Stumped by Generator

[mhanson547]

I recently bought a 1995 Itasca Suncruiser the generator was working fine until I tried to start it couple weeks ago. When I try to start it just makes a single click noise. I have replaced the control board; starter, starter solenoid, and starter relay still the same thing. Also if I have the remote starter wire plugged in the hour meter runs and the dash starter switch is lit up like its running. Any help with this is greatly appreciated. Thanks

[wa8yxm]

Three possible answers
1: Low battery.. Depending on how low you get click,click, (ratchating sound)
or a single click
2: Bad connection: My main engine does that when the battery terminals need cleaning, I hope I solved that one on a long term basis, but just now engine has other issues so.....

3: Starter lock,, In this situtation the gear the starter engages is often the culprit (though the starter gear can be) the gears engage wrong and can not turn due to being jammed.. SOMETIMES a wack with a rubber mallet will do it but usually you need to unbolt the beast (Starter) then wack it gently (NOTE always wack gently) and finally re-bolt it

It also means you are going to need to have someone look at it soon.

[mhanson547]

I have tried all that and still the same thing just one click. I jumped the solenoid and the starter turns fine. but still have the problem with hour meter running and the remote switch lighted up when plugged in at control board.

[rgatijnet1]

Push the battery boost switch at the same time you are trying to start the generator. Switching in all of your batteries might help in some cases and costs you nothing.

[Clay_L]

You might want to make sure that the battery disconnect switch hasn't been accidentally activated. Winnebago uses the house battery circuit to start the generator and if the batteries are disconnected and you are connected to shore power the solenoid will click but the converter can't supply enough current to turn the starter.

[10forty2]

Do you have a voltage meter? I know it sounds elementary, but if the starter solenoid is not getting power, then trace the wire back to the source and make sure the connection is in tact and that there is power where it is connected. It sounds like everything else is working properly. Are you sure you got a good solenoid?

The only other thing that would make the click you're hearing if it's not the starter solenoid or the starter itself, is a small relay engaging. That's probably on or near the control circuit board. It is probably switching power to send to the solenoid. The solenoid acts as a switch bewteen the main power source (battery) and the starter. There should be a signal wire from the circuit board relay that causes the solenoid to energize and switch the main power to the starter. Test your signal voltage to make sure it's right, and test that you actually have 12VDC on the supply side of the solenoid. And again, it may sound elementary, but make sure the solenoid has a solid ground connection....that's usually obtained through the mounting screw. A solenoid is just a big, heavy-duty relay that temporarily switches the main power from the battery to the starter.

[Tom_Barb]

there are several things that could be wrong. You may have a high resistance connection in the battery to starter cables. the starter simply isn't getting the amperage it requires to crank the engine. Or the starter has an open armature winding and it will not turn as a motor. And the starter solenoid may be bad.

Start by cleaning all connections between the battery and the starter, if that doesn't fix it, jumper the solenoid, see if it will crank. if it won't replace the starter.

[powderman426]

If your only getting 12 volts the battery has less than 50% charge. If that 12 volts is static, the voltage could be dropping to way less when under load.

[mhanson547]

The Generator is a Onan Emerald Plus 5000 Genset.

The starter is not engaging the click seems to be coming from behind the control board wiring. The flywheel turns fine and I tested the starter before installing it. Seems to me the solenoid is not getting and power and the there is 12 volts where the positive battery cable connects to it and like I said the when I reconnect the remote starting wire at the control board the hour meter starts running and the dash start switch is lit up like it is running.

[blazenpm]

Is your generator an Onan? If so, I would find a qualified/certified Onan generator repair facility. Let them find the problem and repair your generator. You probably won't have to replace as many problems searching for the problem. That can get very expensive and frustrating. Trust me I spent a little more than I had planned but my generator works find now after I took it to a certified repairman.

[10forty2]

Just a guess, but it sounds like the engine is locked up....since you have replaced all the other stuff that usually takes a dump first. Follow my logic:

If the relay is energizing and the starter is trying to turn (the loud click you hear), and the bendix gear is engaging the engine flywheel, (I assume that the new starter had a new bendix), then the only thing left in that chain is a locked up engine that won't turn.

Suggestions before panicking... remove the starter but leave it connected to power. Make sure that the starter is actually engaging, spinning freely and that the bendix is throwing out like it's supposed to (keep you hands and fingers and limbs clear of the gears and momentarily press the start switch). If not, you might just have purchased a bad starter. It happens.... If all of that is working properly OFF of the engine, then try to turn the engine over manually (use a pry-bar to move the flywheel). If it moves freely, then the engine's NOT locked up. You could have caused the bendix gear to bind when you installed the new starter.

Just some random thoughts that might help.....