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08-17-2012, 11:19 PM
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#1
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Member
Join Date: Jul 2012
Posts: 86
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Generator life span
Just out of curiousity, how long does a generator usually last before the engine needs rebuilt? I have 639 hours on ours and a full load run for 8 hours will consume a quart of oil, seems high to me.
I just put a new carb on it and did a tune up also, this unit is an 89 emerald III.
By the way, my new carb ran a whole three days before it started severly flooding out, I pulled the float bowl off and discovered the float assembly was too tight, the fuel was rising but the float was not. I filed the edges down to make it flop easier and now it works great.
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08-17-2012, 11:51 PM
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#2
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Senior Member
Vintage RV Owners Club Fleetwood Owners Club
Join Date: Jun 2009
Location: Somewhere in the woods in Belfair, WA, WA
Posts: 1,250
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Whoa, a quart in 8 hours?!! Well, at least you'll never have to worry about changing the oil
I think you need new rings, my friend. A gennie with 600 hrs is hardly at the end of its lifespan.
__________________
Life rocks when your house rolls
Senior Chief & the Cheese Queen
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08-18-2012, 01:11 AM
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#3
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Senior Member
Solo Rvers Club
Join Date: Oct 2007
Location: Zigzag, OR
Posts: 1,063
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Decades.
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'07 Itasca 35L/W22 FULL-TIMING
1000 Trails - VFW - 5 Yrs Army
"NOT ALL WHO WANDER ARE LOST"
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08-18-2012, 01:58 AM
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#4
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Senior Member
Fleetwood Owners Club Solo Rvers Club
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: S Western Indiana
Posts: 830
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We have no idea how many ours is on ours. We had the radiator flushed on it and it had been running fine.
After that it quit, found out the waterpump metal piece had sheared. That burned up the alternator so they put a rebuilt waterpump in and a new alternator and a belt of course. Hubby is going a hour meter on it.
Went to Indiana and back on first trip, ran it all day long while driving many hours and it never used any. So glad that happened at the mechanic instead of on a trip or that would be miserable.
I would hate to think it used a quart every 8 hours, wow.
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08-18-2012, 06:55 AM
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#5
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Senior Member
Newmar Owners Club Workhorse Chassis Owner Spartan Chassis
Join Date: May 2010
Location: McAlester Ok
Posts: 2,057
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The truth about generator life I would expect to relate to a couple of questions. What brand and type. If it is a name brand like Onan, it's life will be a lot different than one of those cheap knock off units made in a third world country and sold thru mail order for a low price. Secondly, like anything else it has to do with how well it has been taken care of, from oil change, maintenance, application, etc.
__________________
2007 Newmar KSDP. 3912
2010 Nissan Frontier SE
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08-18-2012, 07:02 AM
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#6
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Senior Member
Newmar Owners Club Freightliner Owners Club
Join Date: Jul 2012
Posts: 231
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Quote:
Originally Posted by DGBPokes
The truth about generator life I would expect to relate to a couple of questions. What brand and type. If it is a name brand like Onan, it's life will be a lot different than one of those cheap knock off units made in a third world country and sold thru mail order for a low price. Secondly, like anything else it has to do with how well it has been taken care of, from oil change, maintenance, application, etc.
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Hate to say this but disagree . Made in America means a whole new thing these days. ( I'm not going to ague it here )
I have a made in China BIG wood chipper than is going and going and still going.
In fact many things you think are made in America are just re-stamped made in china stuff with the case or housing made in America and even then the case or housing is messed up or defective .
YMMV
__________________
2011 Newmar Ventana with COMFORT DRIVE
2011 Jeep Wrangler with Blue Ox tow bars Roadmaster attachments
Charter Lifetime Member Good Sam Club FMCA/KOA/ Newmar Kountry Klub
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08-18-2012, 07:21 AM
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#7
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Senior Member
Ford Super Duty Owner
Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: Mcdonough, Ga.
Posts: 5,926
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When I went to the Onan factory school, they said the design life of the generator was ten thousand hours. According to Onan the number one reason for oil usage is shutting down the generator without letting it cool down. The load should be removed from the generator and the generator should be run about five minutes to cool down before shutting it down. If the the generator is shut down under load without being cooled down, You will have a dry start and the cylinder walls will scuff and cause oil usage.
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1998 Pace Arrow 35 ft. F53 Ford V10 2014 Honda CRV toad
32 years mechanic at Delta Air Lines 15 year motorhome service manager. 3 popups....2 travel trailers....5 motorhomes....loved them all.
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08-18-2012, 08:20 AM
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#8
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Senior Member
Damon Owners Club Workhorse Chassis Owner
Join Date: Mar 2009
Posts: 24,024
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There are many things that affect the life of a genrator.. I have seen them last 10-20-30 more years than I have lived (over 60) years and still going strong with proper care and feeding and regular exercise
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Home is where I park it!
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08-18-2012, 10:02 AM
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#9
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Senior Member
Fleetwood Owners Club American Coach Owners Club
Join Date: Mar 2011
Posts: 6,754
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Quote:
Originally Posted by steelheadbluesman
Decades.
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Agree...if it's a diesel.
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2014 American Eagle 45T
DD 13, 500 HP
Pulling a Honda CRV
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08-18-2012, 10:29 AM
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#10
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Member
Join Date: Jul 2012
Posts: 86
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Quote:
Originally Posted by ga traveler
When I went to the Onan factory school, they said the design life of the generator was ten thousand hours. According to Onan the number one reason for oil usage is shutting down the generator without letting it cool down. The load should be removed from the generator and the generator should be run about five minutes to cool down before shutting it down. If the the generator is shut down under load without being cooled down, You will have a dry start and the cylinder walls will scuff and cause oil usage.
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I have to say that mine was probably not very well cared for. I've been removing the load and letting it cool before shutdown but I think the damage was already done by the previous owner, sad really considering the price of a new one.
I ran into a lot of little surprises on this coach after I bought it, all do to lack of maintenance or interest.
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08-18-2012, 11:24 AM
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#11
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Senior Member
Newmar Owners Club Freightliner Owners Club
Join Date: Mar 2012
Location: Weston, Fl.
Posts: 916
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I myself would try a little marvel mystery oil in the crankcase. If you have rings that are not seating well due to lack of use, it might help. A generator with 600 or so hours should not be shot already. Give the marvel mystery oil a try. Nothing to lose except 6 bucks.
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2003 Newmar Kountry Star 3905, Freightliner XC chassis with CAT 330. Winnie the black lab, pretty Airbus captain wife, retired airline pilot with 11 grandkids. UH-1 pilot (Huey) U.S. Army 1967-1983. RVN 68-69. Northern Idaho my summer home.
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08-18-2012, 11:30 AM
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#12
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: Okanagan valley British Columbia
Posts: 707
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Your last post is revealing. I wonder if the previous owner ever changed the oil or air filter. At 600 hours it should be nicely broken in, not used up.
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08-18-2012, 11:56 AM
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#13
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Member
Join Date: Jul 2012
Posts: 86
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Quote:
Originally Posted by calhyatt
I myself would try a little marvel mystery oil in the crankcase. If you have rings that are not seating well due to lack of use, it might help. A generator with 600 or so hours should not be shot already. Give the marvel mystery oil a try. Nothing to lose except 6 bucks.
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Thank you, I'll try that. My cousin in law owns a machine shop and builds quite a few motors for the air cooled legends cars, I dont see why he couldnt rebuild this thing for me in the future.
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08-18-2012, 11:58 AM
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#14
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Member
Join Date: Jul 2012
Posts: 86
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Quote:
Originally Posted by RoyM
Your last post is revealing. I wonder if the previous owner ever changed the oil or air filter. At 600 hours it should be nicely broken in, not used up.
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Probably didnt do a thing to it.
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