Your last generator Maintenance Run

[3930dave]

Filter is glass and anything in there shows with a good flashlight. A few crumbs in the bottom, that's it. My fuel jugs have caps and the spouts don't touch dirt when removed from the jugs.

Probably similar to my old CAV system - big glass bowls that are easy to inspect. They had good engineering reasons to design those 2 stage filters the way they did.

Fast forward to today, and many compact tractors (and small generators) have a relatively small inline filter that is difficult to inspect. Add to that, with the high level of water in ULSD, I'd say there is a good chance of microbial "slime" today - there are a few examples of slimed filters on here..... even with glass bowls, this can be harder to detect than heavy dirt particles dropping out.

Big glass bowls were a better design, and guys like scooby have upgraded their CUT systems with quality aftermarket equivalents.

Rgds, D.

 

[3930dave]

Aircooled plug fouling is in part due to operating at light loads in the winter. I've seen the choke forgotten and left at the 1/2 way point after starting for the entire tank of fuel.

+choke will certainly guck things up fast. I'm the only one to ever run my gens, so I know that is not a factor in what I find on my plugs.

I think that until you get to Fuel Injection and/or water-cooled, most carbed air-cooled engines often run a little bit rich - one of the reasons we now have FI 49cc scooters.

Rgds, D.

 

[90cummins]

My wife & I painted our 34X40 pole barn using my EU2000i to operate an airless paint sprayer.
We used 19 gallons of paint and the eu2000 ran it with absolutely no problems in ECO mode.
The sprayer motor cycles on & off during use and it operated as if it was plugged into the house.
We even set up a radio for tunes!
It used approx. 1/2 to 3/4 tank of fuel running mostly at idle so when we finished I thought it could use a good hot supper so I plugged in a 1500 watt heater.
I ran it at load until it ran out of fuel then changed the oil refilling it with 5w40 synthetic and refilling the tank with premium non-ethanol gas.
This generator was a free-bee because it was burning oil and was going to be too expensive to repair. I installed new rings & piston and it runs like a Swiss watch.
I cannot say enough good things about this Honda. I have several of various makes and have repaired many others both gas & diesel.
But this Honda impresses me!
90cummins

 

[3930dave]

My wife & I painted our 34X40 pole barn using my EU2000i to operate an airless paint sprayer.
We used 19 gallons of paint and the eu2000 ran it with absolutely no problems in ECO mode.
The sprayer motor cycles on & off during use and it operated as if it was plugged into the house.
We even set up a radio for tunes!
It used approx. 1/2 to 3/4 tank of fuel running mostly at idle so when we finished I thought it could use a good hot supper so I plugged in a 1500 watt heater.
I ran it at load until it ran out of fuel then changed the oil refilling it with 5w40 synthetic and refilling the tank with premium non-ethanol gas.
This generator was a free-bee because it was burning oil and was going to be too expensive to repair. I installed new rings & piston and it runs like a Swiss watch.
I cannot say enough good things about this Honda. I have several of various makes and have repaired many others both gas & diesel.
But this Honda impresses me!
90cummins

Gen Maintenance + a big project done - always a win.

Chances are, you ended up with that EU simply because of lack of oil changes.

Rgds, D.

 

[90cummins]

Gen Maintenance + a big project done - always a win.

Chances are, you ended up with that EU simply because of lack of oil changes.

Rgds, D.

It wasn't lack of oil changes. It and several others are used almost on weekly basis running a PCB air sampling machine that runs 24 hours non stop.
The company owner and I are friends and I instructed her on proper maintaince and she runs a tight ship.
When I took it apart it looked like new, cylinder, piston & bearings.
My guess is it had defective rings so I replaced the piston which looked fine and rings.
The Honda shop wanted $300 just to look at it.
90cummins

 

[ultrarunner]

Posted on another thread how two years in storage was enough to take out a Honda Generator and Honda Mower...

Internal Carburetor Corrosion did the deed.

Was able to take apart the carbs, clean and reinstall... all is good now.

I do understand how people would choose to get rid of equipment if the alternative meant taking it into the shop.

 

[dragoneggs]

Speaking of maintenance runs... it's been awhile since I pulled out my 6hp Merc outboard motor. I think I shall do that today.

 

[ultrarunner]

Do you fog your outboard or other fueled equipment at the end of the season?

At one time that was what everyone recommended... don't hear about anymore.

On a separate note...

Looks like the commercial 2 stroke Toro mower came out unscathed from a half tank of straight fuel.

Posted that it ran out of fuel and there was a little straight gas in a can that used to fill it half way...

Excellent Compression and sounds good when I added some Stihl Ultra to the tank.

Maybe 25 years of two-stroke fuel left enough residue for 10 minutes of run time?

 

[3930dave]

It wasn't lack of oil changes. It and several others are used almost on weekly basis running a PCB air sampling machine that runs 24 hours non stop.
The company owner and I are friends and I instructed her on proper maintaince and she runs a tight ship.
When I took it apart it looked like new, cylinder, piston & bearings.
My guess is it had defective rings so I replaced the piston which looked fine and rings.
The Honda shop wanted $300 just to look at it.
90cummins

Hondas often do OK on hours, so that's why I guessed oil.

Intrigued about that machine - PCB stands for __________ ?

Rgds, D.

 

[3930dave]

Posted on another thread how two years in storage was enough to take out a Honda Generator and Honda Mower...

Internal Carburetor Corrosion did the deed.

Was able to take apart the carbs, clean and reinstall... all is good now.

I do understand how people would choose to get rid of equipment if the alternative meant taking it into the shop.

I remember you mentioning the Hondas being down.... glad to hear it was a relatively easy fix - for you that is..... most consumers today do not have the basic skills needed to do that repair.

Rgds, D.