Gnerator starting

Try this. From the outside hold the stop switch in, in a few seconds you will here the fuel pump start, keep holding the switch, when the fuel bowl in the carburetor is full the sound from the fuel pump will change, then release the switch, then push the start switch and hold it until the generator is running, not just starts, but running.
The start system is designed to hold the start switch until the engine is running. Which is different than we are all used to.

Dusty

My Onan 4KW generator is also tricky. As you say, once it gets started it runs fine. Since yours is new it should not be a dirty carburetor or a clogged fuel filter. I do use an additive in my gas tank to compensate for ethanol, on the advice of my mechanic, and it seems to help. Generators apparently don't like ethanol.

I do wish RV manufacturers would look elsewhere for generators.

Just because it's new it doesn't mean it couldn't have sat long enough to evaporate the fuel out of the bowl and leave some varnish behind. If new isn't it still under warranty? Ask the dealer to check it out.

Failing that I'd get some fresh fuel to it and once you do get it running run it under a load (I use the AC) for an hour or so. I make a point to run mine for 20 minutes around the 1st of every month. - good luck-

A good first step, though, is to hold the switch in STOP till the fuel pump stops clucking. OK, clicking, but I think of it as clucking. I find I have to do that twice. Our generator, same model, goes like this:
1. Hold in STOP till Clucking stops
2. Attempt Start. May sometimes start, usually does not
3. Repeat 1. above
4. Attempt Start. Almost always DOES start

Interesting input, especially from Dusty R. I may be too quick to stop cranking . I have been running it regularly, it has 18 hours on it and I am pretty confident there is no varnish in the fuel bowl.

jjson775 wrote:
Our new Pleasure Way Pursuit has an Onan 4 KW generator. It is very temperamental to start. I have to prime it and try to start it a number of times before it will run. When it runs, it works fine. It doesn't seem to make a difference if I try to start it from the panel inside the RV or outside in the generator compartment. Any suggestions on what I can do to make it easier to start? I will appreciate any feedback.

Exactly how mine has done for the last 7 years. I didn't know I had a problem. I prime it for 60 seconds, then press the start switch for about 5 seconds or so. Release it and press start again. It takes 5 or 6 of those to start it.

Of course, that is only if it hasn't run in a few weeks.

Our Itasca's Onan 4K inside start switch by the galley stove is a rocker switch. Rock it one direction and only the Onan fuel pump runs to bring in fuel - I can hear it clicking as it pumps. Rock the switch the other way and the Onan starts.

I wonder why all the RV manufacturers don't use Onan control remote switches that allow you to power just the fuel pump for awhile before attempting to start the generator?

By the way, this rocker switch IS NOT labeled clearly so that this fuel pump only function it provides is not obvious. We owned our Class C for awhile before I discovered this. I wonder if the OP's inside Onan start switch isn't the same?

Our remote prime/start switch inside the RV works the same way, hold the stop position and it primes (presumably running the fuel pump) and then push the start side and it cranks the starter motor. Wish I could prime it with a rubber bulb or something like that so it would start easier.

We have a Pursuit too. The generator runs great but yes we have to hold the start button longer that you'd expect.

Similar to others: I hold stop position 15 sec or so to prime. Crank 8 sec or so. Usually doesn't start. I wait a few sec and prime again for 10 sec. Try again with an 8 second crank. May or may not start. Wait again for 10 sec. Crank again. Nearly always starts by then.

I've never had it not start by repeating above. It usually starts immediately if it had been running very recently.