My on-board Onan 5500 gasoline generator is coming due for a major service interval I believe. Based on what I've read in the service manual, what's involved is beyond my mechanical skills and tools. Besides it being time for the service I have observed that there is a lot of soot in the exhaust pipe.

I haven't heard much on the forum about this type of maintenance. There is an Onan service center about 50 miles from me. I plan to contact them to see about scheduling this. But I'm not sure what to expect. I sure as heck am not going to remove the generator. So they get the whole trailer along with the generator. Otherwise, I'm not sure what to expect from taking it in. Anybody done this before?

With regard to the soot, is it possible that my GenTuri exhaust pipe extension/stack could be causing that?

 

Maybe a small engine repair guy in your area would come out to your rv?
An rv service center wound probably work on it. Good luck on your quest!

 

I talked to the local RV repair shop (there's one attached to my storage lot) and he said he wasn't equipped to perform the work.

 

Service has been scheduled with the "local" Onan factory service repair shop. I'm going to have them do what they call a Level 2 service which includes a valve adjustment as well as oil, filters, spark plugs, etc. I really don't need the oil changed as that happened already this year. There is some confusion on my part as to where the fuel filter is supposed to be. While I was on the phone the service writer checked his technician who said the location is supposed to be by the oil filter on the underside of the generator. I didn't see it there but I'll look again.

They have a spot for RV's to be parked. I'll be dropping it off on a Sunday when they're closed. Keys to the generator door, trailer door and coupler will be included in the drop off envelope. They'll let me pay by phone. I may never actually see any of the people that work there.

 

 

The fuel filter seems to be screwed into the electric lift pump where the fuel "in" hose connects.

 

Make sure load testing is part of the service.

 

I did have my generator serviced by Onan/Cummins. The Level II service included oil, oil filter, air filter, fuel filter, spark plugs and valve adjustment. I paid a little over $400. The actual work was good except for the new fuel filter. The fuel line seems to be oversized and doesn't fit the fuel filter nipple well. The worm clamp that was on there didn't tighten down far enough on the new filter and allowed fuel to leak. I put in a smaller worm clamp and all it right with the world and my trailer is likely to go up in flames.

I've never done valve adjustment so it's out of my (shade tree mechanic's) area of expertise. Everything else could have been done by me. I'm not quibbling about the cost this time as the generator started throwing a trouble code shortly after I scheduled the appointment. The trouble coded indicated low oil, but it was really complaining because in the storage lot I don't keep my trailer level. Lesson learned there.

CarterKraft, my fuel filter is attached to the generator. I don't have a fuel filter on the pump. I looked for it. At some point, Onan deprecated the (second?) fuel filter that may have been attached to the pump.

 

I don't recall that being called out as part of the service. I do know that two space heaters and the microwave running at the same time will trip the breaker at the generator. That's no fun to reset when it's 5° F outside.

This summer I was able to run two air conditioners at the same time (offset startup time) without any problem.