My Onan will not even try to crank

Question

Hi Guys, Just bought a 1989 Dodge Explorer 230XL

For some reason I can not get the Onan generator to even try to crank locally or with the remote switch. I know that it starts off the engine battery. I can not get access to the generator wiring. I can access the front of the gen through the exterior panel door but the back of the generator is inaccessible. Thoughts?

ladyrver · Answer

Below 1/4 tank of gas?  Low oil?  Fuse?  Not enough battery power to start gen set?  Know there are other things to check, but these are the 4 I'm familiar with.

btpo1 · Answer

If it is not even trying to turn over I would start by looking to see if there is power going to the starter. It kind of sounds like maybe a cable is off or corroded. JMO

my_roadtrek · Answer

JKFlipFlop wrote:Hi Guys, Just bought a 1989 Dodge Explorer 230XLFor some reason I can not get the Onan generator to even try to crank locally or with the remote switch. I know that it starts off the engine battery. I can not get access to the generator wiring. I can access the front of the gen through the exterior panel door but the back of the generator is inaccessible. Thoughts?Are you sure it starts of the engine battery most use the coach battery.

nova_rt · Answer

Low on gas or low coach batteries are possible causes that are easy to fix. Had both, and it took a bit to figure out, especially the low batteries when plugged in at home. Had a bad 30-amp-to-20-amp adaptor.

jkflipflop · Answer

Guys, I got my Onan to vibrate!!!! Yeah!!!

Coach battery needed charged. At least I think that is what fixed the no crank problem...

After I got it to crank it would not start at all. Would not even fire at all.
Here is what I did next.

#1 Unplug the fuel line to the carb and run it with start button for 1 minute
to purge old fuel. (fuel I got for the first 20 seconds was yellowish). After that I sprayed Carb cleaner into the fuel line hole on the carb and let it soak for 20 min.

#2 Remove air filter and spray carb cleaner into intake while starting the generator. Let soak 10 min (fuel line still unplugged)

Repeated 10-20 times until Onan ran for about 5 seconds on just the carb cleaner alone (yes it will run off the fumes from the cleaner)

#3 Once it started running for about 5 sec on the carb cleaner. I put put fuel line back on and air filter back in.

#4 On the bottom of the carb bulb there is a screw for the air/fuel ratio (at least i think thats what it is). I screwed it all the way in and tried to start my generator. I backed of the screw 1/2 turn over and over and over until it finally started.

#5 Let it warm up for an hour..... then run AC in coach on low setting for an hour.

You can tweak the carb screw after the gen is warmed up under load if it runs a little rough. My girlfriend likes it a little rough though.

Bye!

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My Onan will not even try to crank

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