Over the last few weeks I wasted a lot if time nursing a ten-year-old
low-end Homelite 5kW generator back to health. It ran poorly and
produced no output. First I tried flashing the field, but no luck.
Then I replaced a failed rectifier inside the generator unit and it
started producing output. As I was admiring my handiwork, I noticed
that gas was dripping from the fuel pump (never buy a generator with a
fuel pump!). I installed a fuel pump rebuild kit, but it still
leaked. I realized that the plastic pieces of the fuel pump housing
were warped, so I clamped it together and crazy-glued the joint.
Then I realized that the idle circuit of the carb was non-functional.
If I pushed the throttle mostly closed, the engine would immediately
die. I tried a lot of carb cleaner and compressed air to clean out
the passages, but I could never get gas to flow from the bowl to the
idle passages. The idle circuit was involved with the main jet, but
it would not come out and I ended up destroying the casting trying to
remove it. So I ordered and installed a new carb, and now it works as
good as new.
I guess my point is: generators are very suspectible to getting their
carbs gummed up. You may need to remove your carb and confirm that
every single passage and circuit flows like it should.
I also have a EU2000, which I am very happy with. But I have never
tried to service it, except for changing the oil. Have you been
draining the carb bowl before storing it? Honda provides a handy
little valve for this purpose, with a little drain hose to keep the
drained gas from ending up in the bottom of the housing.
Doug
On Tue, Feb 7, 2012 at 1:51 AM, Roland Wilhelmy <rwil@sbcglobal.net> wrote:
> (shop-related statement: one of my shops is a shipping container 1/2
> mile from the nearest power. The Honda supplies power to saws, drills
> and lights.)
>
> My generator has rather suddenly some up with some symptoms. It would
> only start and only continue running with the choke on. Then the
> motor would continue to run but the generator stopped after a few
> seconds (8 amp electric chain saw. same as I have used for years). No
> glowing overload light; no popped circuit breaker, no low oil light.
> I brought the genny to civilization to try to diagnose and fix it.
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