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I have an Onan 4,000 that has recently been acting up . It is 4 yrs old and is burning some oil now , about 1/4 quart every 70 hrs .
The main problem is it doesn’t want to run my 1 1/2 hp compressor and miter box (12″ DeWalt) the same time any more . And instead of tripping the breaker the generator will actually shut off .
I had no problem with this setup before and even ran 2 saws occasionally along with the compressor .
Any ideas ??? Or is it time to buy that Honda .
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Replies
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Big "gently used" generator sale predicted for Jan 1, 2000.
*Hi Stephen,This isn't my area of expertise, so pardon if the thought is stupid. Seems like you might have a carb problem. When you cut on the second tool the speed control opens the throttle more. Maybe the overall mix is too rich. If the carb has low and high speed jets, then maybe the high speed jet is gummed up. You could try fixing this yourself, but it may be a pretty cheap and quick shop visit. You've got to try something before 1/1/00.If you do play with the carb, remember to count turns on the jet adjustment screw(s) so you can return to the current state if you make it worse. You may have to pull the carb to access and clean gummy jets.I'd be interested in hearing what the problem actually turns out to be.Dave
*.......How many amps do the compressor and saw pull? Could be that the initial surge from the compressor is what's killing the engine. I suspect with both the compressor and miter saw running, you are pretty close to the rated capacity of the generator. If the engine is out of tune or just plain worn out, it may not even put out its rated capacity.
*How much extension cord are you running? If you are running any to the compressor, don't.