Generator tune up questions

jaiman · 06-02-2004, 11:15 PM

I have an Onan 6.5 kw genset. Im looking for the carb settings. Does anyone have an owners manual or repair manual for one of these. Seems like all the dealers insist on getting me to bring it in so they sell me with a bunch of overpriced repairs that may or may not be neccesary.

Thanks in advance.

87MH · 06-03-2004, 06:15 AM

FWIW:

I spent almost a hundred bucks on a "repair kit" for the carb. Never could get the settings right. Ended up replacing the whole carb.

A new carb is less than $150. In hindsight, I should have bought the new carb to start with. Take the old one in with you when you purchase the new one, I know at least two types of carburetors were installed on the 6.5.

74Argosy24MH · 06-03-2004, 07:19 AM

In this case I am not sure it is just the dealer wanting to increase income. The voltage and frequency are set through carb adjustment, you can probably get close but that is not all that great with electronics.

John

87MH · 06-03-2004, 07:37 AM

Be very careful when making gross adjustments to the speed control - make sure everything (especially the Univolt) is "off" prior to adjusting the speed. It doesn't take much to get into an extremely "high" or ""low" voltage situation.

Pay close attention to step #2 in John's post above. The primary speed (frequency) controller is the stop nut on the throttle control (governor)/carb linkage. This correction (primary throttle linkage/speed control) and the carb stop need to be set before "fine tuning" the carb jets.

For a quick check of your existing carb internals, pull both of the needle jets, make sure you can return to the original settings, though (count the number of turns to the stop). The needles on my (old, original) carb were really eroded after 725 total hours.