Electric Choke for Onan 4K (BF) Generator

[SteveW]

Greetings from Southern California !!

I had some issues with my electric choke failing. Grounding out / occasional sparking and not pulling (to close) the choke on the carb.

Upon removal and inspection - it appears to be missing some internal isolation / insulation.

I sourced a replacement from a spare parts generator and installed it today. Found the wire to it to be fried too - yikes !!

On the carb - choke closure requires about 90 degrees of arc. The electric choke puller arm seems to swing 45 or so - so I’m not getting complete
choke.

Actually - I’m not really sure if a completely closed choke is what we want…

And I’m naively assuming that all Onan 4K / 6K electric chokes are the same.

Any comments are completely appreciated. Fully closed choke desirable ?? Electric choke needs attention to get more arc ?? Fiddle with “re
clocking” the pivot arm on the electric choke to optimize movement ??

Thanks in advance.

Steve W
1973. 23. Yellow


--
Steve W
1973 : 23'
Southern California

 

[jim miller]

> Actually - I’m not really sure if a completely closed choke is what we want…

You want fully closed - but with the adjustment on the pivot arm such that it is just barely fully closed when the engine is cold. The automatic choke
body contains a bimetallic spring which, when heated by the exhaust manifold, prevents the electric solenoid from having the authority to close the
choke plate.

Also - it is a good idea to run a separate ground wire to the choke mechanism instead of depending on the ground return path through the rusty
manifold.

If you are electrically oriented then the solenoid terminal should measure about 1.5 ohms of resistance to the choke mechanism body IIRC.

Usually you can take the mechanism apart and clean up the linkage to make it work correctly - there is very little to go wrong with the choke actuator
other than rust on the shaft or crappy electrical connections.

--Jim
--
Jim Miller
1977 Eleganza II
1977 Royale
Hamilton, OH

 

[SteveW]

Thank you Jim !!

Do you have a favorite place for picking up ground - or all the way back to the battery bank ??

I’ll disassemble and mess with it a bit. It sure seems to need more swing.

And Thank You for all of your contributions to the GMC Motorhome community. I’ve certainly been a beneficiary.

Steve W

--
Steve W
1973 : 23'
Southern California

 

[jim miller]

> Do you have a favorite place for picking up ground - or all the way back to the battery bank ??

I don't see any reason to go back to the battery bank for the ground, just pick it up off somewhere on the engine near the choke actuator that isn't
going to corrode and rust like the exhaust manifold does. Maybe under one of the 1/4-20 bolts that holds stuff to the block would be a good place.
--Jim
--
Jim Miller
1977 Eleganza II
1977 Royale
Hamilton, OH

 

[SteveW]

and Thanks again Jim. Please check your Private Messages.

SW

--
Steve W
1973 : 23'
Southern California