Onan repair or replace

M

marcel bourgon

New member
Dec 31, 2005
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Hi all. It would appear the my Onan is biting the dust. The generator
man and I have had enough of trying to keep the old girl running. I am
wondering if some of you have changed the old dog with a different
unit. If you have had good results let me know what you changed it out
for. I spoke with Jim Bounds and he strongly suggests the Honda 6410
generator. If some one has one of these guys and would like to part
with it let me know. Thanks for all ideas

Marcel in Sunny and warm New Mexico
 
Marcel,

If you don't use the generator a lot, you may want to consider a
"contractor" unit, such as my TroyBilt:
http://www.gmcmhphotos.com/photos/g5330-troybilt-generator-installation.html

The installation wasn't very difficult, even in my space-constrained 23',
and it's worked perfectly. The total cost, including the battery-start
generator, Onan-style muffler, and 12VDC & crankcase-pulsation operated
fuel pumps was only about $800. While it's a little louder than even the
Onan, it's been totally reliable. It starts easily, carries a 5 kW load
without complaint, and hasn't required any service during the 7-1/2 years
it's been installed. I really should change its oil, now that I'm reminded
how long it's been in there!

Ken H.

On Thu, May 11, 2017 at 5:01 PM, Marcel J. Bourgon
wrote:

> Hi all. It would appear the my Onan is biting the dust. The generator
> man and I have had enough of trying to keep the old girl running. I am
> wondering if some of you have changed the old dog with a different unit.
> If you have had good results let me know what you changed it out for. I
> spoke with Jim Bounds and he strongly suggests the Honda 6410 generator.
> If some one has one of these guys and would like to part with it let me
> know. Thanks for all ideas
>
> Marcel in Sunny and warm New Mexico
>
 
> Hi all. It would appear the my Onan is biting the dust. The generator man and I have had enough of trying to keep the old girl running. I am
> wondering if some of you have changed the old dog with a different unit. If you have had good results let me know what you changed it out for. I
> spoke with Jim Bounds and he strongly suggests the Honda 6410 generator. If some one has one of these guys and would like to part with it let me
> know. Thanks for all ideas
>
> Marcel in Sunny and warm New Mexico

Marcel,

What ever you do, do not just pitch it. If you have to replace it, come back here and offer parts to others. I know of two with cracked flywheels
and JimM could very well be willing to pay the shipping for the stator and maybe other parts as well.

I have to provide some caution, the Honda RV 4010 and 6010 have been out of production for a while. While parts are available, they are very proud of
them. I have this same issue with an older Honda portable.

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
 
Define "biting the dust"
Basicly 3 systems, the engine (motor), the generator, and the control board and associated wiring.
--
John Lebetski
Woodstock, IL
77 Eleganza II
 
If you can acquire one, the Honda ev6010 fits within the genset compartment of a 26' GMC. You just have to produce a base plate (diagram on bdub site)
and an exhaust system (or find a Honda 'B' muffler). Diagram exists to wire the remote start button for the Onan to mate with the Honda ev family.
The Hondas pop up on Craig's list.
Only downside, Honda parts are a bit pricy, but readily available. Service manuals are also on bdub's wonderful site under; "manuals." Honda also runs
at 3600 rpm, different noise level than Onan running 1800 rpm.
Tom, MS II with ev6010
"Ask the man who owns one."

--
1975 GMC Avion
KA4CSG
 
I couldn't find a troy-bilt so I used the Harbor Freight one, looks to have the same engine as Ken's. It wasn't that noisy, but the Onan >is<
quieter. From the outside, the Honda isn't, although I haven't spent any time inside a coach fitted with one. In that it's liquid cooled, it is a
lot more complex. Here's the cheap way:

http://www.gmcmhphotos.com/photos/g6827-new-genset.html

That's in a 23'. There's enough room in a 26' to slide mount it. Frankly, I suspect 5000 Troy-Bilt Watts are about the same as 7500 Harbor Freight
Watts. The engines look identical. That was simply the smallest electric start Harbor Freight listed. It installs so you can still use the yanker
cranker if all the batteries are flat. And, the started pad is on the smaller Harbor Freight units, but you'd have to do some surgery to mount it.
It seemed simpler to go with the bigger one. If I did a lot of boondocking, I'd totally rebuild the Onan for about the same or a bit less than buying
the Honda. It will run longer and be quieter in the bargain. I put that one in in favor of a Junkerac variable speed set. If the 23' had had a 4KW
Onan in it, I'd have rehabbed it. My current 26' coach has a 6KW Onan, it ain't going anywhere. As long as it's fixable it will get fixed. After 40
years it runs like a top, pulls both air conditioners and the water heater and microwave. Your mileage may vary.

--johnny

--
76 26' Eleganza(?) with beaucoup mods and add - ons.
Braselton, Ga.
"I forgive them all, save those who hurt the dogs. They must answer to me in hell" - ol Andy, paraphrased
 
I'll note, had I it to do over - or if I hadn't sold that coach - I'd remote the air filter and put a solenoid with a timer on the choke. I suspect
the new owner will address both.

--johnny
--
76 26' Eleganza(?) with beaucoup mods and add - ons.
Braselton, Ga.
"I forgive them all, save those who hurt the dogs. They must answer to me in hell" - ol Andy, paraphrased
 
Good morning

I get the feeling it could be in the control board

Marcel

> Define "biting the dust"
> Basicly 3 systems, the engine (motor), the generator, and the control board and associated wiring.
 
Once we figure this old beast out, if I have to replace it I will save
for parts

Marcel

>> Hi all. It would appear the my Onan is biting the dust. The generator man and I have had enough of trying to keep the old girl running. I am
>> wondering if some of you have changed the old dog with a different unit. If you have had good results let me know what you changed it out for. I
>> spoke with Jim Bounds and he strongly suggests the Honda 6410 generator. If some one has one of these guys and would like to part with it let me
>> know. Thanks for all ideas
>>
>> Marcel in Sunny and warm New Mexico
> Marcel,
>
> What ever you do, do not just pitch it. If you have to replace it, come back here and offer parts to others. I know of two with cracked flywheels
> and JimM could very well be willing to pay the shipping for the stator and maybe other parts as well.
>
> I have to provide some caution, the Honda RV 4010 and 6010 have been out of production for a while. While parts are available, they are very proud of
> them. I have this same issue with an older Honda portable.
>
> Matt
>
 
Still easier to repair than replace. That way you retain the marvelous Powerdrawer design that is a blessing
--
John Lebetski
Woodstock, IL
77 Eleganza II
 
Jump pin 9 to pin 5 and see if the fuel pump comes on. If so, see if it will crank and run. If it does, the problem is on the control card or its
associated connections. Report back. Or download Duane Simmons' troubleshooting file off Bdub's site and it will let you determine the problem.

--johnny
--
76 26' Eleganza(?) with beaucoup mods and add - ons.
Braselton, Ga.
"I forgive them all, save those who hurt the dogs. They must answer to me in hell" - ol Andy, paraphrased
 
> Jump pin 9 to pin 5 and see if the fuel pump comes on. If so, see if it will crank and run. If it does, the problem is on the control card or
> its associated connections. Report back. Or download Duane Simmons' troubleshooting file off Bdub's site and it will let you determine the
> problem.
>
> --johnny

Other things can keep it from running even with a good board. If the board is not getting ~28VAC from the flywheel alternator, it assumes the genset
is not running and turns off the ignition and fuel pump. A bad flywheel alternator or a bad voltage regulator can cause that. And corroded
connections.

If the oil pressure sender is stuck in the "closed" position, that will tell pin 12 that there is no oil pressure, and the board will turn off power
to the coil and fuel pump. That is an easy test - disconnect the terminal from pin 12. Don't run it like that forever, replace the sender and
reconnect pin 12.

Either of those should still try to run and then die, because the start sequence bypasses those protections temporarily.

Putting a jumper from 5 to 9 basically takes the board out of the equation. That applies battery voltage to the fuel pump, fuel shut-off solenoid, and
coil. If no spark with the jumper, suspect bad condenser(s) or coil or points problem. If it has spark and won't fire, suspect the carb.

Also, the fuel solenoid can get glued shut with gas shellac. Same with the fuel pump, shellac can immobilize the piston.

Everything that can go wrong on the Onan engine can be repaired or replaced, except compression. That is probably the kiss of death, unless someone
knows where to buy oversized pistons and rings.
--
73 23' Sequoia 4 Sale
73 23' CanyonLands Parts Unit 4 Sale
Upper Alabama
"Every day I become more convinced that I am the only person left on the planet that recognizes nonsense for what it is."
 
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