| My Onan runs better than new [message #260511] |
Sat, 30 August 2014 12:12  |
armandminnie
Messages: 864
Registered: May 2009
Location: Marana, AZ
Karma:
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Senior Member |
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When my Onan quit about 30 seconds after I last needed it, I decided to fix that immediate problem and then to upgrade to Gary Bovee's solid state ignition. I had attended Gary's seminar on the kit at a recent GMCWS rally where he talked us through a series of good photos that showed in detail what had to be done. It did not look difficult so I decided then and there that I would do it when the time came.
The immediate problem turned out to be the carburetor. I cleaned and rebuilt that with a kit from Applied GMC - it was not difficult. Once the Onan was running again I ordered Gary's kit from Applied GMC. The seminar that Gary had given was basically reproduced in detail in the instructions. Every step has at least one photo (on his web site) that shows what he is talking about. I have had many occasions in the past to use professionally written instructions and I have never seen any better.
The installation took me about 3 hours and was as easy as I thought it would be. I did have the need for some help when I got to the part where, according to the instructions, the timing mark should have been 25 degrees and mine was 20. Apparently my Onan is unusual so I called Gary - his phone number is on the instructions - and he talked me through how to figure out where 25 degrees was (it runs better there). Gary was more than willing to spend time with me on the phone.
The only problem I had was that I was working outside in the hot (100+ degrees) Arizona sun - no shade. Right at the end, when I thought I might keel over from the heat, I cross-wired the connections to the coil and then couldn't start it.
The next morning when it was cool I figured out what I had done and fixed it but now the generator wouldn't start. A good thing about this system is that if it ever did fail you just have to disconnect the wire to the negative side of the coil and replace it with the wire to the old ignition points which is still right there. I did that but it now didn't work either. Turns out I had blown the fuse on the control board. Again I called Gary (at 7:15 a.m.) and he helped me diagnose the problem
I replaced the fuse and it started right up and runs noticeably better than it did before - and it ran good before. I can't say enough about Gary or the kit.
Armand Minnie
Marana, AZ
'76 Eleganza II TZE166V103202
visit my gmc blog
click here to visit gmcws.org
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