[GMCnet] Onan 4.of generator removal in 73 coach

[ron]

I am wanting to remove my Onan from my 73 glacier. It slides out and do I need only to flip the liver on the slides to get it to come out.
Also this coach is new to me. I notice that many people have replaced these units with the honda 6010. Mine says it has 399 hrs on it. Are the Hondas much better or somethiing.

Ron
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[gene Fisher]

if it is running, leave it alone

we are having a TECH SESSION at the next 49er rally on

how to tune up your onan.
http://gmc49ers.blogspot.com/

there are a lot of good things going on for keeping our Onan's running
(esp. now that Honda and Generac are out of the business)

gene

--
Gene Fisher -- 74-23,77PB/ore/ca
“Give a man a fish; you have fed him for today --- give him a URL and
-------
http://gmcmotorhome.info/
Alternator Protection Cable
http://gmcmotorhome.info/APC.html

[Larry Coldren]

Ron
If your Onan works well why consider replacing it? The Onan in the GMC is a
quiet and reliable unit for the most part. Most have been working for over
30 years.
399 hours is only 50, 8 hour days. If your unit was maintained it should
give you many more hours of good service. The problem with our Onans is
finding repair parts and someone that knows how to work on them. Carefully
evaluate your Onan before you make a change. Read the manual, do your
maintenance, check the voltage and replace any old fuel lines. New is not
always better. My Observation.

Larry Coldren
74 Canyon Lands
Ft. Collins, CO

[John Wright]

As Gene has said, if it is running and puts out power then leave it
alone. At 399 hrs it is a baby! If your close go to the rally and
have someone their go over it for and with you. There are a lot of
cost effective upgrades that will add years to the genset.

JR Wright
78 Buskirk Stretch
Michigan

[ron]

I intend to keep the onan if possible. I want to redo the entire generator compartment. This is whay I want it out. I was just trying to see what's involved in taking the onan out of the unit.

The other thing is the upcoming event. Since i will not be at the convention , is there a way to get the information that will be given at the CA clinic.

[Mike Miller]

ron wrote on Mon, 15 October 2012 10:01

> I intend to keep the onan if possible. I want to redo the entire generator compartment. This is whay I want it out. I was just trying to see what's involved in taking the onan out of the unit.

With an early coach with a wooden generator enclosure, I can understand wanting to "redo" it.

As far as taking the Onan out to work on the compartment, it isn't that hard... as long as you leave the the main bracket(s) bolted to the frame. (See 28-48 in GMC parts manual available on the CD/DVD or bdub.net.)

The best way to remove the Onan is with a cherry picker or other hoist and a 3/8-16 eyebolt. (See page 5 in the Onan parts manual.) But I have used the coach adjustable rear suspension to set the Onan on a cart, and removed/installed it without a hoist. The Onan is held to the slides only by a few bolts. (Remove the outer bolts first and reinstall last to reduce the twisting of the slides.)

After having the Onan on the hoist (or cart) you can easily reach the connections inside to disconnect the wiring/fuel connections.

As far as changing to a Honda, if you can find a good one at a good price, it is a good upgrade. More modern than your Onan, but also discontinued and many price them as if made of gold. Your Onan is a LOT cheaper to obtain (you have it already) and after a Pentronix upgrade only has two down sides compared to the Honda EV... it is heavy and less efficient on fuel.

Note: If you have a 23 foot coach, there isn't any real "new" RV generator that will fit in the Onan "hole" and run an air conditioner unit. ... other than the old 4k Power Drawer.


--
Mike Miller -- Hillsboro, OR -- on the Black list
(#1)'73 26' exPainted D. -- (#2)`78 23' Birchaven Rear Bath -- (#3)`77 23' Birchaven Side Bath
http://m000035.blogspot.com

[ron]

Thanks to all. Oh, yes my coach is a 26.

Thanks, Ron
I will get to work on this

[Johnny Bridges]

Uh, yeh there is.  The Generac 23.6 RV genset will spin a 13,500 A/C unit without histrionics.  However I don't recommend it because a) it's also discontinued; and b) it's something of an outlaw in the way it works.  When it works it's fine.  When it doesn't, nobody this side of Waukesha has any idea how it's supposed to work.  Likewise, the unit Ken H mounted to his 23 footer will spin the A/C happily as well. 
The Onan flathead twins have been around six forevers, and are pretty much unbreakable if you feed them reasonably cool air, keep them clean, and follow The Book on PMI.  Parts are available fo rthem although if you have to go to Onan for parts, you'll find they're quite proud of them.   They have 4 pole alternators fitted, which keans they turn a leisurely 1800 RPM.  This leads to a fairly quiet machine.  There ain't any magic in them at all.  Some upgrade to electronic ignition which gives a bit better efficiency in that you can up the timing a bit... but adds to the overall complexity of the machine. 
Pretty much everyone else's sets either turn 3600 RPM (Two pole alternators) or they're vari - speed and feed an inverter which develops 60 Hz power.  The sole exception I'm aware of is the original 3.6 Generac which is variable speed, and uses an entirely different setup to generate 60Hz - or close to it anyway. 
FWIF, the rebuild sequence on my 26' Palm Beach anticipates keeping the 6KW Onan, and will probably keep it box stock.
 
--johnny
'76 23' transmode norris
'76 palm beach   

http://m000035.blogspot.com/

[A.]

Mike Miller wrote on Mon, 15 October 2012 12:54

> ron wrote on Mon, 15 October 2012 10:01
> > I intend to keep the onan if possible. I want to redo the entire generator compartment. This is whay I want it out. I was just trying to see what's involved in taking the onan out of the unit.
> With an early coach with a wooden generator enclosure, I can understand wanting to "redo" it.
>
> As far as taking the Onan out to work on the compartment, it isn't that hard... as long as you leave the the main bracket(s) bolted to the frame. (See 28-48 in GMC parts manual available on the CD/DVD or bdub.net.)
>
> The best way to remove the Onan is with a cherry picker or other hoist and a 3/8-16 eyebolt. (See page 5 in the Onan parts manual.) But I have used the coach adjustable rear suspension to set the Onan on a cart, and removed/installed it without a hoist. The Onan is held to the slides only by a few bolts. (Remove the outer bolts first and reinstall last to reduce the twisting of the slides.)
>
> After having the Onan on the hoist (or cart) you can easily reach the connections inside to disconnect the wiring/fuel connections.
>
> As far as changing to a Honda, if you can find a good one at a good price, it is a good upgrade. More modern than your Onan, but also discontinued and many price them as if made of gold. Your Onan is a LOT cheaper to obtain (you have it already) and after a Pentronix upgrade only has two down sides compared to the Honda EV... it is heavy and less efficient on fuel.
>
> Note: If you have a 23 foot coach, there isn't any real "new" RV generator that will fit in the Onan "hole" and run an air conditioner unit. ... other than the old 4k Power Drawer.

I figured a Honda 4010 would fit a 23' gen compartment. Some folks have Generac 3.6k units in their 23 footers. Both will easily run an air conditioner. I was looking at a Generac QuietPac (or whatever). I understand it is too long to fit the compartment without modification, but I haven't measured to see how much modding would have to happen.
--
'73 23' Sequoia
UA (Upper Alabama)

[John R. Lebetski]

There is a reason people have taken to calling them Junkerac's. Be forewarned. The only thing negative about Onan is the buyout by Cummins and the subsequent parts pricing. They should have stuck to making noise with their Diesels IMHO.
--
John Lebetski
Chicago, IL
77 Eleganza II
Source America First

[Johnny Bridges]

I al;so saw someplace, Generac has abdicated the RV market entirely.  And ol' Clessie is spinning in his grave pover your last comment. :)

 
--johnny
'76 23' transmode norris
'76 palm beach

From: John R. Lebetski <gran...@aol.com>
To: gmc...@temp.gmcnet.org
Sent: Monday, October 15, 2012 9:03 PM
Subject: Re: [GMCnet] Onan 4.of generator removal in 73 coach

[Mike Miller]

Johnny Bridges wrote on Mon, 15 October 2012 12:07
> Uh, yeh there is.  The Generac 23.6 RV genset will spin a 13,500 A/C unit without histrionics.  However I don't recommend it because a) it's also discontinued; and...
>
> ... Likewise, the unit Ken H mounted to his 23 footer will spin the A/C happily as well. ...


Like I said:

Quote:
> ... If you have a 23 foot coach, there isn't any real "new" RV generator that will fit in the Onan "hole" and run an air conditioner unit. ... other than the old 4k Power Drawer. ...


I know about Ken's installation, but couldn't recommend it to 99% of the GMC'ers out there. And your Generac is discontinued even if didn't have other issues.

Someone says the EV4010 will fit, but I do not think it will... without modifying the coach and installing the generator sideways... making it hard to service. Plus it has been discontinued.

There used to be other small gensets (CampPower and the like) for small RVs, but they seem to have been discontinued and many might not have been able to run the AC unit anyway.

Looks like the small generator market has moved to the small inverter units. These small "suitcase" generators are light enough to pick up with one hand and will do almost everything needed from a generator... except run an AC unit! Small, light, very quiet and fuel efficient. (A EU2000i will power wife's O2 generator for 8 hours on one gallon of gas!)

I did see a 3000 watt version. <http://powerequipment.honda.com/generators/models/eu3000is> While not designed to carry one handed, it MIGHT fit in an emptied out 23 foot's Onan hole. But as it is not designed as a RV unit, I am not sure what modifications would be needed to use it while rolling down the road. Plus it isn't cheap. (None of the Honda's are.)

So... I stand by the statement: For a 23 foot coach, there isn't any real "new" RV generator that will fit in the Onan "hole" and run an air conditioner unit.

--
Mike Miller -- Hillsboro, OR -- on the Black list
(#1)'73 26' exPainted D. -- (#2)`78 23' Birchaven Rear Bath -- (#3)`77 23' Birchaven Side Bath
http://m000035.blogspot.com

[Thomas Phipps]

Honda ev4010 is very close to the same physical size and weight of the Honda ev6010. I doubt if you could stuff it into the very small gen compartment of the 23' GMC.
Honda's can be found on Craig's List. Tend to be pricey.
Tom, MS II
--
1975 GMC Avion, under forever re-construction
Vicksburg, MS. 3.7 miles from I-20

[ron]

My unit is a 26

Thanks,Ron

[Johnny Bridges]

I missed the 'new' :) :).
As an interesting, I have two little sets around here, a Coleman 1800 and a Ryobi i2000.  Our remote folks use them and they have held up well.  The Ryobi is what you call a 'suitcase' set, totable, wheeled, and inverter.  The Coleman is a more traditional 3600 RPM set with a little Subaru putt - putt engine fitted.  Either would do for the dry camping folks who aren't looking to spin an airconditioner.  The Ryobi also provieds 12V at a substatiial current for battery charging.  I fidn them impressive because I don't see them often.... if our Remote Techs can't bust something, it's pretty rugged.

 
--johnny
'76 23' transmode norris
'76 palm beach

From: Mike Miller <m00...@gmail.com>
To: gmc...@temp.gmcnet.org
Sent: Tuesday, October 16, 2012 12:17 PM
Subject: Re: [GMCnet] Onan 4.of generator removal in 73 coach

http://m000035.blogspot.com/