Your last generator Maintenance Run

[3930dave]

Have to drag my Troy bilt 5500 out tomorrow and clean it up and get it running. Hasn’t run in probably 10-12 years since I got the generac whole house unit. Electrician is changing out the panel box and wiring in the new generator at the job on Tuesday. And I need power for saws and compressor.

I suspect you will have it running soon, given any indulgence by Murph at all !

Rgds, D.

 

[subhunter]

I got to wondering what the piston speed was on the Honda inverter generators vs a diesel.

 

[Sawyer Rob]

Except that an "inverter" generator doesn't run at 3600 rpm's all the time.

SR

 

[3930dave]

I got to wondering what the piston speed was on the Honda inverter generators vs a diesel.

Very interesting point. Speaks to, in part, the difference bothering to spec quality pistons et al, and bore material can make.

With auto-idle On, an inverter gen will reduce idle at times, but the point still stands up well, as Honda non-inverter gens are also known for long lifespans. Meaning ^, old Hondas; somebody who knows Hondas better than I may know when Auto Idle showed up in their non-inverter lineup......

Rgds, D.

 

[orezok]

I have a Honda eu1000 that I bought 35 years ago. It always starts on the first or second pull. I went to start it yesterday after months of no use and no go. I opened it up and tried starter fluid and it would fire for a couple of seconds and then die. So ignition was good.

I decided that after 35 years that I should finally rebuild the carburetor.

I thought about it and checked again today and discovered that if there isn’t gas in the tank it won’t start.

I usually drain the carb after use, but I must have drained the tank after the last use.

 

[subhunter]

I know the low RPM diesels last longer. I don't think the rpm's have that much to do with it. I think the diesels last longer because they have a oil pump, better valve train and fewer plastic parts in the engine. It just got me thinking and I wanted to see what the piston speeds were.

 

[Racer4]

Pulled out the Troy Bilt 5550 today, washed it off because it was all nasty from mice crawling on it for the last 10 years. Wiped everything down. Sucked the old gas out of the tank, which didn’t smell that bad. Put some fresh gas in and it fired right up on the first pull. Then it blew mouse nest crap out all over. Decided to pull off all the shrouds and make sure nothing was blocking the cooling fins. Got all that out and blew it all out with compressed air. Had to pull the carb off to get the front cover off. Didn’t have an internal torx bit small enough for the carb bolts (Briggs engine), but my smallest 6 point metric socket got them out. Then had to fix the kill switch wire because mice chewed the insulation off a 2 inch section near the coil. Put it all back together and ran it for 15 minutes with a load on it. Ran great and didn’t hardly faze it when I ran the miter box along with the vacuum. Then changed the oil. Put some Toro synthetic 10w-30 in it because that’s all I had.

Ready for work tomorrow.

 

[3930dave]

I know the low RPM diesels last longer. I don't think the rpm's have that much to do with it. I think the diesels last longer because they have a oil pump, better valve train and fewer plastic parts in the engine. It just got me thinking and I wanted to see what the piston speeds were.

.... and block material/sleeves, much bigger sumps.....

Real #'s don't lie though.... interesting how close those speeds were.

Rgds, D.

 

[3930dave]

I have a Honda eu1000 that I bought 35 years ago. It always starts on the first or second pull. I went to start it yesterday after months of no use and no go. I opened it up and tried starter fluid and it would fire for a couple of seconds and then die. So ignition was good.

I decided that after 35 years that I should finally rebuild the carburetor.

I thought about it and checked again today and discovered that if there isn’t gas in the tank it won’t start.

I usually drain the carb after use, but I must have drained the tank after the last use.

Spark, fuel, air...... every decade or so, I get a reminder that all 3 are needed.....

Had "trouble" with my bigger Briggs, when nearly new. Then, I got better at remembering that I had been shutting-off the petcock, which my smaller old gen lacked.... .

Rgds, D.

 

[3930dave]

Pulled out the Troy Bilt 5550 today, washed it off because it was all nasty from mice crawling on it for the last 10 years. Wiped everything down. Sucked the old gas out of the tank, which didn’t smell that bad. Put some fresh gas in and it fired right up on the first pull. Then it blew mouse nest crap out all over. Decided to pull off all the shrouds and make sure nothing was blocking the cooling fins. Got all that out and blew it all out with compressed air. Had to pull the carb off to get the front cover off. Didn’t have an internal torx bit small enough for the carb bolts (Briggs engine), but my smallest 6 point metric socket got them out. Then had to fix the kill switch wire because mice chewed the insulation off a 2 inch section near the coil. Put it all back together and ran it for 15 minutes with a load on it. Ran great and didn’t hardly faze it when I ran the miter box along with the vacuum. Then changed the oil. Put some Toro synthetic 10w-30 in it because that’s all I had.

Ready for work tomorrow.

Nicely done. Well stabilized gas !

Can't remember if Troy used their own engines, but I think there have been a few other high-miler ones in this thread.

Back in The Game !

Rgds, D.