Generator Only Runs at Half Choke

[robertc1024]

I agree that something in the main jet circuit is clogged. If you're having to run it half-choked, it's got to be fuel starved. Unfortunately, the warranty is only for 90 days. I've had a similar thing happen to my pressure washer and was able to yank the carb off, semi disassemble it and get it going again without a gasket kit. I did have to make a new float bowl gasket, but I have some gasket material and an xacto knife.

 

[matefrio]

You may need to take the carb off and stick some thin wire through all the little jet holes.

Double check the float in the bowl that it's not too high and doesn't have gas inside it. Too low would be fuel rich so you're looking for it floating too high.

Check your gas filter for crud and lines that they're not pinched.

Gas cap needs to breath as well. Check there's no vacuum in the tank.

Last thing I'd try is finding and adjusting the mixture screw. Hopefully you can get to the mixture screw and fix it like the video below.

New carbs and carb rebuild kits aren't that costly. May be handy to have one set aside as well for backup.

Most of these problems are caused by today's fuel is horrible for carbureted engines.

 

[matefrio]

Here's removing the jets. Take a small piece of wire and poke it though each of the tiny jet holes. WITH SAFETY GLASSES on.... Blow some carb cleaner and compressed air through the system as well.

You find the hidden mixture screw you can really tune as good as a new jet. Keep an eye on the spark plug though to make sure you're not too rich or lean.

 

[locke_n_load]

You may need to take the carb off and stick some thin wire through all the little jet holes.

Double check the float in the bowl that it's not too high and doesn't have gas inside it. Too low would be fuel rich so you're looking for it floating too high. I'll check it.

Check your gas filter for crud and lines that they're not pinched. No gas filter in-line, will check lines for any pinches.

Gas cap needs to breath as well. Check there's no vacuum in the tank. Ran with gas cap off with no better results.

Last thing I'd try is finding and adjusting the mixture screw. Hopefully you can get to the mixture screw and fix it like the video below. I don't think there is one, but I'll check (thanks for vid)

New carbs and carb rebuild kits aren't that costly. May be handy to have one set aside as well for backup. I think I found a whole new carb for like 23 dollars...

Most of these problems are caused by today's fuel is horrible for carbureted engines. I am coming to realize that this week.

Replacement carbs for like $20:
https://www.ombwarehouse.com/Carburetor-Stock-RuiXing.html?category_id=1623
http://www.ebay.com/itm/NEW-CARBURE...30-/331806250805?_trksid=p2141725.m3641.l6368

Is the float bowl the brass looking piece?

If I can't get it running right I may just order a replacement carb for $20 something bucks... And if it works well, order a spare...

 

[matefrio]

One last thought....

Double check the exhaust side of things. Could be constipated on that end.

 

[matefrio]

Replacement carbs for like $20:
https://www.ombwarehouse.com/Carburetor-Stock-RuiXing.html?category_id=1623
http://www.ebay.com/itm/NEW-CARBURE...30-/331806250805?_trksid=p2141725.m3641.l6368

Is the float bowl the brass looking piece?

If I can't get it running right I may just order a replacement carb for $20 something bucks... And if it works well, order a spare...

Float bowl is the cup with two bolts on it. The one that is straight down is the one that takes it off. The float is inside there and is white plastic.

Looks like you can't adjust it on these though. :-(

 

[locke_n_load]

I just found that video too matefrio... Bummer.
However, cleaning the main and idle jets looks like a piece of cake, if that idle screw is easy to remove while carb is installed. Looks like I need to do this 30 minute job, but I would not be trying to enlarge any holes, probably just running cleaner and compressed air through them. This is the exact engine I have.



Edit: And hopefully my gasket is still useable.

 

[Recoil45]

If you don't have an in line gas filter I would add one.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[atticus finch]

Yes 7 months is enough time to form deposits in the main jet and foul it out from flow. My beetle sat for about 6 months while I painted it and the very same thing happened, the gas fouled out and the deposits blocked the main jet.
If you had red sta-bil in the gas and the gas had alcohol in it? The red sta-bil will not stop this from happening, it will only buy you some time before it does. Blue marine grade sta-bil is the only one which will stop it entirely.

You don't have to disassemble the carb to clean the deposits out.
1. drain the gas tank completely, all gas out of the tank.

2. disconnect the fuel line to the carb at the gas tank.

3. You'll need wal-mart house brand carb cleaner (blue spray can) it works the best of all of them.

4. Insert the spray tube as far down the fuel line as you can, then spray carb cleaner into the fuel line until you see carb cleaner coming out the float bowl vent or coming out the fuel line. This will indicate the float bowl is full of carb cleaner.
Also remove the air filter and spray a goodly amount of carb cleaner down the intake paying particular attention to the smaller air passages that'll be visible. one of those will be the air bleed for the main jet, make sure it gets a good dose of carb cleaner.

5. let it sit there and soak in the carb cleaner for NO MORE than 20 minutes. DO NOT let it sit overnight. The walmart carb cleaner is fairly powerful stuff and the float & needle seat are plastic and will not withstand the carb cleaner overnight.

6. reattach the fuel line to the gas tank and try to start the generator without adding any fuel to the gas tank.
Let the generator run on the carb cleaner until the engine dies. Then add fresh gas to the tank and light off the generator. Use the sta-bil marine grade with the ethanol fuel, it is the only one that works.

add edit: this is what I did for the carb on my beetle, it did work to clean things out although it took several cleanings to really get things back to perfect. I ran seafoam through the gas after this to help clean things out.

 

[matefrio]

Can't say it enough times though. Have on glasses when you spray that stuff. Carbs have a nasty habit of throwing a jet of carb cleaner back at your face.

It'll also eat off some of the protective coating on prescription glasses.

 

[shortround]

Almost every problem with small engines can be traced to the ethanol in gasoline.

Once I switched to pure gas, no more problemos.

It costs about four times the price at a gas station, but Congress knows they flokked up and are debating to end ethanol subsidies and give us better gasoline soon.

Be well.

 

[96fordsix]

Just so you know to days gas with ethanol starts turning sour in 30 days. Marine stabile works the best

 

[Dawico]

Gonna try seafoam for 1-2 hours tonight, in a very strong concentration (half bottle to 1 gallon of gas).



I run it dry every time! Float bowl is just the half cylinder on bottom of carb? Take it off, clean everything I see? Am I going to need a gasket?


If I decide to disassemble the carb for cleaning, am I going to need gaskets? I imagine they are hard to find for Harbor Freight engines.
Is anything in there adjustable that I could screw up? I am mechanically inclined, but I have never cleaned a carb other than running carb cleaner through one while running.

You can buy gasket sheets at auto parts stores and cut your own.

 

[locke_n_load]

http://www.oldminibikes.com/forum/photopost/data/500/hondagxcarb1.jpg

So, I removed the bowl and removed the main jet (item 4). Clean as a whistle. Could not get the main nozzle (item 5) to come out, so I just sprayed some carb cleaner up there. Guessing I could use a paper clip and bend the very end to make a hook and catch one of the side holes to remove if needed next time.

Next I removed the pilot jet (item 2), could not tell if it was clogged or not (that hole is tiny!), so I ran a bristle from a wire brush down it and sprayed it out. I did notice that their is an o-ring towards the very bottom of it, and it's in bad shape. Need to order a set of tiny o-rings and swap it out soon.

Put it back together, and voila - ran on run like a champ. Lots of gas dripping from the bowl, and had to kill it via the fuel knob, remove bowl, reset, and tighten it back up. No problems that time. Ran 2 1875 Watt hair dryers at the same time for about 6 seconds - bogged down real well, but kept running and the hair dryers kept working.

Guessing the pilot jet was clogged, if anything. Can see how it could get a blockage, like a piece of sand, would probably do it. Will order some o-rings to keep around.

 

[matefrio]

Glad it worked out. Nice chart there.

 

[Dawico]

Good deal.

 

[Chirpy]

Good deal, glad it worked out for you. Hopefully you feel the same feeling of accomplishment I did after I put my pressure washer back together and it actually ran!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[TheDan]

Put it back together, and voila - ran on run like a champ.

lol, yep... Most carb problems are solved by taking it apart and cleaning it.

 

[TX69]

Y'all think the carb could get that dirty in 7 months?

I will put some seafoam in the tank and run some carb cleaner through the intake (harder to do without a real throttle).

Really think I should dump the 7 month old gas with stabil in it for new gas? I guess it can't hurt. What do I do with 2.5 gallons of old gas?

Yup. With all of that corn shoved in there you bet that crap varnished up and clogged the carb. Typically I really over shoot the gas treatment with Stabil, Seafoam and Torco High Octane Racing Fuel additive just to keep my old Pontiac going. Fuel will last a year that way and then I have to siphon it out and start over.

Your Government + Corn Subsidies = Votes, Control, and Major Major Tax Dollars my friend. All of that is shoved into your generator.