Just 3 months ago I changed the complete carburetor (brand New Generic Carburetor) and it worked great. Two months ago I started it to exercise it and it ran great. Yesterday I tried to start it and it WOULD NOT start... Clicks and that is it. When I prime (Bottom) it you can hear the pump work, when I push start it just clicks..does not even try to start/crank.. :(Any Ideas?

Sounds like a low/dead starting battery to me. I would start trouble shooting with the battery and work outward.Dan

dapperdan wrote:Sounds like a low/dead starting battery to me. I would start trouble shooting with the battery and work outward.This. Just like any other electric start engine.AND....while you are exercising it, you should check to be sure that the batteries are charging. It needs to run long enough to get HOT and recharge the batteries. I do mine about once a month and run it with the A/C for a load about 20 minutes.

The 'click' 'click' usually means battery not up enough to crank it. If it is 12VDC jump it with the truck battery cable and get it started again... Then using a multimeter find out about how you need to keep the battery charged up when sitting for a long time... Add a trickle charge from some source. Even one of those low wattage solar things might work out for you. I have a 9 WATT small panel sitting in my truck windshield area. I wish it had more watts like maybe 12-15WATTs because my truck has too many parasitic drains. Your generator probably doesn't have much parasitic drains...Roy Ken

BATTERY I will check that all the lights worked inside so I figured all was good and the battery is full... I will pull out the millimeter and check. Thanks.

Look at the brite side of it all, at least its not the carbuator all over again !And as you should know, your problem now is about as easy to figure out as any.

Are you kidding me.... darn Generator. | Good Sam Community

23 Replies

Sam_Spade
Explorer
Nov 11, 2015
JAXFL wrote:
Guess I have to take it to the dealer/shop....

Sorry. (All other comments suppressed.)
JAXFL
Explorer
Nov 11, 2015
We'll just call me stupid........

Took the battery in... It was bad...
Bought a new one...
Got home hooked it up....
Pushed the generator button....nothing....

Looked at the battery....hooked up ...yea backward.....

Blow fuse...but not before burning up something electric on the generator. Replaced fuse blew it again.... Guess I have to take it to the dealer/shop....
RJsfishin
Explorer
Nov 11, 2015
JAXFL wrote:
DARN IT....got home and it is still only at 10v.... New battery tomorrow. Jd it is a Generic not a Onan. But yes it is the house battery that does the work.

Thanks guys

10 volts ??? I'd keep the battery, and dump the charger !!
Sam_Spade
Explorer
Nov 10, 2015
JAXFL wrote:
DARN IT....got home and it is still only at 10v.... New battery tomorrow.

OK, if you can measure the battery voltage at rest, you should be able to measure it with the engine running.

The 10 V probably means your present battery is shot. But if you don't check the charging voltage, both when the engine is running, when the generator is running (if you have one) and when on shore power your new batter might "go bad" quickly too.
JAXFL
Explorer
Nov 10, 2015
DARN IT....got home and it is still only at 10v.... New battery tomorrow. Jd it is a Generic not a Onan. But yes it is the house battery that does the work.

Thanks guys
j-d
Explorer II
Nov 10, 2015
I'm sure you have ONAN 4KY. For a little engine, very demanding on the battery. I think that more often than not, it's the RV "house" battery that cranks it. Last summer our 4KY balked a couple times starting. We were leaving for a trip, rolled through WalMart and got one of their (at least so-called) "Deep Cycle" batteries, installed and fine since.
But DO check all connections, and don't forget Grounds.
wa8yxm
Explorer III
Nov 10, 2015
"Good chance batteries are done for"... This is a "Depends" issue.
Now. many RV makers today are cheap sons of mothers who put in something like a group 24 or two MARINE/deep cycle.. If so,, Then the batteries are likely done for. Even if they are bigger MARINE/deep cycle do not like 10 volts much.

Some makers still use GC-2 Golf Car DEEP CYCLE!!! batteries (note the change in case on Deep cycle plus the exclamation marks) These will OFTEN (not always) recover from an "OH S###! level discharge.. So don't write them off till you charge 'em up and load test 'em.

You have, however, lost some lifetime.
JAXFL
Explorer
Nov 10, 2015
Sam Spade wrote:
JAXFL wrote:

I just had to buy 6 batteries for the golf cart.

Maybe this would be a good time to mention that batteries usually last a lOT longer if they are kept near to a full charge.....when they are not actively being used for power.

No.... this is not a good time. :S

I have to wait until to night to see if it charged.
Sam_Spade
Explorer
Nov 10, 2015
JAXFL wrote:

I just had to buy 6 batteries for the golf cart.

Maybe this would be a good time to mention that batteries usually last a lOT longer if they are kept near to a full charge.....when they are not actively being used for power.
JAXFL
Explorer
Nov 10, 2015
Kit Carson wrote:
JAXFL wrote:
The battery showed only 10v so I have it charging, we try the generator tomorrow.
A good chance that battery is done for.

Don't even say that.... you should not talk that way :B

I just had to buy 6 batteries for the golf cart.