Foretravel Owners' Forum

Foretravel Motorhome Forums => Foretravel Tech Talk => Topic started by: John Cooper on April 30, 2012, 10:41:27 pm

Title: Removing a propane powered Onan Emerald III from a 1991 GV on an Oshkosh chassis
Post by: John Cooper on April 30, 2012, 10:41:27 pm
1.  Shut off the propane.  (Mine was vapor so no worries about liquid)
2.  If the generator is working run it until it runs out of fuel.
3.  Turn off the battery switch or remove the positive battery cable to the house battery.
4.  Remove the door as this will make it easier to work on.  I used the lift table to support the door while I removed the square drive screws holding the hinge to the bottom of the generator tray and the two screws holding the top of the chains.
5.  Disconnect the 12 volt wire from the starter and the remote starter cable, if there is one.
6.  Remove the hour meter from its bracket and snake under the fuel hose to the carb.
7.  Remove the exhaust pipe from the muffler if you can.  Mine was tightened so much it crimped the muffler and the exhaust pipe so I had to cut it off.
8.  Remove the nuts located at either end of the underside of the generator and pus the bolts up through the bottom.  I was lucky and did not have to use a socket on the bolts.  If the bolt on the right side spins you may have to do some enlarging to get a socket on the bolt.
9.  Back out the slide restraint bolt.  Since most of the threads of the bolt are exposed to the elements I took the bolt completely out, wire brushed it and put on Never Seez on it.
10.  Jack up the generator and begin to slide it out.  I found a pry bar made it easier to get it started.  As you slide it out make sure that the remote cable and the power cable don't hang.  The propane supply hose is long enough to allow you to get the generator out far enough to allow easy access to the hose connection at the electric valve.
11.  Once the propane supply hose is removed you can pull the generator out far enough to replace the old insulation, check the back spark plug, etc.  If you need to remove the generator completely then open up the junction box, mark the wires or make a photo or drawing of them before you disconnect them. Once that is done then you will need to remove one of the weather tight connections from the junction box.

The engine hour meter on my generator said that it was polarity sensitive so I removed the positive wire and marked it with red tape.

I have attached a picture showing the generator out but still attached to the house power.