ONAN GENERATOR PROBLEMS

[JimETracy]

Hi Fellow RVers..
:question:
I have a 97 SPIRIT with an ONAN generator, the gen worked great until I did not use it for a few years.
I checked the oil and its full.
I try to start it and it starts and quits as soon as I release the start switch.
I pulled and cleaned an checked for grime in the carb and it looks great. I checked the plug and it was good.
I turned over the motor and disconnected the gas and it flows great, fuel pump works.

So....Any suggstions on what to look at next?
I am really suspecting electrical....

The model is a 4KYFA26100F
Jim

 

[Pitchy1]

Re: ONAN GENERATOR PROBLEMS

My guess would still be that the carb is plugged up from sitting so long, you will have to disassemble it and clean out all the passage ways. If your getting gas to the carb and you have spark it should fire. Take the spark plug out and put the plug wire on it and ground the plug on the engine, try and lay it somewhere so you don`t have to hold it so you won`t get shocked and spin the motor over and see if theres a nice blue spark.
Use caution and make sure there is no gas in the area first
Hope that helps.

Also, a plug can spark outside the engine but not spark under compression.
Also make sure the choke isn`t stuck on or that a mouse has built a nest in the air box.

 

[Kirk]

Re: ONAN GENERATOR PROBLEMS

Jim,
The symptom that you have indicates that there is no output form the generator. An Onan is designed to get it's power for the engine from the output of the genset. During the start sequence, both exciter power and ignition power come from the coach battery, but as soon as you release the start switch to the run position, the ignition them the gets power from the generator output.

I suggest that you start by checking the brushes. You could have a bad one or there may be one that has hung up and is not making contact with the slip rings. The brushes supply power to the exciter on the armature and must be good for the generator to put out electricity.

The fact that it starts and will run as long as you hold the switch tells me that you do not have an engine problem but rather it is in the generator.

 

[Pitchy1]

Re: ONAN GENERATOR PROBLEMS



I try to start it and it starts and quits as soon as I release the start switch


I completely missed that statement, sorry. :blush:



How about that switch on the end or is that just a re-set.