Generator won't start January 01, 2021, 01:10:19 pm My Onan generator on my 2006 LD won't start (candidly, I have not fired it up for a few months). It seems to crank or click when I push the on switch inside. What are the obvious or easy things I should look into? Could it be a bad house battery (assuming that is what powers it up)? TIA.
Re: Generator won't start Reply #1 – January 01, 2021, 01:27:02 pm Less that 1/4 tank of gas? It won’t start if gas is low. 1 Likes
Re: Generator won't start Reply #2 – January 01, 2021, 01:28:05 pm "What are the obvious or easy things I should look into?"My immediate question is what is the state of charge of your coach batteries? Your statement that the genny tries to start tells me the coach batteries may be low.Try this, start the engine. I'll presume there is a full charge on the starting battery to get that done.Now, with the engine running try to start the genny again. You may get lucky! 1 Likes
Re: Generator won't start Reply #3 – January 01, 2021, 06:35:41 pm Yes, I started and ran the engine then unsuccessfully tried to start the generator. The house batter is from 2017-maybe that is the issue.It is just below half a tank of gas.
Re: Generator won't start Reply #4 – January 01, 2021, 06:59:30 pm Did you prime the generator? Hold the generator start switch in the STOP position for several seconds and then try START.Art 1 Likes
Re: Generator won't start Reply #5 – January 01, 2021, 07:21:45 pm There are a host of reasons that a generator won't start. Without some extra details about what is or isn't happening, it's really hard to troubleshoot over the internet.This video might help narrow things down (batteries, fuel, oil level, something else)https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gn2EBUQvODk&ab_channel=Bear%27sWorkshopRich 3 Likes
Re: Generator won't start Reply #6 – January 01, 2021, 10:34:36 pm Your genny needs to be run under load at least once a month . I do a loop running the gen, turn on the air drive about 30or more miles 1 Likes
Re: Generator won't start Reply #7 – January 01, 2021, 11:37:31 pm Another reason an Onan generator may refuse to start is that its oil level is too low, so you might want to check that.
Re: Generator won't start Reply #8 – January 02, 2021, 01:42:45 am Quote from: Cebuano54 - January 01, 2021, 01:10:19 pmIt seems to crank or click when I push the on switch insideDo you have a coach battery disconnect switch, between the batteries? If so, they are known to become resistive, and starting the generator is the most demanding task. Try switching it off-on-off-on a few times, then try the start again.Steve
Re: Generator won't start Reply #9 – January 02, 2021, 10:51:35 am We live in Pennsylvania. During the off-season-months, my husband drives our Lazy Daze once a month. He also runs the generator and air conditioner. BUT, if it is too cold, our generator does not start. He has to wait until the weather gets a bit warmer, and then it starts right up. What is too cold? In the low twenties/teens. 1 Likes
Re: Generator won't start Reply #10 – January 02, 2021, 11:54:59 am We were out of the country for 3 months. When I got back I tried to fire up the generator, but nothing I tried worked. Had a mobile RV mechanic come by and had the the carburetor replaced. Now I run the generator under load monthly to avoid the cost of repair. 2 Likes
Re: Generator won't start Reply #11 – January 02, 2021, 04:44:18 pm The oil level was fine. I primed the generator and it started up. Good advice to run it regularly. Thank you all. 3 Likes
Re: Generator won't start Reply #12 – February 03, 2021, 10:37:17 am Bumping this up. As mentioned I was able to start the generator after priming it. A new issue is that after running about 20 minutes, the generator dies. Oil level is fine. The next day it starts and again dies after about 20 minutes. What might be causing this? TIA.
Re: Generator won't start Reply #13 – February 03, 2021, 10:44:11 am Have you seen this thread from a few months ago?Onan Microquiet 4000 generator runs 10-15 minutes than diesYou coach is in the target age range to suspect the degraded fuel hose problem Larry describes in the 3rd post of that thread. Rich 2 Likes
Re: Generator won't start Reply #14 – February 03, 2021, 10:47:51 am " A new issue is that after running about 20 minutes, the generator dies. "Given the vintage of your rig I would say that the old bugaboo may be the short length of rubber fuel hose where it comes out of the top of the main fuel tank. When this gets old it will deteriorate and crack, allowing air into the generator fuel line.The fix, as many of us have learned, is to drop the tank and replace that hose. While you are at it, changing out the fuel pump would be a wise decision. I even went to the effort of replacing the entire fuel line with Stainless Steel. 1 Likes
Re: Generator won't start Reply #15 – February 03, 2021, 11:29:13 am If the fuel line is cracking and sucking air, wouldn’t it also be leaking fuel?
Re: Generator won't start Reply #16 – February 03, 2021, 11:55:06 am "...wouldn't it also be leaking fuel?"That has not been the experience... it has something to do with vacuum, once the fuel in the line is used air prevents suction and fuel will not move. 2 Likes
Re: Generator won't start Reply #17 – February 04, 2021, 08:59:31 am Could also be the generator’s fuel pump.
Re: Generator won't start Reply #18 – February 04, 2021, 09:48:14 am Btw, the generator only has 80 hours on it, and when I push the prime button, it flashes three lights. Does that suggest anything? Thanks all for the advice.Ted
Re: Generator won't start Reply #19 – February 04, 2021, 09:53:47 am Three flashes is part of a code. How to Read Onan Generator Fault Codes (Cummins Blink Code) The code will tell you what the generator thinks happened, not what the cause was. It’s a good place to begin trouble shooting. 3-6 is the most common code I’ve seen. It doesn’t tell you much that you don’t already know. Rich 1 Likes
Re: Generator won't start Reply #20 – February 04, 2021, 01:34:41 pm FUEL PUMP1111111111111111 2 Likes
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Topic: Generator won't start (Read 633 times)
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