Forum Discussion

cgmartine's avatar
cgmartine
Explorer
Aug 13, 2017

Generator Issues

My 4000K (K model) Onan generator has been running great for the last couple of years...until now. I was exercising the generator a couple of weeks ago, and allowed my gas tank to get down to the 1/4 level. My generator shut off like it is supposed to. I have now filled up the gas tank, however, now, the generator is hard to start and will begin to surge, then will shut down with or without a load after about 20 minutes. Is it possible that it sucked some crud from the gas tank and the generator fuel filter is now clogged?
  • Ivylog wrote:
    How could it suck some crud sitting still and several inches off the bottom of the tank? Changing the fuel filter is cheap enough but may not help. Are you sure you ran it out of fuel...your fuel pump may be going bad or you may have a air leak that is not as bad when the tank is full, same for the fuel pump. You can buy fuel pumps on Amazon for less than $40. By now you may have figured out that I think it's the fuel pump...a common Onan problem.


    would be my answer also
  • On my generator there is a bleeder valve. If it runs dry you have to get fuel back in the line.
  • Ivylog's avatar
    Ivylog
    Explorer III
    How could it suck some crud sitting still and several inches off the bottom of the tank? Changing the fuel filter is cheap enough but may not help. Are you sure you ran it out of fuel...your fuel pump may be going bad or you may have a air leak that is not as bad when the tank is full, same for the fuel pump. You can buy fuel pumps on Amazon for less than $40. By now you may have figured out that I think it's the fuel pump...a common Onan problem.
  • Possible. Now change the fuel filter and find out if that is clogged.