1986 Onan BFA 4 - Suddenly running rough
Well... as they say... "spark or fuel." I have my own suspicion, but I'd like to hear yours...
She's been running great for the last 2 years / 25 to 30 hours since plugs, points, cap and rotor, oil once a year regardless of minimal use and I never let the oil get more than a cup low. I use her mostly for running the roof air down the road.
With a trip to the waterslides in Redding, California planned, I picked up the rig from the storage yard a week ago. As if the tough vacuum leak diagnosis weren't enough, the gennie gave me trouble too.
She was running smooth as ever and shortly after I had parked in front of the house, she just up and quit. After a few attempts, I got her started again and she ran great again. So I figured maybe some water in the gas.
Well upon start up the next day before driving down the road, she started surging. After a half hour or so she smoothed out and ran fine down the road. Thank God because it was 95 at 7 p.m. and we were headed into the lion's den of Redding with no chassis air.
On the Siskiyou pass, she quit again. She seemed not to like the hills. Was the oil balling up in the rear of the sump and making bogging 'er down?
Later on she was running, but now surging again. So I shudder' down for the remainder of the trip. At least I was smart enough to book us into full hookups in Redding... where it hit 108 Saturday afternoon.
Similar performance on the way back. Fortunately it had cooled down a little and we had a mostly morning drive planned.
Now back home and upon start attempt she won't keep running until a couple dozen start attempts and then really rough with the surging.
Your thoughts?
She's been running great for the last 2 years / 25 to 30 hours since plugs, points, cap and rotor, oil once a year regardless of minimal use and I never let the oil get more than a cup low. I use her mostly for running the roof air down the road.
With a trip to the waterslides in Redding, California planned, I picked up the rig from the storage yard a week ago. As if the tough vacuum leak diagnosis weren't enough, the gennie gave me trouble too.
She was running smooth as ever and shortly after I had parked in front of the house, she just up and quit. After a few attempts, I got her started again and she ran great again. So I figured maybe some water in the gas.
Well upon start up the next day before driving down the road, she started surging. After a half hour or so she smoothed out and ran fine down the road. Thank God because it was 95 at 7 p.m. and we were headed into the lion's den of Redding with no chassis air.
On the Siskiyou pass, she quit again. She seemed not to like the hills. Was the oil balling up in the rear of the sump and making bogging 'er down?
Later on she was running, but now surging again. So I shudder' down for the remainder of the trip. At least I was smart enough to book us into full hookups in Redding... where it hit 108 Saturday afternoon.
Similar performance on the way back. Fortunately it had cooled down a little and we had a mostly morning drive planned.
Now back home and upon start attempt she won't keep running until a couple dozen start attempts and then really rough with the surging.
Your thoughts?
