Your last generator Maintenance Run

[Robin Veerman]

Yep, muscle memory

 

[3930dave]

Yep, muscle memory

Yes.

.... the Less We Bleed in War

Rgds, D.

 

[WinterDeere]

So, here's something new, that came up this week. We had high winds and lost power for most of the day, earlier this week. No worries, I fired up the ever-reliable portable genny, shut of the main breaker and back-fed the house. Basically no interruption, we were able to keep running our home business all day.

When I could see from the digital meter outside that power had been restored, I shut down the generator and switched us back onto mains power.

Then I went to fire the generator back up, unloaded, to close the fuel valve and run the thing dry for storage. But the automatic starter did not want to turn the thing over, and then pulling the rip cord was so tough that the cord was ripped out of my hand.

Anyone experience this before? I honestly don't know if it's because there was some perceived load on the thing (charged PF-correction capacitors in output regulator?), or because of the engine itself. A few minutes later I was able to turn it over, but still a harder pull on the cord than usual.

 

[3930dave]

So, here's something new, that came up this week. We had high winds and lost power for most of the day, earlier this week. No worries, I fired up the ever-reliable portable genny, shut of the main breaker and back-fed the house. Basically no interruption, we were able to keep running our home business all day.

When I could see from the digital meter outside that power had been restored, I shut down the generator and switched us back onto mains power.

Then I went to fire the generator back up, unloaded, to close the fuel valve and run the thing dry for storage. But the automatic starter did not want to turn the thing over, and then pulling the rip cord was so tough that the cord was ripped out of my hand.

Anyone experience this before? I honestly don't know if it's because there was some perceived load on the thing (charged PF-correction capacitors in output regulator?), or because of the engine itself. A few minutes later I was able to turn it over, but still a harder pull on the cord than usual.

Your posts lead me to expect that you are a regular checker/changer of Oil, so that one is checked-off.

My first response was Hmmmm.... (def odd). Then I thought of someone who recently stopped by here (..racer ID ?) talking about correcting a normally well behaved gen..... sounded like major carbon problems, which did get blown out once addressed.

Other than a part(s) deteriorating in the engine/starter, carbon (esp. dis-lodged) is the one thing I can think of that could possibly add friction.

Combustion chamber cleaner topside, and something like a dab of Seafoam in the crankcase, followed by a run then oil-change is what I might try.

That (above earlier post) was an interesting recovery, well done. IIRC, the OCI mentioned was 100 hours - that may well be factory-spec (I haven't researched the engine posted). I'm used to the Briggs spec of 50 hours - for air-cooled/small sumps, I don't like to take mine past that.

Multi-week outages (or construction site use)..... tough on everybody, including the MTCE scheds......

Let us know how this goes....

Rgds, D.

 

[kirkawilson]

Maybe the unloader on the exhaust valve is sticking? Or compression release is not working properly?

 

[WinterDeere]

Your posts lead me to expect that you are a regular checker/changer of Oil, so that one is checked-off.

lol... esp. that machine. I usually change the oil after each use, as I never know how long it will sit until the next extended outage. We sometimes go 3 years between uses, so I just re-prepare it for storage after each usage, knowing it'll be ready to go the next time.

My first response was Hmmmm.... (def odd). Then I thought of someone who recently stopped by here (..racer ID ?) talking about correcting a normally well behaved gen..... sounded like major carbon problems, which did get blown out once addressed.

Anything is possible. But spark arrestor is totally clean on the muffler, so I doubt there's much of a carbon problem. Machine is also very low hours, only 70 hours on the clock.

Interesting thing, I just went out the garage and tried the pull cord. A little tough on first slow cord pull, definitely building some compression, then pulled real easy after that.

Maybe the unloader on the exhaust valve is sticking?

Whatever that is, it's sounding really plausible. Not familiar with exhaust unloader valves, other than compressors, so I'm going to have to research this.

 

[Diggin It]

Messed with the two portables today. Tried to start the bigger one a few days ago and nothing. Pull'n, pull'n', pull'n 'n nothin'.

Neither has been started in months.

Went at the HF inverter first this morning. Fired up on the third pull. Added a little Seafoam clone and let it run for an hour or so.


Then to the bigger no brand/generic that I've had for too many years. Drained the carb bowl and the gas smelled funky as expected. Pulled the fuel line and drained the tank. Added some Seafoam clone, StaBil and fresh gas. Still pullin' and not firing.

It has a toggle switch to turn on an off, so I'm thinking the switch went bad. Decided to pull the plug for giggles. It wasn't wet, but wasn't dry either. Pulled the rope a few times to air the cylinder out. Gave a it a shot of carb cleaner (no starting fluid on hand), put the plug back in and it fired up on the second pull. Let it run for a few minutes, then turned the gas valve off and let it run it self out.

It needs an oil change for sure and I guess a plug since it's the original.

But at least I know they both start.

 

[Robin Veerman]

But….you didn’t drain the carburetors. Setting yourself up for round 2

 

[3930dave]

Messed with the two portables today. Tried to start the bigger one a few days ago and nothing. Pull'n, pull'n', pull'n 'n nothin'.

Neither has been started in months.

Went at the HF inverter first this morning. Fired up on the third pull. Added a little Seafoam clone and let it run for an hour or so.


Then to the bigger no brand/generic that I've had for too many years. Drained the carb bowl and the gas smelled funky as expected. Pulled the fuel line and drained the tank. Added some Seafoam clone, StaBil and fresh gas. Still pullin' and not firing.

It has a toggle switch to turn on an off, so I'm thinking the switch went bad. Decided to pull the plug for giggles. It wasn't wet, but wasn't dry either. Pulled the rope a few times to air the cylinder out. Gave a it a shot of carb cleaner (no starting fluid on hand), put the plug back in and it fired up on the second pull. Let it run for a few minutes, then turned the gas valve off and let it run it self out.

It needs an oil change for sure and I guess a plug since it's the original.

But at least I know they both start.

I find gasoline today, loses volatility quickly.

New plug, never a bad choice, esp. with hours piled up. People use varied storage techniques.... if it's working well... keep doing.... if not, shift strategy..... anecdotal reports piled up here, lead me to believe that regional fuel variations will cause successful techniques from one geography to have less traction somewhere else.

YMMV.... pun intended....

Knocking wood w. my foot, while typing...... shifting to (carb) wet storage years back (Stabil or equiv) has worked well for me. To attack the problem from another direction (enzyme), I'll go the Startron route at times.... looks like they've added several brand extensions since I started using it.....

Fuel Additives

Rgds, D.

 

[Popgadget]

If you have access to it, nothing beats AvGas for storage.