Help! Onan 4K generator refuses to start and stay on

[Kennyg]

Pulled RV out of 6 month storage. Attempted to start generator. Will start, but quit after about 6 seconds. Repeated attempts with no success.

When it does start, it runs only briefly. It seems to me that it is not getting a constant flow of gas. Should I empty the "float bowl" to get clean gas ( no I didn't drain the bowl before placing unit into storage) and then attempt to start again.

The fault light indicates a fault 36. This fault seems to imply I should either clean or replace the spark plug.

Any and all advise will be greatly appreciated

[ronfisherman]

OP started a new thread check it out here.

[klutchdust]

So where are you with this. Was it running and now it won't start, did you add stabilizer to the tank? Everything was ok, it sat a week now won't start?

[Kennyg]

Here I go again. Am at home now and I tried the generator again. It started, but only for about 15 seconds and then shut down. During this short time it ran rough and the exhaust blew constant blue smoke which I assume is excessive gas. As I stated before I did take the carb apart an soaked in cleaner and blwe air thru all the holes. So, where go I go from here?
Should I be replacing the carb or pull the carb entirely from generator and soak it in carb cleaner. Nothing seems to work.

[klutchdust]

wopachop wrote:
Target is the big red store?
Never heard of that fuel cleaner but I'm also just a shade tree mechanic. Maintaining my own trucks and small engines. I use startron but it gets horrible reviews on YouTube.

Might switch to Rev X. Any opinion on that brand? I've bought their oil additive for my 7.3L diesel. Expensive stuff. My buddy told me he recently became a dealer for them. So I might try their fuel stabilizer for small engines that sit for months.

oops big Orange store. HD. As far as diesel additives I follow a forum of like minded diesel truck owners and read about diesel additives for fuel. I have used opti-lube XPD. Diesel fuel is missing a lot of the sulphur which added

lubricity, fuel additives are important. Now ever since getting a tank of 15% bio diesel from Pilot, "water in fuel" warning kept coming on, didn't even know my truck had that warning, after 14 years it never came on before.

[bobndot]

My marine mechanic tested several stabilizers and two brands that ‘did not’ allow ethanol fuel separation were Startron and SeaFoam. I have been using both for many years and never have carb problems with gas sitting one year. Two years is pushing the limit. Non ethanol fuel found near marina’s worked better.

[wopachop]

Target is the big red store?
Never heard of that fuel cleaner but I'm also just a shade tree mechanic. Maintaining my own trucks and small engines. I use startron but it gets horrible reviews on YouTube.

Might switch to Rev X. Any opinion on that brand? I've bought their oil additive for my 7.3L diesel. Expensive stuff. My buddy told me he recently became a dealer for them. So I might try their fuel stabilizer for small engines that sit for months.

[klutchdust]

wopachop wrote:
Gravity feed it fresh gas with a multimeter on the solenoid while your starting it. Might need 3 hands if you dont have alligator clips.

Also add some "mechanic in a bottle" to that fuel, follow directions on the bottle. Available at the the big red store in the mower section. Folks, that works wonders for carb issues. As a professional mechanic and a snake oil avoider this stuff works.

[wopachop]

Gravity feed it fresh gas with a multimeter on the solenoid while youre starting it. Might need 3 hands if you dont have alligator clips.

[klutchdust]

miniwinipowerstroke wrote:
Time for a Honda...seriously you won’t regret it!

I have worked on Honda generators that have failed due to gas being left in the carb. So what's the difference? Parts for Honda products are costly as well. My Honda Ruckus parts are ridiculous.
It comes down to maintenance. Today's fuels corrode, gum up and eat away at fuel lines. You need to learn how to prevent it and not just park your rig come back a month or 2 later and wonder why it has issues. I use stay-bil in all my fuel for my small engines and still my roto-tiller would not start after sitting for 2 months. AND it has the magic Honda engine .......go figure...

[miniwinipowerst]

Time for a Honda...seriously you won’t regret it!

[Kennyg]

KMLsquared wrote:

Kennyg wrote:

KMLsquared wrote:
That fuel solenoid will stick closed not allowing fuel to enter the main jet. The reason it runs briefly is because the automatic choke is on enrichening the fuel air mixture, compensating for the lack of fuel going thru the main jet. Any water in the float bowl sits on the bottom and in that solenoid causing corrosion in a short time. I just fixed an Onan with the same issue.

When I disassembled the carb and manually moved the solenoid plunger it moved without restriction.
If I bypass the solenoid will the engine start as long as I use the jumper?

No, the only way to "bypass" it would be to take plunger out of it. The spring keeps it closed until power is applied to it. If you apply 12VDC to it on the bench you should be able to test it.
Did you make sure the holes in the brass piece were free and clear?

Yes I did. Used carb cleaner as well as air hose to clean. Can see thru all the holes and the air passes thru all of them.

On one utube video, it talks about another "Brass" fitting with holes that is up in carb. The more I think about this is this piece which the solenoid pushes up and down?

[KMLsquared]

Kennyg wrote:

KMLsquared wrote:
That fuel solenoid will stick closed not allowing fuel to enter the main jet. The reason it runs briefly is because the automatic choke is on enrichening the fuel air mixture, compensating for the lack of fuel going thru the main jet. Any water in the float bowl sits on the bottom and in that solenoid causing corrosion in a short time. I just fixed an Onan with the same issue.

When I disassembled the carb and manually moved the solenoid plunger it moved without restriction.
If I bypass the solenoid will the engine start as long as I use the jumper?

No, the only way to "bypass" it would be to take plunger out of it. The spring keeps it closed until power is applied to it. If you apply 12VDC to it on the bench you should be able to test it.
Did you make sure the holes in the brass piece were free and clear?

[Kennyg]

KMLsquared wrote:
That fuel solenoid will stick closed not allowing fuel to enter the main jet. The reason it runs briefly is because the automatic choke is on enrichening the fuel air mixture, compensating for the lack of fuel going thru the main jet. Any water in the float bowl sits on the bottom and in that solenoid causing corrosion in a short time. I just fixed an Onan with the same issue.

When I disassembled the carb and manually moved the solenoid plunger it moved without restriction.
If I bypass the solenoid will the engine start as long as I use the jumper?

[KMLsquared]

That fuel solenoid will stick closed not allowing fuel to enter the main jet. The reason it runs briefly is because the automatic choke is on enrichening the fuel air mixture, compensating for the lack of fuel going thru the main jet. Any water in the float bowl sits on the bottom and in that solenoid causing corrosion in a short time. I just fixed an Onan with the same issue.