Cleaning Onan spark arrestor

Try some heat.

I have never been able to remove the spark arrestor on my Onan 4000 (1992)-- I have used every suggested solution I found searching this forum and the bugger still wouldn't come out. On the bright side my generator runs perfect.

ksg5000 wrote:
I have never been able to remove the spark arrestor on my Onan 4000 (1992)-- I have used every suggested solution I found searching this forum and the bugger still wouldn't come out. On the bright side my generator runs perfect.

X2

The Falcon wrote:
I have an Onan 5500. I got under the gen and put a socket on the plug nut but it was hard to turn. I stopped because I was afraid to break something. I sprayed some lubricant on the plug, but figured I would wait and ask for advice before trying again.

This is the first time I have tried this, because I don't have too many hours on it.

Any suggestions?

Joe

I found the same today on my 4kw Onan today; neither bolt would budge and I was concerned about breaking them.

Is it a plug or nut that the op is trying to remove? Do you suppose heat from a oxygen acetylene torch would work? I'd like to find out the solution since I might have to do the same one of these days.

I managed to pull one about 3 years ago, I had the generator for 5 years prior. After getting it out, it had very little soot or deposits. I decided then that I would not be pulling it out again.

You won't have a lot of carbon build up unless your gen. uses a lot of oil. The only time I have found a spark arrestor to be cloged was on a very old and very used engine.

It is a sqaure headed plug it is pretty hard to get to and get out. As for heating with a torch NO the muffler is to thin for that. If you can find a socket that will fit it and a small extension use a electric or battery impact make sure you are loosening it not tightening it because you will be looking up at it. Might help if you run the gen for a while to heat the plugs up.