Onan Generator Stalls

[buffs94]

This is my first RV and I have an Onan 4.0 Genset. I've heard many people have experienced this same situation. I bought my RV used and the generator has only 400 hours on it. The generator ran perfect then all of a sudden one day it would stall after running for a few minutes. I've changed the air filter and cleaned out the fuel filter element. Same thing. Does anyone have any suggestions? I'm sure this has happened to some of you. Thanks!

 

[DonJordan]

This is my first RV and I have an Onan 4.0 Genset. I've heard many people have experienced this same situation. I bought my RV used and the generator has only 400 hours on it. The generator ran perfect then all of a sudden one day it would stall after running for a few minutes. I've changed the air filter and cleaned out the fuel filter element. Same thing. Does anyone have any suggestions? I'm sure this has happened to some of you. Thanks!

It's possible that the carburetor (if it has one) is gunked up and needs to be cleaned thoroughly and possibly have new jet(s) installed.  Or the float may be out of adjustment.  I would recommend that you have a dealer go over the gen-set to check it out.

 

[Dolphin Jockey]

Hi and welcome to the group.

I've changed the air filter and cleaned out the fuel filter element.

Since the RV is used I would suggest replacing the fuel filter.  Personally, I have doubts of the effectiveness of cleaning a fuel filter; instead, I would have changed it had it been me.

More importantly, how much fuel is in your main fuel tank?  An RV's fuel tank will have a separate pick-up in the tank which feeds the generator.  It is located higher up in the tank than the pick-up for the RV's engine.  If your tank fuel level drops to around 1/8 - 1/4 full the generator, in all likelihood, will stop running due to fuel starvation.  There is a good reason for that kind of setup: you really don't want to be out in the boondocks and have your generator empty your fuel tank.  If your fuel tank is more than 1/4 full then I suspect the problem is elsewhere.  There's numerous possibilities: spark plugs breaking down, points burned, capacitor bad, electronic circuit board breaking down under heat.  Etc.

Hope this helps.

 

[rogerpotie]

If it is a LPG generator, did it stall at more or less the same altitude as previously used or did you started it at a higher altitude (let's say 4,000 feet or higher) ?

Roger

 

[buffs94]

Thank you all. I will just bring it in to have it looked at. It sounds like there's just too many possibilities. 

 

[Ron]

This is my first RV and I have an Onan 4.0 Genset. I've heard many people have experienced this same situation. I bought my RV used and the generator has only 400 hours on it. The generator ran perfect then all of a sudden one day it would stall after running for a few minutes. I've changed the air filter and cleaned out the fuel filter element. Same thing. Does anyone have any suggestions? I'm sure this has happened to some of you. Thanks!

Was the Generator not run for an extended period of time before this occured?  How full is the coach fuel tank?  I would try putting some injector cleaner in the fuel tank and filling the tank.  Start the genset several times to see if this helps.  I actually put injector cleaner in a new fuel filter just before installing it on a friends RV that was have similar problems.  After several more attempts it ran fine.

 

[buffs94]

I will give that a shot. Thanks

 

[Ron]

I will give that a shot. Thanks

Please let us know how it works out.