Need Some Guidance - Replace/Upgrade Generator

Rookie Rver :C here with a little feedback. I greatly appreciate all the responses and all of them have merit. I have a General 5000 and again with only about 159hrs. I have been over hauling the motor home upgrading, replacing, and changing anything and everything. I've decided to leave the generator. Something I was not expecting is how much I'm learning about the various systems in a motor home and how they work, how to maintain them, and most of all how to enjoy.......

OK Rookie_rv - tons of advice coming at you based on a couple of sentences from you. How about some feedback?

Unless the generator will not support your post overhaul power budget I would stick with what you have. You can pull it take to a small engine/generator shop for a check out and any work that might be necessary that you can't do yourself. Clean it up maybe build an enclosure for better sound attenuation but just ensure good air circulation for cooling if you do.

Everyone's right! 159 hours is nothing on a genset unless it was run in dusty/sandy conditions and never maintained in that short duty-cycle. If it's a gasoline set, change the fuel filter, run some Sea Foam through the fuel system, change the oil/filter and let 'er bump!

rookie_rv wrote:
Rookie Rver :C here and I need some guidance. Are there any benefits to changing / upgrading my generator? My Class A is 1996, the generator only 159hrs. Yeap, only 159hrs! Would a newer generator be more efficient, run quieter, "more better" in any way? Doing an over haul from top to bottom, front to back, inside and out.......

Most likely there would be no advantage to "upgrading" to a new generator. There's a pretty good chance that all you'd get is the current version of the same generator, with minimal if any changes in design or operation. There has not been much progress in built-in RV generator design over the past twenty years (or more).

RLHAMILTON wrote:
If the 159 hours is accurate, it wasn't run monthly as recommended. I would take it to a Cummins (assuming it is a Cummins) dealer, and have them check and answer your questions. Good luck!

I figured it was running right and putting out 120v (+/- 10%) I wouldn't bother. Why spend the $$$ for them to say everything is fine?

Then again I'm mechanically inclined.

rookie_rv wrote:
Rookie Rver :C here and I need some guidance. Are there any benefits to changing / upgrading my generator? My Class A is 1996, the generator only 159hrs. Yeap, only 159hrs! Would a newer generator be more efficient, run quieter, "more better" in any way? Doing an over haul from top to bottom, front to back, inside and out.......

You're not saying, which coach you have or which genset is installed and can sometimes produce a lot of variables.
For instance, with some National products like mine, there is no same size replacement that will nicely fit where the 5.5 Generac model, is installed now.
Even, so and like one other member said, if it ain't broke, don't fix it and at the same time, I've fixed mine more than once, with finding that route, the best option.

I had 5500W RV Generac in my coach, that would suck 1 gallon of gasoline/hr load, or not.
I was carrying Honda 3000EU in my storage that on 1 gallon would run for 6 hr and not be hear.

Not sure what type of generator you have but some of those old Onan RV generators are built stronger, operate at a lower RPM and, in a lot of ways, are just better than the newer units. If it ain't broken, don't fix it.

I often see people with MH running a Honda. Why run a 5,000 to 7,000 watt power plant when they need 700 watts? Many MH generators are pretty loud and some higher dollar units are just plain puzzling why they would put such a loud generator in such a nice MH. 159 hours is still new. Common for a fixed rpm engine to last thousands of hours. If you need basic battery charging and everyday needs I would go with solar before a small Honda. You will then be prepared for the hot weather and heavy loads with your onboard yet be quiet most of the time and be able to boondock.

As far as age, with any machine you want to address the "consumables" so to speak such as belts, hoses, filters and electrical connectors. It isn't going to blow a rod out the side because of age but it's very likely to have a rotted fuel line for example.