Installation Guide

TP-6906 4/1634 Section 1 Installation Instructions
1.7 Cooling System
Hot coolant and steam.
Can cause severe injury or death.
Before removing the pressure cap,
stop the generator set and allow it to
cool. Then loosen the pressure cap
to relieve pressure.
WARNING
The generator set is equipped with a unit-mounted
radiator common cooling system. Add coolant before
starting the generator set.
The system’s major components include two electric
fans, a circulating water pump, a radiator, and a
thermostat. The pump circulates water through the
engine until it reaches operating temperature. Then the
engine thermostat opens, allowing water circulation
through the radiator. The thermostat restricts water flow
as necessary to prevent overcooling. The fans blow air
through the radiator across the cooling surface.
On models 30RCL and 38RCLB only, an oil cooler
provides additional cooling and is located at the bottom
of the radiator. As engine oil passes through the oil
cooler, coolant from the radiator circulates around the oil
cooler removing heat. (The oil cooler is not used on
model 24RCL.)
Some generator sets are equipped with an optional
block heater.
Note: Block Heater Damage. The block heater will fail
if the energized heater element is not immersed
in coolant. Fill the cooling system before turning
on the block heater. Run the engine until it is
warm, and refill the radiator to purge the air from
the system before energizing the block heater.
Follow the instructions below to fill the cooling system.
1. Close the radiator’s coolant drain valve and tighten
the hose clamps.
Note: Do not add coolant to a hot engine. Adding
coolant to a hot engine can cause the
cylinder block or cylinder head to crack.
Wait until the engine has cooled.
2. Fill the radiator with the recommended coolant
mixture of 50% ethylene glycol-based long-life
coolant and 50% clean, softened water to inhibit
rust/corrosion and prevent freezing. See
Figure 1-22 for the engine coolant capacity and
Figure 1-23 for coolant fill location. Do not replace
the pressure cap at this time.
Note: A coolant solution of 50% ethylene glycol
provides freezing protection to --37 C
(--34F) and overheating protection to
149C (300F). A coolant solution with less
than 50% ethylene glycol may not provide
adequate freezing and overheating
protection. A coolant solution with more
than 50% ethylene glycol can cause engine
or component damage. Do not mix long-life
coolant and conventional coolants. Do not
use alcohol or methanol antifreeze or mix
them with the specified coolant.
3. Check the oil level before operating the engine.
4. Operate the engine with the radiator’s pressure
cap removed until the thermostat opens and the
radiator upper hose becomes hot.
5. Stop the engine and allow it to cool.
6. Add coolant to the radiator to just below the
overflow tube on the filler neck. See Figure 1-23.
7. Replace the radiator’s pressure cap.
8. Maintain the coolant level in the coolant overflow
bottle between the Hot and Cold markings. See
Figure 1-23 for the coolant overflow bottle location.
Model
Coolant Capacity, L (gal.)
Engine
Engine with
Block Heater
24RCL, 30RCL, 38RCLB
13.2 (3.5)
13.7 (3.6)
Figure 1-22 Coolant Capacity (approximate)