Community Forums

Rolly Zimmer · 11-11-2013, 02:41 PM

Good day I have never started my Onan in -20 C weather.. Is this an issue at that temp.. Do I have to be patient with the switch taking longer to fire up the Gen Set. I have 2006 Camelot, heading out to Florida , Jan 1/14 when wife retires and expect a couple of cold days getting out of Sask. Canada. with a stop in Denver. Thanks and look forward to your comments.

ROLLY

nodine · 11-11-2013, 03:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rolly Zimmer

Good day I have never started my Onan in -20 C weather.. Is this an issue at that temp.. Do I have to be patient with the switch taking longer to fire up the Gen Set. I have 2006 Camelot, heading out to Florida , Jan 1/14 when wife retires and expect a couple of cold days getting out of Sask. Canada. with a stop in Denver. Thanks and look forward to your comments.

ROLLY

I believe the Onan 8K uses glow plugs and at -20 C it will take a few tries to get her started. When you push the start button and hold it down the light in the switch will flash to indicate the glow plugs are heating. If it fails to start repeat that several times until it fires up. It will take awhile for the engine to warm in weather that cold. In fact the first time the load is applied it make shut down a require a restart.

By the way, make sure the batteries are well charges up.

Good luck,

Bob

Mike Canter · 11-11-2013, 05:38 PM

Rolly. It maybe too cold for you to do it now but when I moved up here to Maine last winter I switched my generator oil to Shell Rotella synthetic oil for diesels. The big problem in temps that cold is getting oil circulation as soon as the engine fires. Most likely the oil pressure protection circuit will kick in with regular oil and it will shut right down. I believe your Onan operators manual calls for 5W30 for temps that go below 0 degrees. Maybe you should use Mobil 1 5W30 oil. That will cover up to temps of 50 degrees. I have been to some places in the Navy with a mobile command center that was powered by Onan diesel generators and we were at -25 to -30 F actuals and we switched to Mobil 1. At -20 regular 30 weight oil does not flow and you can stand a screwdriver up in a cup of it

Mike Canter · 11-11-2013, 08:21 PM

Forgot, the colder it is the longer you have to hold the start button until the starter spins up

Barlow46 · 11-11-2013, 10:03 PM

Rolly,
If you have electricity from another source, stick a couple of 60W trouble lites inside the generator cover and plug them in overnight. Might help to get you going. I carry a couple of spare trouble lights with me all the time, just in case I can't get aqua hot going in the cold.

larry koenn · 11-12-2013, 01:28 PM

I was told, but I can't remember when, not to cycle glow plugs more than a couple of times too quickly, or it could burn them up. Try a couple of times and then wait a minute. I don't know but it's the way I do it.

-20 C is -4 F so that is a bit chilly. I don't think I've tried to start my 7.5 quite that cold.

Mile, Delo is also making a Diesel Synthetic Oil now. 5W40. I changed the gen oil before we left Alaska this fall. It was around 50 F and it poured like water at that temp.

Mike Canter · 11-12-2013, 01:38 PM

Thanks the Shell Rotella T6 synthetic is 5W40 also. The Delo is great oil but I have always used the Rotella. I did go out in -10 F last year and started the generator and it did fire up ok. Took it a long time to smooth out.

Rolly Zimmer · 11-12-2013, 06:10 PM

Thanks for all the input fellow RV'ers. Much appreciated. Yes it is a little late to change the oil. Oh well hopefully the weather will be warmer when we go or may have to Motel till we hit the warmer temps. LOL

Rolly