Onan 5500 Gold - How many hours do you have?

[GL]

I'm wondering how many hours I might get out of my Onan 5500 Marquis Gold before I have to do major overhaul. I know there's no way to predict, but I'm curious how many hours others have seen.

I've had to do some minor repairs (choke pull-off and fuel pump) but beyond that it's been great. I've done all the maintenance work myself, I have about 1800 hours on it. This is the gasoline version.

[GL]

Pirate wrote:

GL wrote:
Wow, 5000 hours...I hope mine lasts that long. I was thinking about switching over to full synthetic oil, that might help it last.

What type and weight?

Well, that's a good question. Where I am, it's routinely 100+, so straight 30 weight would be best, I but I can't find any synthetic locally. Honestly the only one I've even seen online is Royal Purple. Otherwise, I may switch to 15w40, and see what brands I can find.

[jetboater454]

He has just used the onan oil/filter/plugs ect from day one.

[Pirate1]

GL wrote:
Wow, 5000 hours...I hope mine lasts that long. I was thinking about switching over to full synthetic oil, that might help it last.

What type and weight?

[GL]

Wow, 5000 hours...I hope mine lasts that long. I was thinking about switching over to full synthetic oil, that might help it last.

[jetboater454]

Just under 200 hours on mine.Friend we camp with some times has over 5000 hours.Usual maintenance but think he decarboned the heads a while back.He said it didn't really need it though.

[edatlanta]

Mine is almost 3 years old with 120 hours. I run it under load every 30 days without fail and always keep stabilizer in the gas. I'm glad to hear this model should have a long life.

[frankdamp]

Mine is 12 years old and only has 51 hours on it! We've had the rig three seasons and have put maybe 5 hours on, mostly exercising it during the off season. Because of a hospitalisation just before Christmas 2011. It sat for almost 4 months without being run. It hasn't worked since.

I suspect either a float that doesn't float any more or a float valve seat that is varnished and the needle doesn't close it. More investigation is needed, but since we almost never use the genny (only once in three seasons when it was so hot, we needed both a/cs) it's not a high priority.

[Pirate1]

I have about the same amount, over 1000 for sure. Mine runs great. Only issue was choke pull off.