anyone know what type of generator a 77 f-32 came with? it's an onan, i know that much, but can't find the model #. i want to change the oil tomorrow while doing the engines, so i need to know what type of filter, oil, etc to use.
would they have put different sets into different boats, or were they standard? if so, what type of filter, etc?
i'll go in the bilge in a few and try to find a model, but so far, no luck.
thanks in advance, as always.
Onan Generator Question
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Tuck
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Onan Generator Question
Terran
1986 Silverton 40' Aftcabin
Terran
(former 1977 F-32)
1986 Silverton 40' Aftcabin
Terran
(former 1977 F-32)
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aaronbocknek
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- Location: baltimore, md (alexandria, va and middle river,md) PARKSIDE MARINA
g36 is correct, but it also depends on the 'SPEC' of the particular unit. my mcck 6.5 for example is spec d--- and that i only found out by doing some heavy research on the internet and looking at the various controllers and carburators that were installed. if you go to my photobucket site for the boat, you will see a pic of my genset. if that 'looks' like yours, chances are it is a 6.5kw mcck spec d model. my ID plate is missing so i too was at quite the disadvantage. now, how to change the oil. if you get down to the genset, look at the right lower side under the cylinder head and you should see the oil refill cap. believe me, it's not easy and these old iron beasts were NOT do it yourself friendly. however, with patience, i have become one with my onan and feel i can do almost anything to keep her running. i've taken off the water pump, changed out the impeller (not an easy task), jumped the drive belt, changed and checked the oil, removed the old thermostats and replaced with new ones (the old ones were installed in 1976 and NEVER replaced, hence the initial overheating and hunting problems, i've adjusted the engine speed and governor and even removed and rebuilt the old bendix 'lawn mower type' carburator. after the thermostats were replaced, i gave the entire unit a flush with marykate on and off muriatic acid to clear out all the marine gunk that might have (and it did believe me) attached to the heat exchanger and raw water system. onan recommends SAE 30 in the summer, and oil capacity is 4 quarts. my mechanic also recommends 1/4 of a bottle STP OIL TREATMENT. my 1976 model does not have an oil filter that i can see or remove, but, i am still learning about this unit.
hope that helps.
aaron
hope that helps.
aaron
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Tuck
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tks gregster and aaron.
got busy yesterday morning with the oil change, then took the boat out, so i didn't get a chance to check the board...but here's what i found out.
first, it is a 6.5, so you'se guys were right.
secondly, and this surprised me...i called the shop at the marina to see if they had filters for this thing, once i climbed in there to find the model, and was told that it didn't have a filter. i looked again, and sure enough, no oil filter.
apparently, the older onan's had some kind of funky system where they didn't use an oil filter.
now, here's the next thing:
i got the boat out, fired up the generator, and it seemed to be running fine. i nuked a can of chef boyardee, and as i was about to jump in the water, i decided to leave the generator running and run the air so we could escape the heat into a cool cabin if we so chose. when i turned the air on (after letting it start up, etc), the generator just went dead. i tried three times, and each time the air killed it. so i gave up.
so, question...shouldn't this 6.5 be able to run the air? what should i check/change? what problem do i have?
got busy yesterday morning with the oil change, then took the boat out, so i didn't get a chance to check the board...but here's what i found out.
first, it is a 6.5, so you'se guys were right.
secondly, and this surprised me...i called the shop at the marina to see if they had filters for this thing, once i climbed in there to find the model, and was told that it didn't have a filter. i looked again, and sure enough, no oil filter.
apparently, the older onan's had some kind of funky system where they didn't use an oil filter.
now, here's the next thing:
i got the boat out, fired up the generator, and it seemed to be running fine. i nuked a can of chef boyardee, and as i was about to jump in the water, i decided to leave the generator running and run the air so we could escape the heat into a cool cabin if we so chose. when i turned the air on (after letting it start up, etc), the generator just went dead. i tried three times, and each time the air killed it. so i gave up.
so, question...shouldn't this 6.5 be able to run the air? what should i check/change? what problem do i have?
Terran
1986 Silverton 40' Aftcabin
Terran
(former 1977 F-32)
1986 Silverton 40' Aftcabin
Terran
(former 1977 F-32)
-
aaronbocknek
- Ultimate User
- Posts: 2080
- Joined: Fri Sep 12, 2008 8:19 am
- Location: baltimore, md (alexandria, va and middle river,md) PARKSIDE MARINA
two things that you have to remember about these old iron beasts...
1. if they get too hot and overheat, they will shut down when a load is applied.
2. just because it is 'rated' at 6.5kw, does not mean a constant 6.5kw.
the constant rating for this unit is more like 5-5.5kw.
but again, if it is under stress by being overheated it will shut down.
tuck, when i bought my f-32, the onan was always hunting when a load, any load, was applied to it. does yours hunt to find the right speed when the governor is engaged? second question. look at the exhaust over flow. how much water is exiting the exhaust port. in the most ideal of circumstances, you should have 1. a very steady flow of water followed, 2. by the rapid exit of a 'water burst' which is the water building up in the muffler system then being pushed through the exhaust port. also, how much smoke is exiting the exhaust port with the water? does the unit 'smell hot' when it is running when you lift the hatch over the genset? have you put your hand into the exhaust water flow to 'feel the temperature' of the water flowing out of the port? you should be able to hold your hand under the water flow without scaulding your hand. it will be warm to hot, but not scaulding to the touch. when you look at the genset from above, you will see two round circles on the manifold. put your hand on these two circles when it is running. under ideal conditions the manifold above the water pump should be warm to the touch and the opposite side a slightly higher temperature since the water comes in from one side and circulates to the other. i ask this because when i experienced similar conditions on my onan i spoke with a mechanic in the area and his first words were... ''the thermostats need to be changed''. if the unit is getting so hot that it cannot keep up with a load it will shut down. when i changed the thermostats, the result was amazing. full water flow, NO HUNTING when a laod is applied, and no 'visible' smoke out the exhaust port. check your impeller too..... it is a real bitch to change but if one of the blades is missing, that could spell trouble. once my mechanic and i changed out the thermostats, we followed up with a flush of the system with marykate on and off to clean out the accumulated crud in the system. like i said before, the thermostats had NEVER been changed and they were so corroded that when i took them home and dropped them in boiling water, they just sat at the bottom of the pan and laughed at me. not once did they open because they were so corroded. i cant even describe what exited the exhaust port when we did the 'acid wash' flush of the system. all sorts of biological ooze exited the system. you might also have to have the idle speed adjusted up to compensate when a load is applied. the ideal setting on the volt meter should read 126 volt at no load, and 110 at 50%.
if you have any more questions, feel free to email me. believe me, my onan and i are almost dating with the stuff i have discovered in the last few months on this unit.
hope this helps.
***thermostat part number 0309-0130 two are needed
***thermostat housing gasket part number 0309-0186 two are needed
aaron
1. if they get too hot and overheat, they will shut down when a load is applied.
2. just because it is 'rated' at 6.5kw, does not mean a constant 6.5kw.
the constant rating for this unit is more like 5-5.5kw.
but again, if it is under stress by being overheated it will shut down.
tuck, when i bought my f-32, the onan was always hunting when a load, any load, was applied to it. does yours hunt to find the right speed when the governor is engaged? second question. look at the exhaust over flow. how much water is exiting the exhaust port. in the most ideal of circumstances, you should have 1. a very steady flow of water followed, 2. by the rapid exit of a 'water burst' which is the water building up in the muffler system then being pushed through the exhaust port. also, how much smoke is exiting the exhaust port with the water? does the unit 'smell hot' when it is running when you lift the hatch over the genset? have you put your hand into the exhaust water flow to 'feel the temperature' of the water flowing out of the port? you should be able to hold your hand under the water flow without scaulding your hand. it will be warm to hot, but not scaulding to the touch. when you look at the genset from above, you will see two round circles on the manifold. put your hand on these two circles when it is running. under ideal conditions the manifold above the water pump should be warm to the touch and the opposite side a slightly higher temperature since the water comes in from one side and circulates to the other. i ask this because when i experienced similar conditions on my onan i spoke with a mechanic in the area and his first words were... ''the thermostats need to be changed''. if the unit is getting so hot that it cannot keep up with a load it will shut down. when i changed the thermostats, the result was amazing. full water flow, NO HUNTING when a laod is applied, and no 'visible' smoke out the exhaust port. check your impeller too..... it is a real bitch to change but if one of the blades is missing, that could spell trouble. once my mechanic and i changed out the thermostats, we followed up with a flush of the system with marykate on and off to clean out the accumulated crud in the system. like i said before, the thermostats had NEVER been changed and they were so corroded that when i took them home and dropped them in boiling water, they just sat at the bottom of the pan and laughed at me. not once did they open because they were so corroded. i cant even describe what exited the exhaust port when we did the 'acid wash' flush of the system. all sorts of biological ooze exited the system. you might also have to have the idle speed adjusted up to compensate when a load is applied. the ideal setting on the volt meter should read 126 volt at no load, and 110 at 50%.
if you have any more questions, feel free to email me. believe me, my onan and i are almost dating with the stuff i have discovered in the last few months on this unit.
hope this helps.
***thermostat part number 0309-0130 two are needed
***thermostat housing gasket part number 0309-0186 two are needed
aaron
Last edited by aaronbocknek on Tue Aug 18, 2009 5:06 pm, edited 2 times in total.
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alexander38
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i now know what's wrong with mine 