I'm having an Onan problem that is driving me nuts. Nothing I have done has solved the problem, or even helped.
I have taken the "engine trouble shooting guide" from the manual and listed out all the items mentioned that can cause my problems. Also listed are
reason each item may not apply, or actions taken. Please take a look at it and see if anything stands out to you. If I can't get the damn thing
running I'm hoping to borrow a known good carb to test install. If the problem is still there I will know for sure the problem is not the carb.
Obviously if it runs OK then the problem is the carb. If the carb, the mystery is still there. However when the book says the problem could be too
lean or too rich how do ya figger that out. Also which system is the problem, idle mix or power mix?
Also a good friend has taught me a very useful phrase. JUST SHOOT ME!
ONAN
PROBLEMS
Backfire at carb
Engine stops after very short run (less than one minute)
Governor hunting (suspect this is because of misfire or power loss)
Misfiring
choke has to be manually operated to get it started
INDICATED CAUSES
IGNITION SYSTEM
IGNITION TIMING WRONG
unlikely-pertronix ignition
WRONG SPARK PLUG GAP
new plugs gapped to 0.020 autolite 216
WORN POINTS OR IMPROPER GAP SETTING
Pertonix
BAD IGNITION COIL
Coil was marginal. swapped out for a good one (no change.)
FAULTY SPARK PLUG WIRES
wires tested good, swapped out for known good (no change)
FUEL SYSTEM
OUT OF FUEL
pump flow and pressure test good
LEAN FUEL MIXTURE
RICH FUEL MIXTURE OR CHOKE STUCK
choke not stuck
ENGINE FLOODED
POOR QUALITY FUEL
ran with external fuel tank with fresh fuel, no change
DIRTY CARB
carb cleaned and rebuilt, (some question about rebuild), however no change
DIRTY AIR FILTER
air filter removed, no change
DIRTY FUEL FILTER
new filter, no change
DEFECTIVE FUEL PUMP
pump flow and pressure test good
INTERNAL ENGINE (when engine finally starts runs good until it quits)
WRONG VALVE CLEARANCE
BROKEN VALVE SPRING
VALVE OR VALVE SEAL LEAKING
COOLING SYSTEM
POOR AIR CIRCULATION
cooling air flow not blocked
runs same rolled in or out of drawer
DIRTY OR OILY COOLING FINS
with cylinder head covers off fins are observed to be clean
BLOWN HEAD GASKET
no noise or exhaust gasses in discharge cooling air.
THROTTLE AND GOVERNOR
engine has same problems with linkages disconnect and controlling manually
LINKAGE OUT OF ADJUSTMENT
LINKAGE WORN OR DISCONNECTED
linkages checked OK for connection
GOVERNOR SPRING SENSITIVITY TOO GREAT
LINKAGE BINDING
linkage checked to be freely operating and properly lubed
I'll be going over this list with a highlighter seeing if I can make more sense of where the problem is. I would like to have another set of eyes to
look at this. I could be having some type of blindness that prevents me from seeing the problem
SteveS (going nuts in Palmyra)
P.S. the spouse is very unhappy right now. This problem has caused us to miss Amana. The phrase "happy wife, happy life" is not in operation at this
time.
--
Steve Southworth
1974 Glacier TZE064V100150 (for workin on)
1975 Transmode TZE365V100394 (parts & spares)
Palmyra WI
I have taken the "engine trouble shooting guide" from the manual and listed out all the items mentioned that can cause my problems. Also listed are
reason each item may not apply, or actions taken. Please take a look at it and see if anything stands out to you. If I can't get the damn thing
running I'm hoping to borrow a known good carb to test install. If the problem is still there I will know for sure the problem is not the carb.
Obviously if it runs OK then the problem is the carb. If the carb, the mystery is still there. However when the book says the problem could be too
lean or too rich how do ya figger that out. Also which system is the problem, idle mix or power mix?
Also a good friend has taught me a very useful phrase. JUST SHOOT ME!
ONAN
PROBLEMS
Backfire at carb
Engine stops after very short run (less than one minute)
Governor hunting (suspect this is because of misfire or power loss)
Misfiring
choke has to be manually operated to get it started
INDICATED CAUSES
IGNITION SYSTEM
IGNITION TIMING WRONG
unlikely-pertronix ignition
WRONG SPARK PLUG GAP
new plugs gapped to 0.020 autolite 216
WORN POINTS OR IMPROPER GAP SETTING
Pertonix
BAD IGNITION COIL
Coil was marginal. swapped out for a good one (no change.)
FAULTY SPARK PLUG WIRES
wires tested good, swapped out for known good (no change)
FUEL SYSTEM
OUT OF FUEL
pump flow and pressure test good
LEAN FUEL MIXTURE
RICH FUEL MIXTURE OR CHOKE STUCK
choke not stuck
ENGINE FLOODED
POOR QUALITY FUEL
ran with external fuel tank with fresh fuel, no change
DIRTY CARB
carb cleaned and rebuilt, (some question about rebuild), however no change
DIRTY AIR FILTER
air filter removed, no change
DIRTY FUEL FILTER
new filter, no change
DEFECTIVE FUEL PUMP
pump flow and pressure test good
INTERNAL ENGINE (when engine finally starts runs good until it quits)
WRONG VALVE CLEARANCE
BROKEN VALVE SPRING
VALVE OR VALVE SEAL LEAKING
COOLING SYSTEM
POOR AIR CIRCULATION
cooling air flow not blocked
runs same rolled in or out of drawer
DIRTY OR OILY COOLING FINS
with cylinder head covers off fins are observed to be clean
BLOWN HEAD GASKET
no noise or exhaust gasses in discharge cooling air.
THROTTLE AND GOVERNOR
engine has same problems with linkages disconnect and controlling manually
LINKAGE OUT OF ADJUSTMENT
LINKAGE WORN OR DISCONNECTED
linkages checked OK for connection
GOVERNOR SPRING SENSITIVITY TOO GREAT
LINKAGE BINDING
linkage checked to be freely operating and properly lubed
I'll be going over this list with a highlighter seeing if I can make more sense of where the problem is. I would like to have another set of eyes to
look at this. I could be having some type of blindness that prevents me from seeing the problem
SteveS (going nuts in Palmyra)
P.S. the spouse is very unhappy right now. This problem has caused us to miss Amana. The phrase "happy wife, happy life" is not in operation at this
time.
--
Steve Southworth
1974 Glacier TZE064V100150 (for workin on)
1975 Transmode TZE365V100394 (parts & spares)
Palmyra WI