Foretravel Owners' Forum For owners and Fans of Foretravel Motorcoaches September 08, 2025 ...

Generator hard start

January 26, 2024, 05:29:35 pm

Question on the preheater prime switch, when you press the switch down shouldn't the fuel pump run? Generator has been hard starting for a while, when it does finally start has a lot of unburned fuel smoke, after that it purrs right along, can't find any starting instructions for it am wondering if it is the glow plugs or the rocker switch, and that's why I don't hear the fuel pump.

Thanks
Mike

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Re: Generator hard start

Reply #1 – January 26, 2024, 08:10:20 pm

To start mine generator I just touch the switch and leave it alone and the fuel pump will work
and about ten seconds it will turn over and start. If I was you I would check you glow plugs to
see it they are working.

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Re: Generator hard start

Reply #2 – January 27, 2024, 10:04:06 am

Could be one glow plug not heating properly, gen would be slow to start, then rattle and knock for a few seconds as it fires on two cylinder's with a lot of exhaust before running smoothly

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Re: Generator hard start

Reply #3 – January 27, 2024, 10:50:57 am

Thanks guys think I will pick up some new glow plugs

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Re: Generator hard start

Reply #4 – January 27, 2024, 11:13:53 am

Let us know exactly what genset you have.

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Re: Generator hard start

Reply #5 – January 27, 2024, 12:15:50 pm

The power tech 8000  model PTS IDL8000FT

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Re: Generator hard start

Reply #6 – January 27, 2024, 12:56:21 pm

When you press the switch do you hear a clicking sound and what color is the smoke ,are you running a 15w40 oil and lastly,how many hours on the gen.

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Re: Generator hard start

Reply #7 – January 29, 2024, 11:47:52 am

For some reason I was thinking that pushing down on the rocker switch you would be able to preheat and prime, talking with Jeff at power tech, that is not the case those functions are done with the start switch,so I believe I need to replace the glow plugs doesn't seem to be any continuity on 2 of them, with the lithium house batteries there is are no CCA so it hits them pretty hard

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