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  1. #11

    Re: Generator won’t start

    Just a guess but I would first suspect it could be a bad crimp on the lugs or simply a loose connection.

  2. #12

    Re: Generator won’t start

    Quote Originally Posted by Boatsb View Post
    FLYMITCH.

    start simple.

    Check the battery and cables. If there is even a slight doubt replace them.

    I use grp 31 batteries the time to start 5.9 and 8.3 Cummins. The generator is probably less than 30 hp and if all in the system is done right there's usually no problems.

    The usual issues I find are.

    1) Weak battery. A good pulse tester is a must.
    2) Poorly made cables or wrong size cables. Soldering the ends is a bad thing.. proper crimps are square or hex, hold hundreds of pounds of pull force and have glue lined shrink to protect them.
    3) Bad switch or fuse on the line causing voltage drop.

    Thanks for the tips!
    With the symptoms and the fact it started after a long ride (charging) power or power delivery (Battery or cables/connections) are where I am next looking.
    Thanks again!
    Mitch Cohen Wilmington Ca75 YachtFish48YF363

  3. #13

    Lightbulb Re: Generator won’t start

    Hey Mitch, What did you find? I'm troubleshooting my slightly different Onan start issue today. Thx.
    Eric

  4. #14

    Re: Generator won’t start

    Eric,

    I got you PM and I forwarded you PDFs of the Onan Owners and Service manuals to the hotmail account you provided. Files where about 7 MB in total. Hopefully this will help trouble shoot the issue to resolution. Best of luck!
    Best regards,
    --
    David

  5. #15

    Re: Generator won’t start

    Quote Originally Posted by 52CMY View Post
    Hey Mitch, What did you find? I'm troubleshooting my slightly different Onan start issue today. Thx.
    Eric
    Job has me flying more than boating.
    Had electrician replace main cable from Starboard Battery Bank, port battery to port engine starter.
    My feeling is, after running the boat, probably this week, the problem will go away.
    Electrician things it’s a bad starter, which coincidentally he thinks the port engine also has a bad starter.
    Still diagnosing.
    Need to find another mechanic/electrician that knows his stuff.
    Have a good buddy that pulled the starter on that gen, we jumped it off the aft gen battery and it spun no issue.
    After running the boat last time, that same starter gave no issues starting the gen.
    After sitting for a week, same click at 20 seconds.
    Tune back in next week, for “As the starter turns!"
    Mitch Cohen Wilmington Ca75 YachtFish48YF363

  6. #16

    Re: Generator won’t start

    I went through a similar exercise with my MDKD 18 mos ago. After I fiddled with batteries, wires, crimps,relays, solenoids, etc, etc, etc for 2 weeks, a knowledgeable Onan mechanic on Smokstak.com advised rebuilding or replacing the starter. I pulled the starter, had it rebuilt at an old school motor shop in Ft Myers, and reinstalled...it was the easiest thing I had done in 2 weeks. Fired right up, and hasn’t hiccuped since. Not saying that’s your problem, but I sure wished I had done the starter first instead of last - living in the ER, it was arguably time to do it anyway, and for a bonus, it solved the problem.
    Mike Peters, 1985 43MY, Cat 3208T, Blue Bayou; 2011 Key West 246BR, F250, Baby Blue; Punta Gorda FL

  7. #17

    Re: Generator won’t start

    Thanks, WPC!˜
    Mitch Cohen Wilmington Ca75 YachtFish48YF363

  8. #18

    Re: Generator won’t start

    Quote Originally Posted by 52CMY View Post
    Hey Mitch, What did you find? I'm troubleshooting my slightly different Onan start issue today. Thx.
    Eric
    Finally got to take boat out today.
    Besides my Bimini being thrashed in a few recent windstorms, port engine still needed parallel switch to start.

    Forward Geni started when I got back to the dock.
    One new discovery on today’s run.
    Port amp meter was first indicating about 12.5, but as I ran the boat, it dropped to less than 9.
    After starting my rear gen, throwing it on Gen 2 (rear) the battery charger picked up the duty and starting showing 12.5 volts shortly after.
    So, most likely port alternator needs rebuild.

    Mechanic due out next Thursday.

    If he shows up, I have confidence he can fix whatever is going on.


    Still in the market for a new Bimini top but now that it’s off the boat, I can take it somewhere. Many of the local shops, did NOT want to come out to look at it.
    Mitch Cohen Wilmington Ca75 YachtFish48YF363

  9. #19

    Re: Generator won’t start

    Good mechanic worth weight.

    Prior to my purchase, my mechanic today accomplished most of the engine work on my boat.

    Took him 2 hrs to diagnose and fix (for now) what ended up as an underperforming battery at less than 75% of rated Cold Cranking.
    More importantly, what did NOT need replacement was:

    Gen starter.
    Port engine alternator.
    Port engine starter.

    Both fired many times by switching to one of the house batteries.

    New battery on order.
    Can use boat now, but new battery will be installed next week.

    Now I can make a proper list of those little nagging jobs that any older boat has.
    SO glad to have a proper diagnosis, and not just one a flippant boat electrician came up with.
    Mitch Cohen Wilmington Ca75 YachtFish48YF363

  10. #20

    Re: Generator won’t start

    Quote Originally Posted by Flymitch View Post
    Onan Geni.
    Hit start switch for 20 seconds, it does a split second crank then nothing.
    Pulled starter.
    Jumped with cables, it works fine.
    Rotated engine with wrench, it rotates.

    Put back together, same issue.

    Took boat out for 2 hrs, got back to doc, started like nothing was ever wrong.

    Let boat sit for one week with full time battery chargers on main bats, and still give me the Ugh at 20 second., no start.

    Any clues why?
    Possibly a corroded power or ground cable?

    Thanks for all opinions.

    Merry Christmas!
    I am a couple months behind on replying. I fought a similar situation on my 7.5 ONAN. Good glow-plugs and pre-heater and good starter. After the pre-heating cycle, started immediately, then died. Would NOT stay running. It had not been run for several months or more.

    While doing mechanical analysis, I happen to notice that an arm that connects the idle/engine speed control had become "stuck" from mis-use. So when it started the stuck engine speed control arm prevented coming up to speed and effectively stopped the engine.

    With minimal effort I freed it up and Voila, started righth up, but now the arm had movement to manage engine speed and she stayed running.

    So I would simply touch any external moving parts and check for freedom of movement. Unless of course you already resolved the issue.
    Last edited by spartonboat1; 02-26-2021 at 11:24 PM.
    50 Years on the Great Lakes...

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