Fun / Projects / with my 1997 America Dream

Geocritter wrote:
Removing the generator shouldn’t be hard with a transmission jack that can be rented most anywhere, as long as you have a nice smooth concrete floor to work on (which it looks like you do). From there it’s just a matter of inspecting gaskets, seals, any fluid lines, and things such as the oil pressure sending unit (cracked diaphragms will leak oil). Maybe you can remove some of that shrouding without taking the generator completely out and spot the leak.

I have a smooth surface, but no level surface.



Transmission jacks have a lifting surface of a foot square, the underside of this beast is 12 square feet and who knows where the center point of gravity is.

The generator far exceeds the lifting capacity of a transmission jack.

The only service that can be done to the unit while in the vehicle is oil and filter changes.

Only way to service the unit is to pull it.

It's been pulled out twice by Caledonia RV, back when I was depending on them, both times I paid for, It was also returned to them for repair of the leak three other times. I took them to small claims court for failing to repair the unit. The decision on that case is still pending. I have had horrendous service by RV repair centers.

Cummins has it out now and say total bill will be $3,800. They have found the leak, but the whole unit has to be taken apart to get to the leak to fix it. Apparently a small "cap" (very inexpensive part) is what is leaking)

I found this



on Fee Bay

http://www.ebay.com/itm/2007-ONAN-Qu...ceed2d&vxp=mtr

And called the guy, they are units that were in buses that the air intake resonator cracked on and sucked dirt in and the rings failed, the engines have been removed rebuilt and put back in.

My unit has been running fine except for the leak.

E-bay unit is $5,500 plus shipping plus labor to install, He will give me $1,000 for my unit and pay for the return shipping.

A new unit is $8,500 plus what I owe for finding out what is wrong with my current unit. New units are all 8KV 7.5 is not made any more.

This is a hard call, every time I have tried to save money it has bitten me, every single time.

What I should do is buy the new unit.

I'm going to have Cummins repair this unit, it has 2,700 hours on it and I'm told 20,000 hours is the life expediency if taken care of.