Your last generator Maintenance Run

[ultrarunner]

I just have not been able to bring myself to buy gasoline in cans at Home Depots of the world... with a few rare exception of the premix quarts.

The mower shop I frequent said those that use the non-ethanol avoid the common problems.

 

[daugen]

93 octane non ethanol now in at least four gas stations in town. $3.19 yesterday filling up.

I loaned a nice 7 year old 7500 Honeywell gen with very low hours to an older neighbor across the street. Our power had been out for a day
and I think his wife finally got annoyed. He wants to put a propane powered gen in next year. But he was happy for me to store my loaner in his shed, which has a connection to the main house. I asked him a few days ago how it was starting up on monthly tests, and he looked at me with wide eyes and said he hadn't started it since I loaned to him over six months ago. Oh no...I assumed he understood this, but then clearly many don't. And then he tried to start it and of course it was hard to start and he thought I ought to sell it while I can. Really? The carb is mucked up and I now probably need a new Chonda carb.

And I don't blame the generator here either. For seven years it has faithfully started and six months of neglect and the damage is likely done. I will drown it in carb cleaner and whatever gunk is in there may free up, may not. I forgot to remind him so my fault. He's a nice older guy and I really didn't want to get critical here, but this sure reinforces my belief that proper regular maintenance for small gens is the exception, not the norm. I'm headed over there this weekend with sea foam to see if that helps.
An unreliable generator is the pits.

 

[3930dave]

The Charge of the Sea Foam Brigade !!!!!! (But, with a better outcome !).

With just a bit of luck d, you'll be fine..... often if it will sorta/kinda run, Sea Foam can work it's magic :thumbsup:

Worst case, a Chonda carb is usually available, for not much $. Yep, that guy is a good candidate for either propane or NG - as long as he realizes they still need some maintenance..... many examples on here from grs of customers with no clue at all......

Rgds, D.

 

[90cummins]

I had to replace the chonda carburetor on my neighbors snowblower which was very reasonable.
I installed it hit the starter & it ran like a top.
For a critical application like a portable generator it’s very cheap insurance to have one as a spare.


90cummins

 

[buckeyefarmer]

I haven’t started my 6500 gen in several yrs. maybe I should go give a yank. No E0 here.

 

[grsthegreat]

I haven’t started my 6500 gen in several yrs. maybe I should go give a yank. No E0 here.

my portable generators are run maybe 1 time every year under load.... not load bank, working loads. Always start and run well. One is nearly 20 years old. They have never seen ethanol fuel.

 

[ultrarunner]

my portable generators are run maybe 1 time every year under load.... not load bank, working loads. Always start and run well. One is nearly 20 years old. They have never seen ethanol fuel.

The ones I have stored inside a stable temp daylight basement have never had issue yet...

The Honda in my service van not so lucky... I believe the extreme temp swings exasperate problems and the tank is not put away full either... live and learn.

 

[LouNY]

I don't have a small portable gas generator but I have to wonder.
Also in my area ethanol free high test is a 30 cent premium over regular,
so what small engines that I do have get the "good" stuff plus either 2 stoke oil or stabile.
I have to wonder places without the availability of the ethanol free fuel,
would it be worthwhile to buy the high priced "canned" fuel, run your equipment dry
fill with the canned fuel, when in a power outage run what you can get afterward drain and fill
with good gas and run a bit to clean out the carb.

 

[ultrarunner]

I do think with two stroke a good mix like Stihl premium helps... but storage cannot be discounted.

Equipment I use weekly has been mostly unaffected...

It is the seasonal or back up stuff like generators where the problems seem to be.

The landscapers use their stuff almost daily here with few problems at the mower shop... it is the homeowners that come in with the string trimmer, generator, garden tractor having the problems and a new carb is the fix 99% of the time.

 

[grsthegreat]

I do think with two stroke a good mix like Stihl premium helps... but storage cannot be discounted.

Equipment I use weekly has been mostly unaffected...

It is the seasonal or back up stuff like generators where the problems seem to be.

The landscapers use their stuff almost daily here with few problems at the mower shop... it is the homeowners that come in with the string trimmer, generator, garden tractor having the problems and a new carb is the fix 99% of the time.

im sure that equipment used daily wont be as much affected as those that sit. but i still use non ethanol in everything except the wifes truck. Every mower, brush hog, chain saw, pressure washer and even the kawasaki mule get ethanol free fuel.