Community Forums

wildbill001 · 08-06-2012, 07:00 PM

Hope this is the right place to post this, if not, please let me know where it should go.

Purchased a used '93 Southwind this weekend for what we thought was a great price. Turns out that may remain to be seen.

Genset was working when my wife and son looked at the MH in the beginning of the week. Went to pick up Sat and owner tells us the gen quit when he was filling with gas and can't get it started. I'm thinking just needs a tune-up and/or crud in the gas. Long story short, we decide to buy anyway with an additional $500 off the asking price.

Get home, change out the oil and put the right amount in. Try to crank. It spins merrily but does not catch. Get new air-filter, oil-filter and plugs. Haven't put the plugs in yet but tried to start it up a few minutes ago and now it just clicks. I put up a quick video on youtube if anyone is interested. This is our first MH, so I'm a little lost here.

OnanMarquis7000-nostart Problems - YouTube

Any help would be appreciated. Thanks in advance.

Bill W

windydaboo · 08-06-2012, 07:20 PM

Had a similar issue with my old RV... it required a fuel pump. A tech who gave it a quick look while in the shop for the fridge turned the flywheel/fan backwards (you can get to it from the bottom of the unit) a little with a screwdriver and it turned over. A weak starter and/or low battery charge will make it tough to spin and the starter can't overcome the compression until it bleeds down. BTW... I messed around trying to start it for so long that I did have to replace the starter shortly thereafter because I had burned it up. It should have an electric fuel pump, which you can check by checking for fuel flow while trying to crank. Good luck...

cb1000rider · 08-06-2012, 07:24 PM

IF it's clicking, start with checking the voltage on the coach (not chassis) batteries.
Then I'm with the above poster, check for fuel flow when cranking...
The fuel pumps are not made by onan, so the secret is figuring out who makes them and pay 50% or less than the onan price...

Other things that will prevent genset start are low oil - or an unlevel area that might trigger a low oil sensor.

wildbill001 · 08-06-2012, 07:44 PM

Checked and replaced the oil. One of the first things I did. No joy although I was sure that was going to be it.

My brother-in-law came over to see if he could help (ex-mechanic). Found a loose battery cable (see the photo below. Loose cable on battery #2). It started spinning but still didn't catch. So now I'm gonna disconnect batteries to see which is the gen and which is the house. Double-check all the connections and make sure I'm getting the right cranking amps.

vegas39 · 08-06-2012, 08:49 PM

You need to check and see if the fuel pump is working, easy to check. Disconnect the hot lead from the fuel pump and put power directly to it for a couple seconds, you should hear it rattle.

windydaboo · 08-07-2012, 12:14 AM

I also forgot to mention that if your gas tank is not above 1/4 tank, it will not run. the fuel pickup for the genny is mounted higher on the gas tank than the engine pickup so the genny can't run your tank dry and leave you stranded. It certainly sounds like a fuel issue. Keep us posted.

Gary RVRoamer · 08-08-2012, 07:45 AM

Most RVs do not have a separate battery for the generator. Typically there will be two batteries for the house (aka AUX) system and one to start the gas engine. The generator will be started from one or the other.

I can't tell for sure in your picture, but it looks as though there are wires from Bat #2 to Bat #3?

wildbill001 · 09-01-2012, 03:12 PM

After much work, I've decided to pull the genset out of the coach to make it easier to work on. (Yes, still having issues--don't ask.)

On the "front" of the set, the side facing the front of the coach, there is virtual no room to get my hand in there to get at the 4 bolts holding the tray to the coach. On that side there is also no access from underneath. How the heck do folks get at those bolts? It looks like I will have to cobble together some 1/2" wrench to a piece of steel flat or something to be able to at least reach in there.

Open to any and all suggestions.

Bill W

wildbill001 · 09-12-2012, 02:28 PM

FINALLY got a new starter and am ready to get back to troubleshooting this onan (FedEx lost the first replacement.

UPS got the 2nd to me

).

SO, I want to drop/remove the genset from the coach. Anyone have any tricks, hints, etc. as to how to access the bolts on the "front" part of the generator? The part where there is no room to get your hand in there but needs a 1/2" wrench?

wildbill001 · 09-17-2012, 07:51 AM

Just a quick update: Turns out the nuts are welded/attached to the "tray" that holds the generator in the gen bay so no need to design a special wrench to reach them.

With the help of a cheap floor jack and several pieces of 4x4s and my son, got the gen out of the bay so I can work on it. First thing I did was to take the top shroud off. Good thing as there was a big abandoned mouse next stuffed in there next to the governor linkage. That's as far as I got when it started raining....

Tha_Rooster · 09-21-2012, 01:12 PM

How low did he let the fuel get below 1/4 of a tank it may have just run out of gas. On your model do you hold the off button to prime.

wildbill001 · 09-21-2012, 01:22 PM

Nah, gauge is still showing 1/2 tank. So unless a previous owner messed with it, that wasn't it.

At this point I think the stoppage was caused by overheating. The temp the day of the test drive was well over 100 (probably 110 or so). I did find more insulation packed in around the fins of the cylinder heads once I got it on the ground and could get a good look at it. As for the 1st replacement starter, that pretty much self-destructed

As far as I can tell, it was just due to poor design/rebuild. Putting in yet another starter today/tomorrow (from a different vendor). Should know the results soon.