Need generator advice, please....

[geneinmurphy]

I have a 2003 Pleadure way excel with an ONAN 2.8 generator. My a/c works fine when plugged up to 110 outlet, but when running the a/c off the generator, the generator will tun for 30 minutes up to an hour, then stall out. Camping world serviced my generator a year ago. Any idea as to what the problem might be? Not sure if Pleadure Way dealerships can work on generators or if I have to take it to an Onan repair facility. Thanks for any advice....

[Ron J. Moore]

Welcome aboard, Pleasureway is a good rig. Other folks will be coming in with sound advice on how to resolve your generator problem. FWIW, I wouldn't let C/W touch my rig...and definitely not that Onan! 2.8 is a standard in most B's, and if I couldn't handle the problem, I would look up an Authorized Repair Facility. Changing oil, air filter and spark plug are pretty straightforward and you will handle this with patience familiarity. Don't hesitate to ask for assistance...we all were there sometime back. Ron

[hbn7hj]

Replace the fuel pump. It heats up and fails, cools off then works again, temporarily.
Just a guess, of course, but not without precedence. Better than doing nothing or waiting for the pump to completely fail, which it will.

[Wandering Wes]

Replace the fuel filter. I had the same problem. My generator would run for 20 minutes then die. After 15 min it would restart and die again in 20 minutes. My theory is that within the filter there is dirt blocking the flow when sucking gas and will fall away when stopped. It is tough to change the filter through the opening but I found that by removing the 2 screws that hold the starter switch / control panel made it easier. Disconnect the battery first! You do not have to remove the control panel. Just remove the screws and allow the control panel to hang free you will be able to reach below the filter with a hemostat clamp and pull the hose up far enough to get to the lower hose clamp. The hemostat clamp will stop the gas flow and reach where you fingers won’t fit.

Never a problem, Sometimes a challenge, Always an adventure

Wes

2010 Pleasureway Excel TS (Buttercup)

[Hondo]

I agree that changing out the inline fuel filter should be the 1st step. The 2800 in my previous Jamboree did that and replacing the filter cured the problem.

[RT.SS]

It could be anything really, low fuel, bad fuel delivery, low oil, bad ignition/ spark plug, bad control board, clogged filter, failing voltage regulator/ magneto/ ignition coil/ low oil switch…etc. etc. Start with the obvious, do you get an error code? Is your fuel enough? Check oil level, check air filter, check spark plug…I use an inexpensive spark plug tester to rule out ignition related problems. You can temporarily disconnect the low oil switch to rule out if it is defective. You may have to drop the Onan for more advanced troubleshooting.

[booster]

Originally Posted by RT.SS

It could be anything really, low fuel, bad fuel delivery, low oil, bad ignition/ spark plug, bad control board, clogged filter, failing voltage regulator/ magneto/ ignition coil/ low oil switch…etc. etc. Start with the obvious, do you get an error code? Is your fuel enough? Check oil level, check air filter, check spark plug…I use an inexpensive spark plug tester to rule out ignition related problems. You can temporarily disconnect the low oil switch to rule out if it is defective. You may have to drop the Onan for more advanced troubleshooting.

I agree, it is not a good idea just to start replacing parts until you find out which ones are bad. All heat related items would be suspect, as well as time stuff. Heat would be fuel pump, all ignition related parts, control board, oil level sensor, etc. Time could be some of the filters and also the heat related parts.

On thing I can tell you from past experience on other engines is that if it runs for 20 minutes and stops, a fuel filter change may get it to run again, but the reasons given be most people don't apply. It doesn't have to do with dirt rearranging or settling out, etc, it has to do with a weak fuel pump that can't pump through the restriction once it gets hot. Replacing the fuel filter will be a very short time fix for such a problem. If the filter is really plugged up, the engine will quit as soon as it has to run at high load.

[BBQ]

.

Google for

Red Rover's Onan Troubleshooting Guide

[lejeep]

Originally Posted by RT.SS

It could be anything really, low fuel, bad fuel delivery, low oil, bad ignition/ spark plug, bad control board, clogged filter, failing voltage regulator/ magneto/ ignition coil/ low oil switch…etc. etc. Start with the obvious, do you get an error code? Is your fuel enough? Check oil level, check air filter, check spark plug…I use an inexpensive spark plug tester to rule out ignition related problems. You can temporarily disconnect the low oil switch to rule out if it is defective. You may have to drop the Onan for more advanced troubleshooting.

So how does one go about temporarily disconnecting the low oil switch without dropping the generator from the vehicule ? I suspect a faulty fuel pump or no power to it on mine.
Thanks

[jmai]

Originally Posted by lejeep

So how does one go about temporarily disconnecting the low oil switch without dropping the generator from the vehicule ? I suspect a faulty fuel pump or no power to it on mine.
Thanks

The unit needs to be dropped. A big production with many steps.

[RT.SS]

Originally Posted by lejeep

So how does one go about temporarily disconnecting the low oil switch without dropping the generator from the vehicule ? I suspect a faulty fuel pump or no power to it on mine.
Thanks

I can disconnect mine (2500 LP) without dropping the genset. The pigtail connector is next to the Voltage regulator, it is a one wire connector, you have to blindly feel for it-maybe harder the first time and depending how the wire is routed it might be harder to reach as it is a short pigtail connector.

[jmai]

Originally Posted by jmai

The unit needs to be dropped. A big production with many steps.

Mine is an Onan 2.8KV gasoline undermount model.