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Old 07-10-2018, 02:29 PM   #1
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THOR #8717
Generator Question

We have a 2015 Thor Vegas. It has an Onan generator which we have never used a lot. It may have 25 or 30 hours on it in total. I have noticed after running it that there is a gasoline smell (not exhaust) in the bathroom area. This seems to only occur after it is shut off, not while running. The exhaust exits the left rear of the motor home and I don't believe it is getting into the coach. I had our RV repair place check it out, and they did not find anything wrong. Any thoughts on what may be causing this? Thanks!

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Old 07-10-2018, 02:32 PM   #2
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A few questions:

Which model Vegas do you have? (I think its the 24.1 given your generator location description)

How long did you run the generator (a few minutes or 30 min to an hour)?

You really should put some hours on that generator..they don't like to not run (then when you do need it it doesn't run).
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Old 07-10-2018, 03:41 PM   #3
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It it's not an exhaust odor: it must be raw fuel!
Can you look for evidence of leaks on the ground beneath your rig?
(This is something that needs to be addressed: A.S.A.P.!)
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Old 07-10-2018, 04:02 PM   #4
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Originally Posted by Bob Denman View Post
It it's not an exhaust odor: it must be raw fuel!
Can you look for evidence of leaks on the ground beneath your rig?
(This is something that needs to be addressed: A.S.A.P.!)
There may not be a leak at all. The generator does have a carb and you can sometimes smell gas when you are near it.
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Old 07-10-2018, 04:08 PM   #5
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If it's got a carburetor: it's got a float, and some jet needles... all of them can get gummed up, and cause fuel leakages.
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Old 07-10-2018, 07:08 PM   #6
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It is a 25.2 Thor Vegas. There does not appear to be any fuel leak and the RV repair shop could not find one. I have wondered if it is just a function of the carburetor fuel system. The smell goes away sometime after the generator cools down. Thanks.
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Old 07-10-2018, 07:14 PM   #7
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I'm glad to hear that there's no signs of any leaks!
Since the smell does go away once things cool down: my semi-educated guess would be that it's just some residual vapors that result from the generator having been run...
Relax, and roast some marshmallows!
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Old 07-11-2018, 04:43 PM   #8
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How are you shutting it down? On my 29m, if I shut down with the switch on the dash as opposed to the one in switch panel and hold the switch in too long, it actually primes or floods it out. When I get out gas fumes/smell is horrible and it won’t restart until fully evaporated.
Just a thought.
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Old 07-11-2018, 06:03 PM   #9
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I always shut down the generator from the panel. However, you bring up a good point that maybe I'm holding the button too long and priming it when shutting it down. That may explain the presence of gas fumes. Thanks!
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Old 07-11-2018, 06:36 PM   #10
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Wow! I've never seen that, but then I don't hold it on Stop that long to shut it down (once I discovered that you only have to hold it down long enough to hear the genny start to shut down you can let go--I now just hold it down at most 1 or 2 seconds to shut it down).

I can remember some old Onan gennys (ones on boats a good 20 or 30 years ago) that you did have to hold "stop" until it stopped cranking; otherwise it might start back up.
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Old 07-11-2018, 07:30 PM   #11
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I've wondered about this very thing: now I'll have to listen closely to see if the priming function is being engaged...
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Old 09-25-2018, 01:26 AM   #12
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If you turn off the coach power while the generator is running, will that shut off the generator? All of the items on the panel (generator, tanks, water pump, etc.) are turned on/off /monitored at the panel. I was thinking if you could shut off the generator with the coach power switch instead of using the Stop/Prime button maybe I would not get the smell of gas fumes in the coach at generator shut down. Would it hurt anything to try?
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Old 09-25-2018, 01:03 PM   #13
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Danny boy View Post
If you turn off the coach power while the generator is running, will that shut off the generator? All of the items on the panel (generator, tanks, water pump, etc.) are turned on/off /monitored at the panel. I was thinking if you could shut off the generator with the coach power switch instead of using the Stop/Prime button maybe I would not get the smell of gas fumes in the coach at generator shut down. Would it hurt anything to try?
From my experience, the generator will run even if the use/store switch is in the store mode. Your AGS will also operate in the store mode, but it won't recharge the batteries. I know this sounds weird but it is true. I left my AGS on last winter while in storage and received a call from a neighbor that my generator was running (for the last day and a half). After investigating I discovered the batteries were very low...I turned off the AGS and put the coach in "use" mode to recharge the batteries.

From this experience I I believe that switch will not shut off the generator.
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Old 09-25-2018, 01:09 PM   #14
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What is AGS? I'm not familiar with that term.

Thanks!
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Old 09-25-2018, 01:34 PM   #15
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Danny boy View Post
What is AGS? I'm not familiar with that term.

Thanks!
Automatic starter. We don't have that on the Vegas/Axis.
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Old 09-25-2018, 02:39 PM   #16
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Having talked with my local RV repair guy recently concerning my generator, he told me to set a reminder in my phone to run the generator for an hour once a month UNDER LOAD. These generators are great, but you either use em or lose em. Todays gasoline is NOT friendly to any motor with a carburetor. Ethanol is basically a form of alcohol, and as the gasoline sits in your motorhome’s tank, the ethanol begins to separate and evaporate, which leaves water in your gas. That water goes through your float and those fickle little carburetor jets on your gennie and can gum up quickly! I use a can of sea foam in AT LEAST every other tank of gas. Better safe than sorry!!
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Old 09-25-2018, 04:05 PM   #17
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What is AGS? I'm not familiar with that term.

Thanks!
AutoGenStart. It is a feature designed to start your generator automatically under preset conditions. Sorry, I didn't realize your RV didn't have this.
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Old 09-25-2018, 04:47 PM   #18
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I don't get a gasoline smell inside my motorhome (2018 Miramar) but if I have been running the gen and it's just been shutdown, I get a slight gas smell when I walk by the gen compartment outside when hooking up utilities. It only lasts for a couple of minutes but I have noticed it several times. I just figured it was a little gas fuming from the carb when the gen is still hot. I get a similar smell in my garage when I put away my lawn tractor when it's just been turned off.
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Old 09-25-2018, 06:16 PM   #19
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We have a 2016 Axis 25.2. We also get a slight gas smell after we have had the generator running and then shut it off. The smell lingers outside the coach for a bit and a tad inside near the bathroom. There is zero leaks. I'll try not holding the button to shut it off, maybe that is causing a prime we don't want.
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Old 01-19-2019, 09:29 PM   #20
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Has anyone spoken to Thor or Onan about this gas fume issue?

I have a 2016 29M Hurricane and I too have this issue. If I run the gen for anything over about 30 min, I will get strong gas fumes coming from the gen bay area for up to a few hours after shutting it down.

And if I run my bedroom roof vent it sucks it all in the coach. Even set off my o2/propane detector a few times.

I too have had it checked, service cannot find any leaks.

One other thing I noticed, is that the gen cranks longer than it should upon starting even if the re-start is more than 30 or minutes from last shutdown. Like the gen float bowl needs to fill back up. Or put another way, it’s like the gen float bowl somehow drains very quickly. But where is the fuel going?

May be unrelated, but maybe not.

Bottom line, the gas smell is WAY too strong and consistent, it just shouldn’t be that way.
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