Gen issue?

[mikemc53]

Have the Onan 5500 in the coach, which we just recently purchased. Everything looks good and the PO did a real nice job of servicing all parts of this unit, including the gennie. Air filter is new and the oil looks great. Everything is clean as a whistle and the gennie has run fine every time I've run it, though always for short periods of time. Here is what prompted this post.

Took the coach for a short run the other day and ran the gennie for about 1 1/2 hours or so. Used it while driving (need to work on cab air also) to run the house AC and kept it running, like I said, for about an hour and a half or a little longer. There were a couple of times that it briefly sputtered but kept going and everything ran well (AC and fridge). Once I got back home and had backed in it actually stalled, twice. It would start back up but each time it ran for a bit and then got a little rough before stalling. I'm going to run it again today but wanted to get opinions on what I might look at. It has 134 hours on it and, like I said, it looks great and runs (ran) smooth.

Thoughts?

[D_E_Bishop]

Have you checked for a failure code? Do you know how to check for a failure code? First things first.

[Williebago]

Just had similar issues of intermittent shutdowns on our Onan 5500. Kept showing fuel codes. When it was running it purred like a kitten. Then it would just shutdown. Did the easy stuff first but always on a full tank of gas. Since I always exercised the genset in the offseason and we have had the coach for 15 years I knew its history. We decided to replace the fuel pump before rebuild/replace the carburetor. Fuel pump solved our problem.
Good luck.

[George_Beggs]

It is hard to get the generator oil filled. Check the oil level. To top off the oil you have to very slowly add oil. The generator will shut off on an incline if the oil is not full.

[2chiefsRus]

OLYLEN wrote:
Depending on the level of the drive way a 1/2 tank might be needed. Take the time to add your RV to your signature, that way we have a better know on your RV.

LEN

I can see his coach in his signature....

[mikemc53]

Thanks gang. The gas tank is at 3/4 so I will check the other things. Also, I have had my coach listed in my signature for some time but it is not showing up. Must be doing something wrong.

[Sam_Spade]

gbopp wrote:

zigzagrv wrote:
Make sure you have AT LEAST a quarter tank of gas in the mh, otherwise the genny may be starving for fuel from the tank.

X2, that would be the first thing I checked.

To avoid chasing a ghost, make sure that you have at least a HALF tank of gas. And then check the oil.

[OLYLEN]

Depending on the level of the drive way a 1/2 tank might be needed. Take the time to add your RV to your signature, that way we have a better know on your RV.

LEN

[wa8yxm]

I will add my voice to the "over quarter tank" chorus

Check air and fuel filters. Check oil

General "Tune up" (Mostly replace plugs) but that comes last.

[gbopp]

zigzagrv wrote:
Make sure you have AT LEAST a quarter tank of gas in the mh, otherwise the genny may be starving for fuel from the tank.

X2, that would be the first thing I checked.

[zigzagrv]

Make sure you have AT LEAST a quarter tank of gas in the mh, otherwise the genny may be starving for fuel from the tank.

[DutchmenSport]

Bad gas, or water in the gas. It takes only a drop of water to cause such sputtering. Add a winter gasoline addative to remove any water moisture. Hot days, cool nights, very possible condensation in the tank, and your gen is very sensitive.

[wborst]

Possibly a clogged fuel filter or the fuel pump is failing.