Hello, We are in very hot South Texas and we plug into a large company Generator for most of the day but in the afternoon our 30 am plug in shore line, will not run both air while plugged into that Generator. plug and cord over heats. So we will unplug and turn on our onboard Generator which is an Onan and run it for about 2 to three hrs. to cool down in the hot part of the early evening. Yesterday the Gen died after an hour and my husband check it was low on oil so he took care of that, now the Gen will turn over chug a few times then die. He has check the fuel filter and fuel pump, can see it getting fuel. He has now gone to town to try to figure out what else to try: Any one out there have this problem? Thanks for any helpPeg

Coil? Try starting it in the dark at the generator and watch for stray sparks.

What do you mean by "chug a few times and die"? Do you mean it cranks tries to start but does not start while it is still cranking? Or does it turn over a few times no sign of starting or sputtering? If the eng turns over fine (cranks) but no sputtering or trying to start I would check to see if there is spark at the plug.

maybe needs a little more descriptive noun than "chug". I have seen oil sensors go bad after they work once. Bypass it. Start there and then work on improving the description of symptom por favor :)

Peg, We have some outstanding genset techs here, especially for the ONAN brand. For them to help you best, they must have the full Model Number and Spec Code. The Spec is actually the last character of the Model. The very popular "4KY" has had Spec changes to "K" and probably beyond. KY has no oil pump, oil filter or oil pressure switch. That's because it is Splash Lubricated like a small mower engine. It HAD an Oil Level Switch but that was deleted before the Spec got to K, which is what ours is. Knowing what you have will help us help you. No need to troubleshoot a feature that you don't even have!

Onan Generator Stopped running | Good Sam Community

Heisenberg
Explorer
Aug 23, 2014
Coil? Try starting it in the dark at the generator and watch for stray sparks.
Gjac
Explorer III
Aug 23, 2014
What do you mean by "chug a few times and die"? Do you mean it cranks tries to start but does not start while it is still cranking? Or does it turn over a few times no sign of starting or sputtering? If the eng turns over fine (cranks) but no sputtering or trying to start I would check to see if there is spark at the plug.
MEXICOWANDERER
Explorer
Aug 24, 2014
maybe needs a little more descriptive noun than "chug". I have seen oil sensors go bad after they work once. Bypass it. Start there and then work on improving the description of symptom por favor :)
TEXAS
Explorer
Aug 24, 2014
Need to know what you have.
j-d
Explorer II
Aug 24, 2014
Peg, We have some outstanding genset techs here, especially for the ONAN brand. For them to help you best, they must have the full Model Number and Spec Code. The Spec is actually the last character of the Model. The very popular "4KY" has had Spec changes to "K" and probably beyond. KY has no oil pump, oil filter or oil pressure switch. That's because it is Splash Lubricated like a small mower engine. It HAD an Oil Level Switch but that was deleted before the Spec got to K, which is what ours is.
Knowing what you have will help us help you. No need to troubleshoot a feature that you don't even have!
Kpackpackkelley
Explorer II
Aug 24, 2014
j-d wrote:
Peg, We have some outstanding genset techs here, especially for the ONAN brand. For them to help you best, they must have the full Model Number and Spec Code. The Spec is actually the last character of the Model. The very popular "4KY" has had Spec changes to "K" and probably beyond. KY has no oil pump, oil filter or oil pressure switch. That's because it is Splash Lubricated like a small mower engine. It HAD an Oil Level Switch but that was deleted before the Spec got to K, which is what ours is.
Knowing what you have will help us help you. No need to troubleshoot a feature that you don't even have!

Jd we need to copy what you posted and post every time somebody ask about there gen. Thanks
eHoefler
Explorer II
Aug 24, 2014
Disconnect or turn off all appliances when starting the generator, sounds like you are trying to start with a load, maybe A/C.
MEXICOWANDERER
Explorer
Aug 24, 2014
It is sooooooo frustrating to read symptoms then try to Ouija a generator model out of thin air. This actually applies to any complicated piece that is being troubleshot.

"It sound like - reminds me of" may encourage a more comprehensible realization of a symptom than a single noun description.
ksg5000
Explorer
Aug 24, 2014
Have you checked the RV fuel level? Remember that as a "safety measure" RV mfg set the generator fuel line high in RV gas tank so that generator shuts off when tank gets to about 1/4 tank.
TEXAS
Explorer
Aug 24, 2014
This is why I left the site. People asking for help. But not telling you what they have. Was ask to come back.But starting to ask myself why. Nothing has changed.