On 4 Dec 2004 00:31:49 GMT, Ignoramus4824
wrote:

I am a new proud owner of a used Onan DJE 1 phase 6 kw diesel 1800 rpm
generator. It is a civilian version, even though it is military
surplus. I bought it from the military and brought it home today
(along with a truckload of other stuff).

Today's pictures are at:

http://igor.chudov.com/tmp/onan/Diesel/home/

It is a cutie, and not big at all. Approximately 4 feet long. It does
not have a fuel tank, however, I own a plastic 25 gallon moeller tank
that I will attach to the genny provided that I can see it run. It
weight approximately 500 lbs. (WAG) It looks like the perfect doomsday
survivalist generator.

Well, you'll need something to start with - at least a gallon fuel
can with a hose stuck in the open cap (weighted at the end) as a tank
pickup. And make some sort of strainer on the end, so it doesn't suck
up tight against the bottom or side and starve the fuel supply.

There is no hourmeter on it.

There's no muffler, either. If you're going to experiment with
getting it running, rig up some sort of an exhaust system first - or
it's going to be serious loud, and the neighbors are going to form a
lynch mob post haste.

I know the following about it:

- The manual fuel pump lever pumps something

On a Diesel engine you need to have the fuel system fully primed and
purged of air before it'll run - break out the manual and read up on
how to bleed the fuel system.

- The crankshaft spins when I spin it manually, with varying degree of
difficulty depending on the piston position, at times quite hard. It
makes sounds like "ouch", which again I interpret as good things
related to valves opening.

- When I connect a battery to two reasonably placed contacts, and turn
the START switch, a loud click is heard and then nothing.

Look at picture dscf0047.jpg - the big unit at the top is the
starter motor, the little unit at the bottom is the solenoid. You
want to connect the battery Positive to the vacant big stud on the
bottom of the solenoid, and the ground to the engine block.

Don't scrimp on battery or cables - Diesels take a lot more juice to
crank over than a gasoline engine. #00 cables (no clamp-on replacement
ends) and a good Group 27 battery with at least a 600 CCA rating.

When you actuate the starter solenoid, it's supposed to pull that
lever and linkage to the left in, which pulls on a shift fork, which
moves the sliding part of the Bendix in an annular groove and extends
the starter Bendix into the ring gear on the flywheel/fan ring.

If the linkage is sticky, or the rubber dust cap on the end of the
solenoid is petrified, nothing will happen. The solenoid can't get
all the way in to complete the next step.

After the solenoid pulls all the way in, the power relay contacts on
the back side switch the incoming battery power (bottom big stud) to
he starter motor (top big stud with the strap conductor heading into
the starter motor).

If the solenoid pulls all the way in but doesn't switch power on to
the starter motor, the contacts inside the solenoid are probably toast
- but you can often take it apart and clean everything up with a file
and get it to work for a while. You might have to shim out the power
contact studs if they're seriously worn, or braze some extra thickness
onto the top surfaces and file them flat again...

- When I connect the battery to the starter directly, it spins, but
does not engage the gear that should spin the crankshaft. I _suppose_
that this is evidence of me incorrectly connecting the battery. Is
that right? It could also be evidence of solenoid not providing the
contact, but would be unlikely given that I do hear a loud click.

So, it seems that things are not that bad. All I need to know is
whether I am on the right track with starting. I have some manuals,
that I am going to consult now.

And once you get it cranking, make SURE to check that oil pressure
gauge and make sure it comes up fairly soon after the starter catches.

-- Bruce --

--
Bruce L. Bergman, Woodland Hills (Los Angeles) CA - Desktop
Electrician for Westend Electric - CA726700
5737 Kanan Rd. #359, Agoura CA 91301 (818) 889-9545
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