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cbr46's avatar
cbr46
Explorer
Jul 28, 2014

Onan Locked Up

Onan genset (5500 Marquis HGJAB) with 417 hours locket up while running. Got to where I could put a socket on the fan and freed up the motor (working it back & forth) but now when running it sounds like a cement mixer filled with gravel. Uhh Houston, I think we have a problem . . . . .

Oil looks like the day we bought it 70 (genset) hours ago. Very nice amber color. That ain't right.

So the real question is . . . . . I can't seem to feed the house line wires back out the bottom port, either one at a time or as a group. They move about an inch, maybe 1.5" if I pull a single wire. I can't find anything snagging, tie wraps, etc. Any ideas?

Oh, and the B- ground bolt snapped while removing the ground cable. I can drill it for an ez-out (after I buy one . . . ) but I don't think it's going to budge. It's on the bottom so hitting it with PB Blaster will just run off. Arrrgh.

Best,
- c bob
Class A

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  • Effy's avatar
    Effy
    Explorer II
    Jul 28, 2014
    Our Onan/Cummins locked up with only 20 hrs on it. Still under warranty. The turbine shaft snapped. They said "it happens on a few". they swapped it in about 4 hours with a brand new one. sounds like in your case it's not under warranty.
  • cbr46's avatar
    cbr46
    Explorer
    Jul 28, 2014
    Heads up for others pulling their gennies out -

    The house wiring feeding through the bottom of the genset was knotted by Fleetwood with excess wiring and a cable tie stuffed in the cavity between the top of the base plate and the bottom wiring port. You can't pull the wires either forward or backward. I worked the rubber grommet out (not easy with wires stuffed in the middle) then was able to use a spring puller to pull up the tie wrap far enough to cut it. *THEN* I was able to unravel the wires one at a time and stuff them out the bottom. All this by feel and taking progress photos with my phone. Took me 6 hours, half of it in GA sun. Arrrgh.

    Also sheared a total of 4 bolts while hand removing them. The B- ground bolt, the air box mounting bolt to the head and 2 forward chassis-to-genset mounting bolts. Now I have to get the broken bolts out. Yeesh.

    Best,
    - c bob

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