Anyone have any idea...

[g1g]

Anyone have any Idea what is wrong or what I can do or expect? I was excerzing my generator after it sat for about 4 months, and all was going fine. All of a sudden it died. It will restart but when I put a load on it of just 800w, it just dies again. It is an older 1994 Onen 2800 model.

[markopolo]

Carb could be a little gunked up.

If your coach batteries are low then your converter will kick in and try to charge them in addition to the load you're trying to run.
Maybe run the van motor and the generator and then apply the load.

Does your model give you error codes (by counting the flashing light)?

My guess is that the carb is a little dirty. Not enough to prevent it from running but enough to cause the hertz to fluctuate under load to cause the shutdown to protect the electrical appliances.

[Ron J. Moore]

Might consider running a can of Sea Foam gas additive in your gas, it does a pretty good job of cleaning up a carb. Since the generator isn't hard down, this could possibly put it on track without a lot of needless teardown.

[g1g]

well I took the B out for a run and also ran the gennerator. I filled up with fresh gas and it seem to run fine. I ran it for almost 2 hours. The only thing is when I took a hard left turn it died. I wonder if oil sloshed around and the low oil cut off shut it down?

[Joe]

I have the same model gen. as you do. Mine seems to run when it wants to. It might run 10 min or all day. I have given up on trying to fix and taking it to a shop this winter.

[VernM]

All your guesses as to the problem could be right, but may not be it at all. You haven't described just "how" it quits. Does it just stop firing? Slow down? Chug a bit but return to high rpm before it dies? There are a lot of symptoms that can be worked out in just how it sounds. Likely you have a fuel problem if it struggles some before it dies. If it just quits, it more likely would be an electrical problem in its ignition system. From what you say, it is best, it appears, to put it in the hands of a professional.

[Joe]

The gen. will start right up then at anytime It surges, then dies. The gen. is hard to start after this but will run for an underturmined amount of time again before repeating above.

[markopolo]

My Onan 4000 had a gunked up solenoid.



Solenoid is circled in red in the photo. It was at the bottom of the carburetor.

Gen would sort of start but would quit immediately.

Solenoid just needed to be removed and cleaned.

[markopolo]

Joe - I have the manual for the 4000 series. If that is what you have I can send it to you.

Lots of B's have the 2800 series Onan,

[Joe]

Thanks for the info I will try cleaning same and advise if it works. I sent away for and received the shop manual, thanks again!!!