Forum Discussion

Explorer

Mar 04, 2018

RV generator problem.

My generator quit working on me yesterday. It worked fine for coffee in the morning , but at lunch time it would no longer start. It's an Onan MicroQuiet 4000. Model 4KYFA261OOK Serial A070013571.

Here is a video I made yesterday trying to start it when the problem first occurred. You can hear the humming and a slight clicking.

https://youtu.be/2hZAKPptzcY

The simplest suggestion was to try and rotate my fan. I just did so this morning. It sounded like loose metal clinking as I turned it. Then when I went to start it, it made a metal clank sound in addition to the humming, but still no cranking.

The clicking went to a clanking and I'm afraid I'm damaging it more every time I try to start it because there wasn't even a clicking when it first started having problem.

Any helpful suggestions are appreciated.

Thanks,

William

13 Replies

Lynnmor
Explorer
Mar 04, 2018
SidecarFlip wrote:
Sounds to me like the starter motor bendix is stuck. Starter motor time most likely. Try taking a hammer and smacking the starter motor (not too hard) just a light tap. That may allow the bendix to extent and engage the flywheel.

It does sound like the starter drive is not engaging. The hammer trick might work, but it ain't a real fix, it is just a means of diagnosing the problem.

The metal clunking might be the magnets. It seems strange that you would have two simultaneous problems. Maybe the starter was broken when the engine wouldn't turn.
SidecarFlip
Explorer III
Mar 04, 2018
Sounds to me like the starter motor bendix is stuck. Starter motor time most likely. Try taking a hammer and smacking the starter motor (not too hard) just a light tap. That may allow the bendix to extent and engage the flywheel.
Ranger_Smith
Explorer
Mar 04, 2018
There were some generators where the magnets inside would come unglued and destroy the generator. Sounds like what happened to yours.