I finally had some more time to dig in a little deeper and its looking more likely to to be some type of internal engine failure. Removed the recoil assembly, engine/flywheel shroud over the generator coils and plastic fan assembly. Verified there is no rubbing contact with the generator coils to flywheel magnets and with engine coil pick-up to the flywheel. I did note a little crankshaft end play that seemed unusual but maybe normal on these Chinese motors.
I also spent a lot of time on the phone with Harbor Freight's technical support subcontractor AWS going over the symptoms and their conclusion was most likely an internal journal or bearing failure. I then contacted Harbor Freight customer service directly to request some kind of compensation for an obvious product defect and I was sent the following reply:
Per our call earlier today, i was following up on the product issues you had with item#71340 - PREDATOR 8750 Watt Open-Frame Inverter Generator with CO SECURE Technology, EPA purchased on 10/7/2024 at store# 3381 under tran#: 081974.
Unfortunately , after careful consideration, we are not able to offer a replacement or refund in this case.
I truly understand how disappointing this is, and I'm very sorry we couldn't provide the resolution you were hoping for. Please know this decision is based on our warranty policy, and while we strive to assist whenever possible , we also must follow these guidelines.
We truly value your business and hope to have the opportunity to serve you again in the future under better circumstances.
Best wishes,
Yes, I know the purchase was made voluntarily from Harbor Freight and not a Home Depot or equivalent and without warrantee but in my experience, reputable large companies still stand behind their product even when out of warrantee and when there is very little use on the product before total failure.
At this point I guess I'll tear it down and try to determine if it is salvagable/repairable. Not sure if the Predator line of engines have replacement parts available but I'll determine that once I get into it.
Live and learn and maybe posting this will help someone else avoid the same problems.
