Journey with Confidence RV GPS App RV Trip Planner RV LIFE Campground Reviews RV Maintenance Take a Speed Test Free 7 Day Trial ×
RV Trip Planning Discussions

Go Back   iRV2 Forums > MOTORHOME FORUMS > Class C Motorhome Discussions
Click Here to Login
Join iRV2 Today

Mission Statement: Supporting thoughtful exchange of knowledge, values and experience among RV enthusiasts.
Reply
  This discussion is proudly sponsored by:
Please support our sponsors and let them know you heard about their products on iRV2
 
Thread Tools Search this Thread Display Modes
 
Old 04-29-2019, 02:27 PM   #1
Junior Member
 
Join Date: Apr 2019
Posts: 3
Stumped by my Onan 4000 Generator Shutoff Issue

I have a Class C 2008 Coachmen Freedom Express. I bought it 6 months ago from a 1-owner older couple that took great care of it and kept meticulous maintenance records. I use it some for myself and some to rent out on the side.

Renting it out has gone well, and it stays busy and well taken care of, but there has been one occurring issue with the generator. Renters have consistently been saying that the generator will shut off on its own after 20 minutes. I replaced the carb, and the oil and fuel pump/filter is good. Twice now I've brought it into my repair guy (super honest, well-respected shop), and it shows no issues for him. It'll run for hours with him, with things turned on, and never shut off on its own. He won't even charge me! And then again, I rent it out and the renters say exactly what the last renters said - it consistently shuts off on its own after 20 minutes. Full tank, not parked on an incline, not in high elevation. Then I tested it myself at my home on the same tank of gas. I turned on the fridge and A/C on blast and ran the generator for 3-4 hours with no issues or shutting off. This was the day after the renter had this issue.

Any ideas what this could be?
magyar47 is offline   Reply With Quote
Join the #1 RV Forum Today - It's Totally Free!

iRV2.com RV Community - Are you about to start a new improvement on your RV or need some help with some maintenance? Do you need advice on what products to buy? Or maybe you can give others some advice? No matter where you fit in you'll find that iRV2 is a great community to join. Best of all it's totally FREE!

You are currently viewing our boards as a guest so you have limited access to our community. Please take the time to register and you will gain a lot of great new features including; the ability to participate in discussions, network with other RV owners, see fewer ads, upload photographs, create an RV blog, send private messages and so much, much more!

Old 04-29-2019, 02:34 PM   #2
Senior Member
 
Winterbagoal's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2017
Location: Sarnialabad, Peoples Republik of Canuckistan
Posts: 2,223
Are you refunding some or all of their rental fees because of the reported "generator problem"?

Maybe it's some clever renters reporting a problem to get a refund/rebate?
If you nor your go to mechanic can't recreate the problem, I'd be suspicious of renter collusion.
__________________
2018 (2017 Sprinter Cab Chassis) Navion24V + 2016 Wrangler JKU (sold @ ????) - 2016 Sunstar 26HE (sold @ 4600 miles) - 2002 Roadtrek C190P (sold @ 315,000kms)
Winterbagoal is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 04-29-2019, 02:46 PM   #3
Junior Member
 
Join Date: Apr 2019
Posts: 3
Although I do love a good conspiracy, I am confident this is not the case. The renters don't know one another in any way, and are not asking for partial refunds. When a renter takes it out that will be on a pad site the whole time, AKA, no need to use the generator, I get no complaints whatsoever. But if they use the generator, I have been getting this complaint about every time.
magyar47 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 04-29-2019, 02:54 PM   #4
Senior Member
 
Winterbagoal's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2017
Location: Sarnialabad, Peoples Republik of Canuckistan
Posts: 2,223
In that case, what things can stall a generator? Starved of air or fuel, wires shorting inside casing, and the usual overloaded, low oil shutoff, high temperature, inadvertent manual shutdown with on/off/remote start switches, tripped breakers/fuses, and a few other random error coded failures. I don't suppose anyone has been savvy enough to check the error code lights, if there are any, inside the case, or at the panel, if it has one?
__________________
2018 (2017 Sprinter Cab Chassis) Navion24V + 2016 Wrangler JKU (sold @ ????) - 2016 Sunstar 26HE (sold @ 4600 miles) - 2002 Roadtrek C190P (sold @ 315,000kms)
Winterbagoal is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 04-29-2019, 04:09 PM   #5
Registered User
 
Ford Super Duty Owner
Join Date: Nov 2014
Location: NW Ohio
Posts: 7,114
Verify the oil level and weight.
Overfill it by a pint, and use the next higher weight.


Instruct your renters to open the generator compartment when they run it. This will help with overheating.
Waiter21 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 04-29-2019, 10:55 PM   #6
Senior Member
 
avfordguy's Avatar
 
Monaco Owners Club
Ford Super Duty Owner
Join Date: Dec 2008
Location: Kingsville TX
Posts: 1,754
I ran rental units for about 5 years, first step is question the renter politely find out if it was used for a lunch break, or dry camping, or just so the kids could watch DVD's, then try and verify the complaint with the same conditions as the renter explained. This seems to always pinpoint the problem.
Just my 2 cents worth
avfordguy is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 04-29-2019, 11:37 PM   #7
SLS
Senior Member
 
SLS's Avatar
 
Newmar Owners Club
Join Date: Feb 2017
Location: Aurora, Oregon
Posts: 209
Quote:
Originally Posted by avfordguy View Post
I ran rental units for about 5 years, first step is question the renter politely find out if it was used for a lunch break, or dry camping, or just so the kids could watch DVD's, then try and verify the complaint with the same conditions as the renter explained. This seems to always pinpoint the problem.
Just my 2 cents worth
It could be the tank is not vented properly and/or the vent line is plugged by a full tank of fuel.
I have seen a problem like this when the tank is not vented and after a period of running time it creates a vacuum in the tank and sucks the fuel back out of carb.
It would be interesting to ask the customer(s) if they had a full tank. This would make it easier to plug the vent line and create the vacuum.
Try chasing a venting problem. It maybe just that.

SLS
SLS is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 04-30-2019, 05:36 PM   #8
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Mar 2014
Location: Arkansas
Posts: 303
Makes me wonder what the fuel level is in the tank? Theoretically it should shut off at a quarter of a tank on its own. Some units are higher than that depending on where the Tech placed the fuel line to the RV’s fuel tank. I imagine you are having the renters bring the unit back fully fueled and that could be why your Mechanic and you are not recreating the issue.
Vongreg is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 05-01-2019, 06:47 AM   #9
Senior Member
 
waco kid's Avatar
 
Monaco Owners Club
Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: Apollo Beach FL
Posts: 350
This could explain your issue....
__________________
Bruce and Sandy 2018 Coachmen Leprechaun 26DS Chevy
waco kid is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 05-01-2019, 08:05 PM   #10
Senior Member
 
tap4154's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2019
Posts: 1,951
Interesting that video, that the oil should be just above the fill line, not toward the max. Also wonder what weight oil the OP is using? If he’s using a multi grade maybe his renters are going to an area that’s too hot and the oil gets too thin, not getting enough oil pressure, so the sensor shuts it down? Then when the motorhome is back home in a cooler temp it runs fine. I just changed the oil in mine and decided to go with 30 weight dino Pennzoil. Seems like that’s the weight Onan prefers, and I will usually be in warmer areas, rarely if ever in freezing temps. I don’t see any advantage of running synthetic in a lawn mower engine like this. You’re not gonna leave it in there for many years anyway.
tap4154 is online now   Reply With Quote
Old 05-01-2019, 08:12 PM   #11
Senior Member
 
rarebear.nm's Avatar
 
Excel Owners Club
Winnebago Owners Club
Ford Super Duty Owner
Join Date: Aug 2014
Location: Santa Fe, NM
Posts: 6,788
Not that it solves the problem, but have you logged the generator run hours before and after renting?

I'd also be changing oil to 30 weight or what the manual calls for if different.
__________________
Fred & Denise (RVM157) New Mexico
2007 Excel Classic 30RSO & Coach House 272XL E450
2007 RAM 3500, Diesel, 6Spd Auto, SWD, 4x4, CC & LB
[SIGPIC][/SIGPIC]
rarebear.nm is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 05-07-2019, 10:42 PM   #12
Senior Member
 
Join Date: May 2017
Posts: 265
My guess? They are driving it to wherever they are going and don’t fill the tank before arriving. They’ve used most of the fuel to travel, and are down to around a quarter of a tank. They run the generator for awhile and it kicks off. The rig still starts of course but the generator won’t run if the tank hits a quarter full.
sgpd1sam is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 05-09-2019, 09:38 AM   #13
Junior Member
 
Join Date: Apr 2019
Posts: 3
Quote:
Originally Posted by sgpd1sam View Post
My guess? They are driving it to wherever they are going and don’t fill the tank before arriving. They’ve used most of the fuel to travel, and are down to around a quarter of a tank. They run the generator for awhile and it kicks off. The rig still starts of course but the generator won’t run if the tank hits a quarter full.
I wish it were that easy or simple, but no, that has never been the case. The first questions I ask are if it's parked on an incline and what the fuel level is. That's never been the issue.
magyar47 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 05-09-2019, 09:56 AM   #14
Senior Member
 
George Schweikle's Avatar


 
Join Date: Apr 2004
Posts: 3,777
Ours did essentially the same thing several years ago. I took it to a Cummins Onan shop and the tech and I watched it run with A/C load, then stop. He immediately checked the solid state spark module and it was dead. It functioned until it got hot, then quit. A new module solved the problem - until it had a "failed rotor or stator" problem whereupon I bought a new generator rather than spend a lot of money on an old generator.

Quote:
Originally Posted by magyar47 View Post
I have a Class C 2008 Coachmen Freedom Express. I bought it 6 months ago from a 1-owner older couple that took great care of it and kept meticulous maintenance records. I use it some for myself and some to rent out on the side.

Renting it out has gone well, and it stays busy and well taken care of, but there has been one occurring issue with the generator. Renters have consistently been saying that the generator will shut off on its own after 20 minutes. I replaced the carb, and the oil and fuel pump/filter is good. Twice now I've brought it into my repair guy (super honest, well-respected shop), and it shows no issues for him. It'll run for hours with him, with things turned on, and never shut off on its own. He won't even charge me! And then again, I rent it out and the renters say exactly what the last renters said - it consistently shuts off on its own after 20 minutes. Full tank, not parked on an incline, not in high elevation. Then I tested it myself at my home on the same tank of gas. I turned on the fridge and A/C on blast and ran the generator for 3-4 hours with no issues or shutting off. This was the day after the renter had this issue.

Any ideas what this could be?
__________________
George Schweikle Lexington, KY
2005 Safari (Monaco)Trek 28RB2, Workhorse W20, 8.1, Allison 1000 5 spd, UltraPower engine & tranny, Track bars & sway bars, KONI FSD, FMCA 190830, Safari Int'l. chapter. 1999 Safari Trek 2830, 1995 Safari Trek 2430, 1983 Winnebago Chieftain, 1976 Midas Mini
George Schweikle is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply

Tags
generator, onan



Currently Active Users Viewing This Thread: 1 (0 members and 1 guests)
 
Thread Tools Search this Thread
Search this Thread:

Advanced Search
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are Off
Pingbacks are Off
Refbacks are Off


Similar Threads
Thread Thread Starter Forum Replies Last Post
Onan 4000 / Dometic AC issue DoC808 MH-General Discussions & Problems 39 08-12-2017 10:09 AM
Generator issue - Stumped ZonComGMZ MH-General Discussions & Problems 37 06-08-2017 08:34 PM
Troubleshooting Onan 4000 Issue RaisingCajun Class C Motorhome Discussions 6 10-10-2015 06:24 AM
Stumped as to why Shurflo water pump wont shutoff Solask MH-General Discussions & Problems 31 07-31-2014 08:57 PM
Brake light issue, stumped... smlranger Country Coach Owners Forum 9 06-10-2013 02:00 PM

» Featured Campgrounds

Reviews provided by


All times are GMT -6. The time now is 10:15 AM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.8 Beta 1
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions, Inc.