Exercise the Generator or open your wallet
We've be static for awhile and I failed to exercise the Onan 5.5 Marquis Gold. It would not start. Found a series of excellent You Tubes on RV maintenance by Mr. Don McAdams including one on diagnosin...
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I also had to recently replace my carb. The carb. CANNOT be rebuilt or effectively cleaned as the parts are pressed together, not bolted or screwed. I have an inverter and battery bank that we use mostly, or we usually have full hook ups. So I don't use the generator unless we're dry camping and it's hot, or we want to use the microwave.
This cost be a shade over $300. The cause is said to be the high ethanol content in gas, which evaporates and leaves behind the 'varnish' that gums up the works.
I was given 2 options by the very good mobile RV tech who changed it out. 1) exercise the generator under load 1 hour every 30 days. I asked 'why under load' and was told it was solely to increase the volume of gas going through the carb.
OR 2) (my preferred method) Pull one wire from the generator fuel pump and run it till it stops. Then open the small screw on the bottom of the float tank and drain it completely. This is only about 4 drops of gas. Then plug the fuel pump back in. Good to go. Now I do this when we get home if we've used the generator.
The fuel pump is a small cylinder looking device under the generator base on the left side. It has a small wiring harness that has 2 wires that go from the pump up to the control electronics (where the start switch and breakers are). On my MH, there is an insulated spade lug connector on each wire, I guess so the pump can be changed without going into the black box. It's a very simple matter to unplug one of the wires. Just pull it apart. Doesn't matter which one. Then start 'til it stops, drain the float tank, done. (really, it's about 4 drops of gas after the generator stops)
This cost be a shade over $300. The cause is said to be the high ethanol content in gas, which evaporates and leaves behind the 'varnish' that gums up the works.
I was given 2 options by the very good mobile RV tech who changed it out. 1) exercise the generator under load 1 hour every 30 days. I asked 'why under load' and was told it was solely to increase the volume of gas going through the carb.
OR 2) (my preferred method) Pull one wire from the generator fuel pump and run it till it stops. Then open the small screw on the bottom of the float tank and drain it completely. This is only about 4 drops of gas. Then plug the fuel pump back in. Good to go. Now I do this when we get home if we've used the generator.
The fuel pump is a small cylinder looking device under the generator base on the left side. It has a small wiring harness that has 2 wires that go from the pump up to the control electronics (where the start switch and breakers are). On my MH, there is an insulated spade lug connector on each wire, I guess so the pump can be changed without going into the black box. It's a very simple matter to unplug one of the wires. Just pull it apart. Doesn't matter which one. Then start 'til it stops, drain the float tank, done. (really, it's about 4 drops of gas after the generator stops)
