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Any Onan Genset folks that can help?

Yahoo Message Number: 71128
Genset in '06 Inspire will not stay running. Fault code 33 . . . overheating(!). Gen will run for about 1 minute stone cold. Starts to pick up the load then shuts down. Still have overheating fault code, makes no sense. Fluids fine, even shut off all major circuit breakers to prevent a high load. Will run with 1 amp load, then as soon as a load starts (mystery since all the breakers are off . . .) gets to about 10 amps and shuts down. So next I isolated the genset by turning off the gen power at the unit. Still shuts down. 128 hours total on the genset, serviced at about 122 six months ago. Sensor issue?
I'm stumped. Of course this happens on a Saturday afternoon . . . any ideas?

Lon

Re: Any Onan Genset folks that can help?

Reply #1 –
Yahoo Message Number: 71129
Lon:

Take a look at the Onan Manual, specifically page 22 "Troubleshooting," assuming your genset is the same as mine. It looks like the code you are reading is a first level fault code and you need to go to the second level fault code to determine the actual fault.
The troubleshooting page below explains the procedure If you do not have the manual, I can attach it to en email. You will need the follow on pages to interpret the second level fault code.

Chuck Penque

03 Intrigue 11673

Troubleshooting

WARNING Hot engine parts can cause severe burns. Always allow the engine time to cool before performing any maintenance or service.
TABLE 4. TROUBLESHOOTING lists the Fault Codes in numerical order along with step-by-step instructions for corrective action. If you fail to resolve the problem after taking the corrective actions suggested, contact an authorized Onan dealer. See How to Obtain Service (Page 34).
First note the following:

• Maintaining engine oil level, keeping battery connections clean and tight, watching the fuel gauge, not overloading the genset, etc. will prevent most shutdowns.

• When the genset and vehicle engine share a common fuel tank the fuel dip tubes are usually arranged so that the genset will run out of fuel first. Marking the genset empty point on the fuel gauge will make it easier to tell when to stop the genset before running it out of fuel.
First-Level Fault Codes: The genset controller provides extensive diagnostics by causing the status indicator light on the Control Switch to blink in a coded fashion. Following a fault shutdown, the indicator light will repeatedly blink 1, 2 or 3 blinks at a time.

• One blink indicates shut down due to high temperature • Two blinks indicates shutdown due to a loss of engine oil pressure

• Three blinks indicates shutdown due to some other abnormal condition.

Second-Level Fault Codes: For a 1-blink or 3-blink first-level fault code, one touch to Stop brings up a second-level fault code. This code consists of 1, 2, 3 or 4 blinks, a brief pause, and then 1 to 9 blinks. The first set of blinks represents the tens digit and the second set of blinks the units digit of the fault code number. For example, Fault Code No. 23 would appear as:

blink-blink--pause--blink-blink-blink--...
NOTE: Fault Code Nos. 1, 2 and 3 are first-level faults.
Avoid interpreting them as second-level Fault Codes 11, 22 and 33. The pauses between repetitions of the fault code are longer than the pauses between the tens and units digits of the the code. For example, Fault Code 33 would appear as:

blink-blink-blink--pause--blink-blink-blink --longer pause--

blink-blink-blink--pause--blink-blink-blink--...
Restoring Fault Code Blinking: The fault code stops blinking after five minutes. Press Stop three times within five seconds to restore blinking. Note that the last fault logged will blink, even after the condition that caused the shutdown has been corrected

Re: Any Onan Genset folks that can help?

Reply #2 –
Yahoo Message Number: 71130
Thanks, have already done all that and it still makes no sense, the gen was stone cold when all this happened. First fault code, single flash, second was 33 (overheating). Have looked in the manual (troubleshooting) and that doesn't help . . . why would it shut down cold for overheating?

Re: Any Onan Genset folks that can help?

Reply #3 –
Yahoo Message Number: 71135
Lon

Exact same experience. It was the fan belt. Napa came up with a replacement.

Dan 2006 Allure 31348

Re: Any Onan Genset folks that can help?

Reply #4 –
Yahoo Message Number: 71142
Lon,

Your assuming it's a coolant overheating issue. I'm wondering if it could be a electric overheating issue, as in your controller. Which genset do you have? I would have a hard time believing it would be a fan belt as it sounds like it wouldn't even have had time for the thermostat to open up. The fact that it just starts to pick up the load then shuts down would make me look in the direction of the electronics. As far as a bad temperature Sensor, maybe? Kevin Burns

00 Affinity, #5865

Re: Any Onan Genset folks that can help?

Reply #5 –
Yahoo Message Number: 71144
Fuel filter? Changing mine made a similar failure disappear.

Jay

Onan HDKAJ 7.5

Re: Any Onan Genset folks that can help?

Reply #6 –
Yahoo Message Number: 71152
Dan

What was involved in accessing the fan belt? Did you change it yourself?

George Harper
04 Allure
31093

Re: Any Onan Genset folks that can help?

Reply #7 –
Yahoo Message Number: 71153
Lon

You've only have six hours on the gen since it was serviced. Wonder if it has been doing this since it came back from service?
The Onan Quiet Diesel is known for difficulty accepting coolant when the system has been drained. Filling it back up with coolant is slow and tedious partly due to the collapsing rubber filler neck which is stowed folded up underneath an access panel. It can fool you into thinking it is full when it is not. You have to coax the coolant in a little at a time.
This happened to me the first time I changed out the coolant. Had a high temp fault. I also saw it happen to a friend's coach at a service shop. I told the tech what was wrong and he then fed in more coolant slowly and got it right.

George Harper
04 Allure
31093

Re: Any Onan Genset folks that can help?

Reply #8 –
Yahoo Message Number: 71156
Ditto on being fooled with refilling the reservoir with new fluid. I got supicious when I drained X amount and was only able to replenish with -X and by all indications, it showed full. I had to manipulate the flimsy fill tube to get it to take more fluid. Measure what goes in and compare to spec, and/or what came out.

Larry, 03 Allure, 30856
 

Re: Any Onan Genset folks that can help?

Reply #9 –
Yahoo Message Number: 71169
George

I was in a shop in Nevada when it was determined what was wrong. Had the mechanic change it out. He had to remove a panel but it was not a major job.

Dan 2006 Allure 31348