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timjet's avatar
timjet
Explorer
Nov 11, 2019

Onan Generator Fault Code 2- Low oil pressure

Starting about a year ago my 7.5 KW diesel generator on about every 3rd start attempt would start and run for about 5 seconds and then auto shutdown flashing a low oil pressure code. This only happened about a third of the time and only on start up. Once started if it didn't shutdown after 5 seconds it ran normally. It never shut down after a successful start. I changed the oil and filter and topped the oil right up to the top of the oil dip stick. This worked for about 6 months and then started again. I over filled the oil by about half a quart and again that seemed to fix it for about a month or about 10 start attempts before it happened again.

Now it happens about half the time. It starts and runs for about 5 sec and displays 2 flashes on the start switch indicating a low oil pressure issue. But again when it does start successfully it never auto shuts down, ie it runs until I manually shut it down. So it is an intermittent issue.

It is impossible to get to the oil pressure sending unit without virtually taking the entire engine apart. I would like to verify the engine is getting oil pressure. I can get to the white wire leading to the pressure switch and am wondering if I can verify oil pressure in some way by testing the wire to the oil pressure switch.

Any help is greatly appreciated. I've been chasing this problem for almost a year.
  • Overfilling can cause churning and foaming of the oil, which can mislead the pressure sending unit into thinking there is no oil.

    Make sure it is not over-filled also.

    Steve
  • One wire to the low oil pressure switch, it is white. Engine sounds and runs normally.
  • check the wiring to low pressure oil switch. Is switch one wire or two? Normally switch is open until low pressure or higher then closed. If engine sounds ok when running it is probably the switch.
  • My Cummins/Onan dealer is VERY helpful.
    If you have one nearby, a visit to them likely would yield some useful information.

    The two I have experience with are very picky about oil LEVEL......such that parking on a slight incline can cause a "low oil" failure.

    I've been filling mine up until you can't put in any more, which is only a couple of ounces high, and that seems to have solved that problem for me.

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