onan engine

JOB

Member
I have a couple of onan engines on lawn tractors. the question is how steep of a slope can be mowed horizontally without damaging the engine. Is the oil pump in the middle of the engine or on one side. How is the engine lubricated, is there a pump?
 
The Onans have an oil pump, and (AFAIK) if oil level is correct, they aren't going to starve for oil at any slope have have any business operating the tractor on!

Here's a typical Onan oilpump and screen, the screen MAY vary if there's a special (shallow) oilpan used to allow the engine to be tucked into a specific tractor or other application.

<IMG SRC = "http://oi66.tinypic.com/10prfwy.jpg">
 
Thanks Bob I have always wondered if I would be ruining the engine on a slope. I keep the oil at the full level for the slope.
 
The oil pump sits in the middle. Between the two cylinders. Normal pick up tube as Bob shows. Shorter tube for some applications.I would worry more about the slope being to
steep for the mower.
 
I've got two Onans, P218 and P220, always use the 18 for mowing, road bank is steeper than it looks in spots, got to set on uphill edge of seat or it'll lift a rear wheel. Think that Onan has about 1815 hours on it with no problems yet.
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I have one slope that I mowed a couple of times but I won't mow it any more, too steep. not enough room to mow it vertically. Some single cylinder engines has an oil pump on one side of the engine and if you mow it in the wrong direction the pump gets no oil. Might be on the flywheel side. That was why I asked about the pump.
 
On my tractors the flywheel is facing the front of the tractor. But with the pump pick up in the middle of the engine it wouldn't matter.
 
I am sure Onan had a warning about slopes on engines. I can search my files. But I would be more worried about the slope than the engine. Too many people killed trying to use equipment where it shouldn't be. Neighbor was killed on his tractor. On a slope rolled over. Good friend of mine was killed trying to go up a slope.
 
Billy Shafer, I heard heard about people rolling over in ditches and getting pinned and gas from the tank getting on the operator and catching fire. Does not sound like fun. I had a ROPS bent up for my tractor but I have not welded it together and put it on yet. I would hope it would be for looks and never have to use it.
I will just keep the oil full and stop worrying about wrecking the engine.
 
Been real busy. But I wouldn't worry about it. It should have the system that shuts off the ignition. If you get on to steep a slope. The sensor is above the oil filter. You would almost have to be sideways for it to lose oil pressure. Just keep the oil full and you will be ok. I had a very good friend killed in a roll over.
 
What I've heard, on steep slopes, the problem isn't starving the engine of oil, it's oil getting into the cylinder on the downhill side of the engine and stopping progress of the piston coming to bottom dead center of the stroke, by breaking the weak diecast conn rod that Onan thought should have a big lightening hole in the webbing of the big end. DUMB, DUMB, DUMB....
 

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