Outdoor Power Equipment (Lawn Mowers, Snow Blowers, Chain Saws and more) Discussions

This generator has maybe 100 hours on it and I use it maybe 15-20 hours a year and run it for 30 minutes a month when it is not being used. I tried to start it for a 30 minute run and it started and ran for 20-30 seconds and stopped. While it ran, there was black smoke coming out the exhaust like it was being choked and it died like it was being flooded. I took the spark plugs out and they were wet. I ran the starter with the spark plugs out and droplets of gas
came out the spark plug holes. It obviously is way too rich, right? So, what could be the problem? Choke sticking closed? Some sort of carburator adjustment? I recently tuned it up and it has a brand new air filter. I tried it with the air filter off and it did the same thing.

I would appreciate any help/ideas.

Thanks,

Don

Just soaking the carb will not guarantee that you get all of the debris out.  I know that many will disagree but I use a very fine wire to get into small passage ways to dislodge dirt then I flush with WD-40 and blow with compressed air.  I also pull all jets and removable components to give them a thorough cleaning.   Not sure why there is such disagreement with using a small wire.   Might be due to ham fisted do-it-yourselfers breaking off pieces of wire in the carb??  Don't know.  I do know that if done carefully, using the wire will get the job done. 

I can't think of anything else that could cause fuel flooding other than the carb being out of adjustment or stuck open float needle.   Go over everything on the fuel system to ensure all hoses are good, fuel tank clean etc.  Won't do anything to solve your existing problem but will ensure the rest of the system is good. 

I cleaned the carb and all the parts. I used a small wire and compressed air in all the air passages. Then I blew threw each one with a plastic tube and they all were open and allowed the passage of air. The float was not waterlogged and the needle and seat looked like new. After putting it back together, now the generator won't run at all! It turns over and tries to start, but won't. The plugs look wet, but there is not all the raw gas coming out of the spark plug holes
or out the carb air intake like before.

I guess I will check the spark, but can't imagine that is suddenly a problem. I think it is time to remove it so I can access everything and either get a new carb or take it in for service.

Just a long shot but have you completely drained the fuel from your fuel tank?  I've seen similar problems caused by water.  Just this summer, I was trouble shooting a problem with my buddy's outboard motor.  Spark plugs looked wet and smelled like fuel but it was mostly water.  His fuel filter was completely full of discoloured water so there was no visible separation of fuel/water to be observed.  Emptied the fuel filter, & got the engine running.  When he hooked up his own fuel tank to the motor, same problems began.  We poured out the gasoline from the tank into a clear container.  Half the contents was water!   Not the first time I've seen that either  

Been gone on vacation and moving my son, but I have recently done a few other things. I cleaned the fuel tank....there was a little sediment, but no water that I could detect. I checked the fuel lines and put a new filter on and put fresh gas in with a fuel stabilizer. I checked the spark and it has good spark to both plugs. I sprayed some starting fluid in it and it fired on that, so I tried it with gas and it tried to start, but quickly dark smoke came out the exhaust and it wouldn't start. I noticed fuel at the inlet of the carb again and when I took the plugs out they were wet. When I turn it over with the plugs out, gas droplets come out the spark plug holes.

Where to go from here? It obviously seems to be a fuel problem. Didn't you say earlier it could be the carb? Do they just malfunction out of the blue like that? Is some air passage closed that floods the carb with fuel?

Sounds like the carb is pouring raw fuel into the engine.  If your float needle isn't stuck open,  I can't see any other way that the fuel could be getting in unless you have an enrichening circuit (choke) that is dumping raw fuel into the venturi.  That's basically what an enrichening circuit does.  Pull the carb and go over it with a fine tooth comb.  Check everything, pull every jet, clean every passage.  If there is an enrichening mechanism, check that too.  On the Mikuni carbs that I work on, one has an enrichening circuit.  there's an O-ring in there that if it fails, fuel will seep past it and create a rich condition.  If you take the carb completely apart, you might as well put in a  a carb kit if there's such a thing for it.  How about posting a picture and a link for info on that particular model of carb?  It would help understand it's operation a bit better. 

it sounds like you have A> the needle stuck open off the seat, or B> the needle is leaking past the seat. after you try to start it and the black smoke starts,if it has a fuel shut off close the shut off and try to start it again.if the needle and seat is faulty once the bowl and gas line starts to get empty it should start and run till it starves out.it also could be an ignition problem but i thought you said it has good spark? you could try new plugs also. the float setting can cause a too rich condition also.if the shut off point is too high the fuel level in the bowl will be high also causing the engine to run rich. most carb float bowls are in the ball park when you invert them and they rest on the seat with the float  level with the casting  the bowl itself seats or rests on.  you could shut the fuel off and drain the bowl and line by removing the float while it's on the engine.gently seat the float on the needle and slowly open the fuel shut off. if the needle and seat is good it should prevent fuel from leaking past it. you can also lift the float up and down and check for binding.

Does this have a fuel pump?   Vaccum Diaphram pump ?

Friiy

dmt58

is there any dirt in the bottom of carb bowl when u take it off? if yes clean it and re install the bowl and run engine if possible, then take the carb bowl off again and check for dirt, if dirt is present replace the fuel line going from the tank to the carb, if possible install a universal fuel filter u can get really small ones to fit in tight spaces. the smallest piece of dirt can cause the needle to stay open enough to flood the engine. double check and make sure the choke is opening correctly.

I have an EV 6010.  It has over 5000 hours on it and it generally runs very well.  I've ben told I should get up to 10,000 hours out of it.  It requires maintenance like anything else.  The best guys in the country (USA) are the guys at Hicklin Power in Iowa.  They are friendly and know this generator like no one else.  In my experience, I've found that the automatic choke, despite it looking normal, needs lubrication on occasion.  I simply spray a silicone or other product (WD 40, etc) on the linkage which does the trick.  Since I put a lot of hours on this machine, I use the maintenance kit every 250 hours (which doesn't apply to you).  It's important to have the precise Honda spark plugs in the machine (NGK).  I tried a different plug and wound up with nothing but trouble.  Make sure the proper (original) plugs are in the machine and try simply lubricating the choke linkage and see what happens.  You may be pleasantly surprised.

Knowing that it has an automatic choke will help to diagnose his problem.   You've probably pointed the user in the right direction.   Auto chokes (enricheners) are convenient but are also more complicated and do need attention.   That would be one of my first places to look.