Onan Generator 5500 Gold Fuel Pum

nascarmark wrote:
Update on the $900 fuel pump repair: First let me say thanks to everyone for confirming the price was ridiculous. I let them strongly know that not only did I believe so, but so did all the readers of RV.Net. The MH is still 100+ miles away at the dealership (we pick it up Tuesday) but, I did receive a verbal breakdown on the generator work Cummins performed. Remember I dropped it off for minor repairs and the RV dealership was to take it to their local Cummins shop for the generator issue. There appears to have been a ‘misunderstanding?, the total generator repair cost is now $602. That includes the diagnostic work, new fuel pump, fuel filters, spark plugs, misc. parts, labor and taxes. I was very happy with previous work performed at this RV place but this visit has been an ‘adventure’. I was suppose to pick the coach up today but nothing has been completed other than the generator. I am now dealing with only the Service Manager who is attempting to keep us happy, your posts and RV.Net has helped. If this ‘adventure’ continues, I will be sure to let everyone know. Thanks Again.

Glad the 'misunderstanding was cleared up'

I once had a "Full Service" done which included a tune up, filters and oil to my 6500 generator. I was charged 1.9 hours labor. That was at a factory service center so it should give you a very good comparison point for you determine how fairly you are being charged. Since that time, I do all my own maintenance and can tell you 1.9 hours is a generous amount of time IMHO.

Update on the $900 fuel pump repair: First let me say thanks to everyone for confirming the price was ridiculous. I let them strongly know that not only did I believe so, but so did all the readers of RV.Net. The MH is still 100+ miles away at the dealership (we pick it up Tuesday) but, I did receive a verbal breakdown on the generator work Cummins performed. Remember I dropped it off for minor repairs and the RV dealership was to take it to their local Cummins shop for the generator issue. There appears to have been a ‘misunderstanding?, the total generator repair cost is now $602. That includes the diagnostic work, new fuel pump, fuel filters, spark plugs, misc. parts, labor and taxes. I was very happy with previous work performed at this RV place but this visit has been an ‘adventure’. I was suppose to pick the coach up today but nothing has been completed other than the generator. I am now dealing with only the Service Manager who is attempting to keep us happy, your posts and RV.Net has helped. If this ‘adventure’ continues, I will be sure to let everyone know. Thanks Again.

Frank, whatnyou describe does soundmlike the pump isn't hitting its pressure off setting. Maybe too high psi, maybe a leaking float. You may also want to check your oil for gas.

Neil, if your oil level keeps dropping, you may be right about the leak. I was hopingmitmmightmbe the simpler float issue. Good luck.

DiskDoctr:

I'll check the shop manual tomorrow and confirm that limitation. The fuel pump I got from NAPA was totally identical to the original Onan unit except for the nounting bracket.

The way my generator is behaving, I strongly suspect the th fuel pump is over-powering the float. I had cardiac surgery just before Christmas 2011 and didn't get to the "every 6 weeks" running of the generator until about 3 months had passed. It hasn't run since.

The symptoms suggest gross over fuelling, and the pump never stops "clicking" as long as I'm depressing the "Prime" button. The original Onan pump stopped ticking after a few seconds.

We rarely use the generator, and it's a royal PITA to do this "run it every six weeks or so". I'd rather not have a generator than put up with that crap! I think the origianl owners weren't frequent generator users either, as it only had 48 hours on it in 8 years - probably all the regular "exercise".

I will do that check you've listed DiskDoctr, but this genset blew out 5 qts from Thursday evening till Sunday night when we returned home.
When we stopped to fuel up I would check the oil level & it would be down qt to qt & a half, + I put 2 qts in it while we were parked in NY.

Must be a gasket or crank seal blown completey out or either something is cracked or busted on the engine itself.
Neil

C-Leigh Racing wrote:
Just replaced the 5500 Onan genset fuel pump on our coach as well, used one of those Mr Gasket 2~5 psi pumps from Advance Auto Parts. Cost $46.00 & some change.
I mounted in onto the compartment wall instead of mounting it back to the genset frame, replaced the hoses & ran new extended wires to power it.

Was having a problem last year while running the genset going down the road, hit a hard bump & it would shut the gen down just about every time, well the trip last weekend up to western NY state with the new fuel pump installed, hit several large bumps like at bridges & the genset never shut down. Didnt realize it until about the third hard bump that the gen was still running & had not shut down. I guess when everythings going fine you forget about the problems you were having.
It did good.
Now, to find out where the big oil leak is on this genset. Nothing under the M/H from the genset back will be rusting for a few years, because it is oil soaked.
Neil

Hey Neil, to be on the safe side, pull your oil fill plug and stick your finger in the oil and make sure it doesn't smell like gas. Oil can leak or be flooded out from a leaking float. Not hard to do and fairly important to know. Glad your is fixed.

Just replaced the 5500 Onan genset fuel pump on our coach as well, used one of those Mr Gasket 2~5 psi pumps from Advance Auto Parts. Cost $46.00 & some change.
I mounted in onto the compartment wall instead of mounting it back to the genset frame, replaced the hoses & ran new extended wires to power it.

Was having a problem last year while running the genset going down the road, hit a hard bump & it would shut the gen down just about every time, well the trip last weekend up to western NY state with the new fuel pump installed, hit several large bumps like at bridges & the genset never shut down. Didnt realize it until about the third hard bump that the gen was still running & had not shut down. I guess when everythings going fine you forget about the problems you were having.
It did good.
Now, to find out where the big oil leak is on this genset. Nothing under the M/H from the genset back will be rusting for a few years, because it is oil soaked.
Neil

Looks like the pump can be bought for $60.00. It is a simple repair and dropping the genny if needed for room is not a big deal with a floor jack. Check your owners manual, some gennys swing down to provide room to perform maintenance.

Sounds like the RV dealer diagnosed the problem, threw a big number on it to cover himself if he was in error. Personally, if the genny runs at all I would disconnect the fuel line and run a 1 gallon mix of gas and Sea Foam through it to see if gumming was the real problem before replacing parts. Just make sure the gas can is higher than the generator for gravity feed.