Getting a Generator Running

[mrcheese]

Do you mind if I ask for your opinions?

I have just got a Honda E3500 for the grand sum of £35.

Last run four years ago and still has old fuel in it. There is a spark, but it won't run. The fuel line to the carb is not blocked. If I take off the air cleaner and spay in some electrical cleaner (similar to ezi start) while pulling the rope it will pop at the exhaust as if it is trying to start. So I reckon it is basically OK.

If fuel was getting to the engine, but not igniting, I would have thought that the exhaust would stink of unburnt fuel. It doesn't.

I think that it has stood for so long that the carb is all full of crud and the jets blocked. What do you think? I have removed carbs in the past on vehicles, but never taken one apart to fix it.

 

[tigler]

More than likely that the carb is blocked with fuel residue. Best way to sort it is remove the carb and soak it carb cleaner overnight, then try it.

 

[rich r]

Yep - sounds very much like the carb main jet is blocked. The fact that supplying a gaseous fuel/air mix does ignite implies that there's nothing generally wrong other than the petrol from the tank isn't being atomised in the carb.

I've aquired a couple of lawnmowers over the years that were 'dead' but a quick squirt of carb cleaner and a bit of stiff wire sorted

 

[Fazerruss]

4 years is a long time to sit so it could even just be Stale fuel so first drain the tank. If its a Honda G110 or the like I think you can remove the float bowl(one nut at bottem) from the carb while still attached to the engine so to empty the fuel from the carb also.

 

[wyn]

I recently got hold of a compressor powered by a honda engine that had the fuel sat in it for at least ten years.

I bought a cheap ultrasonic cleaner and stripped the carb and gave the parts a bit of time in the cleaner...it started first go when put back together and fresh fuel.

 

[brightspark]

I recently got hold of a compressor powered by a honda engine that had the fuel sat in it for at least ten years.

I bought a cheap ultrasonic cleaner and stripped the carb and gave the parts a bit of time in the cleaner...it started first go when put back together and fresh fuel.

thats the only way to do it as some of the jets are that small and drilled in to the castings they cant be removed

 

[Cobbler]

Further to the reply about old fuel, unleaded fuel goes off in a matter of months, if it old it wil make a motor difficult to start, very old and you cannot start it at all. Scrap the old fuel after cleaning and you may well find it ok. Sometimes you can smell the petrol has gone off, it smells sort of sour, that's the only way I can describe it.

Good luck.

Cobbler

 

[brightspark]

Further to the reply about old fuel, unleaded fuel goes off in a matter of months, if it old it wil make a motor difficult to start, very old and you cannot start it at all. Scrap the old fuel after cleaning and you may well find it ok. Sometimes you can smell the petrol has gone off, it smells sort of sour, that's the only way I can describe it.

Good luck.

Cobbler

tell me about it had to strip me norton carbs down after a year using un leaded fuel left standing it blocks the jets and goes like shelack varnish. removed most with carb cleaner fluid

 

[Bingy]

+1 for new fuel and cleaning out the carbs.

 

[the snooper]

this is a common problem with gennys people use them occasionally then stick em back in the shed without draining the carb and the fuel always goes off and blocks up the main jet ive done loads of em and its usually only the main jet as is sits in the fuel in the float bowl

 

[tigler]

I've bought a few of those nice orange 2 stroke Flymo's cheap off ebay described as 'won't start, so spares or repair' because of this problem ! Last one was almost unused with all the manuals etc, for £15 !! It was local too, when I went to collect it the guy said he couldn't understand it. He's bought it 5 years ago, used it once then it just went in the garage for some reason, then he went to use it again and it was just dead. He said he'd taken it to a repair place and they quoted him £30 just to look at it so he decided to try ebay to get anything for it, if it hadn't sold he was just gonna chuck it !
I didn't say much, just nodded in acknowledgement ! Got it home, drained the gunk from the fuel tank, whipped out the float bowl drain plug, flushed some new petrol through it. Refilled with pre-mix, started 3rd pull, not been a problem since !! Result !

 

[the snooper]

they always do it i bought three from a neighbour £30 the lot 2 wouldnt run 1 had damage so it went into boxes for parts the other 2 i cleaned the carbs started them up sold one straight on £60 a day later i still have 1

 

[billsmowers]

pore a drop of fuel in the plug hole if it fires up you have a carb problem as been said ultrasonic is the way to go also make shore the emultion tube holes are all clear to get to this remove the main jet and you will see a brass or plastic tube remove this and check all the holes also there is a low speed jet at the top of the carb (looks like a black plastic plug where the spoeed ajustment screw is) remove this and blow some compressed air though it

hope this helps
if you need more help i can send you a brake down of the carb if you send your email address
bill

 

[Shox Dr]

Fuel goes off in no time these days. Especially when kept in PET (Polyethylene terephthalate) containers, so just about everything you keep Petrol in these days.

 

[mrcheese]

Many thanks for all of your replies. I'll take the carb off and give it a clean this week and put in fresh fuel. I will let you know how I get on.

To be honest I was a bit dumb. I stuck in a low bid based on it being local to me. Didn't expect to win it so I did not bother to read up on it.

Turned out to weigh more than 80Kg. I had to phone a friend to help me lift it and there was no chance of sneaking it into the shed without my wife knowing

If it all works OK I will probably sell it so I can get something about half the size. The hours meter reads 522. Something I can lift into the back of my Landy would be more suitable for me.