Onan 5500 issues running reading codes and parts

[hualinharleys]

Re: Onan 5500 issues running / reading codes 36 and parts

Thanks danemayer for the welcome, and fast response. I was searching for solutions to my genset problems tripped up on this forum, very nice, seems to be many knowledgeable members. Also thanks for the upload of the code fault 3-6 ,and i do have the OEM manual, but as i said that code basically wants to troubleshoot everything.LOL the post I came upon was posted by member porthole dated 6-3 2014, looks as though my problem lays with the solenoid just below the fuel bowl. I rapped on it and it started to deliver the fuel properly again, looks as though i need to replace the solenoid. Thanks for your help.

 

[szewczyk_john]

Re: Onan 5500 issues running / reading codes 36 and parts

Well I showed up a t the Richmond race yesterday and the Onan began to sputter as soon as it started. This might have been because someone started the AC unit up instead of letting the onan getting up to speed first. It ran terrible the first night when attempting the AC or water heater. SO we used it to fully charge up and the TV only. Got up this morning and went off to the paths store. I bought the sea foam and sea foam deep creep. Cleaned out the air filter box real good and started it up without the air filer in place. Shot the deep creep stuff into the carb while it was running and it started to sound better immediately. I shot a few extra shots in it and it has been fine since. I added some sea foam to the tank and also bought the newest ethanol stabile that is out for use in the future. I have always used the regular stabile. On the new bottle it says that it is only good for 2 years once opened. I never noticed that on the regular stuff and I have no idea how old that bottle was. All is good for now.

 

[boatto5er]

Happy to hear you are up and running. Wish we could make the race, but just couldn't schedule it in this year.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[santafedave]

Tap the side of the solenoid with a solid object while it is running, preferably when it is not running correctly.
I used the same wrench I had out to replace the fuel filter.

Ok. Just tried this with my 5500 Onan. Wow! I have been having problems with my genset for years! I have changed the oil had service done at a cummins dealer ran seafoam the tank etc... I went out today started the genset rapped on the solenoid and bingo it started running great. I just want to thank this forum because without it there would be lot's of unsolved mysteries with our Heartlands that we would never figure out! Thanks Porthole far winds and following seas to ya through life!

 

[porthole]

Ok. Just tried this with my 5500 Onan. Wow! I have been having problems with my genset for years! I have changed the oil had service done at a cummins dealer ran seafoam the tank etc... I went out today started the genset rapped on the solenoid and bingo it started running great. I just want to thank this forum because without it there would be lot's of unsolved mysteries with our Heartlands that we would never figure out! Thanks Porthole far winds and following seas to ya through life!

 

[santafedave]

To add to my earlier post. After rapping the solenoid a couple more times I continued to have problems with the genset. I changed the oil and air filters and used the seafood deep clean on the carb. This worked great. My genset starts with no problems now and doesn't search during loading! Thankfully I didn't have to replace the carb.

 

[Bigburd]

("used the seafood deep clean on the carb.")

Unsure what this means, please explain.

 

[danemayer]

("used the seafood deep clean on the carb.")

Unsure what this means, please explain.

seafood might be an autocorrect for Seafoam.

 

[mmomega]

if I were as frequent on the forums as I used to be this may have saved me a few $$$ like others I was headed to a race. Actually in Nov at Texas Motor Speedway. Got to the track, trailer pretty much all set up. Went to start the generator (Onan 5500) and the same ol' sad story. Surging, sputtering and it died.
I had tried everything I could think of, swapping gas cans, fuel line to the fuel pump, fuel filter, pulling the carb, cleaning the jets. I was getting quite aggravated. Mainly because my wife was on the way and no AC meant I'd probably be sleeping alone.

So my neighbor walks over and says "Tried everything huh?" Yep... "She needs a new carburetor." So to shorten this story a bit. There's a Cummins dealer about 20 minutes away, gave them a call and sure enough they had a carb in stock. Switched it out and the generator fired up like a brand new machine.

Now I know.
Go to forums.
Search my problem vs Porthole.
Solve problem.
Grab cold beer.

 

[porthole]

Seems there is a Cummins dealer not far from many tracks

 

[avvidclif]

The moral of the story is run it once a month for about an hour and the week before you need it make sure it works. I was lucky as I tried 2 weeks before and had plenty of time.

 

[porthole]

if I were as frequent on the forums as I used to be this may have saved me a few $$$ like others I was headed to a race. Actually in Nov at Texas Motor Speedway. Got to the track, trailer pretty much all set up. Went to start the generator (Onan 5500) and the same ol' sad story. Surging, sputtering and it died.
I had tried everything I could think of, swapping gas cans, fuel line to the fuel pump, fuel filter, pulling the carb, cleaning the jets. I was getting quite aggravated. Mainly because my wife was on the way and no AC meant I'd probably be sleeping alone.

So my neighbor walks over and says "Tried everything huh?" Yep... "She needs a new carburetor." So to shorten this story a bit. There's a Cummins dealer about 20 minutes away, gave them a call and sure enough they had a carb in stock. Switched it out and the generator fired up like a brand new machine.

Now I know.
Go to forums.
Search my problem vs Porthole.
Solve problem.
Grab cold beer.

Hey JD,haveyouadded

Hey JD, have you added an ethanol treatment to the fuel?

 

[PondSkum]

just stumbled on this thread. my Onan 5500 sat for 2 years with old gas in it from previous owner. So far I've put fresh premium fuel in the tank, a bottle of seafoam, cleaned the carb twice, and replaced the fuel pump and filter. It will start and idle fine with no load, but with a load on it, it's surging every 10 seconds or so. I will probably try tapping on the solenoid as mentioned in this post to see if that helps the issue. if not, I'm afraid I may be on the way to buying a new carb as well... it's crazy that they don't sell parts for it, there's nothing to it inside but a few jets, a float and a couple gaskets... guess they wouldn't be making much money if people could just clean and rebuild the carbs themselves...

 

[avvidclif]

They would have a hard time selling you a $500 carb if you could buy the pieces for $100.

 

[porthole]

just stumbled on this thread. my Onan 5500 sat for 2 years with old gas in it from previous owner. So far I've put fresh premium fuel in the tank, a bottle of seafoam, cleaned the carb twice, and replaced the fuel pump and filter. It will start and idle fine with no load, but with a load on it, it's surging every 10 seconds or so. I will probably try tapping on the solenoid as mentioned in this post to see if that helps the issue. if not, I'm afraid I may be on the way to buying a new carb as well... it's crazy that they don't sell parts for it, there's nothing to it inside but a few jets, a float and a couple gaskets... guess they wouldn't be making much money if people could just clean and rebuild the carbs themselves...

Thank your federal gubbermint, it is an EPA thing.

Try the solenoid rap. I just had to do it again this past week. And I use fuel stabilizer with ethanol treatment every time I put fuel in. And I added a can of Seafoam before we left.

I have a new carb sitting in a box in the trailer, l also have one of the solenoids. I will avoid using either one of them as long as the "rap here" works.

 

[porthole]

April 24, 2018 update.

I still have the new carb and solenoid sitting in the parts bin. For times when the fuel stabilizer does not work the rap on the solenoid still does.

I no longer use the Valvtect ethanol treatment, only because West Marine no longer carries it.

In it's place I use STA-BIL MARINE FORMULA ETHANOL TREATMENT

So far it seems to work. I alos use the same Sta-bil in everything I have that stores gasoline except Deb's car. RV, boat, gas jugs etc

 

[PondSkum]

So my issue never got better with the solenoid tap. What happened was, we went on a trip, I cranked the genset, and let it run while I was towing, and it started out surging, but about an hour or so into the drive, stopped to check everything and the genset was purring like a kitten. And it has been running fine ever since then. Maybe it had some trash lodged somewhere and the bouncing down the highway dislodged it.

 

[santafedave]

Well. The solenoid on my carb finally failed on me. I was wondering if I can put an EFI setup on my old Onan Genset (circa 2008) and if so would it be worth it? If not I am going to have to buy the carb kit's that they sell on e-bay. Any suggestions would be helpful. Thanks, David.

- - - Updated - - -

Yea I forgot to mention that I tried tightening my solenoid and that created an extreme gas leak. I have replaced the gasket on the front side of the carb and that seemed to work for about a month then I tried starting the genset when I needed it and right at the top of the solenoid gas started leaking. I tried to tighten, but, it just made the leak worse. David.

 

[porthole]

I have found the solenoid on eBay but not any kits.
Only complete carbs.

How soon do you need it?
I may have a carb and or solenoid available soon.

 

[santafedave]

Hey Porthole. Could you PM me the price of the carb. I have time we are not traveling until August of this year. Thanks, David.