Generator

[rvten]

Played with my Gen. today.
Runs good on carb cleaner being sprayed into it.
To keep it running.

Used up a can. Need to get some more.

[twinboat]

Originally Posted by rvten

Played with my Gen. today.
Runs good on carb cleaner being sprayed into it.
To keep it running.

Used up a can. Need to get some more.

The problem with spraying it in the air intake is its not getting to the passages that the gas flows thru.

You will need a strong mix of gas and cleaner, in a gas can, to run thru the gas line and carb.

[Unplanned Tourist]

It seems that I removed and cleaned at least one of my fellow RVer's carbs from their genset every year for 5+ years until I got them convinced to use fuel stabilizer and also run the genset every month or so for 20 -30 minutes. Happened every spring on our first trip out together!
Now that they have learned to exercise the gensets, it's a much more relaxing first trip, but now I have to buy my own scotch!!!
I'll bet it's some residue from evaporated "gasohol" stuck in the jets. Easy fix, but time consuming so if you are paying a large hourly rate, a new carb will likely be cheaper.
Good Luck.

[twinboat]

I store my MH twice a year, using it a month or two, while I snowbird.

I remove the gas line, before the fuel pump, start up the genset and run it out of gas.

7 times so far and absolutely no problems.

If you run the gas out, you don't need to treat it.

[Navy80to04]

If it were bad carb, the spray in the carb would make anything run without fuel, but without spark it will not run. And the two post right after the first post. Please read the post before saying gas or diesel. He put gas and model # in his first post.

[Hit_the_Rhod]

Originally Posted by Navy80to04

If it were bad carb, the spray in the carb would make anything run without fuel, but without spark it will not run. And the two post right after the first post. Please read the post before saying gas or diesel. He put gas and model # in his first post.

Actually, he didn't initially post the model and type of fuel! Only after post 2 and 3 were added did the OP go back and edit his original post per our suggestions! No way you could have known that unless you had been there when the original post was made though . . .

[4x4van]

Local RV service center, who is considered a Onan guru, doesn't even bother trying to clean/rebuild Onan carbs. He said it takes at least 2-3 hours of labor and even then had only a 50/50 chance of solving the issue. For less time and money, he just replaces the carb. I had a bad main needle on my Onan once, and was looking for parts for it. He pulled 2 big boxes of old Onan carbs off the shelf and dig thru them. Gave me 3 matching carbs for parts that I was able to use to get mine going.

[NewMarMan]

I just got my generator fix the Carb was dirty the tech remove it and clean it up and check other things and it is running smooth. Now I scheduled a monthly run test with a load.

[Busskipper]

Originally Posted by NewMarMan

I just got my generator fix the Carb was dirty the tech remove it and clean it up and check other things and it is running smooth. Now I scheduled a monthly run test with a load.

Don't forget to Use Fuel stabilizer,

The Disadvantages of Gasohol, are many - so don't let it SIT.



...

......

[harryn]

Originally Posted by Busskipper

Don't forget to Use Fuel stabilizer,

The Disadvantages of Gasohol, are many - so don't let it SIT.



...

......

I am not sure about the gasoline that you have access to, but in CA much of it has additional oxygenates beyond just ethanol. In any event, it is fairly unstable stuff - good for 1 - 2 months max before it gums things up.

It turns out that honda motors are particularly sensitive to oxygenates and have something in the fuel system that causes it to catalyze.

It wasn't until I switch our lawn mower over to "canned" gasoline without oxygenates that the honda no longer needed to have the carb rebuilt 3x per year.

Fuel stabilizers did not help in our case at all, and I tried a couple of different brands.

[William Ebs]

Originally Posted by NewMarMan

I know I made a big mistake by not using the generator more often, but I can not start the generator it just crank after being in stored for a while. The generator is gas, the model is Onan QC 4000 with 37 hours on it. I do have a full tank of gas. I did not replaced anything on it yet. I did an error code and if i did it correct it 36. Any help. Thank you

Answer. I learned to let it run, until its out of gas, after turning off a shutoff valve I installed in the gen gas line. So the carb is dry before storing. Install a simple cutoff valve for the next time - as you fix this problem.

[jim5554]

Originally Posted by William Ebs

Answer. I learned to let it run, until its out of gas, after turning off a shutoff valve I installed in the gen gas line. So the carb is dry before storing. Install a simple cutoff valve for the next time - as you fix this problem.

Good advice. I do that with all my other gas engines that are used infrequently and I never have a problem. The only thing I do for them that's different is that I also drain and seal their tanks. You can't do that with a MH. For that I fill the tank to the top to stop condensation and I use a double dose of Stabil Blue. Works for me.

[Ritchieg]

Originally Posted by lm17

I did a video on this with seafoam. It has step by step directions. I would first make sure your fuel pump is delivering fuel.
https://youtu.be/355iwj83LqI

Great video. Thanks

[MarylandMatt]

How often should this clean out procedure be done? Once a year at the end of the year or more often?

Thanks.