Finally, finally, finally fixed the Onan. Turned out to be a low oil pressure switch. $7.65 at the Onan store and she was running like a top. Turned on as many things as I could and let her run for a good two hours.
What a relief to have this one checked off on “THE LIST”
Also, regarding oil draining: If you remove the cover surrounding the oil filer there is a "funnel" under the oil filter. There is a small hole in the surround that the oil is supposed to pass through but it just makes a mess. If you remove the shroud then you can fit a shallow pan under there to catch the oil.
Just a note:
Because a resistor or a diode or a piece of electronics checks goods, it doesn't mean it will work in the real world. Replace suspect items and save yourself some grief.
I have a propane onan generator in my 77 travel trailer any one had any experienece with these .IVe not had it running and owned the trailer for 6or 7 years
art,
No experience with Onan Propane generators at all. I'll bet after 6 years you may want to take it in to a shop for an estimate.
I would suggest a seperate post on the forum about this one. I'm sure there are a number of members out there with these in their trailers.
Also, depending on where you live in NH there is a dealer in Plaistow (CampAmerica) that has a great service manager. He spent about 30 minutes with me on my Generator last summer. They don't carry Airstream but he's an Airstream nut. I've forgotten his name but the General Manager's name is Ric Leather. I'll bet if you called them and played nice with the service manager you would get a lot of free advice to start out your repairs with.
Dennis,
Stripping the interior, building all of the retro cabinetry and new upholstry is the next "BIG" project. Still have on my mechanicals list: Get fridge working on 12V and propage, replace U-Joints and carrier bearings, replace front wheel bearings, replace exhuast with Gibson and get the darn windshield washer pump working. Then follow your lead and polish the outside (YIKES)
I have worked on a few Onans lately and find the LP model the easiest to get going after a long time off. LP is the cleanest burning of all. I suggest you fog the cylinders real good with fogging oil as you slowly turn over and let set overninght so you will not score the cylinders. Check to make sure you have spark the next day and then turn her on. I got two going and it wasn't that bad. No carb jets to mess up and after she started running checked the Freq and Voltage and still using them. Only reason power on LP units is a little less is due to the caloric content of the fuel compared to equivilent gasoline. Good Luck
Ran the Onan hard a couple of weeks ago, and there was a bit of a "search" for the proper voltage for about 15 minutes.
Has anyone else had an Onan "straighten up" after some excercise? I know it needs to be run for a couple of hours each month, and I think we will need to run the AC on the run down to Gonzales in a couple of weeks.
One thing for sure, in a couple of months it will HAVE to work on a continueing basis.
__________________
Dennis
"Suck it up, spend the bucks, do it right the first time."
Dennis,
Mine hunts for the first 2 - 15 minutes...then it settles into a groove. I've been working on getting my mixture right as it seems fine for hours then "loads" up and hunts again or dies.
I've been pulling the plugs and they seem to show a pretty rich mixture even when I turn down the idle mixture to almost a stall.
Just a little fine tuning until we get these Onans purring before summer!
Yes I realize this post is over a year old but I have a question concerning it. My 6.5 Onan is a propane. This weekend it popped and stopped. Since my LP gauge said I better get some more I just thought I was low on fuel. I filled up today and the generator will not start. I do smell propane and it does fire but then it shuts down and will not even turn over all I get is a click from the solenoid. The battery is fully charged reading 12. 9. I play with the switch and then the starter engages but the generator does not start. Once or twice when i pushed the switch all I got was a backfire out of the exhaust. Do I need the little black boxes? If I do where do I find them? Are they behind the starter switch?
Oh, yes and to add to this the heater/AC fan on the dash went out. We drove home with no AC. My wife says she likes the idea of vintage classic motorhomes but I did hear mumblings of Winnebago and Bounders for many hot stuffy miles.
Let me add to my post from before the situation here is tenous at best. We have a trip planned this weekend to the wife's brother- in- law. I overheard the dreadful word- "sofa bed" Guys I must get this generator working so we can have AC and take Chummy. I have not even looked at the dash AC fan yet.
I dug deeper and found five black things with wires which were scorched, a good sign on an engine that does not start. When I hit the starter these wires arc. How do I get these out? What are they? Is this my problem? Pictures attached. you can see the burned wires in the front. These are attached to the black things which I can see no way to take out and replace.
I added the arrow to the picture to show where the acing occurs.
Well $575 worth of labor and parts got my generator working just fine. Needed a tune up, a regulator, some seals and interesting enough it had the wrong oil filter on it. I hate to say it but the last people to service this gen set were the same guys who put the wrong oil filter on my engine. They also supposedly did a tune up as well. I think I'll take them to small claims court just for spite.
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