Generator troubles

[brando4905]

Hey Folks,

I have a Onan Quiet Diesel 12.5 that is shutting off when the bus comes to a stop. Just drove from Bridgeport,CT to San Francisco 2 weeks ago and started having generator problems in Nebraska. Generator is flashing code 36. I had just serviced it in June, put 200 hrs. on it with no issues, so just had it serviced in the Bay Area and they couldn't find anything wrong. Replaced fuel filter,air filter,oil and oil filter. Well now I'm stuck in Bakersfield with no generator. This unit has just over 1000 hours on it.

Usually when it shuts down when I come to a stop, it will fire back up again a run OK for awhile, now it won't stay running at all. Any ideas?

Thanks,
Brandon

[luvrbus]

Brando, check the connections from the battery source if the voltage falls below 9v it will give you the 36 code and stop

[brando4905]

Clifford,

All battery connections seem good, but the solenoid switch that supplies the 12v to generator has loose studs. The wires on the studs are tight but the studs wiggle a little bit. I am getting 12 volts to the generator, and now I am getting it to start, but will not run for more than 3 seconds.

[luvrbus]

Ok Brando do you hear a click when it shuts downs,you probably know this but the shutdown solenoid  requires 12v to open and 110v to hold it open check an be sure the solenoid is not shutting it down


good luck

[TomC]

AAH- the funness of having an Onan generator...Good Luck, TomC

[Dreamscape]

I Love my Onan, I Love my Onan! HA!

[cody]

I love my honda, I love my honda lol   

[BG6]

Brando, check the connections from the battery source if the voltage falls below 9v it will give you the 36 code and stop

Concur.

Don't forget to check the GROUNDS, as well as the control circuit (on-off switch), as an intermittent open on either of these will give you the same code. 

Not knowing how you wired this up, are you hooked straight to the battery, or tapped from some other circuit?  If the latter, check the connections through that, too -- an intermittent short will pull the voltage down on the whole line, and an intermittent open may be forcing a restart on something with a high start current.

The bottom line is that something is loose somewhere.  If you don't see it in the external wiring, it is in the box on the generator, and could be something as simple as a loose screw on a circuit board -- but check the external wiring first before opening the box.

[luvrbus]

Give him a break guys Onan is not that bad of generator just that you hear things about 1 because there is millions of Onan out there and thousands of the other brands and Onan has the best service network of all he just has a minor problem like happens to all generators.

[Dreamscape]

Clifford, I was responding to TomC as we have an Onan and it works great! Was not poking fun at it at all.

Paul

[luvrbus]

I know Paul but Onan gets a bad rap here sometimes ,Brandon is Bakersfield where temps are going to be around 110 today he needs some AC and bad lol

[Busted Knuckle]

I know Paul but Onan gets a bad rap here sometimes ,Brandon is Bakersfield where temps are going to be around 110 today he needs some AC and bad lol

Clifford if he's in B'ville could Don help him? (if he's even home)
Seems Don has had some generator experience between fixing the one in his CC, and building engines for some.
  BK 

[brando4905]

Thanks for all the replies, turned out to be a blockage in the fuel line from tank to the genset. I pulled the pick-up tube first, all clear, then removed the 10' fuel line to generator and blew through it. It was like a pea shooter, something flew out the end! Running like a charm from Mohave,CA to Seligman,AZ so far.

It has been a HOT one today. Would have been miserable without the A/Cs!!

[Dreamscape]

Great News! It's funny how the simple leads us to all kinds of conclusions huh! Stay cool!

[FloridaCliff]

Brandon,

Glad to here you got her fixed and thanks for sharing the solution.

By the way, even without the a/c, just owning a GMC 4905 makes you "COOL" 

Cliff