Generator starting issues

[trifive]

I have a 2015 Jayco Redhawk 26XD class C. The generator is an Onan QG 4000 and, according to the hour meter, it has 78 hour total.
I haven't had any issues starting it until recently and now it will turn over but just won't start. The RV is plugged in all the time into a 15 amp outlet from my shop and the RV gas tank is almost full.
I did notice two things when attempting to start. The first are numbers that pop up on the screen for about 1 second......8111.4. The second is the figure on the screen that I included here with the white arrow pointing to it.
I'm hoping someone here will have more knowledge about what these two items might indicate

Thanks for any help/advice given

[RPR]

Have followed the directions to show any fault codes?

[River_Forest]

When our generator would turn over but not "catch" and not start, we started the engine and let it run for a couple of minutes. I assume that was charging the battery. The generator then "caught" and started. Once it was running, we could turn the engine of the RV off, and the generator continued to run. We did this when the RV was parked in front of the house and had no power supplied to it.

[JimD]

If it turns over normally but won't start, one common failure is the fuel pump. Does it sound like it is priming when you initiate the priming sequence?

[trifive]

It definitely sounds like it's priming when initiate the priming process

[dvspl]

Per the Operator's Manual, the fuel pump should be primed for 30 seconds prior to each start attempt. If the generator doesn't start during cranking, the control will stop cranking after 30 seconds and set a fault code 4. Let it sit for at least 5 seconds to reset the code before cranking again. After 5 start attempts, let the starter cool for at least 30 seconds.

My genny (Onan 4kw) is sometimes hard to start when the weather is cold. I have to give it a full 30 second prime and usually several attempts before it catches. It typically takes more cranking than I expect. Are you seeing any fault codes after start attempts?

[craigav]

Originally Posted by trifive

I have a 2015 Jayco Redhawk 26XD class C. The generator is an Onan QG 4000 and, according to the hour meter, it has 78 hour total.
I haven't had any issues starting it until recently and now it will turn over but just won't start. The RV is plugged in all the time into a 15 amp outlet from my shop and the RV gas tank is almost full.
I did notice two things when attempting to start. The first are numbers that pop up on the screen for about 1 second......8111.4. The second is the figure on the screen that I included here with the white arrow pointing to it.
I'm hoping someone here will have more knowledge about what these two items might indicate

Thanks for any help/advice given

Attachment 95904

What the white arrow is pointing to is supposed to resemble an "HourGlass" and if it is blinking (or similar) then that indicates that time is being counted.

I had an LCD hour meter and it started displaying incorrectly at times and then started to dim out, I replaced it with a mechanical one that is similar to an odometers in older vehicles. The reason I went with the mecanical numerical hour meter is in the case of a failure I would still know the generator hours. Also with the replacement hour meter I connected it to a battery for a long time (I don't remember how many hours) in order to match the hours up to what the lcd meter indicated (I could still read it but not well).

Regarding priming, most often when I start my generator I have nothing on, no radio, no A/C, no fans, and with that I can hear the generator fuel pump running and I prime the generator until I no longer hear the pump running, it makes a clicking sound. Sometimes that is less than 30 seconds and sometimes more which I suppose is related to how long it has been since I ran the generator. Generally speaking if it doesn't start after the very first prime after running the starter for 5~10 seconds (which it often does) then I re-prime until the clicking stops again. When I can't hear the clicking due to other noise, I prime the generator based on the last time I ran it (0 prime if it has ran in the last few hours, ~15 seconds if it ran in the last few days, ~30 seconds if it ran in the past few weeks, and even a full minute if I haven't started it in a month or more), I have never had an issue with priming for an entire minute as the pump will keep pumping until pressure is built up so priming longer than required doesn't flood the generator anyway. ~CA

[Ttlanders]

Take the gas line loose from carburetor and push prime and see if gas comes out. Mine did same thing and bad pump!

[Rock]

Originally Posted by dvspl

Per the Operator's Manual, the fuel pump should be primed for 30 seconds prior to each start attempt. If the generator doesn't start during cranking, the control will stop cranking after 30 seconds and set a fault code 4. Let it sit for at least 5 seconds to reset the code before cranking again. After 5 start attempts, let the starter cool for at least 30 seconds.

My genny (Onan 4kw) is sometimes hard to start when the weather is cold. I have to give it a full 30 second prime and usually several attempts before it catches. It typically takes more cranking than I expect. Are you seeing any fault codes after start attempts?

My FW had a prime button. My MH on the Jayco pad and app only has start and stop. So how do u prime?

[Ttlanders]

I guess you have to go to generator and take side off to see prime button which is pushing start button on back side.

[Rock]

Originally Posted by Ttlanders

I guess you have to go to generator and take side off to see prime button which is pushing start button on back side.

You would think Jayco’s Jay command would have a prime for the gen! Pretty stupid to not. I was thinking maybe a few second delay would have been built in before it cranked to prime.

[dvspl]

Originally Posted by Rock

My FW had a prime button. My MH on the Jayco pad and app only has start and stop. So how do u prime?

My generator uses a physical start/stop button and you hold it to stop for priming. Will it prime if you hold down the stop button on the pad?

[Rock]

Originally Posted by dvspl

My generator uses a physical start/stop button and you hold it to stop for priming. Will it prime if you hold down the stop button on the pad?

You have what my FW had for my generator. I have no idea about holding the stop on keypad to see if it primes but will try and see what happens.

[Wireman]

2015 MH. Could be a deteriorated rubber fuel line from the tank.

[cherv]

2019 Jayco Redhawks 22j. 4000 Onan genie. start/stop is a toggle switch. hold the stop side until red light comes on the hit run. sometimes I need to do it 3 times for genie to start. run it monthly with a load on for 1hr. no issues in 5 yrs...

[JudyB]

Yes…. The stop is your prime…. Hold down for 30 seconds then press up g u to start. I hope you’ve been “exercising” it every month..

[Iadave]

From experience...If the generator doesn't start on the 1st or 3rd attempt waiting 10 seconds between attempts do not keep cranking the starter.
Check to see if you can smell fuel in the area of the generator. Most likely the carb has dried out but the needle valve could be stuck either open or closed.
Look for the logical problems before jumping to catastrophic failures. Ignition is likely OK. Fuel/carberator are the most likely malfunction. I can assure you a starter motor replacement is NOT on your wishlist.

[Rock]

Originally Posted by Rock

You have what my FW had for my generator. I have no idea about holding the stop on keypad to see if it primes but will try and see what happens.

According to Jaycommand no prime on touchpad. Have not checked the generator physical start/stop switch to see it has prime function. You would think the touchpad would have that.

[dvspl]

Originally Posted by Rock

According to Jaycommand no prime on touchpad. Have not checked the generator physical start/stop switch to see it has prime function. You would think the touchpad would have that.

That's disappointing. You'd think Jayco would plan for that necessary functionality. Regardless, there will almost certainly still be a physical stop/start switch on the generator and the prime function should work there. Inconvenient, but maybe only needed occasionally?

[Rock]

I am gonna call Jayco and see if there is an upgrade or something in the works to add that. I am old fashion I love the touch screen and phone app but miss a physical control panel with switches.