Kohler engine on Miller Welder/Generator

What is wrong? Intake valve not seating? Burnt intake valve?

Thanks for any help!
Roger in Iowa

If NOT, it's probably more normal than some of the other posters seem to think it is. Once the airfilter is in place, you don't see the spitting, and the gas is continuously sucked back in and burned.

As the others said, check the timing with a light. (IF it has electronic ignition, timing is fixed.)

It certainly won't hurt to check the valve settings, either.

Trouble is, the tips of the valves wear indents into the adjusting screws in the tappets, so the feeler gauge will bridge the indent, and give a reading of less tappet clearance than there actually is. When the engine is apart for OH, the adjusting screws can be replaced, or re-surfaced in tappet-facing attachment on a valve grinder.

Those engines have ACR, which lifts the exhaust valve a bit, late in the compression stroke, making it impossible to check compressing accurately in the normal way.

You can rock the engine BACKWARDS against compression, and if a valve(s) is leaking, you will hear it in the intake or exhause.

Like I said, though, I have see the spitting of gas in a normal-running Kohler, so there may be nothing out of the ordinary at all.

It runs, so will use it if we have to for standby electric power.

The compression release is on the exhaust valve, so it should not affect this problem. The points are set at .020 per id plate so that should not be the problem. I am afraid you are right about the valve and clearance. At least you do not have to go into the innards to deeply.

Thanks,
Roger in Iowa