Onan Shutting Down

[kappy1168]

I just recently saw the same information on another site that is posted here regarding the oil dipstick. Even with the louvered vent installed I began experiencing shut down problems again recently. I, too, bought an extractor pump and went to remove some oil from the generator. I had leveled the coach as I was doing some holding tank maintenance as well which happened to tilt the generator (level) as well and when I removed the dipstick, oil came pouring out of the fill hole!... leading me to believe that not only must the coach have been at an angle when they filled it, but it in fact was overfilled to boot. I suck out a good pint of oil to get the level just above the low level mark. It makes sense that the hot oil expands and then would cause the shut down. Hoping this cures the issue once and for all!!

[sduff]

Originally Posted by riskmgr

Yes this was my problem. Bought an oil extractor for $10 and brought oil down.

I was having the same issues, generator takes a while to start, in the extreme SD heat it would start for a WHILE, and then turn off. When parked in front of my house, where it was isn't level, it wouldn't stay on. Because of this, I thought it was the fuel level of my Coach that was keeping it from staying on, or maybe with it being un-level the generator cut off was kicking in.

I found this thread, looked at the YouTube video, bought an extractor, and drained a pint of oil.

When I opened the dipstick, on relatively level ground, oil came POURING out of the generator, it was obviously overfull.

The issue I had with the generator having to be cranked multiple times before it would start was the first improvement I noticed immediately.

I will have to wait for a very hot day to see how it performs then, but I think I have found the issue with my generator. I will also see how well it starts on the uneven ground in front of my house tomorrow.

[mh22776]

If your generator is located on passenger side the exhaust come out and dump into the intake.
This cause over heat shutdown in hot weather. Onan has a kit to correct problem.

[Mitch S]

I had the same problem with my generator, after changing oil I left it a little low, not much, just an ounce or so, problem solved

[Eugene]

I have the same problem with my ACE 30.1. On a hot day, while driving my ACE, the Motor-Generator will shut down. I can't run the roof AC when this happens.

When the "Side Diverter Discharge Kit" was installed, did this fix the generator shut down?

[riskmgr]

Originally Posted by Joe-FL

This happened last fall and has now happened again. My 5500 Onan will run fine if just sitting stationary. Once you get on the road it will only run for anywhere from 15 minutes to 30 minutes before shutting down. I have looked at my fault code and it is of course code 36 (3 blinks and then 6 blinks).

I have read past posts on this forum and did some research online. For my model (2014 chassis/2015 coach - Challenger 37GT) it looks to me like this could possibly be one of three things. A defective fuel pump, inadequate air ventilation to generator compartment, or carb gummed up from lack of use.

I just filled the tank for preparation of heading out on a 7,000 miles plus trip in about 3 weeks. The first thing I am doing is inspecting and probably changing the air cleaner on the Onan and then adding several cans of Sea Foam to the tank.

For those that have had similar experiences with their Onan gen sets, what have you done to correct this situation besides taking it back to dealer or Onan facility?

The problem is the dipstick is wrong. The Full line is 1/4” up from ADD line. The Add line is almost at the end of the dipstick. Do this and generator won’t cut off.

[Ottosails]

I also fought this battle with our 2013 Fleetwood Jamboree and Onan 4000. In the end it was that the oil level was extremely finicky. With the level too high with hot weather or driving would shut it down. I kept a turkey baster in my tool bin and would take a little out if it was shutting down, then more and then more. I pretty much ended up at the 1/3 mark on the stick and it was happy. This was so counter intuitive to my “oil level ADD” and always wanting to be right at the full line.

[riskmgr]

Originally Posted by SuperD

Are you getting any codes when the generator shuts down, if so that can help diagnose the problem.

Dipstick markings are wrong. Full is 1/4 inch above ADD.

[riskmgr]

Originally Posted by Joe-FL

Dang....thought I had this generator issue fixed with running the Sea Foam through it. Nope!

On travel days when it is hot, which is about every day this summer out west, we run the generator when we stop for breaks. I will shut down the engine and start the generator to run the airs. We may take anywhere from a 10 minute break to a 30 minute break. Generator runs great. When pulling into a CG I start it when we go into the office to register so the coach starts to cool before going to our site and hooking up. On days when the temps are 90 and below it runs okay. On days when the temps are 93 or 94 and above it may run for 10 minutes but then shuts down when we are checking in at the CG.

Now I am back to thinking it has to be a heat issue or air vent issue. Of course I still get the "36" code so that is no help.

Dipstick markings are wrong. Full is 1/4 inch above ADD.

[riskmgr]

The problem is that the Dipstick markings are wrong. Full is 1/4 inch above ADD.

Reduce oil on genny

[jtroop]

The oil dip stick is wrong on the Onan 5500 too.

[deb52]

We have been having issues with this generator for a while now. Some things we were able to fix, others we had to take in to Onan service. The latest issue is that it will start but not stay running. Initially the fault code was 36, but eventually we cleaned the carburetor, used SeaFoam and got it to run for a while, but eventually it shut off and registered fault code 58, which is exhaust gas temperature too high. Anyone have any experience with this?

[riskmgr]

Why would Onan sell a plagued generator in the 4000 and 5500? They definitely know the problem exists. Why wouldn’t they want to repair the problem. In the summer, I turn on propane to run fridge and turn chassis AC on high with Vents shading to sofa in RV. Wife says it works. So why do I need a generator. Maybe Onan will reimburse my 4000 since it’s a piece of junk.

[16ACE27]

Originally Posted by riskmgr

Why would Onan sell a plagued generator in the 4000 and 5500? They definitely know the problem exists. Why wouldn’t they want to repair the problem. In the summer, I turn on propane to run fridge and turn chassis AC on high with Vents shading to sofa in RV. Wife says it works. So why do I need a generator. Maybe Onan will reimburse my 4000 since it’s a piece of junk.

Yet 10s if not 100s of thousands of Onan 4000 and 5500 generators run every day without issue. In 6 years mine has never failed me.

[Beau388]

Originally Posted by 16ACE27

Yet 10s if not 100s of thousands of Onan 4000 and 5500 generators run every day without issue. In 6 years mine has never failed me.

538 hours a temps between 9 above and 113 F

[EA37TS]

Originally Posted by riskmgr

Why would Onan sell a plagued generator in the 4000 and 5500? They definitely know the problem exists. Why wouldn’t they want to repair the problem. In the summer, I turn on propane to run fridge and turn chassis AC on high with Vents shading to sofa in RV. Wife says it works. So why do I need a generator. Maybe Onan will reimburse my 4000 since it’s a piece of junk.

Just because your generator has issues doesn’t mean the product line is junk. My 5500 hundred ran problem free for 5 years, over 600 hours and had zero, repeat zero issues. Your’s is the exception and not the norm.

[dkoldman]

Originally Posted by EA37TS

Just because your generator has issues doesn’t mean the product line is junk. My 5500 hundred ran problem free for 5 years, over 600 hours and had zero, repeat zero issues. You’d is the exception and not the norm.

Thank you because I have 4 years and just under 300 hours on my 5500. I was starting to get nervous because based on what I am reading and video, I guess I have always been overfilled? Worse I periodically check it to make sure it is overfilled if gauge is truly incorrect. I boondocked in a hot Houston running both ACs for basically 3 days straight. Never had any issues. It stopped several times during that period but that was the AGS shutting down because the coach was cooled to thermostat temperature.

I am trying to rationalize the guys in both scenarios below.

Guy #1 - Generator stops for some unknown reason, but it is attributed to oil being to high so he runs the oil on the low side and inadvertently burns up engine.

Guy #2 - Never had issue with Generator stopping but following the directions from above; so he runs the oil on the low side and inadvertently burns up engine.

Either case it would be tough argument to make to Onan as to why the oil was low trying to get new engine. Ironically, I always thought Onan had it right because it is impossible design wise (as oil will overflow from opening) to put more than the recommended oil assuming it and filter was empty before? By contrast it is really easy to overfill most engines.

I would think it to be very cheap to send each customer based on serial number a new step stick if it were truly a problem with being overfilled? Or at the least make one for sale, because if mine were wrong I would gladly pay $10 to get a knew one I don't have to remember. But the real issue may be, they tell you how much oil to add and that is what I do.

[riskmgr]

Originally Posted by 16ACE27

Yet 10s if not 100s of thousands of Onan 4000 and 5500 generators run every day without issue. In 6 years mine has never failed me.

So what to you do to keep yours running. I have mine serviced every 2 years and have to pump out oil to 1/4 inch above ADD on dipstick. I think the main problem is the placement of the generator too close to the chassis engine.

[EA37TS]

Originally Posted by riskmgr

So what to you do to keep yours running. I have mine serviced every 2 years and have to pump out oil to 1/4 inch above ADD on dipstick. I think the main problem is the placement of the generator too close to the chassis engine.

If your generator is being serviced every two years it is not being run enough. My current generator is getting ready for it's second service since April.

Read your manual and exercise the generator and service it per Onan's maintenance recommendations.

[riskmgr]

Originally Posted by rmblaster

My generator would shut off replaced fuel pump but it would still die sometimes after 30mins the dealer was finally able to figure it out after many attempts it was the vent line for the fuel tank

Where is vent line located on 30FE?