Generator leaking antifreeze

[Bill2]

Hello,
I have a 06 Endeavor with the 8kw onan diesel generator. First the antifreeze tank seems to be leaking from the top under the fill cap or at least beside or under the cap. I can't see the leak but when I fill the reservoir it leaks until it gets down to a level below the leak and quits. I have run the gen set for several hours and it don't get hot. I am wondering if I could put some of the stop leak in the tank to fill the leak or if that is a no-no?
The second thing is starting yesterday the gen set won't start from inside the coach. It will start from the switch on the gen set. It will shut off inside the coach. I tried to clean the big wiring harnes on the passenger side of the generator that connects to the inside starters but it still won't start from inside. Any other suggestions?

[Perry White]

You sure you aren't filling it too full? Level shouldn't get close to the fill cap, or is there a seperate overflow tank. Sounds like a bad switch or a bad ground inside.

[Mike Canter]

Bill on the backside of that tank inside the generator is vent line and if you overfill it it will come out of that vent line. That tank is NOT pressurized. Take a close look at the tank for the vent line and see if that is the level it is dropping down to.

[Cottons]

The oil fill tube runs through the antifreeze recovery/expansion tank. Over time the steel pipe stress the plastic and cracks the tank. Apparently Onan is aware of this; the new tank has a different part number than the old one. I paid about $135.00 for a new tank and it took me an hour and a half to replace. Most of that time was spent removing and installing the two dozen screws in the top cover on the generator. Other than that, it was a very easy job.

My Monaco PDQ has two inside start switches; one on the dash and the other at the master control panel. Are you saying that your generator will not start from either switch?

[Bill2]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cottons The oil fill tube runs through the antifreeze recovery/expansion tank. Over time the steel pipe stress the plastic and cracks the tank. Apparently Onan is aware of this; the new tank has a different part number than the old one. I paid about $135.00 for a new tank and it took me an hour and a half to replace. Most of that time was spent removing and installing the two dozen screws in the top cover on the generator. Other than that, it was a very easy job. My Monaco PDQ has two inside start switches; one on the dash and the other at the master control panel. Are you saying that your generator will not start from either switch?

That is correct, it won't start from either of the inside switches. Thanks for the info on the tank.

[onechaddude]

my 07 neptune with 8kw onan also had same problem with antifreeze leaking. Upon inspection my storage tank was cracked underneath where the fitting went out to the radiator cap. Ordered new tank and is different design that bshould eliminate the problem.

[Bill2]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bill2 Hello, I have a 06 Endeavor with the 8kw onan diesel generator. First the antifreeze tank seems to be leaking from the top under the fill cap or at least beside or under the cap. I can't see the leak but when I fill the reservoir it leaks until it gets down to a level below the leak and quits. I have run the gen set for several hours and it don't get hot. I am wondering if I could put some of the stop leak in the tank to fill the leak or if that is a no-no? The second thing is starting yesterday the gen set won't start from inside the coach. It will start from the switch on the gen set. It will shut off inside the coach. I tried to clean the big wiring harnes on the passenger side of the generator that connects to the inside starters but it still won't start from inside. Any other suggestions?

Just a follow up on the starting of the gen set. I traced the strain of wires that run from the passenger side of the front of the generator to behind the generator and on. I found another connector about 4 ft. behind the generator that has 4 wires running through it. One of the wires had slipped out of the connector. I couldn't find another connector like the one that was there so I just by-passed the one wire that had slipped out and wa-la, everything works great now. Still not sure about the antifreeze thing yet but think maybe I was filling the tank too full.

[promine]

I have replaced the plastic coolant tank on both of my Onan gen sets. They crack in the mounting screws from being over tightened during instalation.