scurvy
New member
When I picked up the RV from my in-laws, we attempted to start the generator but it did not work. At the time we just shrugged it off as I wasn't planning on running it on the way home, but after a very hot and sweaty night at a Minnesota rest area, boy did I wish I had it running.
After I got home, we pulled the generator out, an Onan Microlite 2.8 model KV, A-spec. It is pretty heavy at about 120 lbs, but we got it set up on cinder blocks in the back yard and started troubleshooting.
First and foremost, no fuel came out when disconnected from the carb, which means the fuel pump is shot. $60 later and I had a replacement unit from my local NAPA (Balkamp 6101077, replacement for Facet 40189).
Once that was plumbed it, it would start and run rough but eventually die. I fed it gas with about a 5x dose of Sea Foam and B-12, which helped some, but eventually figured out that with the choke held in it would run fairly well.
This means it's not getting enough fuel, so I took the carb & intake manifold off, discovered the airbox-to-carb gasket was disintegrated, and proceeded with disassembly of the major carb components. The bowl and main metering jet was pretty well blocked with gunk and dissolved gasket material, so a quick clean with carb cleaner got it back to flowing well.
Reassembled and it's back to running well! I'm adding quick disconnects for AC power and a fuel shut-off valve, plus additional sound dampening in the enclosure, but it should be back installed this week.
Naturally I had help from factory trained technicians!
After I got home, we pulled the generator out, an Onan Microlite 2.8 model KV, A-spec. It is pretty heavy at about 120 lbs, but we got it set up on cinder blocks in the back yard and started troubleshooting.
First and foremost, no fuel came out when disconnected from the carb, which means the fuel pump is shot. $60 later and I had a replacement unit from my local NAPA (Balkamp 6101077, replacement for Facet 40189).
Once that was plumbed it, it would start and run rough but eventually die. I fed it gas with about a 5x dose of Sea Foam and B-12, which helped some, but eventually figured out that with the choke held in it would run fairly well.
This means it's not getting enough fuel, so I took the carb & intake manifold off, discovered the airbox-to-carb gasket was disintegrated, and proceeded with disassembly of the major carb components. The bowl and main metering jet was pretty well blocked with gunk and dissolved gasket material, so a quick clean with carb cleaner got it back to flowing well.
Reassembled and it's back to running well! I'm adding quick disconnects for AC power and a fuel shut-off valve, plus additional sound dampening in the enclosure, but it should be back installed this week.
Naturally I had help from factory trained technicians!
