Onan repair

swingarm · 08-18-2012, 10:08 AM

I took my 4000 onan micro quiet in for repair. $900 to diag and replace fuel pump, Does that sound resonable. Generator was shutting down after running for 5 to 10 minutes. generator is in a small c class rv.

Rich Biebel · 08-18-2012, 07:47 PM

There had to be more to it than just replacing the fuel pump!!

I just did that repair a couple weeks ago and the bill was less than a third of what you paid.
I can change the pump on most M-H's with Onan 4KY's without removing the generator.....

Onan fuel pump failures are very common....

swingarm · 08-18-2012, 10:20 PM

Thanks Rich . I have not got it back yet, as they had to order the pump. Is there a flat rate time or industry standard for that repair. Again thanks for the reply.

Rich Biebel · 08-19-2012, 07:38 AM

Your biggest issue is that there are very few places that work on generators.
There is no industry standard on this type of work.

RV places if they do work on them are generally very high priced and likely to "sell you a bill of goods" is how I would put it.....

We get cutomers all the time that show us bills from RV facilities and they are usually very high.

Onan is owned by Cummins.....and some places that are listed as doing Onan repairs are primarily big truck engine repair facilities....

You are probably being charged a lot of diagnosis time. Maybe they spent half a day trying to decide what was wrong with it.

I work on them all the time and often let one run outside for hours waiting for it to fail so I can test it after it fails.

We don't charge hours and hours of labor for something like this.

I also do repairs based on my experience with these machines and fuel pump failure is high on the list.....

ss3011 · 08-19-2012, 10:32 PM

I have the same problem with my Onan 4000 Microlite. I replaced the carburator about three years ago and that fixed it, but now it is back doing the same thing. It runs for five to ten minutes then shuts down and wont restart. I disconnected the fuel line, and when I crank it, plenty of fuel pumps out. I tried cleaning and blowing out all the passages of the carb, but still has the problem. I am thinking of buy another carb. If your generator gets fixed please post what they did to fix it. Thanks

Rich Biebel · 08-20-2012, 07:15 AM

Most later 4KY's have the coil mounted under the blower/flywheel.
The coil wire is part of the coil and it is a magneto type ignition.
The coil wire is at a very sharp angle as it routes to the spark plug.
The vibration of the engine and the bad angle of the wire often causes the wire to fail. It is a carbon core type wire and you lose spark as the unit gets hot......
Possibly your problem....

Fuel pumps are a piston design and even though you see fuel coming out cold.....it could still be your issue. If it was never changed and the unit has some hours on it.....it may be your problem....

The solinoid on the carbs fuel bowl energizes with the pump and allows fuel to flow. If has a ground wire and a B+. They don't fail often but do get stuck from a unit that sat with fuel in it....

joe176 · 08-20-2012, 11:13 AM

I had an issue with my RV Onan generator shutting off a few years ago .......Matt Schurman is the go to guy.....D1 super gas racer....brought the RV to his company in northern NJ ...( mind you I live on Long Island and RV repair places here are crooks) and he found it was a coolant sensor.....did a complete tune up on it which included removing this monster from the truck to get to the sensor for $700....was totally happy with Matt and his work....great guy to do business with.

Rich Biebel · 08-20-2012, 12:55 PM

Joe that was a difficult job as I recall....getting the generator out and back in was no bargain....

We have had others just as bad........

Front mounted diesels.....no slide and have to remove the front of the M-H to get the generator out....

Matt and I have worked together for 20 years now.....

Rich

joe176 · 08-20-2012, 09:55 PM

Rich I didn't know you worked with Matt......knew it had to be difficult considering the circumstances.....you "guys" did a great job !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Rich Biebel · 08-21-2012, 09:50 AM

Joe I am the guy Matt says infected him with drag racing...

He usually says that after losing in the first round somewhere....LOL

08-18-2012, 10:08 AM	#1
swingarm Junior Member Join Date: Aug 2012 Posts: 5 Likes: 0 Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Onan repair I took my 4000 onan micro quiet in for repair. $900 to diag and replace fuel pump, Does that sound resonable. Generator was shutting down after running for 5 to 10 minutes. generator is in a small c class rv.

08-18-2012, 07:47 PM	#2
Rich Biebel VIP Member Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Northern New Jersey suburbs Posts: 2,314 Likes: 25 Liked 544 Times in 213 Posts	Re: Onan repair There had to be more to it than just replacing the fuel pump!! I just did that repair a couple weeks ago and the bill was less than a third of what you paid. I can change the pump on most M-H's with Onan 4KY's without removing the generator..... Onan fuel pump failures are very common.... __________________ Rich Biebel S/C 1479 Stock 147R

08-18-2012, 10:20 PM	#3
swingarm Junior Member Join Date: Aug 2012 Posts: 5 Likes: 0 Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Re: Onan repair Thanks Rich . I have not got it back yet, as they had to order the pump. Is there a flat rate time or industry standard for that repair. Again thanks for the reply.

08-19-2012, 07:38 AM	#4
Rich Biebel VIP Member Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Northern New Jersey suburbs Posts: 2,314 Likes: 25 Liked 544 Times in 213 Posts	Re: Onan repair Your biggest issue is that there are very few places that work on generators. There is no industry standard on this type of work. RV places if they do work on them are generally very high priced and likely to "sell you a bill of goods" is how I would put it..... We get cutomers all the time that show us bills from RV facilities and they are usually very high. Onan is owned by Cummins.....and some places that are listed as doing Onan repairs are primarily big truck engine repair facilities.... You are probably being charged a lot of diagnosis time. Maybe they spent half a day trying to decide what was wrong with it. I work on them all the time and often let one run outside for hours waiting for it to fail so I can test it after it fails. We don't charge hours and hours of labor for something like this. I also do repairs based on my experience with these machines and fuel pump failure is high on the list..... __________________ Rich Biebel S/C 1479 Stock 147R

08-19-2012, 10:32 PM	#5
ss3011 Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2002 Location: Southeast Michigan Posts: 909 Likes: 70 Liked 239 Times in 114 Posts	Re: Onan repair I have the same problem with my Onan 4000 Microlite. I replaced the carburator about three years ago and that fixed it, but now it is back doing the same thing. It runs for five to ten minutes then shuts down and wont restart. I disconnected the fuel line, and when I crank it, plenty of fuel pumps out. I tried cleaning and blowing out all the passages of the carb, but still has the problem. I am thinking of buy another carb. If your generator gets fixed please post what they did to fix it. Thanks

08-20-2012, 07:15 AM	#6
Rich Biebel VIP Member Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Northern New Jersey suburbs Posts: 2,314 Likes: 25 Liked 544 Times in 213 Posts	Re: Onan repair Most later 4KY's have the coil mounted under the blower/flywheel. The coil wire is part of the coil and it is a magneto type ignition. The coil wire is at a very sharp angle as it routes to the spark plug. The vibration of the engine and the bad angle of the wire often causes the wire to fail. It is a carbon core type wire and you lose spark as the unit gets hot...... Possibly your problem.... Fuel pumps are a piston design and even though you see fuel coming out cold.....it could still be your issue. If it was never changed and the unit has some hours on it.....it may be your problem.... The solinoid on the carbs fuel bowl energizes with the pump and allows fuel to flow. If has a ground wire and a B+. They don't fail often but do get stuck from a unit that sat with fuel in it.... __________________ Rich Biebel S/C 1479 Stock 147R

08-20-2012, 11:13 AM	#7
joe176 Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2003 Location: NY Posts: 601 Likes: 36 Liked 41 Times in 9 Posts	Re: Onan repair I had an issue with my RV Onan generator shutting off a few years ago .......Matt Schurman is the go to guy.....D1 super gas racer....brought the RV to his company in northern NJ ...( mind you I live on Long Island and RV repair places here are crooks) and he found it was a coolant sensor.....did a complete tune up on it which included removing this monster from the truck to get to the sensor for $700....was totally happy with Matt and his work....great guy to do business with. __________________ Joe Franco SS176

08-20-2012, 12:55 PM	#8
Rich Biebel VIP Member Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Northern New Jersey suburbs Posts: 2,314 Likes: 25 Liked 544 Times in 213 Posts	Re: Onan repair Joe that was a difficult job as I recall....getting the generator out and back in was no bargain.... We have had others just as bad........ Front mounted diesels.....no slide and have to remove the front of the M-H to get the generator out.... Matt and I have worked together for 20 years now..... Rich __________________ Rich Biebel S/C 1479 Stock 147R Last edited by Rich Biebel; 08-20-2012 at 02:03 PM.

08-20-2012, 09:55 PM	#9
joe176 Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2003 Location: NY Posts: 601 Likes: 36 Liked 41 Times in 9 Posts	Re: Onan repair Rich I didn't know you worked with Matt......knew it had to be difficult considering the circumstances.....you "guys" did a great job !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! __________________ Joe Franco SS176

08-21-2012, 09:50 AM	#10
Rich Biebel VIP Member Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Northern New Jersey suburbs Posts: 2,314 Likes: 25 Liked 544 Times in 213 Posts	Re: Onan repair Joe I am the guy Matt says infected him with drag racing... He usually says that after losing in the first round somewhere....LOL __________________ Rich Biebel S/C 1479 Stock 147R