EFI vs Carburetor

G6 at Snook, TX

Well-known Member
I am buying a Lincoln Ranger 305G in the near future. The welder will be used heavily in the summer building fence and such, but during the school year, it will be in storage mostly. I live in central Texas so heat is the real issue as well. I always keep Sea Foam or Star Tron stabilizer in the gas; it has seemed to work well.

My question is: considering the way I use it, is EFI worth getting, or is the old carburetor system good enough? As I understand it, EFI is more efficient on the gas consumption side, but dealing with gummed carburetors or old fuel issues are largely mitigated by the EFI. Those who work on these Kohler engines, do you have an opinion?
 
The EFI are supposed to be a 'fix all' for all carburetor problems. Last Winter we went to Kohler, Kawasaki, and Briggs and Stratton service schools on EFI.

This is the first Summer we have had EFI units in the field that are not practically new. (We sold our first Delco-style Kohler EFI about two years ago.)

So far this Summer we have seen two Kohlers that misfire when warm and on the first one a new oxygen sensor fixed it. Kohler Blamed problem on bad/old gas, fouling the oxygen sensor.

So much for EFI being invulnerable to bad gas. . .

I just put the Oxy sensor in the second one late Friday and will test it Monday. (The ECM was telling us the Oxygen sensor signal was out of spec.)

The ECM is vulnerable to pressure washers. And moisture in the case can cause them to make the engine do funny things. (That might be the problem with this unit: It has 86 hours and looks showroom-like new.)

We are also told to tell our EFI customers not to Jump-start their EFI equipment. They say this can blow the ECM and on Kohlers I have witnessed it knock out the voltage regulator, which is much more sensitive to voltage spikes than the the regulator used on carbureted engines. The good news is you just unplug the voltage regulator and in about 10 seconds it resets itself. I don't know about the ECM, but I guess if you blow it, we would not be that lucky.

The good is that EFI engines usually don't have the rpm drop when you engage the load like carbureted engines do. And they usually use less gas than a standard carbureted engine.

Not wanting to rain on your picnic, I just want you to know what I have been told and witnessed.
 
In auto applications, we certainly know what's going on with EFI vs. carbs. Some advertising genius must have come up with the idea that welders are stupid enough to believe things are different with small engines! EFI systems are much more sensitive to bad fuel than carb systems by their nature, injectors sit right up next to the cylinder head where they're sure to get a good heat soak at every shutdown with only a drop or two of fuel to absorb all that heat, and the idea of putting a computer (ECM, whatever you want to call it) right next to a generator with huge radio-frequency interference sounds more like something a politician would do than an engineer. One last point: forget fixing an EFI system in the field, if it breaks you go home. Carbs are often repairable on site.
 
Kevin, I agree. I wasn't going to post because he wanted to hear from the Kohler mechanics, and I have no personal experience with their EFI.

But for a small engine, that sits in storage for months, I see EFI as a real potential problem. For one thing, it is impossible to run EFI empty of fuel. Once it looses pressure, it will stop running with fuel still in the lines and injectors.

I can clean a carb and gas tank, at the job site, get it running on the spot, a lot easier that trouble shooting, procuring, and paying for EFI components!

And, sense carburated models are still being sold, I would lean toward getting one now before they are phased out to meet increasing emissions regulations.
 
Reading the literature put together by Lincoln and Miller indicates that EFI would cure male pattern baldness in addition to better fuel economy.

Don't worry, no picnic being rained on. Just finding out information.
 
I have no experience with the EFI
engines, but I do have a Miller with
the Kohler in it. I think it is an 05.
I bought it a few years old as a
rental return. I use it randomly
sometimes it will sit for 6 months
plus. I have had zero problems with
the carb, or any of it for that mater.
Only thing I've done in 8 or 9 years
is change the oil a couple times and
replace the battery.
 
I have a small shop up here in Centerville. Had two EFI units come in.Stick with a carb unit. Maybe someday EFI will work,but from what I have seen
not today.
 
I am an EFI fan, but every new product needs time to get the bugs shook out, I would think there is a lot more heat and vibration on an air cooled or portable engine.
 

While not specific to Kohler engines, for any new engine equipment I buy - I like to see a fuel shut off valve at the fuel tank and a drain fitting on the carburetor bowl. This allows for long term storage by shutting off the fuel and allowing the engine to run until it dies from lack of fuel. Then open the drain to remove any fuel remaining in the carburetor bowl to drain. Note, this will/can cause hard starting (first re-start) on engines with vacuum operated fuel pumps since the pump must first fill the system. Gravity flow or electric fuel pumps will not have this problem. I also look for a fuel fill cap that is not vented with a simple hole drilled in the top, facing up and looking for rain drops.

FI systems are pretty much sealed and as such do not have the problem of carburetor bowls which must be vented. However, I don't know of a practical way of draining fuel the system.

I consider long term service to be longer than one year and always drain the fuel system and fog the cylinders on these engines. Season to season engines, lawn tractor, leaf vacuum, motorcycle (FI) I have not had problems and don't worry about the fuel. Yes, it does get hot and humid in Indiana.
 
I have a carbureted Lincoln Ranger and only use
non-ethanol gas in it and never have any problems
with it, keep it cranked at least every two months if
not using it and let it idle about 5-10 minutes
 
(quoted from post at 10:40:15 08/20/17)
EFI if the fuel is kept clean, dry, fresh and free of alcohol.
My feeling is that is too many "if"s for a portable welder. Here's another point: Diesel units don't have the fuel degradation problems of gas-powered units, last longer, lower fuel and maintenance costs. Initial investment is significantly higher though.
 
As far as mowers go, the EFI kohler is my favorite of air cooled twins. I have plenty of carb kohlers too. I can get another 1000-1500 hours out
of an efi, I had one over 4000 before without being apart. I use ethanol gas in everything, no problems.
 
I use gas with ethanol in everything with never a problem. Ethanol is actually an elixir for the crap gasoline being made these days. Sometimes I will have an engine will sit for almost a year without running and start right up. Ethanol bashers are spewing nothing more than urban legend drivel.
 
(quoted from post at 14:05:08 08/20/17)
(quoted from post at 10:40:15 08/20/17)
EFI if the fuel is kept clean, dry, fresh and free of alcohol.
My feeling is that is too many "if"s for a portable welder. Here's another point: Diesel units don't have the fuel degradation problems of gas-powered units, last longer, lower fuel and maintenance costs. Initial investment is significantly higher though.

Are we talking about a diesel up to the 1990's or a 2017 Tier IV emissions diesel.
 
(quoted from post at 20:54:01 08/20/17) I use gas with ethanol in everything with never a problem. Ethanol is actually an elixir for the crap gasoline being made these days. Sometimes I will have an engine will sit for almost a year without running and start right up. Ethanol bashers are spewing nothing more than urban legend drivel.
ow, you want to see "urban legend drivel", look in the mirror! In a humid climate & no use for over a year, that crap-gas will be & has been an absolute disaster! I'll give you a break if in a dry climate & more frequent use, but otherwise, you my friend are the "drivel " spewer!. I have the experience, times over, & not wanted! Around here, you would have to be negligent or a complete moron to leave ethanol in a tank for a year or more unused. Been witness too many times! I do try to help people out, but just have to shake my head sometimes.
 
(quoted from post at 19:48:21 08/20/17)
(quoted from post at 14:05:08 08/20/17)
(quoted from post at 10:40:15 08/20/17)
EFI if the fuel is kept clean, dry, fresh and free of alcohol.
My feeling is that is too many "if"s for a portable welder. Here's another point: Diesel units don't have the fuel degradation problems of gas-powered units, last longer, lower fuel and maintenance costs. Initial investment is significantly higher though.

Are we talking about a diesel up to the 1990's or a 2017 Tier IV emissions diesel.
Does make a big difference, doesn't it. Certainly I was thinking in terms of a mchanical pump & free-breathing.
 
If you can drain the carburetor during the off season, you will save yourself a lot of fuel related problems. Fresh fuel helps a lot when you start using it again. If you can't completely drain the fuel tank, fill the fuel tank completely full to reduce moisture condensation.
 
Few comments to give so everyone get out their penny jar.

My understanding is EFI in small engines is better at storage of fuel because you don't have a fuel bowl that is more open and susceptible to fuel going bad. You are still at the mercy of the fuel in the tank and if it goes bad there is nothing that will help you. If you shut off the fuel and drain the fuel bowl in the carb then the advantage is a wash.

I look at EFI like I do electronic ignitions. Just new tech that takes time to learn. In the auto world people are also starting to forget how to tune carbs. Lots of shops now you bring in your 1969 Camaro and they are going to look at you and not know what to do.

Ethanol fuel is still somewhat of a mystery to me. I, as have others, run it for years in everything and never had an issue. Even after a year of sitting things start right up and run perfect. There are others who can't make it last longer than a couple of months. I am sure some of it is humidity, some maybe distance from the refinery or supply line. (when you get your gas, has it already sat for 8 months in a tank?) Storage area I think plays a part in that as well (ventilation, temp swings,....). Some people have it work like a charm and some it is the worst thing ever. Ethanol is one of those seemingly very personal issues.
 
Dunno about EFI in Kohler engines, but I would never go back to a carbureted motorcycle. The EFI on my Triumph is purged of fuel when you shut it off. I've had no storage problems with it over the seven years I've owned it.
 

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