Onan generator shuts down

Mine ran for over 2 hours again this morning before it shut down. Once cooling for 30 min then it would only run 15 min. I suspect vapor lock, bad pump or filter. Mine is still under warranty so will see what they say. It threw code 36 which is no fuel.

Excellent eval Sloop Smitten. Now, if I can only remember that for more then a few hours I'll be doing well.

I agree. Sure sounds like time for a new fuel filter to me. A lot of times when an engine is running out of gas, it leans out and runs a little faster or revs up and down until it dies.

Why it can repeatedly take 20 minutes for the problem to show up is a mystery to me.

Here is why I think it takes 10 – 20 minutes for generators to shut down when they have a clogged filter or cracked fuel hose. The carburetor has a carb bowl that contains a few ounces of gas. The generator feeds off the fuel in the carburetor bowl and if you cut the fuel supply the fuel in the bowl will allow the generator engine to run for a few minutes.. The cracked fuel line, or clogged filter, doesn’t allow enough fuel to flow into the bowl to compensate for the amount of fuel the generator engine needs to run. It is providing some gas, just a reduced amount. After about 10 – 20 minutes (dependent on how clogged the fuel filter is or the amount of air being dragged into the fuel line) the bowl runs low enough to starve the generator’s engine. Hence you are good for about 10 – 20 minutes. Some ideas on how to distinguish if your fuel line, fuel filter or fuel pump is the problem would be of great benefit to many on the forum.

Lots of people that have this 20 minute shut down problem change the fuel filter right off. If that doesn't do it, then disconnect the fuel line and put it into a can of gas. If the rubber fuel line on top of the fuel tank is leaking, drawing air, that can give your symptom.

Why it can repeatedly take 20 minutes for the problem to show up is a mystery to me. Or I can't remember what others have said about it.