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Kahoona · 09-04-2021, 09:47 AM

We have an Onan Cummins Diesel HDKAK 8K generator. It shuts down and gives the 2 flash fault for oil pressure loss. It was not low on oil and if anything was a little bit too full but had run with this level for several months without a problem.

I changed the filter (and oil) hoping that it was a plugged or defective filter. I couldn't get the Onan but I did get one that had pass through valve in case of clogging. I started it and we watched the pressure climb. We were just beginning the dance of joy when it quit.

I does start and runs for anywhere from 30 seconds to a few minutes but always shuts down with a 2 blink code showing. We have a oil pressure gauge on the dash. When it runs for long enough to get a reading it will begin to read pressure in a unsteady wavering manner but within a minute or so it will center and give a solid 50psi until it drops and the engine quits. I suspect that this would tell me something if I knew.

Sounds like the pump or the oil pressure sensor but could it be in the wiring? Does anyone have any experience with this? We are in the Outer banks at a no hookup campground and the nearest Onan place is over a hundred miles away if we can even get an appointment.

Kahoona · 09-05-2021, 12:03 PM

Update:
We drove 130mi to get to an RV tech who said he had seen this before and knew how to fix it. He pulled out a connector (labeled "A" in the service manual page 89) and sprayed cleaner into it then blew it out. When he did that and reconnected it the control panel (shown) began working except for the start button. The Start button on the dash also started working so we were fine. It ran for fifteen minutes and seemed fine. At that time it was not under load because we were in a campground hooked up.

On the way back it quit running with a no oil code. 2 blinks. Level one. We had plenty of oil. We tried changing the oil filter. Still same. We cleaned that connector more and got a fluctuating oil pressure on the gauge. Sometimes fluctuating, sometimes solid at 50PSI sometimes none. The generator starts and runs for a while. Once in a while it shoes a low oil fault but usually it does not. It does not matter whether the connector is connected or not. How long it runs is random. Now what? I think the pump is fine. There is oil to the full mark. I might consider a bad sensor but I doubt it. Anybody been here before?

Kahoona · 09-14-2021, 12:01 PM

OK....Nobody seems to know anything at all about these. I have tried some electrical tracing and removed and cleaned up the connectors with no luck. Have to go to a Onan dealer over a hundred miles from here but it might be a month before they can look at it. Glad we have 500w of solar and good batteries. I will post when we find out what it is.

bs077331 · 12-01-2024, 09:52 AM

Just following up and hoping you can share the solution to your generator quitting issue.

Brian

Kahoona · 12-02-2024, 09:39 AM

Sorry I forgot to share the solution. We called the nearest Cummins dealer about an hour away who agreed to call us when there was an opening. We bought a small portable generator to keep us charged. THey called after a couple of weeks and we went there. We rented a campground spot to stay in at night and we spent the days at the dealer waiting our turn. We got a quote of $900 + to remove the generator and give an estimate if we brought it back the next day. The next day they dropped the generator and gave an estimate of $2100.00. The problem was a oil pressure sensor ($49.00). The reason that we did not see this on the gauge was because of the way it read electronically so we would see pressure then shut down. The pressure was fine. They changed it and reinstalled the generator and we were on our way.

d23haynes57 · 12-02-2024, 09:50 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kahoona

Sorry I forgot to share the solution. We called the nearest Cummins dealer about an hour away who agreed to call us when there was an opening. We bought a small portable generator to keep us charged. THey called after a couple of weeks and we went there. We rented a campground spot to stay in at night and we spent the days at the dealer waiting our turn. We got a quote of $900 + to remove the generator and give an estimate if we brought it back the next day. The next day they dropped the generator and gave an estimate of $2100.00. The problem was a oil pressure sensor ($49.00). The reason that we did not see this on the gauge was because of the way it read electronically so we would see pressure then shut down. The pressure was fine. They changed it and reinstalled the generator and we were on our way.

Amazing that you have gauges so you can really see what is going on. I suspect a bad switch or the controller since the gauges are confirming proper oil pressure. BTW I had an 04 Tropi-Cal T396. I miss it.

Kahoona · 12-03-2024, 08:01 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by d23haynes57

Amazing that you have gauges so you can really see what is going on. I suspect a bad switch or the controller since the gauges are confirming proper oil pressure. BTW I had an 04 Tropi-Cal T396. I miss it.

Yes. We have an optional panel with Temp, Oil, Voltage and a second on/off switch. That second switch comes in handy when the regular one fails or shakes a wire loose. In this case though the oil pressure gauge only reads 50 or 0 because of the way that the sensor works. It reads either sufficient pressure or insufficient pressure which is translated as 0 or 50. The brain of the generator then reacts as either shut down or run. This happened 2 years ago and we have had no problems since. When these sensors work it is great. Any one of the temp, oil, output voltage or a dozen other things that does not read the expected quantity makes the generator shut down and not damage itself. Many folks do not check the fluids. These do use a little oil and cool and and can run low if not checked. You just can run low and damage it because it just stops.