Onan carb cleaner

The friendliest place on the web for anyone with an RV or an interest in RVing!
If you have answers, please help by responding to the unanswered posts.

Mosagra

Well-known member
Joined
Aug 3, 2013
Posts
192
Newbie here again, Onan Emerald Plus 5000 generator on my 99 Itasca Suncriuser needs some work.  I'm starting with changing oil,  Oil filter, air filter, fuel filter and cleaning the carb. The YouTube videos talk about using 4C , an Onan product.

Can I assume that regular carb cleaner from the auto parts store is similar and/ or fine for basic carb cleaning ie spraying in there, without removing the carb?

Really appreciate this forum.
 
A carb cleaner spray won't do much good - what gets gunked up are carburetor's small internal passages and the metering jets.  A spray won't get in there - it just cleans gunk off of the external parts and linkages.

The most effective internal cleaner is Sea Foam, added to a couple of gallons of fuel and run through the generator.  The name comes from it's original use to clean outboard boat motor carburetors when they come out of winter storage.  You'd have to use a lot of Sea Foam to get an effective concentration in the large main tank, so it would be better to get a smaller container of fuel, dose it appropriately and run the generator's fuel suction line into it.
 
Thanks, will look locally today and order if I can't find it.

But don't the carb sprays help even a little?  This one seems really bunked up.
 
Then it needs pulled apart and cleaned. Almost any carb cleaner will do the job of cleaning when  the carb is apart. I use good ole Walmart carb cleaner, works good and is at a pretty good price. When pulling the carb apart becareful and lay the pieces in order so they can be put back in the correct order. Good luck
 
Spraying the carb cleaner into the air intake might get it to the internal passages where the gunk builds up, but I wouldn't bet on it. Doesn't hurt to try, though. However, the better plan is to disassemble, soak the parts in carb cleaner (any brand), and maybe install a carb rebuild kit if they offer one.  Many shops just replace the carb on an Onan, but that can get expensive. OTOH, shop labor is expensive too.
 

Members online

Forum statistics

Threads
131,753
Posts
1,384,359
Members
137,524
Latest member
freetoroam
Back
Top Bottom