Engine won't start......WM LT30HDG24

[Jim_Rogers]

Well, I went and did a real bad thing.

I ran my engine out of gas.

I normally don't like to do that as it can suck up junk on the bottom of the gas tank and other places into the gas line and screw up the carburetor.

So, I filled up the tank and pumped the squeeze bulb. Plenty of gas showing in the in line filter.

Won't start.

Full Choke, won't start.

Cleaned air filter, won't start.

Did old farmer's trick and hand choked over carburetor, won't start.

Thought I flooded it, full throttle, won't start.

Pulled a spark plug to let out flooded cylinder, won't start.

Checked fuel entering in line fuel filter, plenty, won't start.
Check fuel pump, working fine, won't start.

Pulled drain plug on carburetor, plenty of gas from fuel pump, won't start.

No spark on spark plug out of engine laying on top of head.

Call WM tech service.

Test light to coil has juice, won't start.

New spark plugs, won't start.

Jumper wire from hot electrical to coil, per WM tech suggestions to eliminate key switch and other wiring, won't start.

Check oil level, in case low oil switch shut off, oil fine, won't start.

Poured gas down carburetor, WM tech suggestion, won't start.

Off to get new coil from parts store one hour drive away as no local parts stores have them. Juice going into coil no spark coming out. Possibly a five year old coil. Could be dead.
Last time it won't start it was the coil.

I have old box for part number. New set of plug wires on hand if needed.

Parts department open late even today.

Any further suggestions for tomorrow morning would be helpful.

Will see if they have point set at parts counter while there. another mechanic's suggestion.

What a frustrating day.

Jim Rogers

[wdtik]

Take a glass jar and drain some of the
fuel out of you tank into the jar to see how it looks.
Water in fuel is more common than one might think
Smell the plugs..are they dry or wet?  You do have
an inline filter on the fuel line???  Small engines
can drive one crazy....

[Al_Smith]

Well if you don't have any spark of course it won't start .What brand and size of engine ?

[Chuck White]

I'm assuming the LT30HDG24 means you have a 24hp Onan.

If so, check the black wire coming off of the coil and running down the front of the engine, near the gas line!

I had a "won't start" situation on mine a while ago and the wire was broken.  Fixed it and it started right up.

[Buck]

I'm assuming the LT30HDG24 means you have a 24hp Onan.

If so, check the black wire coming off of the coil and running down the front of the engine, near the gas line!

I had a "won't start" situation on mine a while ago and the wire was broken.  Fixed it and it started right up.

been there done that....got that t-shirt....it'll make you crazy that lil wire

[cut2size]

I'm pretty sure that it has electronic ignition (no points). but the condensor could be bad.  That has caused mine to not start.  Also there is a small bolt on the carb bottom that can be removed to let the water out.  One drop will not allow my onan to start or at least keep running.
David

[Chuck White]

I'm pretty sure that it has electronic ignition (no points). but the condensor could be bad.  That has caused mine to not start.  Also there is a small bolt on the carb bottom that can be removed to let the water out.  One drop will not allow my onan to start or at least keep running.
David

Not to steal this thread, but does anyone have the value of that condensor?
Mine is so rusted up that it's unreadable!
I have a new-in-the-bag condensor, but don't know what the value of the old one is!

[Jim_Rogers]

Thanks for all your advice and suggestions.

I got the new coil and will put it in shortly.
and I'll let you know.

I did drain the bowl on the carburetor with a large plug on the side. And while the plug was out, I squeezed the inline bulb and gas came out. So I know it's getting gas.

The parts guy did explain to me that it is or has electronic ignition and that there isn't any points.
He did also print up some "trouble shooting tips" for me to try.

I see what happens today.

Jim Rogers

[paul case]

So was it flooded?

I have had real bad luck trying to get once flooded plugs to ever run again.

I hope you get it up and going again. PC

[Jim_Rogers]

Paul: Just to make sure it wasn't flooded, spark plugs were dry yesterday, by the way.

I tried it this morning before I did anything else. Won't start.

Removed the old coil using 8, 9 and 10 MM sockets and dropped in new coil part # 0166-0820 for $75 and change plus sales tax.

Started right up like nothing was ever wrong.....

Back to sawing to finish order now, one day late.....

Jim Rogers

[paul case]

Awe shucks,I was going to suggest if you wanted to I would give you my onan 24 if you would order me a new 40hp anything delivered to my place. Ok I would have even shipped it to ya ;D .
Just 2 things to say. I am glad you are up and running again. Don't run it out of gas again if you can help it.PC

[John_Haylow]

Glad your back up and running Jim.
John

[barbender]

Running the engine out of gas shouldn't have anything to do with the coil going bad, sounds like an unfortunate coincidence. It's strange how often unrelated things go wrong at the same time, it makes for  frustrating toubleshooting.

[Chuck White]

Actually, I was sawing for an Onan technician a few weeks ago and he did some adjustments on my engine.... FREE .... and one of the things he suggested was to disconnect the fuel line and let the engine run out of gas whenever the mill would not be in use for 2-3 weeks!

Anyone have the value of the condensor on the 24hp Onan?

[WDH]

I always run my sawmill engine until it is out of gas unless i will be using it the next day or so.  With the ethanol in the fuel these days, it does not take long to muck things up if you leave fuel in a carburetor.

[Jim_Rogers]

It's strange how often unrelated things go wrong at the same time, it makes for  frustrating toubleshooting.

Ain't that the truth.....

Sorry Paul, if I was going to buy something new, it would be for me not you.....

Thanks for all your comments everyone.

In the recent Woodmizer Way, they say due to the ethanol in the gas to add a stabilizer to your fuel.

Years ago, when I had the valves in this engine adjusted by an "onan" tech he said I should be running mid grade gas. And to never use "dry gas" in the winter time.

I did use mid grade gas for a long time but then went back to regular due to the price.

Paul: I just read through all the trouble shooting pages the parts guy gave me, looking for the value for you. They show the condenser in the wiring diagram, but they don't say it's value.
It does tell how to test a coil to see if it's working or not. Maybe next time I'll use this info to test my coil to see if I need to replace it.

I guess I was lucky that they had the coil on hand. I think he said that they had four on the shelf. Also, I was somewhat surprised when they told me that the parts counter stays open late every night till 11 pm. But closed on Saturdays. The other option he told me about over the phone was that they could have it shipped to me by FedEx the next day right from the supply house for $15 and I'd have it no later than 2 pm even on a Saturday. That was nice to know.

Jim Rogers

[paul case]

Jim,
I would probably do the same as you. If I have to repower my mill I will be looking to gift someone with the old onan so they can keep theirs running. Then I read a thread on someone overhauling their onan and how cheap that was and How expensive it will be to repower my lt40 with something else, I may just be using mine till its dead or completely blown. Although last week i noticed it chocking down some and put a new air filter on her and now she's running like a scaulded dog!
Sure enough is good to hear you are up and sawing again. Good Job. PC

[MartyParsons]

Hello,
What do you need to know? What it does or how much it would cost? Or something else.

Anyone have the value of the condensor on the 24hp Onan?

Marty

[MHineman]

Although last week i noticed it chocking down some and put a new air filter on her and now she's running like a scaulded dog!

I've had lawn mowers that ran OK, but didn't run well.  I swapped out the coil for a new one and it had twice the power it had before.

[paul case]

Well guess what?
I was in the middle of sawing 200 3x4-10 today and went to enguage the blade , the motor backfired 3 times and died. Like Jims mill , it wont start. Now I am no small engine mechanic, but I can tell it is getting gas, as the exhaust  smells rich with it. I pulled a spark plug and tried to get it to spark, but nothing. I got out my test light and I am getting fire to the coil but nothing out the plug wires.
The part number on my coil seems to have been discontinued. It is 166-0761. Onan engine parts on the web shows 1 that is a retrofit for it with a number of 541-0522.
Jim ,
Are any of those part numbers like the one you had to switch? Does your coil have 2 bolts that go through it to hold it down ot the motor or does it sit in a bracket?
There is a cummins/onan dealer about 5 miles from me so I will try them tomorow morning. If this is the fix and I can find the part my sawing will get done 1 day late also. PC

[Jim_Rogers]

Here is my old coil and the new box with all the part numbers:





It sits down beside the air cleaner, into a round bracket that grips it about the round body. And the bracket is bolted to the top of the engine.
The two studs that the wires hook to are different sizes. The larger one is the ground according to the paper work in the trouble shooting stuff that parts guy gave me. Positive stud is smaller, in the picture above it is on the left side.

It's lightly raining out here, so the mill is under the tarp so I can't get a good picture of it in place right now. But I will later today.

Hope that helps.

Jim Rogers

[Al_Smith]

I'm not totally familiar with Onan engines but I can relate some of the mentioned problems related to Briggs engines .

Briggs uses a self advancing solid state igntion coil. Every so often they for some reason either stay on full advance or do not advance .With full advance they fire too early and you can't start them .No advance they just don't run well with the timing retarded .

Now if the Onan carb is like the Briggs it has a diaphragm fuel pump very similar to a chain saw .Because of the ethanal in the gas and because the components are made of buna-n they have the same problems as chain saws .Every couple of years you just have to replace that portion of the carb but the components are not very costly ,couple dollars .

The older Onan pancake 18 HP engines that were used on Miller welders and the like had a battery ignition and points .It used a coil almost exactly like a Harley that fired both plugs at the same time .The points adjustment was located right on top of the engine .I'd imagine these days if they do run battery ignitions they'd use some type of solid state trigger device instead of points .

Another thing to keep in mind if the engine uses a magneto type ignition the engine has to spin over at around 400 RPM to provide enough power to fire the coil .A dragging starter will drive you nuts .This is an often over looked item .

[Jim_Rogers]

Here is that picture I said I'd post.

Jim Rogers

[isawlogs]

 Before changing the coil, check the black wire that comes off the coil and goes down the front of the motor. This wire has rusted to the point of no contact and or has broke  almost free with little contact and will cause my Onan not to start. Easy and cheap to fix with out swapping out the coil.
;)

[woodman]

      Jim if you had a job to get out you could have called me and used my LT40 to get the job out.