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Question on winter storage and Onan 5500

mrad
Explorer II
Explorer II
This will be my first year storing a 5th wheel with an onboard generator. If I am running 91 non-oxygenated fuel and add some seafoam to it, should the generator still be exercised every couple of weeks?
We are storing the RV about an hour away and it would be a bit difficult to make this happen unless the storage owner would be willing to start it.
14 REPLIES 14

Chum_lee
Explorer
Explorer
mr_andyj wrote:
AV gas...
Jet fuel is half kerosine, this keeps the fuel from freezing at 35 below, so is it the kerosine that is the key component in the AV gas or the gas itself? does AV gas have kerosine?
Can you just mix half with kerosine?


I think you are confusing AVGAS (or 100LL) with jet fuel (Jet A or JP-4). AVGAS is for spark ignited piston powered aircraft where Jet A/JP-4 is for turbine engines (jets) and has high kerosene content. AVGAS generally has little/no kerosene content because kerosene has a very low octane rating. AVGAS is much more highly refined than automotive gasoline. AVGAS has very low olefinic content and little/no ethanol. Olefins are straight/branched chain hydrocarbons with one or more double bonds between the carbon atoms. Although they have high octane ratings, they are very reactive, unstable, and, over time, tend to form gums/varnish in the fuel and what it touches. AVGAS generally has a much higher aromatic (benzene, toluene, xylene) content and is very stable over long periods of time. Aromatics have very high octane ratings. That's why they are used.

Unless you want your spark ignited piston engine(s) to knock like crazy, (and potentially destroy themselves) do not add kerosene to your spark ignited piston engine fuel. Diesel is a different story.

Chum lee

mr_andyj
Explorer
Explorer
AV gas...
Jet fuel is half kerosine, this keeps the fuel from freezing at 35 below, so is it the kerosine that is the key component in the AV gas or the gas itself? does AV gas have kerosine?
Can you just mix half with kerosine?

handsome51
Explorer
Explorer
Solving the gas problem is easy. I go to my local small airport in town and fill me up a couple of gas cans with av gas. Then when I get home I take my other gas cans and fill them half full with av gas. Then go to the gas station and fill the rest with unleaded gas. I run this in my generators. My chain saw engine is a two cycle. So I use pure av gas in it. You have to go 50/50 on a 4 cycle engine. But I never have a problem with the gas going bad. Years ago I had problems with my 140hp outboard carbs jets getting plugged from sitting from labor day to easter. It didn't make any difference if you ran the gas out of it our used a additive. I started keeping a 6 gallon outboard tank filled with av gas. And I would run the engine on that tank when the motor would be sitting for a while. Never had to pull the carbs again to unstop a jet. If you run your generator on the 50/50 mix.You won't have a problem with the generator when winter is over

mr_andyj
Explorer
Explorer
honestly, i have heard that you should "exercise" the generator head by running it, but I cannot give a reason for this other than maybe it helps blow out some dust before it accumulates too much. The generator head is just an electric motor in reverse. Do you "exercise" your home ceiling fans during the winter? No. Do you pull out your electric appliances and exercise them monthly? No, that would be really dumb. I do not know what component on the generator head would need to be exercised, so cannot say for sure, do not exercise it, but I have never exercised some gens and never ever had any issues.

Does a gas motor need to be exercised? No. Motors can sit for years and years and still function exactly the same. Metal parts will not age, at best change the oil.
What will age is any gas left in the system (carb or fuel tank). In all the times I have taken apart I never see any seals that need to be kept wet with oil either, most seals are paper. None of my motors need to be run.

Running a motor will run clean gas through the carb and keep it clean just from use. That is about all I see that running would help with.

If you can protect the carb for storage (choose your method) then that is it. Done.

JaxDad
Explorer III
Explorer III
Lwiddis wrote:
Regular exercise is essential IMO.


Thereโ€™s a big marina near here, almost all the boats are small to medium size cabin cruisers. All those boats are wrapped up and on the hard from mid-October until mid-April.

None of those Onanโ€™s are exercised over the winter, thereโ€™s no mention of failures either.

Pipeman
Explorer
Explorer
I fogged mine when winter came. I emptied the carb via the drain plug. Never exercised it in off season. Worked great when camping season started up.
Pipeman
Ontario, Canada
Full Member
35 year Fire Fighter(retired)
VE3PJF

wa8yxm
Explorer III
Explorer III
I"d run it once a month under 1/2 load for 1/2 hour or more.

But that's me.

I stored my Class A at home and often found a reason to run the Generator thanks to Detroit Edison and a Generator transfer panel and inlet on the house and special outlet on the RV to match..
Lights (Well not all of them one specific was left on EDISON only
Televison/radio/Computers/Internet
Kitchen
Furnace
Fridge and freezer

all that wire and added stuff $$$$
Warm wife Priceless
Home was where I park it. but alas the.
2005 Damon Intruder 377 Alas declared a total loss
after a semi "nicked" it. Still have the radios
Kenwood TS-2000, ICOM ID-5100, ID-51A+2, ID-880 REF030C most times

Dave_H_M
Explorer
Explorer
I don't know specifically about your genny carb. Most of my small engines have a drain plug on the carb. If so the drain plug will allow for complete drainage of the carb as opposed to letting the motor starve out for gas. JMHO

2oldman
Explorer
Explorer
google is your friend

"Oxygenated gasoline contains an additive derived from natural gas or grain alcohol that increases the fuel's oxygen content, causing more complete combustion in the engine and reducing emissions of toxic carbon monoxide"
"If I'm wearing long pants, I'm too far north" - 2oldman

Chum_lee
Explorer
Explorer
ajriding wrote:
I don't know what non-oxygenated gas is, but if it contains ethanol then that is the problem.


In the USA, oxygenated gas refers to the addition of ethanol. In some other countries oxygenated gas may still contain MTBE or (methyl-tertiary-butyl-ether) in place of ethanol.

Chum lee

Lwiddis
Explorer
Explorer
Regular exercise is essential IMO.
Winnebago 2101DS TT & 2022 Chevy Silverado 1500 LTZ Z71, WindyNation 300 watt solar-Lossigy 200 AH Lithium battery. Prefer boondocking, USFS, COE, BLM, NPS, TVA, state camps. Bicyclist. 14 yr. Army -11B40 then 11A - (MOS 1542 & 1560) IOBC & IOAC grad

mrad
Explorer II
Explorer II
ajriding wrote:
I don't know what non-oxygenated gas is, but if it contains ethanol then that is the problem. Ethanol breaks down into water and really can gum up the carb. It is better to have used 100% gas in the generator before shutting it down for the season. Best yet to run the carb dry (out of gas) before storage. That is what people do with small engines all the time.
Regular 100% gas will gum up the carb also after a month or two.


The non-oxygenated gas I use states that it is ethanol free.

ajriding
Explorer
Explorer
I don't know what non-oxygenated gas is, but if it contains ethanol then that is the problem. Ethanol breaks down into water and really can gum up the carb. It is better to have used 100% gas in the generator before shutting it down for the season. Best yet to run the carb dry (out of gas) before storage. That is what people do with small engines all the time.
Regular 100% gas will gum up the carb also after a month or two.

When you say run the generator, there is two things going on.
1. the actual electricity generator is the electric motor looking "head", and this needs to be turned over monthly in an ideal situation. In reality, it can sit for years untouched and still come out working when restarted. Try to keep it covered and keep dust and debris from getting into it.

2. The gas engine, which is just the same as any small engine, lawn mower, chain saw, tiller, go cart, can sit for years safely if the gas is not in the carb.
It is also more ideal to start and let the gas engine run once per month. At idle is finr for 10-20 mins, but under load is what a lot of people suggest too.

Again, I have let these things sit all winter and had no issues come Spring. I just revived a friends Onan 4000 that sat, with gas in it, for 13 years, though the carb needed a serious cleaning, which I remedied by just buying a new carb ($40).. It runs and generates electricity just fine, though yes, I would prefer it had not sat so long. Not ideal, but not death either.

So, ideally, run the carb dry. You might need to disconnect the fuel line from the gas tank to quickly run it dry. Or alternatively, you can remove the "bowl" from under the carb and just let it all drain out.

The gas in the tank will need some gas treatment gas saver like Stabil to keep it fresh longer. This will not guarantee good gas come Spring, but will extend the life of gas if you cannot remove it for some reason.

2oldman
Explorer
Explorer
Does the owner's manual have anything to say about that?
"If I'm wearing long pants, I'm too far north" - 2oldman