First start of a 1977 Onan 20Hp CCKB horizontally opposed twin cylinder engine. The engine has not run in at least 16 years. The outside temp is around 28 degrees F or -2 degrees C so it is a cold start as well.
Everytime I start my Wheelhorse 520-H, my wife marvels about how good it sounds. That low exhaust note and governor hunting adds to the song. Onan engines were built to work hard and last for decades. Modern Harbor Fright engines sound good for a while, then smoke and burn oil after 100 hours, causing repair. I like how this fellow worked in the snow to get his Onan running. It's like a quest to see if it will run. If one starts for myself, it feels just like Christmas morning.
you prolly dont give a shit but does anyone know of a tool to get back into an instagram account..? I was dumb lost my password. I appreciate any assistance you can offer me
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Very nice! My buddy has two motorcars (speeders) with Onan CCKA engines, they are fantastic little engines. I have one under the hood of my Wheel Horse 520H.
That is funny the person I bought this from was planning to use this CCKB on his lawn tractor. It came with a spare 1 7/8ths" crankshaft. My Gravely uses a 1 3/16ths crank. So I am using one off of an Onan CCKA. Same stroke and bearing sizes. The cast iron CCKB's weight may give me a little edge at the lawn tractor pulls.😉
I think they did. My engine is a CCKB so it is points only. The coil in my engine is a 3 ohm 12 volt coil so no resistor. If the coil was only 1.5 ohm it would be a 6 volt coil and require a ballast resistor to work on 12 volts.
I believe they used that motor in a Rutan Quickie. Do you know in what kinds of machines that engine was used? I used to think it was just a generator motor.
Thanks for the comment. The Onan twin has been used in a lot of things, Many high end lawn tractors, portable welders, small skid steers, and of course Generators. This particular one was from a Fairmont Speeder which is one of those little 4 wheel rail cars that the rail crews use do rail inspections. The old Onan twin was a really well built very reliable engine. You might notice that I am a bit of a Onan fan.🤷♂️😉
You don't need to use the wire. Holding the spark plug is adding the spark plug gap to the circuit also effectively checking if there is enough spark to jump the gap. It is just a more intensive test. If you hold the plug make sure you are touching the engine with the hand holding the plug or you will get a massive shock. Keeping your hand against the engine will shorten the path of the spark and minimise the amount of your body affected by it.
Man, i love the sound when that pig starts to breathe a little. I just got an old Simplicity Powrmax with a CCKB. Only my 2nd GT, but first Onan too. I brought her home, did the exact same thing you (and most guys like us) do and got it running enough to get around the yard, engage hydraulics, test what i could of different gear behavior and then parked it and stripped it. I am not exaggerating but i washed, scrubbed, and hand scraped probably 5lbs of dirt and mud from cooling fins and air cooling system. It was horrible, gas looked like emptying a $2 coleman yard sale lantern lol how he was a "tractor guy "is beyond me. Anyway, so everything is beautiful and ready to fire but i accidentaly butcher well vent in zenith Bendix carb and parts are impossible to find, the only place i found said 2 to 3 weeks. Can't afford new, so ill wait but im beyond ready to hear that first big "breath" from the engine. Kinda sounds diesel and i read they're the next best thing, sorry my first opposed twin Onan and the sound is great. the dad is funny, i have the same conversations in my head while i work through and figure things. out.
HI is this a 12 volt starter, do you know if they made them with 6 or 24 volt, I am attempting to get one of these working and the am not sure on the starter. I can not find a data plate, but the engine looks like yours, same point system and carb and heads etc. Its been sitting for a long time and the history is unknown. Thank you for the clear video, its hard to find a video or information on this model, do you know how many years they made this model engine?
Thanks for the comment. I am not sure how long they made this engine but it has been a while. Onan has made horizontally opposed twins since the 50's. Here is a link to some Onan manuals twinslan.net/~n0nas/manuals/onan/ If the link doesn't work just search for Onan manuals on the internet find this link in the results. this link will work from the search results Why I don't know🙄 A good forum is the Smokestack forum. They have a whole section on Onan's The starter is probably 12 volt but it could be 24 volt if it was used in an industrial situation. It is unlikely to be 6 volt unless it is very old. A starter is pretty tough and as long as you don't run the starter too long you can run a 6 volt starter on 12 volts it just runs a little fast. The reverse is true of the 24 volt starter it will run on 12 but just a little slow. Don't keep the starter engaged for more than 15 seconds. Measure the ignition coil resistance if it is 3 ohms you don't need a ballast resistor if it is around 1.5 ohms you need one, but it will run fine for testing purposes. Check the coil isn't getting too hot if you aren't using one. You should post a small video of your engine on RU-vid so I can see it. Just a little phone video is all you need.
hi how are you guys. grate job you guys doing. i have a question i hope you can help me. my miller welder generator, 16hp onan engine i just replace the coil but i still doesn't have any spark on the spark plug or the coil i put an screw driver on the wire and on the coil and no spark it work one time then i cant make it run again! i hope you can help me thanks.
Hi Arturo we are doing great. If your motor uses points then I can help, but if it is electronic ignition I won't be much help although I can point you to someone that made up his own ignition system for his Onan from common parts. . First I would check for 12 volts at the battery side of the coil. and if it is there check for voltage at the point side of the coil. Turn the engine over slowly and see if the battery voltage at the point side of the coil goes to zero for a short period for on each revolution of the engine. If the voltage does not drop to zero the points are in need of cleaning. Look at the points, are the contact faces burnt looking, or pitted? If so I would change the points and the condenser. If they look OK the points still need cleaning. Take a point file (or a small piece of fine sandpaper) and file the contact surfaces, keep filing until the contact faces are bright and clean. Then clean the abrasive residue off of the contact surfaces with some brake cleaner. You should have spark at this point. Let me know how it goes OK?
Thanks I have just started to replace the crankshaft in this engine so I can use it on my 1973 Gravely 816. I love the sound, these Onan twins sound a lot like a old air cooled Volkswagen. So much nicer than the 16 Hp Briggs they come with. Also with 20 Hp to use the 816 will be a killer mowing machine. There will be further vids.
@@MatthewBerginGarage I have one of these in an amphibious machine called a Marsh Master made by Coast Machinery. You doing ok my friend? Our post here was 6 years ago!!!!! Time sure flies!!!! 😂
@@fxpestoperator5527 I have had some medical issues in the last few years but I am better now and getting back to my projects. I am working on this engine again over the last couple of months. I just replaced the crank with one from a Gravely CCKA engine to get the 1 3/16ths output shaft. I am installing it on my Gravely 8162b to replace and aging Briggs 16 Hp. There will be more vids on this soon.
@@MatthewBerginGarage Thank God you are OK my Brother!!!!!!!! Wheeeew I was worried when I saw how long ago you posted the last video! God's Blessings Sir!
Sorry but you are wrong, 🤦♂️🙄with the points closed, turning the ignition switch on and off imitates the action of the points and will produce a spark. Get a battery, a coil, and a switch or just some pieces of wire and try it. Just don't hold the coil by the top when you test it.😲 You can even do the same with old style electronic ignitions (where they still use a distributor) to check if it is a failed coil or the control box using the ignition switch. If you have a pulse from the pickup and a spark when you turn the key on and off the control module is shot. I grew up when there were point style ignitions on every engine. You shouldn't get cocky I have been working on engines for 55 years as my hobby and as an industrial maintenance electrician for the last 35 years. I probably understand battery/coil and magneto ignitions far better than you.
