Onan generator
says take to repair shop.any idea how expensive repairs for this might be?should I just look into buying new generator for motorhome? serial #4KYFA26100K
Forum Discussion
Here's some stuff you can do in half an hour with absolutely no training. They have nothing to do with the fault code; they are general tests for a novice. They will cost very little money and time.
If none of these quick interventions show something obviously amiss (low fuel, bad filter, low or bad oil, stuck linkages), you will either need to learn how to troubleshoot more complicated problems yourself OR take it to your local Cummins Onan shop.
Cummins service comes at a premium. Expect two hours of labor at $140/hr just to diagnose your problem. However, the technicians should be honest, communicative, and helpful, as is the Cummins reputation.
An intelligent and wrench-experienced person should be able to replace a fuel pump, fuel filter, carburetor, control board, voltage regulator, air filter, throttle or choke linkage, fuel line, carburetor gasket, governor spring or linkage spring, or starting solenoid on his or her own without much trouble. (Not saying all those things could be the problem, but that's a good start for things you can fix on the ground in front of your generator.) Many other things require you to "drop" the generator off the motorhome; you would need a transmission jack or similar floor jack and a whole bunch of PB Blaster and wrenching on the retaining bolts. Most people have Cummins perform that kind of work, because it is an Enormous Pain in the Butt.
Your generator is a 4KY Spec K. Parts, service, and operator manuals can all be found on the internet or bought for $15-20 online. I just fixed a 4KY Spec H and would be happy to help you out. Do everything listed here and report back.
- Fill the tank with more gas. Consider adding whatever fuel additive you find at the gas station: Seafoam, Stabil, Techron. Follow the directions on the bottle that you get. I'm recommending an additive because it can almost never hurt and it sounds like your generator might need some TLC, and a basic fuel additive is a very easy and simple way to provide a small amount of help.
- Check the air filter by taking to cover off the generator, locating the boxy metal housing in the top left, unscrewing the wingnut on the far left of that housing, removing the metal cover, and pulling out the air filter. It should look cleanish and whitish.
- Check the oil by removing the yellow oil cap in the bottom right of the generator. The oil should be between the correct lines on the dipstick (which is attached to the cap itself). If you want to change the oil, it's almost identical to doing so in a car, except you remove a small plate on the underside of the generator (two Torx screws) and then remove the large hex bolt revealed by the removal of the plate. This will drain the oil.
- Check the governor linkage (to the throttle) and the choke linkage (to the choke). These are the two long bars attached to spring-loaded clip looking things on top of the carburetor (which is the complicated silver thing directly in the center, to the right of the air filter housing and to the upper left of the oil cap). When you grasp and move these linkages back and forth, they should move freely and smoothly, returning easily to their original position.
If none of these quick interventions show something obviously amiss (low fuel, bad filter, low or bad oil, stuck linkages), you will either need to learn how to troubleshoot more complicated problems yourself OR take it to your local Cummins Onan shop.
Cummins service comes at a premium. Expect two hours of labor at $140/hr just to diagnose your problem. However, the technicians should be honest, communicative, and helpful, as is the Cummins reputation.
An intelligent and wrench-experienced person should be able to replace a fuel pump, fuel filter, carburetor, control board, voltage regulator, air filter, throttle or choke linkage, fuel line, carburetor gasket, governor spring or linkage spring, or starting solenoid on his or her own without much trouble. (Not saying all those things could be the problem, but that's a good start for things you can fix on the ground in front of your generator.) Many other things require you to "drop" the generator off the motorhome; you would need a transmission jack or similar floor jack and a whole bunch of PB Blaster and wrenching on the retaining bolts. Most people have Cummins perform that kind of work, because it is an Enormous Pain in the Butt.
Your generator is a 4KY Spec K. Parts, service, and operator manuals can all be found on the internet or bought for $15-20 online. I just fixed a 4KY Spec H and would be happy to help you out. Do everything listed here and report back.
