onan 4k gen

Rhigley wrote:
I have a four winds with an onan 4 K gen. that I use maybe once a year. It is always a pain trying to un-gum it when I need to use it because the gas goes bad in-between uses. Should I drain the float bowl when not in use or do I need to run it every month or so?

Unless you want to keep doing what you are doing, IMO, yes, you should run it every month or so, AND yes, you should drain the float bowl if you are not regularly using it.

Chum lee

Gen sets should be exercised monthly under load.

I had a motorhome that had the Onan 4k. I ran it every two weeks under a load all year. When I bought it it wouldn't start. I didn't want to go through that again.

Do you use Stabil in it? Still need to run it.

Running your generator under load once a month is just a maintenance issue. Easier than what you’ve been doing...and it’s ready for use.

What I did on one of our past mh.
I added switch on the electric fuel pump that's on the generator, and when I knew that we were not to use it for a while, I would turn the fuel pump off and let the generator run out of gas, which empty the carburetor.

Dusty

I have found that a can or 2 of Seafoam with each fillup will keep everything running well.

I also try to run the Onan 4K monthly under load but it has set at times for longer than that and have never had any problems with mine in 10 years with more than 950 hours on it.

Parts are getting hard to find for these generators.
Onan quit making fuel pumps for them.
Carbs are now $300.

use non-ethanol based fuel. Pump will say it. Why? Pure gasoline, more expensive these days, lasts longer and does not gum up the carb -- unless left for years.

When I had one, I fogged the engine after draining the carb. Never exercised it. I used stabil in the gas all the time.