Your last generator Maintenance Run

[Sawyer Rob]

I just can NOT bring my self to use ether on a small engine, I've just seen it kill too many of them!!!

Pull the plug and put a little gas down the hole, don't use "engine killer" in them!!

I keep mine in good shape, and none of them even need ether!

SR

 

[3930dave]

Fail Fail Fail
Sigh
Little Champion 3100 inverter would not start even with a shot of starting fluid, though next step is to take the end plate off and get right to carb inlet, not through air cleaner.
Not even a putt. Dead as a door nail.
Tomorrow will pull up to garden shed, turn on the propane heater in there, get the unit warm, and try it again. Unit has never had ethanol gas in it.

5 pulls. Sit. 5 pulls again. Starting fluid. 4 pulls Nothing.
This is why I need an electric start unit, I can't pull hard enough for long enough at times.

Lou, great info, thanks. I remember in fire training we were told to RUN if there was lower lying gasses, say from a train wreck.

Sparkplug boot seated OK ?

Not trying to be funny...... fuel petcock in correct position ? (That happened to "a friend" ).

Rgds, D.

 

[3930dave]

If you have a helper, take off the air filter and have them direct an unlit propane torch into the throat. If you have spark, works every time for me.

I liked this option you posted enough that I bought a collapsible silicone funnel to use as a shroud on the torch (solo user) if I ever need this as a Plan B.

Rgds, D.

 

[Industrial Toys]

I'm sure it's been done, but I don't think I ever heard of it, and for my purposes, feel I invented it. I need to rig up an old non self starting torch head for this purpose. So I don't require a helper.

 

[Chilliwack Murray]

I rototilled the whole back yard by removing the orfice and jamming a piece of hose on a torch when we got our first house and no cash for carb parts... Long before online parts... or online for that matter.

 

[Industrial Toys]

I just always stuck the unlit torch head near the throat. So air and propane mixture. If one attached a hose, should one put it over the torch head to still draw in air, or put it ove the pipe after the orfice, or get rid of the orfice completely?

 

[Chilliwack Murray]

I had jammed it in the carb, it took some doing to get it started and the mixture where it ran but once you got it you kept going for a whole bottle.

 

[Industrial Toys]

Just got a 6 amp charger for my Onan 7.5 Silent Project that doesn't have a charger or alternator. I wonder if there is any issue leaving the charger on there which I have to, because it also powers the inverter computer and control circuits. I had taken a current reading, but forgot what it was. Maybe I should have bought the 10 amp version for such continuous use. Might still do that as I kind of like those chargers and the price.

 

[daugen]

I did not check the spark plug boot but will, thanks Dave. Such low hours don't believe it has ever been off.
And thanks Rob for the blanket statement of supremacy. I'll try your method also.
One of the reasons I spray into the foam filter is to not overdose the engine.

When I see what folks do on youtube I can understand why you have a concern, but remember please
that many tractor builders had an ether dispenser built into the tractors for many years.
On inexpensive small engines with design specs not meant to handle the volatility of ether/starting fluid sure
you'll have problems, because that's the general public. I think most of us know not to overuse starting fluid.

I believe I read that WD40 can be used also. Perhaps a squirt container with fresh gas would be best.
I'm using 93 octane non ethanol in everything.
waiting for it to warm up so I can try again.

 

[3930dave]

I'm sure it's been done, but I don't think I ever heard of it, and for my purposes, feel I invented it. I need to rig up an old non self starting torch head for this purpose. So I don't require a helper.

Logical thinking..... since some engines run on it exclusively, and some performance-diesel builders use it as an add-one (like NOS on gasoline motors). Back when I worked on more carbed car engines, I used propane in this manner (unlit) to check for intake leaks, watching for rpm delta.....

For other than test or short-term emergency use (converted to propane in other words), I'd probably look to one of the established conversion kits..... something like this one

MOTOR SNORKEL TRI-FUEL (Natural Gas, Propane, and Gasoline) Conversion Kit

As they briefly touched on in their write-up "looks simple, but there's more to it", or wording along those lines....... likely ties back to the discussion here about propane being more finicky about mix ratios. And, I've often found it takes more ergs (engineering wise) to perfect an equivalent, but simpler, design....

Long-term use on propane (or NG), I am curious about the valve seat conditioning, as I know Ford offers that option on gas Superduty's. (Meaning, into the 1000s of hours of use).

Rgds, D.