Multiple Onan Failures/Genrac?

D

dave1

New member
Jul 23, 1998
460
0
0
Well, I survived the trip to Florida with no major mechanical failures. I=20
really like the 3.42 final drive.

Unfortunately I had multiple electrical problems. During the first day the=
=20
control board on the Onan gave it up. I hot-wired around the board and was=
=20
on the road again. A few hours later I started having problems with the=20
Onan electronic ignition module that I installed last year. It looks like=20
the little plastic thing that holds the magnet was sticking. Has anyone=20
else has this problem? I freed it up and it seemed OK for a while but then=
=20
it started running rough again. Before I could shut it down the bracket=20
that holds the starter motor broke from the vibration. That was the end of=
=20
Mr. Onan. On went the dash air. About four hours later the blower motor=20
died. I found a replacement at NAPA. I had dash air but it was a long hot=20
week in Florida...

I am thinking about giving up on fixing the Onan. I am thinking about=20
installing a Genrac 55G. I found one on sale for $2K at the local Camping=20
World. Has anyone here done this installation themselves? Is there anyone=20
building an installation kit for the Genrac? I am especially interested in=
=20
not having to design and fabricate the mounting brackets. Any advice as to=
=20
what to look out for when doing this installation?

Dave
Ann Arbor, MI.
73 Sequoia (26'/455/HEI/EFI/160=B0/3.42)
 
I would not give up on the Onan, If you read the writeup on my page, you
will see there has to be a little metal removed so that the plunger does
not stick on the ign. module.=20

http://www.california.com/~eagle/generator.html

It is prob. the rubber motor mounts letting the starter hit the bottom
plate that broke the starter bracket. Ragussa sells a better bracket and
you should check the mounts.

Duane will replace your board for $100 and you should be back

gene

>Well, I survived the trip to Florida with no major mechanical failures. I=
=20
>really like the 3.42 final drive.
>
>Unfortunately I had multiple electrical problems. During the first day the=
=20
>control board on the Onan gave it up. I hot-wired around the board and was=
=20
>on the road again. A few hours later I started having problems with the=20
>Onan electronic ignition module that I installed last year. It looks like=
=20
>the little plastic thing that holds the magnet was sticking. Has anyone=20
>else has this problem? I freed it up and it seemed OK for a while but then=
=20
>it started running rough again. Before I could shut it down the bracket=20
>that holds the starter motor broke from the vibration. That was the end of=
=20
>Mr. Onan. On went the dash air. About four hours later the blower motor=20
>died. I found a replacement at NAPA. I had dash air but it was a long hot=
=20
>week in Florida...
>
>I am thinking about giving up on fixing the Onan. I am thinking about=20
>installing a Genrac 55G. I found one on sale for $2K at the local Camping=
=20
>World. Has anyone here done this installation themselves? Is there anyone=
=20
>building an installation kit for the Genrac? I am especially interested in=
=20
>not having to design and fabricate the mounting brackets. Any advice as to=
=20
>what to look out for when doing this installation?
>
>
>Dave
>Ann Arbor, MI.
>73 Sequoia (26'/455/HEI/EFI/160=B0/3.42)
>
Genef -- 77PB/ore/ca
GMC MOTORHOME INFORMATION
mr.erf
http://www.california.com/~eagle/
 
>I would not give up on the Onan, If you read the writeup on my page, you
>will see there has to be a little metal removed so that the plunger does
>not stick on the ign. module.

I used the new base plate that came with the Magna arc. The problem is=20
intermittent and I was on the road so I didn't figure out what was making=20
it stick before the starter came off.

>It is prob. the rubber motor mounts letting the starter hit the bottom
>plate that broke the starter bracket. Ragussa sells a better bracket and
>you should check the mounts.

Any idea what the cost is for the new starter bracket? I replaced the=20
mounts last spring. It may be that the bracket was already damaged from=20
when the mounts where bad. The oil pan was hitting the bottom so its likely=
=20
that the starter was too.

>Duane will replace your board for $100 and you should be back

Yes, I have his number here somewhere.

Its a hard decision given that the engine and generator are still in pretty=
=20
good shape. But every trip I have made in the past few years has been=20
marred by some kind of Onan problem. I am sure that I can get it going for=
=20
a few hundred dollars but that was the case the past few times too. I=20
mainly travel in the heat of the summer and with the dash air being more or=
=20
less useless I need a generator that I can count on. I like the idea of=20
keeping everything original but its getting to be a real pain. The cost of=
=20
this failure, combined with what I have spent to keep it running the past=20
few years would have paid for the new Genrac. I went through this same=20
evaluation when the flywheel came off. Then I decided to spend the money=20
and fix it. Looking back I probably made the wrong decision.

I like the Onan. Its a very strong design. After 27 years and thousands of=
=20
hours, maybe its time to give it up. I doubt the Genrac will last that=20
long. At least it doesn't look as well built. But the Onan parts are costly=
=20
and becoming hard to come by. Decisions decisions decisions....

Dave
Ann Arbor, MI.
73 Sequoia (26'/455/HEI/EFI/160=B0/3.42)
 
Yep the base plate that comes with the module is the one that needs to be
shaved off a little.

Mine was sticking until I did this

good luck

gene

>>I would not give up on the Onan, If you read the writeup on my page, you
>>will see there has to be a little metal removed so that the plunger does
>>not stick on the ign. module.
>
>I used the new base plate that came with the Magna arc. The problem is=20
>intermittent and I was on the road so I didn't figure out what was making=
=20
>it stick before the starter came off.
>
>>It is prob. the rubber motor mounts letting the starter hit the bottom
>>plate that broke the starter bracket. Ragussa sells a better bracket and
>>you should check the mounts.
>
>Any idea what the cost is for the new starter bracket? I replaced the=20
>mounts last spring. It may be that the bracket was already damaged from=20
>when the mounts where bad. The oil pan was hitting the bottom so its likely=
=20
>that the starter was too.
>
>>Duane will replace your board for $100 and you should be back
>
>Yes, I have his number here somewhere.
>
>Its a hard decision given that the engine and generator are still in pretty=
=20
>good shape. But every trip I have made in the past few years has been=20
>marred by some kind of Onan problem. I am sure that I can get it going for=
=20
>a few hundred dollars but that was the case the past few times too. I=20
>mainly travel in the heat of the summer and with the dash air being more or=
=20
>less useless I need a generator that I can count on. I like the idea of=20
>keeping everything original but its getting to be a real pain. The cost of=
=20
>this failure, combined with what I have spent to keep it running the past=
=20
>few years would have paid for the new Genrac. I went through this same=20
>evaluation when the flywheel came off. Then I decided to spend the money=20
>and fix it. Looking back I probably made the wrong decision.
>
>I like the Onan. Its a very strong design. After 27 years and thousands of=
=20
>hours, maybe its time to give it up. I doubt the Genrac will last that=20
>long. At least it doesn't look as well built. But the Onan parts are costly=
=20
>and becoming hard to come by. Decisions decisions decisions....
>
>
>Dave
>Ann Arbor, MI.
>73 Sequoia (26'/455/HEI/EFI/160=B0/3.42)
>
Genef -- 77PB/ore/ca
GMC MOTORHOME INFORMATION
mr.erf
http://www.california.com/~eagle/
 
Dave,
Well said. I get it running well and something else happens. Could we hear
from people that have changed to another brand or a later model Onan?
Generac has a great reputation but is 5.5 kW enough for two A/C's? How are
the Honda's and Yamaha's working? Are there other possibilities? Would all
of you who have changed out your Onan comment for the rest of us?
Bob McLaughlin
 
go to my hotlinks page and look up Heinz page. He says a lot..

gene

>Dave,
>Well said. I get it running well and something else happens. Could we hear
>from people that have changed to another brand or a later model Onan?
>Generac has a great reputation but is 5.5 kW enough for two A/C's? How are
>the Honda's and Yamaha's working? Are there other possibilities? Would all
>of you who have changed out your Onan comment for the rest of us?
>Bob McLaughlin
>
>
>
Genef -- 77PB/ore/ca
GMC MOTORHOME INFORMATION
mr.erf
http://www.california.com/~eagle/
 
>The Ragusa starter bracket is $30.00, part # RV-04
>(Ragusa 949-261-5898)

Thanks for the info. I found their web page but there was nothing about the=
=20
starter bracket. I tried sending them an E-mail and it bounced. I will give=
=20
them a call today. Sounds like a very reasonable price for the bracket.

Dave
Ann Arbor, MI.
73 Sequoia (26'/455/HEI/EFI/160=B0/3.42)
 
This is an email addr I had for Ragussa

ragusashop=20

gene

>>The Ragusa starter bracket is $30.00, part # RV-04
>>(Ragusa 949-261-5898)
>
>Thanks for the info. I found their web page but there was nothing about the=
=20
>starter bracket. I tried sending them an E-mail and it bounced. I will give=
=20
>them a call today. Sounds like a very reasonable price for the bracket.
>
>
>Dave
>Ann Arbor, MI.
>73 Sequoia (26'/455/HEI/EFI/160=B0/3.42)
>
Genef -- 77PB/ore/ca
GMC MOTORHOME INFORMATION
mr.erf
http://www.california.com/~eagle/
 
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