Forum Discussion

k8devin's avatar
k8devin
Explorer
Sep 24, 2014

Onan gas generator keeps shutting off

I have a 2003 Ford Chinook Concourse with an Onan gas generator. It keeps shutting off on me. I replaced the spark plug thinking that was the issue, but it wasn't long before it shut off by itself again. I live in Brooklyn, NY and am having a hard time finding a place in the NYC metro area that can service it. Anyone have any suggestions or know of anyone/anywhere in my area that can help me? Thank you.
  • Great suggestions, thank you!!

    Also, Cummins website does indeed look like it has several places I can call and get prices for servicing. However, hopefully the others will be cheaper than the Bronx location which I already called; they quoted me the outrageous price of $155 an hour with a four hour minimum for any diagnostics and servicing! Gimme a break.

    And again, I can assure you it's a class B. Google Chinook Concourse Class B Motorhome. It's a 21" camper van.
  • 1775 wrote:
    The Onan Cummins website has a directory of service centers. You will find one on LI or across in NJ.

    X2
  • k8devin wrote:
    My Chinook is definitely a Class B. Engine gas level is well above a quarter tank, and there is plenty of oil in the generator.


    Well, it is definitely not a Class B, and that's why your other post was moved to the Class C forum. There are several Concourse owners in the C forum, and that's where you will get the most help. For it to be a Class B it would have started off as a "van".
    Chinook Concourse posts in the C forum.

    As for the gen-set, poor some Seafoam directly into the carb. It may help, and won't hurt anything.

    Edited to add this. 99.9% of the gen-sets in Class B's are the Onan 2800, I'm pretty sure you have the Onan 4,000, so most of the info you get in this forum will not be for the 4,000.
  • In SOme Onan Generators there was a problem with the routing of the gas lines and to the electric fuel pump mounted on the generator. Those genny's would experience vapor lock which would shut down the engine. The cure for them was moving the electric fuel pump off the genny to a spot in the genny compartment.
    Could this be happening to you?
  • There is a purple wire connected to the generator. Find it and disconnect it. It is the wire for the low oil shut off. Sometimes the sensor goes bad and it tells the generator to shut off when there's really plenty of oil. If your generator shuts off after unplugging the purple wire, I'd check the fuel system.
  • The Onan Cummins website has a directory of service centers. You will find one on LI or across in NJ.
  • My Chinook is definitely a Class B. Engine gas level is well above a quarter tank, and there is plenty of oil in the generator.
  • Just a heads up for future posts.
    The Chinook Concourse is a Class C, and this may get moved to that forum.

  • I know two reasons it will shut off: gas tank is at 1/4 full or less or generator oil level is too low. There have been other discussions on the forum about problems running the Onan 2800. Perhaps a search will help you. I'm sure others will chime in eventually.