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09-17-2017, 04:38 PM
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#1
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Junior Member
Monaco Owners Club
Join Date: May 2017
Posts: 25
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Onan generator 5500 smokes going up steep inclines
We had our geni full-serviced a few weeks ago and hubby has changed the oil once since then recently. Last week, we were driving up through the Rockies and smelled a lot exhaust smell. Pulled off at the rest area and the geni was pumping out white smoke. Turned it off immediately and kept driving to our destination. Did some research the next day and discovered hubby put the wrong oil in it (diesel formula instead of regular 10w-30). Oops. Changed the oil immediately and ran a whole new quart through to capture any residue. Also changed the oil filter. Started it and it pumped out while smoke for 2 minutes and then cleared up. However, in the next set of serious inclines, we smelled the exhaust smell again and it was pumping out white smoke. We turned it off again. It runs fine on level highway. We are perplexed. Any thoughts about generators and steep inclines?
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Angie S.
Owner of an '06 Monaco Cayman and an '05 Chevy Tracker Toad. Follow our adventures at YukonandBean.com.
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09-17-2017, 04:46 PM
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#2
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Senior Member
Holiday Rambler Owners Club
Join Date: Aug 2010
Posts: 9,746
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Maybe overfilled.
Diesel oil shouldn't have any effect.
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Ben & Sharon
2008 43' Holiday Rambler Scepter PDQ
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09-17-2017, 06:33 PM
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#3
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Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2010
Posts: 4,515
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On our Essex with a 12.5 Onan gen. when it runs above 8K feet it runs very rough and blows white smoke out exhaust. Anything below 6K feet runs great.
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09-20-2017, 09:59 AM
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#4
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Member
Join Date: Jul 2017
Location: full timing the USA
Posts: 88
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Quote:
Originally Posted by 96 Wideglide
Maybe overfilled.
Diesel oil shouldn't have any effect.
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Agreed... nothing wrong with diesel oil. I run 15/40 Rotella T in my 5500 onan with no issues at all.
I also run the 15/40 Rotella T in all my cars, motor homes, mower, wood splitter, tractor, and motorcycle.
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There's No straight lines make up my life, And all my roads have bends. There's no clear-cut beginnings,
And so far no dead-ends.
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09-20-2017, 10:28 AM
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#5
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Senior Member
Join Date: Feb 2017
Location: Denver, CO
Posts: 1,527
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Quote:
Originally Posted by tom chelbana
On our Essex with a 12.5 Onan gen. when it runs above 8K feet it runs very rough and blows white smoke out exhaust. Anything below 6K feet runs great.
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My Onan 4K has an altitude adjustment knob. Would that being set wrong Cause what you're experiencing?
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09-20-2017, 10:39 PM
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#6
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Junior Member
Monaco Owners Club
Join Date: May 2017
Posts: 25
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Quote:
Originally Posted by tom chelbana
On our Essex with a 12.5 Onan gen. when it runs above 8K feet it runs very rough and blows white smoke out exhaust. Anything below 6K feet runs great.
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That's our issue precisely.
__________________
Angie S.
Owner of an '06 Monaco Cayman and an '05 Chevy Tracker Toad. Follow our adventures at YukonandBean.com.
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09-20-2017, 10:40 PM
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#7
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Junior Member
Monaco Owners Club
Join Date: May 2017
Posts: 25
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Quote:
Originally Posted by mat
Agreed... nothing wrong with diesel oil. I run 15/40 Rotella T in my 5500 onan with no issues at all.
I also run the 15/40 Rotella T in all my cars, motor homes, mower, wood splitter, tractor, and motorcycle.
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Very good to know - thanks!!!
__________________
Angie S.
Owner of an '06 Monaco Cayman and an '05 Chevy Tracker Toad. Follow our adventures at YukonandBean.com.
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09-20-2017, 10:40 PM
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#8
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Junior Member
Monaco Owners Club
Join Date: May 2017
Posts: 25
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Quote:
Originally Posted by BirchyBoy
My Onan 4K has an altitude adjustment knob. Would that being set wrong Cause what you're experiencing?
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Really? I do not know if ours has one but we will look. Thank you for the tip!
__________________
Angie S.
Owner of an '06 Monaco Cayman and an '05 Chevy Tracker Toad. Follow our adventures at YukonandBean.com.
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09-21-2017, 07:27 AM
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#9
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Member
Join Date: Jul 2017
Location: full timing the USA
Posts: 88
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I'm not sure about the altitude adjustment deal. I went out west this summer and I went from El Centro (below sea level), to the Devils highway (191) and an altitude of 9,370 ft. and was running the generator the whole time. Never had any issue's and never had to touch the altitude adjustment knob.
By the way, taking a class A with a 20' trailer up old "666" highway is not for the faint of heart. Not something I would do a second time for sure.
__________________
There's No straight lines make up my life, And all my roads have bends. There's no clear-cut beginnings,
And so far no dead-ends.
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09-21-2017, 07:49 AM
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#10
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2014
Posts: 35,413
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As you climp above sea level, there is less oxygen in the air.
Climp high enough and it causes the engine to run gas rich, causing rough running and black smoke.
White smoke is oil burning. There could be two reasons.
1, The oil is pooling near one of the cylinders and working past the rings. Not likely.
2, The oil is pooling near the crankshaft, camshaft or governor and being thrown up towards the crankcase breather, which goes to the air filter box.
Stop when it's smoking, open the air filter, and see if oil is laying behind the filter. If it is, I have read something about a recall and fix for some generators that do this. I don't recall the post, so the search is on you.
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09-22-2017, 01:18 AM
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#11
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jun 2016
Posts: 113
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Rotella T6 - the do everything oil =)
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09-22-2017, 01:13 PM
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#12
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Senior Member
Tiffin Owners Club
Join Date: Aug 2016
Location: Bastrop Texas
Posts: 1,343
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White smoke in a diesel exhaust can mean water getting into the combustion chamber. Hope that is not your problem. Take a look at you coolant.
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2000 Allegro Bus 35R 3126 Cat 300 Allison 3060MD 6 speed
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