Onan P216G, Tune-up

[NewfieRod 0]

Hello Everyone,

 

This is my first post here, a friend of mine just told me about this site, and i think its awesome!!

 

I have a 1989, 416-8 Wheel Horse, with an Onan P216G engine (350hrs). I'm about to start a complete tune-up on the engine including a carb rebuild. The engine as been running really rough! Anyway, i just wanted to know if there was anything i should look out for or if any of the experts on here have any tips they could give me?

 

Thanks

[MalMac 1,328]

Not a expert here but at 350 hrs it should not need too much. The norm oil and filters change. oil and air. Check your plug gaps. Make sure the engine clean and what I mean by clean take your shrouds off and make sure all you fins are free from grass, etc. As far as the carb is concerned I would just take the top off and make sure the bowl is free from debris and use Seafoam in all the small passages and orifices. Check all wire connections for tightness and make sure they don't have the greenies. Look for broke bad frayed wires. loose wires.  I am sure others will chime in here and be able to add more. Like I said at that amount of hours should not need much.

[NewfieRod 0]

Thanks MalMac for your tips! So you think I should try a good cleaning with Seafoam before I do a carb rebuild?

[NewfieRod 0]

 ^{I should have read more posts here before I asked that last question, sorry! Took your advice and started taking her apart last night. Filters are all off, top of carb is off and everything is soaking in Seafoam. I also replaced the plugs, the gap was a little wide on the old plugs. Tonight I plan on cleaning out the packing and start putting things back together. Thanks for your help.}

 

Edited December 4, 2013 by NewfieRod

[dbartlett1958 96]

Newfie,

 

Welcome to Red Square.  You are going to love that Onan once you get it tuned. 

[NewfieRod 0]

Thanks dbarlett1958,

 

I put everything back together last night, tryed to start the engine and it wouldn't even turn over! Oil light blinks but i just replaced the oil and i know that the oil level is correct. Can anyone suggest where to start looking for the problem. It run fine when i drove it into the garage.

 

Thanks

Edited December 5, 2013 by NewfieRod

[WH nut 553]

Check and make sure the PTO lever is disengaged.  Also Clutch switch. If that's fine check the fuses and connection under the battery on the right side. You knocked something loose

[MalMac 1,328]

WH nut is right, if it was running before, then you have knocked or broke a connection somewhere. Even bumping a wire that has the greenies can cause a problem. Those tractors are full of safety switches. Most likely as said check the PTO make sure it's not engaged or the wiring to it is ok. Make sure the clutch safety wire and switch is ok. PTO and clutch safety's will not let it turn over.

[NewfieRod 0]

Thanks Guys!

 

I pulled the battery back out, made sure connections were clean, checked all fuses and cleaned up a couple ground connections. Didn't really find anything wrong! put the battery back in turned the key and she turned over! a couple more cranks and she came to life! She is running much better but still have the same problem of not running smooth and I noticed that she will not stay at full throttle. The engines sound is not a steady hum but sound like someone is moving the throttle up and down. Could this be caused by  governor? I've also noticed that the fuel filter is never full, should it be? Could I have a fuel problem? Or maybe a need a rebuild on the carb?

Edited December 6, 2013 by NewfieRod

[Foozerush 40]

Welcome to RS!! I have a 95 416-8, and I have a clear auto style fuel filter in mine and it only fills up around half way, and runs fine. Sounds like you need to reopen carb and give her a good second cleaning. Sounds like there's still some garbage in there making her run bad. Drain fuel tank and clean the screen on the shut off. Hope that's your problem. Great tractor. Love mine. Good luck. Gregg

[Martin 2,130]

you still have something in the fuel system if its not running smooth. might be in the rest of the fuel system, but i bet the carb still has some junk in it. either you missed it or when you put it back together something in the fuel system made its way to the carb. i would start at the tank and work forward. if you just do the carb, whatever you miss in the rest of the system is just going to undo your work.

 

im not sure how much cleaning you did other than soaking in sea foam. i had a similar issue with my 416, heres an excerpt of the thread '416 adventures'.......

 

 

.............................................................................

 

well i got impatient waiting for the sea foam to do its job and tore into the carb tonight.

i read a few posts on here about just cleaning the carb on the engine and thought id see if that would help. heres one such post….

I've been inside nikki carbs used on performer engines before so i knew what i was going to see when i pulled the top off. the main running problem was at idle and mid range. well it had no idle at all so that was where i started looking. besides a whole bunch of junk in the bowl (which the sea foam wouldn't have got out in 1000 hours of running) the removable slow idle jet was blocked in the bottom 3 holes with junk. heres a pic of that brass jet and where it goes…...

 

 

 

then i blasted carb cleaner in all the passages and bowl, cleaning as much as possible. removed the mixture screw and cleaned through as well. removed the main jet plug and jacked up the back of the tractor to allow all the junk to flow out into a rag and container to stop making a mess all over the engine. re assembled the carb and primed it with gas ( using the mouth blow on the gas tank opening…….   ) and she fired up and now runs nice and smooth…...

thanks  

didn't run it with the air cleaner and breather was a little noisy at idle………. 

take a look at the video…... 

 

 

[NewfieRod 0]

Thanks Guys!

 

Took your advice and pulled the carb apart again last night, gave it a really good cleaning and put it back together! seems like I solved the problem, she was running smooth last night!!  Thanks again for all your help, i've found my new home of all my Wheel Horse stuff!! 

 

Now time to get the chains on and get the lift rod and flag made for the thrower I purchased! Can't wait to blow some snow!

[Foozerush 40]

Thanks for the pics Martin. Hopefully I'll never have to dig into my carb, with proper maintenance I'm practicing with a can of Seafoam, but I'll know what to look for if I ever have to do that. And look up this thread for them. Glad you got her going with the second cleaning!! Now Work that Horse!!!

Edited December 9, 2013 by Foozerush

[boovuc 1,090]

I'll add two-cents worth of safety. When you are spraying all the little orifaces on these Onan equiped carbs, please wear safety glasses or a shield. Seafoam and or carb cleaner is not something you want in your eyes and some of the orifaces re-direct the spray back into your face! (Especially if they are clean).

I wear my safety glasses most of the time without the side shields and when it happened to me, I didn't get it in the eyes. However......Seafoam Spray has a terrible taste!

(Let alone I think it curled my beard)!

[NewfieRod 0]

That's a very good safty tip boovac.

I didn't know what to expect when i started spraying the Seafoam in the carb, it can and propably will spray back at you at some point, because it sprayed me! luckly I wear glasses and the Seafoam just got on them. Be careful with your eyes guys!

Edited December 10, 2013 by NewfieRod

[MalMac 1,328]

Just to let you know, your in good company, many of the members here have had to clean their Onan carbs more than once. On one of my 520's I had to clean it 3 times with the last time starting at the tank and working forward. One thing to remember on using SeaFoam is that, with constant use in the tank it will cause the rubber fuel line to deteriorate from the inside out. It will cause very fine bits of rubber to travel right into your carb causing all kinds of headaches. You won't notice it from the outward appearance. By the time you feel the line getting soft it's too late.

[NewfieRod 0]

Thanks MalMac for the vote of confidence! The good news is, the second time was a lot easier than the first!

 

Ran the tractor again last night, she’s still not running quite right, so tonight I will probably do it again, this time starting at the tank! lets hope the thrid time is a charm!

[PMason 3]

Awesome thread. I just bought a 516 with a snow blower. Did the general maintenance and got it out for the first time yesterday to play around. I will likely tackle the carb cleaning in the spring. 

 

Thoughts on any auto fuel system cleaners like Techron? I have a bottle for my cars and thought about putting a few ounces in the tank of the tractor.

 

Pic my wife took of me out playing yesterday. Need to put the chute at little higher angle....

[dbartlett1958 96]

^PMason,

 

^{Welcome to Red Square!  You have two of the requisite items already taken care of: A smile on your face, and a Wheel Horse to sit on.  Maybe the two are related.}

[NewfieRod 0]

Looks like you're having a lot of fun blowing that snow!! I can't wait to get mine running!!

[JackC 616]

PMASON. Great picture.  Like they say, a picture is worth a thousand words.  It captures how most of us feel when we ride our horses, especially after we have done some maintenance on them and they are running like a top.

[woodchuckfarmer 333]

When cleaning a carb I like to blow out all the fuel passages out with compressed air. I consider it a must do thing....just my 2 cents worth.....Wayne

[varosd 1,185]

NewfieRod,

                   Onan carbs can be finicky.  Is this a new to you tractor?  Simple to just drop the gas tank, clean out all the possible crud then open the stock cock and let fresh gas dribble out.  Replace all fuel lines and fuel filter. 

 

PMason,

                  That looks like one of those "Laugh at Winter" magazine ads!