Onan DJE generator starting problem

That's correct.

Can you tell me more? And would not a longer return line help with cooling the return fuel?

i

Thanks. You are correct. The actuating lever was simply stuck. Once I got it unstuck by force, it started working and cranking. Regarding fuel, there is no problem yet, I simply have not yet bothered to connect fuel. I wanted to crank it first. Fuel is what I am going to play with today.

Regarding nufflers. Where, practically speaking, can I find a good muffler that has NPT thread. Thanks.

i

OK - I've got one of those (the engine). Damned good and most forgiving if just about all maintenance omissions. As to the muffler - You don't need one - really! A straight piece of pipe to get the exhaust out of your way is sufficient. There is a lot more noise from the head than the exhause pipe. Try it - you will see what I mean. Don't worry about the fuel return - just run a tube back to the tank fron the 'spill' line on the engine. When you start it up be aware that there is a fuel shut off solenoid that may be stuck the same as the starter pull-in. Same fix as what you did to the starter. Also make sure the governor linkages are free to move. If it doesn't want to start do not use starter fluid - good way to blow the head gasket or the entire head. Trick I use is to dribble a little motor oil (teaspoon) into the air intake (air box cover and filter off). Hit the pre-heat until the oil on the heater coil ignites and then hit the starter. If I recall correctly (it has been a long time since I had mine running) the fuel system is pretty much self-bleeding. It is one tough engine - I have had mine running on fuel that had sat around for ten years! Good luck. Ken.

Oh, sorry, I thought it was just a storage tank, into which you were going to have to fit supply and return hoses thru the fill spout. If it's got all the fittings then you are all set (you can probably just stuff the return line into the fill spout if there's no return fitting).

i

This "tank heating" may not be a significant problem for you. I did want to remind you that sometimes the engine returns warmed fuel to the tank. Some peiople might use that information to decide to use an approved tank. If this is a learning project for you, maybe a little finned cooler in the fuel return line would allow the use of a fuel tank of your choice. This is an opportunity for you to learn alot more about diesel fuel heating that I know. I just know the fuel tanks on diesel engines sometimes get really warm.

Jerry

Go to the nearest hardware store and look for "hose barbs" and related brass and plastic fittings. They will allow you to drill a hole in your tank, slip in the hose barb and put a nut on the inside to hold it. I suggest a bit of RTV be used as a gasket. Id also suggest brass fittings over nylon/plastic ones, but YMMV.

Now..getting the nut on in the inside of the tank may be a bit problematic if you cant get your hand in there. So simply bend a coathanger into an L shape on the end, run it down to the now protruding inwardly threaded section, and drop your nut down the length of coat hanger. A bit of fiddling will get it aligned and started.

Gunner

"I mean, when's the last time you heard of a college where the Young Republicans staged a "Sit In" to close down the Humanities building? On the flip side, how many sit in's were staged to close the ROTC building back in the '60's? Liberals stage protests, do civil disobedience, etc. Conservatives talk politely and try to work out a solution to problems through discourse until they believe that talking won't work... they they go home and open the gun cabinets. Pray things never get to the point where the conservatives decide that "civil disobedience" is the next step, because that's a very short route to "voting from the rooftops" Jeffrey Swartz, Misc.Survivalism

That's nice to hear.

I will give it a try, especially since I do have some stainless steel flexible hose etc, by luck fitting the NPT diameter of the exhaust fitting.

By the way, something puzzles me, how come the exhaust manifold is still green on my genset, should the paint not fall off?

Exactly.

The manual fuel pump is already working, I got to that point.

The engine would not start, it spins somewhat slowly and belches white smoke (meaning that there is fuel in the cylinders).

The wires to the starter became very hot, which makes me think that I have inadequate wires and have unacceptable voltage drop.

I think that gov linkages are free to move, and the engine belches white smoke. I will not go and buy bigger battery cables.

That's cool. How long would they last under reasonable conditions? Are filters and other consumables hard to find?

i

Oh, I see. Thanks.

i

Thanks!

i

The oil filter is standard off-the shelf. The air filter could be a problem - take care of the one you got. The trial-by-fire for the pre-heat coil deosn't seem to have any negative consequences. THe only flaw in the engine that I am aware is they have a history of breaking crankshafts. How many hours or under what circumstances I don't know. White smoke is a good sign - more pre-heat and it should go. One started it will be easy to re-start. BTW - if you've not done it yet an oil change can be a shock. That sump is huge!. Regards. Ken.

Assuming that the green paint is not on a jacket over the real manifold..it would appear to be unused.

Got jumper cables? Think Thick wires. Diesels use compression to ignite the fuel air mix..so it takes a great deal of power to crank it over under compression.

You might...might consider a spritz of WD-40 into the intake while cranking. This is flammable and is easier to ignite, and unlike ether, will not wash the rings and cylinder walls of lubrication oil.

a propane torch placed in the intake manifold, unlit of course, with the valve cracked a bit, may also help start it.

Gunner

"I mean, when's the last time you heard of a college where the Young Republicans staged a "Sit In" to close down the Humanities building? On the flip side, how many sit in's were staged to close the ROTC building back in the '60's? Liberals stage protests, do civil disobedience, etc. Conservatives talk politely and try to work out a solution to problems through discourse until they believe that talking won't work... they they go home and open the gun cabinets. Pray things never get to the point where the conservatives decide that "civil disobedience" is the next step, because that's a very short route to "voting from the rooftops" Jeffrey Swartz, Misc.Survivalism

Here are super detailed pictures of the exhaust manifold:

It does appear to not be in any sort of a jacket. The rusted fitting is the fitting that the engine came with, and the new looking piece is mine.

Yes, I just went to Napa auto parts and bout a heavy 4awg cable instead of the 6awg cable that I had (another one already was 4 awg). It helped in the sense that the diesel did actually run a few revolutions.

I have some break time due to needing to cool off the starter, so I made a few pix of the exhaust manifold.

It would be indeed cool to have bought an unused Onan DJE genset.

I will try that, but I also tried a torch, that's how I got the engine to fire a few times.

I will try that, I tried a burnign torch. :)

i

back in the '60's?

home and open the gun cabinets.

"voting from the rooftops"

I had to use a propane torch on mine this morn, `cept I lite it, heat up the intake and the fuel line. I been thinking about a squirt of wd40 but too chicken to try it yet.

Based on those photos..your engine has been run..but not very darned much.

Btw, I assume you are trying to start this from the battery in your vehicle, correct? Of course be sure your vehicle is running when turning over the starter.

Post the details of how you got it and for how much.

I may award you a Gunner's Gold Star for Scounging.

Gunner

"I mean, when's the last time you heard of a college where the Young Republicans staged a "Sit In" to close down the Humanities building? On the flip side, how many sit in's were staged to close the ROTC building back in the '60's? Liberals stage protests, do civil disobedience, etc. Conservatives talk politely and try to work out a solution to problems through discourse until they believe that talking won't work... they they go home and open the gun cabinets. Pray things never get to the point where the conservatives decide that "civil disobedience" is the next step, because that's a very short route to "voting from the rooftops" Jeffrey Swartz, Misc.Survivalism

That spark plug-looking thing in the intake manifold is the preheater. It probably heats a ceramic disc with nichrome strip as a heating element. It may work a LOT better in getting the engine to start and keep running than trying to heat the manifold from the outside. Putting the exhaust of a propane torch in the intake will give it hot air, which sounds good, but there won't be much oxygen left in that air. But, if it fires at all, you'd expect black smoke.

If all else fails, you might need to heat the cylinders a bit. If you heat them to the point that a drop of oil smokes, then you definitely should be able to get it to run. If it still doesn't keep running, there may be crud in the injection pump or injectors. (Somebody else said this model was self bleeding.) So, you may have to just run it through, or loosen the fittings at the injectors and let the pump purge the old fuel and debris.

Jon

Feels like I am looking over your shoulder (BFG)

The propane torch down the intake trick, ISN'T to add propane to make the engine start. It is to add HOT AIR to the intake, and to do that the torch needs to be LITE. If a diesel has fuel being injected into the cyl, then all that is required to get it to run in HOT AIR. ANY diesdel will fire with just injected fuel and HOT AIR, even down at -50F on the first compression cycle. It is the nature of the beast.

Me who has used this method for years.......

Sigh..mea culpa. You are indeed correct. I was thinking gasoline engines. Brain fart on my part. Sigh....

Gunner

"I mean, when's the last time you heard of a college where the Young Republicans staged a "Sit In" to close down the Humanities building? On the flip side, how many sit in's were staged to close the ROTC building back in the '60's? Liberals stage protests, do civil disobedience, etc. Conservatives talk politely and try to work out a solution to problems through discourse until they believe that talking won't work... they they go home and open the gun cabinets. Pray things never get to the point where the conservatives decide that "civil disobedience" is the next step, because that's a very short route to "voting from the rooftops" Jeffrey Swartz, Misc.Survivalism

There is plenty of Oxygen left in the intake manifold if you use a propane torch to heat the air going in the intake. That propane flame isn't burning anywhere near all the O2 that is heated by the torch. White smoke is from diesel undercombustin as in not enough HOT air, and, or, not enough fuel.

Me