Generator not starting

[rnrphoto98]

Hi all.  The generator in my 88 Elandan will not start.  It is a onan emerald III 6.5 gas generator.   It turns over with the remote start on the dash, but not with the button on the generator.  I checked the oil it is full.  I pulled the gas line and the fuel pump is working.  If I spray carb cleaner in the carb while its turning over it will run on the carb cleaner for a few seconds but it will not run on its own.   Any help would be much appreciated.
thanks
Rob.

[ClydesdaleKevin]

Sounds a lot like the symptoms on our Emerald III when we first bought the RV and I couldn't get it to start...although on mine it was backfiring something fierce when it would almost start.  Turned out to be the circuit board was bad.  Check the member's area for manuals if you don't have one.  They help a lot for troubleshooting the problem.  I ended up calling in an Onan mobile service guy who fixed it quick and relatively cheap (board was expensive), and now I have the same guy service my genny once a year in North Carolina.

Kev

[rnrphoto98]

I was wondering if it might be something electrical.   I am just confused on why it will run when something is sprayed in the carb?  I am wondering now if the "L" shaped fitting on the carb that the fuel line hooks to might have a screen or something that is plugged.  I didn't think to check that till after I had it all put back together. I will check that next and if its still a no go I will probably have to find a Onan shop.  I have worked on small engines before but not on generators, don't want to mess it up more than it is already.

Thanks
Rob

[moonlitcoyote]

Thats the EXACT problem I was having in mine, it would run when I sprayed ether into it but immediately die. I started by draining the sediment bowl then I messed with the adjustments and after an hour or so I got it to stay running, a little more adjusting and it runs perfectly now.

[rnrphoto98]

The more i think about it, it really sounds like something is plugged or gummed up in the carb.  Hopefully I can figure it out tomorrow.  It would be really nice to have it working.

Thanks
Rob

[ClydesdaleKevin]

Yep...start with the simplest thing first.  Our symptoms were quite a bit different now that I think of it.  The genny would start and run as long as you held the button in, and as soon as you let it go it would backfire and stop.  Sometimes it would backfire before you released the button.  I tried everything, including cleaning out the carb bowl, and reached the end of my abilities to troubleshoot and called in a specialist.  Like I said, it turned out it was the circuit board...you could see the nasty burn through the board.  The Onan mechanic was able to add a jumper wire and switch to get it running just long enough for the new circuit board to arrive, then came back and installed the new circuit board, and its been fine since then.  He left the switch in place just in case the new circuit board ever got blown, but its been good for 2 years so far, and we have used our genny a lot over the last 2 years.  Good luck, and I hope its something simple for ya!

Kev

[rnrphoto98]

OK, so I tok the carb apart and cleaned it and the generator will run .  However it will only run for a few seconds before it seems to choke its self out.  If I hold the choke lever open it will run, it seems fairly quiet and runs pretty good, but it seem like once its warmed up a bit it shuts down.  I am not familiar with the adujstments on the machine.  Any suggestions on how to adjust it to keep running? 

Thanks

Rob

[piorun]

I had similar problem. I cleaned my carburator and i could never adjust it to run right. finaly i just bought new carb and i have no problems since.

[tiinytina]

Check and replace the in line fuel filter if you have one... had same issue with ours would start then stall out.. fuel filter was original... I put a clear one on so that I can see the fuel flow.  Also zip tied the line so that it is also gravity feeding down all the way not down then back up to the genny.

Tina