine with model and serial numbers, but they say they have no info on this engine, that I need to go through one of their authorized dealers. I found out my contact at Kawasaki has retired. I contacted three different dealers and none of them could help me find a parts diagram. One even contacted his authorized distributor, but no help, I’m on my own. I’ve been doing this for over 50 years and have never run into so many brick walls or people who didn’t really want to help me, just said “can’t help try this number”. Talk about frustrating.
Monday I went to see my buddy to test the condenser and found that it would no hold a charge and was shorted out. Found a medium capacity (.20mfd) condenser that I could fit in the engine, cleaned the points and set the point gap to .014”, reassembled everything and the unit started on the second pull. Inline tester now showed a good steady spark and after adjusting the carb and governor to proper voltage and hertz (110VDC and 50 hz) I feel everything is set to go. I hope that I’ve installed the right size condenser, so the points do not burn up and want to say thank you to everyone who has tried to help me in this project. Have a great holiday season. Rivets.
Click to expand...
This is good news! As I have a similar generator with a Kawasaki engine I am relieved that issues CAN be resolved. A big thumbs up to you, Rivets for your success!!


#32

T

txmowman

Rivets said:
Well I found more (less) about this unit than I would have thought. First, I still don’t know who is actually owns the naming rights to this unit. I’ve contacted PowerMate, Coleman/PowerMate, Generac, and one other company Generac pointed me to. I’ve got 9 different phone numbers and no one can help me with owners, service or parts manuals for this unit. I contacted Kawasaki about the engine with model and serial numbers, but they say they have no info on this engine, that I need to go through one of their authorized dealers. I found out my contact at Kawasaki has retired. I contacted three different dealers and none of them could help me find a parts diagram. One even contacted his authorized distributor, but no help, I’m on my own. I’ve been doing this for over 50 years and have never run into so many brick walls or people who didn’t really want to help me, just said “can’t help try this number”. Talk about frustrating.
Monday I went to see my buddy to test the condenser and found that it would no hold a charge and was shorted out. Found a medium capacity (.20mfd) condenser that I could fit in the engine, cleaned the points and set the point gap to .014”, reassembled everything and the unit started on the second pull. Inline tester now showed a good steady spark and after adjusting the carb and governor to proper voltage and hertz (110VDC and 50 hz) I feel everything is set to go. I hope that I’ve installed the right size condenser, so the points do not burn up and want to say thank you to everyone who has tried to help me in this project. Have a great holiday season. Rivets.
Click to expand...
Don't take it personal. Remember, you are dealing with a unit that is at least 25 years old. A lot of people have probably purged any information. I will get you and part number you want and any specs you want. Just ask.


#33

R

Rivets

Tx I’ll mark this thread so I’ll have to available if needed, thank you for the offer. I’ve worked on engines over 50 years old ( hit N miss, Maytag, Jacobsen, B&S Letter models, etc.) so I know that sometimes things can get tough. What gets me no one at Kawasaki could even find the model and serial numbers in any of their data bases. The individuals I spoke with had no clue what I was talking about, if it’s no on their computer, it would be to much work to try and find it. Individual at Generac even sent me a parts breakdown of a unit with a clone overhead valve engine. Weren’t smart enough to know clone engines and OHV‘s weren’t around 30 years ago. Just hope my fix outlasts me.


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