Need Onan Generator Help, Please

[Bill Root]

The fuel transfer pump on BUFFALO GAL's Onan 20.0 DL4 generator is leaking. I have been unable to find a replacement pump anywhere, including Sam's and the Onan/Cummins distributor. Apparently Onan stopped making replacement pumps several years ago.

- Does anyone out there have one of these pumps?
- Has anyone encountered this problem, and if so, how did you fix it?

The generator has only 2500 hrs on it and works fine otherwise, so I don't want to scrap it. Thanks.

 

[SKYCHENEY]

Could you get rid of that pump and just use an electric fuel pump?

 

[jim rosenthal]

Try Oberdorfer Pump company. Also try Depco Pump in Florida. Also, is there a rebuild kit available for it- not a new pump, but a rebuild set? This is a mechanical pump, I assume- it's what they call the lift pump, which sends fuel to the high-pressure pump. For a lift pump, you might be able to get a rebuild kit.

Failing all that, if you can figure out the pressure and flow specs, which may be available on-line or from Onan, you could think about fitting an electric fuel pump.

 

[Bill Root]

Try Oberdorfer Pump company. Also try Depco Pump in Florida. Also, is there a rebuild kit available for it- not a new pump, but a rebuild set? This is a mechanical pump, I assume- it's what they call the lift pump, which sends fuel to the high-pressure pump. For a lift pump, you might be able to get a rebuild kit.

Failing all that, if you can figure out the pressure and flow specs, which may be available on-line or from Onan, you could think about fitting an electric fuel pump.

Thanks Jim and Sky. Onan says the pump is not rebuildable. I'll try Oberdorfer and Depco. The electric pump is a great idea, but I can't find a 32V one. 12 and 24 yes, 32 no. Sam's had some a few years ago, but their supplier stopped making them and they can't find another.

 

[Canuck Dennis]

Try "Buddy" at Coral Bay Marina in Islamorada, he seems to have a lot of old dusty Onan parts boxes on his shelves there. There is also a dealer on S.R 84 in Ft Lauderdale who carries a fair bit of Onan stuff...his name just escapes right now...

 

[TopHattandTails]

Try "Buddy" at Coral Bay Marina in Islamorada, he seems to have a lot of old dusty Onan parts boxes on his shelves there. There is also a dealer on S.R 84 in Ft Lauderdale who carries a fair bit of Onan stuff...his name just escapes right now...

Sailorman in FL. Ask for Jeff - Parts mgr.

 

[chris piazza]

I have a 15kw and just rebuilt the lift pump last year, Had the gasket kit in a couple of days and a simple rebuild. Just a few gaskets a spring and a few other parts and it was back on. I had no pressure when operating the primer lever because of a very small leak in the diaphragm. I cant recall the price but it was very reasonable.

Chris
Superior Nights 53C

 

[captddis]

Sky has the old 20 he removed, maybe get his used pump. should both be MDL4 models.

 

[Bill Root]

Try "Buddy" at Coral Bay Marina in Islamorada, he seems to have a lot of old dusty Onan parts boxes on his shelves there. There is also a dealer on S.R 84 in Ft Lauderdale who carries a fair bit of Onan stuff...his name just escapes right now...

Thanks, Dennis. I'll give Coral Bay a call. Could the place in FL be Sailorman?

 

[Bill Root]

Sailorman in FL. Ask for Jeff - Parts mgr.

Thanks. I thought Dennis might be thinking of Sailorman.

 

[Bill Root]

I have a 15kw and just rebuilt the lift pump last year, Had the gasket kit in a couple of days and a simple rebuild. Just a few gaskets a spring and a few other parts and it was back on. I had no pressure when operating the primer lever because of a very small leak in the diaphragm. I cant recall the price but it was very reasonable.

Chris
Superior Nights 53C

Chris:

How old is yours genny? Mine was installed in 1988. Who did the work for you? I am being told there is no rebuild kit for the lift pump on mine. Thanks.

 

[Bill Root]

Sky has the old 20 he removed, maybe get his used pump. should both be MDL4 models.

Thanks. I'll send him a PM, but he didn't offer when he replied to my original post.

 

[Fanfare]

The result of Onan's lack of customer service coupled with the inability of several of their dealers to return promised phone calls resulted in the end of a 40 year history with that company for me. After about 6 years I can recommend Phasor for prompt attention and a good generator. www.phasormarine.com

 

[Canuck Dennis]

No, was not sailorman, this place was up 84 , south side just before the I 95 interchange...did Onan service etc..."DON Hillman" donhillman.com

 

[chris piazza]

Bill,
Mine is a 1980, I did the work on rebuilding the pump, probably thirty minutes to rebuild, 15min on and off. http://www.cumminsbridgeway.com/ in Saginaw mi had the rebuild part in a couple of days

Chris

 

[Bill Root]

Bill,
Mine is a 1980, I did the work on rebuilding the pump, probably thirty minutes to rebuild, 15min on and off. http://www.cumminsbridgeway.com/ in Saginaw mi had the rebuild part in a couple of days

Chris

I'll try them. Thanks.

 

[Glory]

Bill, if you have no luck you might want to coinsider that the pump may be the same demensions as another pump that is. A vendor of mine, Aurthur Gould Rebuilders, 631-269-0093, Kings Park,NY, rebuilds warer pumps and fuel pumps that are out of productions, and that is all they do.

I use them a bunch of times to each year. If you find no luck give them a call, maybe email a photo(s) with a ruler in the backround.

JM

 

[aorbay]

Our 1984 52C still has the original 20kw MDL4; last year my mechanic installed a 24v electric Walbro pump in place of the original lift pump, it has worked fine on 32 volts. We also replaced the original starter with a 24v. unit that I found on Ebay, so far its been trouble free.
However with an estimated 8,000 hours of use, I decided to give the old Onan a break and installed a second generator, a 12 kw Phasor, which I now use as the main generator, the Onan is now relegated to standby duty.

Antonio

 

[Bill Root]

Bill, if you have no luck you might want to coinsider that the pump may be the same demensions as another pump that is. A vendor of mine, Aurthur Gould Rebuilders, 631-269-0093, Kings Park,NY, rebuilds warer pumps and fuel pumps that are out of productions, and that is all they do.

I use them a bunch of times to each year. If you find no luck give them a call, maybe email a photo(s) with a ruler in the backround.

JM

JM:

Thanks for the lead. At this point I have struck out trying to find a replacement pump. I will call your guy Monday. If he can't help my only alternative is to change to an electric pump. However, my boat is 32V and nobody makes a 32V electric fuel pump. That means a separate battery and charger just to run the genny fuel pump. That's a lot more complicated than I want.

 

[captddis]

seperate battery and charger?????? kinda extreme. There are a number of inexpensive ways to drop the voltage.