I have a 2003 Onan Marquee Gold 5.5 HGJAB-901B gas unit with 194 hours. I run the unit monthly and keep the fuel tank full as not to have problems with condensation. The oil & filter was changed recently and has about 10 hours at present. The fuel filter has not been changed and that is my first step in trouble shooting. If it does not start, my next step is to check the fuel pump along with the fuel lines to be sure that it is not a fuel problem. This is the first of any problem I had with the unit.
My Onan was running for approximately 20 minutes for the monthly exercise and she just quit. I was running 2 AC’s, the hot water heater and the frig to give it a good workout (+/- 36-42 amps) planning for the hurricane season. I have an EMS system that manages the electrical system with sharing different components as not to over load the unit. So, this problem should not be the cause.
When I heard it shut down, I turned everything off and tried to start it. It will run as long as I hold down the start button, but when I release it, it stops. The trouble shooting code indicating on the switch is 32. That indicates low cranking speed or low battery power. I check the battery connections and put a charger on the batteries which is not the problem. I tested the house batteries with a battery tester and it is in the green area. The oil is full and still clean/clear. I flipped the 30 & 20 amp breakers on the unit itself with no avail.
What are my alternatives for the next step? Thanks in advance.
9-2-11 After all the trouble shooting, the problem was a broken belt. When the belt broke some of the threads of the belt got between the shaft and ruin the seal. The parts to fix it were $132.00 and labor was $906.00 along with the tax for a total of $ 1126. For a belt to break, that was a expensive repair. They said around 8-10 years the belt needs to be changed. To repair it, they had to remove the whole genset and tear half apart to get to the belt and pulley. To change the seal the bottom part of the engine had to be opened up.
* This post was
edited 09/07/11 07:31am by MrMudstud *
"No One Cares What You Know, Until They Know That You Care!"......."God Bless America"
2003 Pace Arrow 34W, F-53 V-10 22,000#, Avg 8.2 MPG
ScanGauge II, Voltage Booster, Progressive Industries EMS
Water Softener, Safe-T-Plus, Rear Trac Bar, 4 Koni FSD's
Have the same problem with my 6300 LP. My unit will start but as soon as I take my finger off of the outside switch it dies. After a few minutes it'll start and keep running. I thought it might be fuel starved but it wasn't. I won't even try from inside the coach. Last time I did that I blew the starter motor. Low voltage. After reading this post I'm convinced its a connection problem. I'm not a wire guy but I'll bet there's a some kind of wiring problem. Maybe corrosion problem somewhere. I live in Florida and see you're in the south also. Maybe moisture is the culprit. I've had this problem for a few months. I'm keeping an eye on this post to see if there are answers......Thanks
An Onan gen has to produce DC current to stay running. While your holding the start button in, your bypassing the DC current that the gen should be suppling & using the DC from the battery. Once the start button is released, the DC from the battery stops & engine turns off.
Can be the brushes in the gen not makings contact with the armature or the regulator gone bad & the DC current not passing through it.
Sometimes from sitting, the contact rings on the gen armature need cleaning so that the brushes can make good contact.
Regulators from Onan cost a lot, so check with Flight Systems out of PA for an aftermarket rebuildable replacement unit.
You can send them your old regulator & they can test it to see if it is bad.
They carry a full line of aftermarket replacement parts for the Onan gens + easy to read instruction repair manuals.
Neil
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