Generator compartment storage

terry1

New member
Oct 26, 2013
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The gen in my coach is toast has not been working for 10 years but PO never removed it. I would like to take it out and rebuilt compartment into
storage. Has anyone done this and have any hints.
 
G'Day,
We sold our generator as soon as we bought our GMC.
We wished to have more storage for longer term travelling, also we were going Solar anyway.
Our interior lay out is different to others, enabling us to gain even more space.
We can access from the rear wheel liner to the rear panel and most of the way along the rear panel.
http://www.gmcmhphotos.com/photos/solar/p35732-going-solar.html
http://www.gmcmhphotos.com/photos/gail-26amp-3b-marks-cruiser/p35587-as-it-is-now.html
--
Mark Bennett
Gail & Mark's Cruiser
Gold Coast, Australia.
Motorhoming Lifestyle.com
 
> The gen in my coach is toast has not been working for 10 years but PO never removed it. I would like to take it out and rebuilt compartment into
> storage. Has anyone done this and have any hints.
Where are you? I need another 6kW Onan.
--
73 23' Sequoia 4 Sale
73 23' CanyonLands Parts Unit 4 Sale
Upper Alabama
"When I grow up I am going to be a curmudgeon."
 
Sorry far away in Manitoba, I plan to rebuild the gen once it is out and use it as a backup.
 
The generator is simple to pull out with a cherry picker engine hoist. There's a 3/8th bolt hole taped in the intake manifold to lift with. Remove muffler. This will allow you to set the gen flat on a cart, or ground when removal is completed.There are 8 - 1/4" bolts in the track in sets of 2 each. EZ to get too. Pull the gen all the way out. Attach the hoist. Lift slightly. Remove all 8 bolts. Then swing gen to the rear of the coach. This will give you access to gas line, and wires. Power wash all surfaces. Install 3/4" marine plywood after painting both sides. DONE.

Bob Dunahugh

78 Royale
 
Thanks Bob can't wait to get my coach home next month to start working feeling confident that the gmc community will be there to support my lack of
mechanical skills.
 
> The generator is simple to pull out with a cherry picker engine hoist. There's a 3/8th bolt hole taped in the intake manifold to lift with.
> Remove muffler. This will allow you to set the gen flat on a cart, or ground when removal is completed.There are 8 - 1/4" bolts in the track in sets
> of 2 each. EZ to get too. Pull the gen all the way out. Attach the hoist. Lift slightly. Remove all 8 bolts. Then swing gen to the rear of the
> coach. This will give you access to gas line, and wires. Power wash all surfaces. Install 3/4" marine plywood after painting both sides. DONE.
>
> Bob Dunahugh
>
> 78 Royale
> _______________________________________________
> GMCnet mailing list
> Unsubscribe or Change List Options:
> http://list.gmcnet.org/mailman/listinfo/gmclist_list.gmcnet.org

Bob,

IIRC from past posts on this, it is *not* advisable to power wash the generator. Could do damage to it. Someone elaborate on this and correct me if
I'm wrong.
--
Larry
78 Royale w/500 Caddy
Menomonie, WI.
 
> Bob,
> IIRC from past posts on this, it is *not* advisable to power wash the generator. Could do damage to it. Someone elaborate on this and correct me
> if I'm wrong.
He was saying to power wash the compartment after the Onan is out.
--
73 23' Sequoia 4 Sale
73 23' CanyonLands Parts Unit 4 Sale
Upper Alabama
"When I grow up I am going to be a curmudgeon."
 
> > Bob,
> > IIRC from past posts on this, it is *not* advisable to power wash the generator. Could do damage to it. Someone elaborate on this and correct
> > me if I'm wrong.
> He was saying to power wash the compartment after the Onan is out.
Yup, I assumed that, but not everyone reads things the way I do. Without clairification, someone without prior knowledge might assume it is OK to
power wash the genset also. Just didn't want anyone to get into any unnecessary trouble is all. :roll:


--
Larry
78 Royale w/500 Caddy
Menomonie, WI.
 
I took mine out, unbolted the whole generator with the drawer from the frame, careful very heavy. I cut some 1/2" thick wood pieces to go front to
back on the flange of the aluminium rails to create a flat surface that I could lay a single piece of plywood over the battery and generator areas. I
put a thin wall piece of 1 1/4 square tube that fit inside the frame that is cut at the front face. 1/2 wood strip on top of this also. Could be 1/2"
plywood over the whole gen area instead of 1/2"strips. I had to dent in one face of the tubing for a few inches on each end to get it to slide into
the existing frame, went in a but farther at 1 end and then slid it back into the other. I put 5/8 plywood over all this and the aluminium that
supported the batteries. I will likely put batteries back there as it is vented.
--
Eric & Ree '74 ex-Sequoia + '75 Eleganza Alexandria, Ontario, Canada
 
who is in manitoba?...looking for fellow gmcers that I do not know of....Brian 77 ele 455 ...near winnipeg

________________________________
From: Gmclist on behalf of Terry
Sent: February 6, 2017 5:15 PM
To: gmclist
Subject: Re: [GMCnet] Generator compartment storage

Sorry far away in Manitoba, I plan to rebuild the gen once it is out and use it as a backup.

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> Sorry far away in Manitoba, I plan to rebuild the gen once it is out and use it as a backup.

Terry,

Unless it has a bag (>1000) hours on it, there should be no reason to rebuilt it. If you are worried, carefully unscrew a head and look at the
condition of the cylinder bore. It is probably just fine.

These machines are simple and for the most part reliable*.
The asterisk is because the ignition system "sucks" and the control board ages out.

When you have it out, the first thing to do is check that the field continuity is there. If you don't get close to 38ohms, the rewind is not cheap.

Otherwise:
You can find several articles about using Pertronix ignition that makes a much bigger improvement than you might expect.
If the control board has problems, just get a new Dinosaur one from JimK.
The carburetor will need a go-through - get the right kit from JimK. If you order an Walboro LMB kit on line it will have the wrong needle and seat.

Oil leaks are typically the oil filter adapter and the front cover and can often be cured by tightening the fasteners.
Unscrew the heads and be careful of the gaskets. They should be the copper covered type and are completely reusable if they are not damaged.

If you get there and it does not fire right up, (I will be surprised) come back here and we can work on a diagnosis.

Matt
--
Matt & Mary Colie - '73 Glacier 23 - Members GMCMI, GMCGL, GMCES
Still Loving OE Rear Drum Brakes with Applied Control Arms
SE Michigan - Twixt A2 and Detroit
 
I have an original one out of my 78. With about 1000hrs on it. Runs fine. Very clean. What's one of these worth? Can bring it to a GMCMI event. Bob Dunahugh

The generator is simple to pull out with a cherry picker engine hoist. There's a 3/8th bolt hole taped in the intake manifold to lift with. Remove muffler. This will allow you to set the gen flat on a cart, or ground when removal is completed.There are 8 - 1/4" bolts in the track in sets of 2 each. EZ to get too. Pull the gen all the way out. Attach the hoist. Lift slightly. Remove all 8 bolts. Then swing gen to the rear of the coach. This will give you access to gas line, and wires. Power wash all surfaces. Install 3/4" marine plywood after painting both sides. DONE.

Bob Dunahugh

78 Royale
 
Thanks Matt appreciate the comments I will check the hrs on the gen when I visit the coach this weekend my concern was that it has sat gor so many
years at first I thought it would be a throw away but it seems I might have been hasty I am no mechanic but figure the gen me get be good chance to
learn
--
Terry
75 Glenbrook
Dauphin, Manitoba
 
Running and making power, $500 or so wouldn't be out of line if you had the mounting slides with it. I'd ask for interest before I hauled the heavy
thing to a rally. The chinese ones are 600 plus parts to hook them up.

--johnny
--
'76 23' transmode Norris upfit, 76 26' Eleganza(?) with beaucoup mods and add - ons.
Braselton, Ga.
"The road goes on forever, and the party never ends" --Robert Earl Keen
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Even if it isn't serviceable, there are some rare parts which would be of value to others. Field windings, manifolds, oil filter adapter, etc.

--johnny
--
'76 23' transmode Norris upfit, 76 26' Eleganza(?) with beaucoup mods and add - ons.
Braselton, Ga.
"The road goes on forever, and the party never ends" --Robert Earl Keen
 
> I have an original one out of my 78. With about 1000hrs on it. Runs fine. Very clean. What's one of these worth? Can bring it to a GMCMI event.
> Bob Dunahugh
Jim Miller can find it a good home.
--
73 23' Sequoia 4 Sale
73 23' CanyonLands Parts Unit 4 Sale
Upper Alabama
"When I grow up I am going to be a curmudgeon."
 
> ...it has sat for so many years ... I thought it would be a throw away ...
Nope. If all else fails, get it to Jim Miller in Ohio and he will either breathe new life into it, or make sure that nothing on it goes to waste.

They are worth expending some effort to keep them in service.
--
73 23' Sequoia 4 Sale
73 23' CanyonLands Parts Unit 4 Sale
Upper Alabama
"When I grow up I am going to be a curmudgeon."
 
Thanks I am impressed how the community trades stuff around I will make sure if I can't get it going I will make it available to others.
--
Terry
75 Glenbrook
Dauphin, Manitoba