Onan Generator Problems

[martipr]

I can't help but notice how many posts on this and other forums are Onan problems and was wondering if it there might be so many because of poor reliability or because there are so many in use? Years ago(in the early 70s) I worked in the contractor's supply business and the contractor's Onan generators were very reliable.

[Kpackpackkelley]

I belive when they introduced electronic boards the vibaration hurt them.
Some claim the gasoline this days gums up the carb. Finding cheaper components to stay competitive didnt help matters either.

[Sandia_Man]

When you are the go to generator for every RV manufacturer in the USA your product will obviously gain more attention. Onan makes an RV generator second to none and although there are other generator manufacturers (Honda & Yamaha) they can not engineer a product that could dethrone the market dominator.

Our current rig is 7 years old and our Onan has over 700 hours of reliable service under it's belt. We simply change oil and filters yearly and she purrs along happily supplying 120Vac just as if we were plugged into shorepower. We add Stabil and an occasional bottle of Seafoam and even use whatever ethanol laced fuel is most economical with never an issue with carburation or fuel delivery.

Onan generators are designed to be used and many have several thousands of hours doing what they do best. The majority of issues come from severe under-usage, lack of general maintenance, and stale fuels that make a mess of the fuel delivery system. All are easily avoided but alas many owners don't have a clue. You would think when someone spends $4000 and above for such an item they would be diligent in it's upkeep.

For us Onan is the only way to go as we often camp in extreme temps and run our AC units or a couple of portable heaters to keep comfortable. Properly installed they are moderately quiet and easily perform their job meeting the demands of those who want to power their entire rig with a simple press of a single button from the comfort of their rig's interior. Suffice to say, DW wouldn't even consider camping without our Onan fully operational, no sweat as I spend less than an hour per year on maintenance.

[Bobbo]

Lots of posts because there are lots of ONAN's. Few people actually use them, so they neglect them and don't exercise them. Then, when one is sold or used, it won't start.

So, the answer is lots of ONAN's with little or no maintainance. You HAVE to maintain a generator.

[ksg5000]

Vast majority of Onan issues posted on this forum are gummed up carbs which are direct result of lack of use. Onan generators that get used last forever.

[Matt_Colie]

Well Marti,

Your powers of observation are better than most.

Yes, there are many more Onans in RVs than any other. Honda tried to break into the market but missed. Kohler dropped out of years ago.

As said above, the biggest problem is that the poor things either get abused or ignored (another kind of abuse). If it is more than a few years old, it was not built for the 5**t that is sold as motor fuel these days. They don't need to get run a lot, but they do need attention even if you aren't using it.

My Onan generators or 39 and 41 years old. Both will start, run and hold load as soon as I push the button. It just takes proper care and feeding.

Matt

[TEXAS]

Hello j-d

Can't tell you how many times I have gone to a boat or RV.5 years old or more with 1-10 hours on the genset.

[j-d]

And the genny is an easy item to neglect. It's not like the TV set you don't use. Requires what I'll call "constant" attention. At least a monthly exercise run.
They've also fallen into the modern "make it electronic" and "make it environmental" pattern. Let alone, of course, make it Smaller/Lighter/Cheaper.

HI, TEXAS!

[Dutch_12078]

By far, the majority of OEM generator equipped RV's have an Onan model installed. It stands to reason that even if they have the lowest complaint rate by percentages, they would still be the brand most mentioned in problem posts.

[TEXAS]

Onan is not what it used to be.

[WyoTraveler]

I think Onan generators are reliable. They do seem to have some problems with the fuel pumps. They mount the fuel pump on the generator. It gets hot and quits. I asked Onan why? Some people purchase these generators as stand alone so a separate fuel pump would be inconvenient. My fuel pump was replaced under warranty. If I have any more problems I will move it over to the MH frame away from the generator and the heat.