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Topic: Generator Starting Running Rough. What should I check & tweak to smooth it out? (Read 755 times) previous topic - next topic

Generator Starting Running Rough. What should I check & tweak to smooth it out?

Hello Aall you good people.

My generator has started revving strangely.

Generator revving weirdly - YouTube

Had a complete service 25 hours ago. New plugs, wires, oil filter, air filter, oil, and carburetors clean and adjustment. It's been running great since. Running it on our 2-3 hour drives every week.

Last drive started running like you can hear/see in the video.

What should I tweak/adjust to smooth that out?

Or should I just take it to a tech?
 
Husband & Wife Team. 3 Kids. 8 yo boy, 4 yo girl, 19 mth girl. Mostly Finished Renovating 1986 Grand Villa 3300 GVF SBI for a multi year trip around the country with the kids.

Re: Generator Starting Running Rough. What should I check & tweak to smooth it out?

Reply #1 –
Id start with all filters first

Re: Generator Starting Running Rough. What should I check & tweak to smooth it out?

Reply #2 –
I twisted the throttle stop about half a turn in or down (not sure how you'd describe that). It evened out the running... but it was running at 130volts instead of 120.
Husband & Wife Team. 3 Kids. 8 yo boy, 4 yo girl, 19 mth girl. Mostly Finished Renovating 1986 Grand Villa 3300 GVF SBI for a multi year trip around the country with the kids.

Re: Generator Starting Running Rough. What should I check & tweak to smooth it out?

Reply #3 –
If you adjust the RPM you will go off your 60 cycles. Voltage will be controlled by the voltage regulator.
As suggested above check filters and for good clean fuel. You need to get it running at a steady smooth rpm first.
Go from there.
John Duld
1995 U320C SE 40'

Re: Generator Starting Running Rough. What should I check & tweak to smooth it out?

Reply #4 –
If it is running to lean then it may hunt. It can also hunt if the governor sensitivity is set to high.
previous 1984 35 ft ORED 250 HP 3208 Cat       
previous 1998 40 ft U295 CAI 325 hp Cummins
previous 2003 40 Ft u320 build #6140 450 Cummins M11.                                                         
1999 Mazda Miata
Ron, Nancy, Tipper the cat, Max The dog
1997 U 270 36 ft build number 5174 8.3 Cummins

Re: Generator Starting Running Rough. What should I check & tweak to smooth it out?

Reply #5 –
Wear and loose governer linkage will make it hunt, you can watch the linkage move. When engine is cold it will hunt more, turn on only one load at a time, let it stabilize, then add additional loads.
Old Phart Phred, EIEIO
89 GV ored 36' #3405 300 hp cat 3208 ATAAC side radiator, mountain tamer exhaust brake

Re: Generator Starting Running Rough. What should I check & tweak to smooth it out?

Reply #6 –
Want to piggy back on this issue as we have an Onan 6.5  that will crank but wont fire up....  when we took it to the RV Tech Center here in Boulder CO.. i put 1/3 rd of a tank of gas in so the techs could work on generator.    BUT when we drove the RV from San Diego after purchase..  we never could get gas tank gauge to show FILLED....  could the RV Tech not start the generator simply because the tank was NOT 1/3rd full allowing generator to start ?    Could this really be the issue....
1986 Grand Villa, 454 Chevrolet, 33 SBI tag axle
Build # 2658
2nd owner, original owner was Newman/Freeman Racing, racer Bill Freeman and actor/racer Paul Newman

Re: Generator Starting Running Rough. What should I check & tweak to smooth it out?

Reply #7 –
Quote from: Subsilked –
. could the RV Tech not start the generator simply because the tank was NOT 1/3rd full allowing generator to start ?    Could this really be the issue....

Yes.

Mike
Pamela & Mike 97 U 320

"It's not what happens to you, but how you react to it that matters."

Re: Generator Starting Running Rough. What should I check & tweak to smooth it out?

Reply #8 –
The first place to start is it getting spark and does it have fuel. If both of those are there it should run or at least fire.
previous 1984 35 ft ORED 250 HP 3208 Cat       
previous 1998 40 ft U295 CAI 325 hp Cummins
previous 2003 40 Ft u320 build #6140 450 Cummins M11.                                                         
1999 Mazda Miata
Ron, Nancy, Tipper the cat, Max The dog
1997 U 270 36 ft build number 5174 8.3 Cummins