Coleman generator

[Jim_in_Omaha]

I have a 5000w Coleman Powermate generator with a Tecumseh 10hp. I bought it cheap from the original buyer since it was a Y2K generator. It has about 5 hours on it now or so. The problem is that its really hard to start. Done the clean carb, fresh gas. Fires right up with a shot of starting fluid. No electric start.

Any tips on what to look for? It has the newer non-adjust carb. Only thing that can be set is the speed. When it has ran for several minutes with a load it seems to run good. Until then it will pop and sometimes miss. Basically runs poorly.

We have a old Roto-Hoe tiller that has the same basic Tecumseh engine with a decent adjustable carb. I even put that carb on the generator and it made little difference. And the old Tecumseh on the tiller starts and runs fantastic for 25+ years old.

thanks for any info.
Jim

 

[willywildes]

hate to tell you this but thats what you get when you buy a Briggs or Tecumseh low price. hard to start. i wouldn't buy at any price for just that reason. it's a shame those two had 100% of the U.S small engine market and kept selling junk good riddance to both

 

[Jim_in_Omaha]

Never mind. I fixed it. It was the carb. There is a idle mixture screw on it. Very touchy. It was screwed all the way tight. Runs great with it out about 1/8th of a turn.

I know they are cheap but they are better than no power at all. They Y2k scare made merchants millions and spooked alot of people. There were many things said to the public by people that either were out to make a quick buck or didn't have a clue what they were talking about. These people bought this thing and paid over $600 for it with the accessories. Used it to run a electric hedge trimmer a couple of times.

Anyway it saved me hundreds on this thing. If it was mission critical it would be a different situation. And a much higher quality unit would be required without a doubt.

 

[Highbeam]

I was going to check if you were using the choke. Basicly the same thing a lean mix was the problem.

My coleman 6850/5500 has an 11hp tecumseh engine. Works great. Nothing wrong with it at all. Works just as designed for 500$.

I use it to power my arc welder, run firefans, and whatever else may come up. The thing has sat there humming away for 12 hours blowing on a fire. It is not a campground quiet generator or what I would use to power sensitive electronics.

It is not a honda, never claimed to be. It is cheap, dirty, high, loud, power that will do a lot of work for you. These generators usually fail from lack of use rather than excessive use.

 

[_RaT_]

<font color="red"> They Y2k scare made merchants millions and spooked alot of people </font>

I know some folks that were appalled I was not only fearful of Y2K but irritated that I was not prepared for Y2K. I told them, I am purposely draining all my water with no spare water, leaving all my money in the bank, don't have the cars filled with gas and have a empty fridge. It really made them mad, they thought I was trying to make a point that they were being silly. What do you think? /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif Was I being naughty? When I see them now I half expect them to be embarressed but they are aren't. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif