Onan Troubles--It lives!

[zopi]

Just being me, I have had a hate hate relationship with onanengines for alot of years...I would look into a nice big vee twin honda, or one of those new superwhamodyne 28 or 38 hp kohlers that Wm has now...they can and will help you out with a conversion.

I am not a fan of a partial rebuild of an engine which has sustained that level of damage...

Of course I do understand the $$$ factor..but still.

[snowshoveler]

Well now i will have to say that there was a time that I had issues with the onans.
I have been a small engine technician for going on 20 years.
I guess my biggest issue with them was lack of available parts.
Not much support here in Nova Scotia.
However I got myself an older twin cylinder diesel onan genset last fall.
This caused me to do a little work on the web.
I got all kinds of good info on another website (smokestak) hope thats okay to post here.
Even found places to get parts for very reasonable prices.
I would not be scared of your engine now . That really is one sweet engine, and with a little time
and not much cash it will be sawing again.
Honda engines are built really good but in my opinion the onan is better.
With equal care the onan will last longer.
Don't mean to start a flaming here ,it's just my opinion.
So get a new valve, clean up the seat put a new headgasket on and start it up.
More pics as well.
Regards Chris

[steve phillips]

howdy all
onans are famous for the intake seat coming loose too, make sure you check it

[Al_Smith]

So are Briggs pan cakes . Not a big deal .Just pop it back in and center punch all around it then peen over some of the aluminum and you're back in business .--more junk yard trivia --

[inspectorwoody]

Thanks for the tips.

I'll update again when I get the parts and hopefully get it running smooth.

[beenthere]

Dustin
I was roaming around on the net and ran across this Onan parts site.

http://onanparts.com/index.php?main_page=index&cPath=1_5

Didn't know if you were interested, but you can check it out if so.

[Al_Smith]

We ran Onan pancakes for years on 200 amp dc welders which is about the limit for them .Actually they did pretty good .

Seems to me the points were a remote deal up above the flywheel using a rod from the crankshaft .Double coil deal like a Harley that fired both plugs at the same time .

The pancakes .Onan,Briggs for some reason like to run rich and carbon the combustion chamber .Problem being if the exhaust valve fails to transfer the heat to the block you cook the exhaust valves .Obvious by the picture .

You can lap them (valves )without removing them if you are carefull and clean out all the compound before you fire them up . Flat heads if you lap too far you need to file the valve stems .

[inspectorwoody]

I don't seem to have updates very often but at least this one is positive. 

$165 later and the ol' girl runs.

Haven't put it under a load yet so we'll see.

Other than a very few minor things, the mill work is done and the dust should be flying in the very near future.

Thanks again for everyone's help, thoughts, ideas etc.