Your last generator Maintenance Run

[arto98607]

That's quite a few hours for $299 generator, so it probably owes you nothing?

I think propane operated generators will not have any carbon buildup issues at all.

 

[3930dave]

Gave this “new to me” girl a workout…and then an oil change with the addition of a Magnetic dipstick from Goldplug.
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Team Red - is growing the Lineup !

That 3000 is a nice size - but it's good to have the handle and wheel kit. Buddy 'o mine used to run one @ racetracks - deadlifting was nicer with 2 people.

Goldplug, I'll have to check what they cover (re. mine); thanks for mentioning that.

Rgds, D.

 

[3930dave]

My little $299 Champion 1500W quit at night a couple of weeks ago. Funny, because I had just changed the oil and it barely used any before.

I went out and Filled the Oil thinking it was Low, nothing. Switched over to the 4500w and finished the movie, shut it of and went to bed.

Next day, I tried again to start it, found no compression after removing the Plug. So i tore it down to see if a Stuck/Burnt Valve might be happening, nothing.

There was a lot of Carbon built up, cleaned it up, bolted back together. Cleaned the Spark Arrestor, poured some gas in the plug hole. It would sputter but still Very Low Compression (Thumb over the hole).

Next weekend, New Plug in hand, I filled the Combustion Chamber with Carb Cleaner let it sit 15 minutes, Pulled a couple of times, pop, my thumb would get blown out of the Plug Hole. Screwed the Plug in and it started, smoking heavily. Held it on the Governor for a bit to clean out my Cleanings, shut it down, added New Oil, Boom it started again. But smoked heavy. Ran for 1/2 hour and checked the oil, added (it was real low). Fired it up again and went in to watch a movie.

Looked out a few times smoke pouring out of it. Movie was done 1 1/2hrs, I went out to refill the oil, and it was running Clean and Clear. As it is today without burning any oil.

The rings must have been Stuck, the Combustion Chamber cleaning and Carb Cleaner, hard run on the Gov, must have loosen them out. Runs just like New with 1650 hours on it.

Nicely played recovery .

You obviously know your way around engines... but I'll say it anyway...... I do tend to forget the air-filter on my portable gens - doesn't seem to readily come to (my) mind to check, compared to road vehicles.

Fuel quality.... that's hurting many of us, it seems. Thinking of your carbon story, reminds me of turning a buddy of mine loose with Seafoam, a dozen or so years ago..... he'd flow to the East coast, to help his brother drive his beaten-on van back to Ottawa for a funeral. Stops somewhere like New Brunswick, and decides to dose his brother's van (dump into vacuum line) out back of a little Parts store. Coupla customers walked around the corner of the store, while they were doing this - the other guys thought the van was on fire - so much black smoke was hanging in the air !

Never looked before.... now I'm curious what I may/not have for vac ports on mine......

Rgds, D.

 

[RjCorazza]

I got 200-300 hours out of a 1800w Chinese inverter generator 15 years ago, and thought that was reasonable. 1600h is remarkable.
I have since moved to Yamaha inverter generators (1800w and 3000w).

 

[3930dave]

That's quite a few hours for $299 generator, so it probably owes you nothing?

I think propane operated generators will not have any carbon buildup issues at all.

I remember a wrench I knew, back when I was a pup.... describing heads coming off med-duty trucks of the day, running exclusively on propane - basically looked like they just came out a box, from the factory.

IIRC, natgas burns slightly cleaner - nothing we'd notice in use, as you'd probably need controlled lab tests, to see the difference wrt. propane.

I'm leaning towards propane (dual fuel) on my next portable gen. The only storage issue with propane, is the portable tank expiring !

Rgds, D.

 

[D'oh]

That's quite a few hours for $299 generator, so it probably owes you nothing?

I think propane operated generators will not have any carbon buildup issues at all.

No, it sure doesn't, But no use burying it yet. Runs great, Oil Changed every 100hrs, Foam Air Filter needed cleaning often with that Oil Blow By.

Actually have an Older One without an Hour Meter, did the same tune up, and it lives again. Surprised me that the older 80cc engine was actually a Hemi Spheric design, with a much better Valve Train.

I have found that the Cheap Champions are much less costly than fixing my Hondas when they break. So I have just been doing that. It was $600CDN for a Rectifier for my 4000 Honda or $500 for the 4500 Champion 20 years ago, and it is still running, when I am doing any Building

 

[3930dave]

Good value for money, seems to be the trend with Champion. They have modern designs now (inverter, quieter), but many people have had similar good service. At least one guy on here was given a really high-hour vintage Champion (construction use) for free - "Not Running". Just needed a valve-adjustment, as it had never been done.

Electronics add failure points. Same in automotive.... even MBenz doesn't have much of an electrical warranty, last I checked. Inverter gens have impressive specs, but are not inexpensive to fix.

Rgds, D.

 

[Robin Veerman]

Team Red - is growing the Lineup !

That 3000 is a nice size - but it's good to have the handle and wheel kit. Buddy 'o mine used to run one @ racetracks - deadlifting was nicer with 2 people.

Goldplug, I'll have to check what they cover (re. mine); thanks for mentioning that.

Rgds, D.

Not cheap….but incredibly well made!

 

[Sawyer Rob]

Not cheap….but incredibly well made!
View attachment 1345922

Problem is, much of the junk is nonmagnetic, like aluminum.

SR

 

[3930dave]

Not cheap….but incredibly well made!
View attachment 1345922

I did have a look, after you first posted. Maybe just weak keyboard-foo @ my end, but I could only find two listings for Honda (no other Manuf. listed for magnetic dipsticks).

Other than cost, I suspect another reason OEMs don't include magnetics is to avoid people freaking out, if they find a tiny spec of ferrous material on a magnet - which may be nothing more than a tiny bit of swarf that wasn't evacuated @ factory.

One place TBN has value for most of us.... accelerates learning about complex (or simple) fixes for relevant problems. Saves Time (aside from money), which I value the most. Cheat codes - I remember reading a review (Amazon) on a Champion gen, one of the smaller recent ones..... guy included the actual PN of the magnetic dipstick he sourced for that new gen he bought. If it's a Game You Are Interested In (very subjective), then cheat-codes make it a great day !

Rgds, D.

 

[3930dave]

Problem is, much of the junk is nonmagnetic, like aluminum.

SR

True.

Last Winter, had to re/re a transmission - a model not know for failure. No abuse (just 2, mature drivers in the house), but the planetary had grenaded. Rebuilt by a shop I trust (takes a lot, to get into that category in My Book). Owner said it was odd for that to go, in that model, but said it could have taken nothing more that a tiny needle bearing (Torrington is what I recall he said, I still need to look those up...) with a flaw, starting to deteriorate.... debris does the rest. Would have that failure have happened with extra magnetics in place (Magnefine, for example) ? .... I'll never know, at this stage.

I've seen (couldn't find it on the Gold site just now....) a reference that goes something like ".... filters particles in a way your oil filter can't...." .

Aside from being a careful product claim (doesn't state Better etc....), that ties to how I look at these type of quality made add-ons - Belt and Suspenders. Appeals to me, and not something I mind spending money on - yes, extra $, for an on-shore-made product is OK too.... and I'm not known for throwing money around.

Harder to find than the drainplugs, but conceptually, I like the idea of a magnetic dipstick. The Honda dipstick ones Gold have are similar to what is on my last Briggs (meaning style-wise, versus the older Briggs I have with a long-tube flat-bladed automotive style dipstick). Just Because (I can ), the dipstick can get checked anytime, and may encourage me to (lousy memory, why I started this thread) check more often.

Like Granny (Bev Hill's), I sleep better with some gold under the mattress !

(I get that at least 998 out of 1000 of a given model of gen will live-out a normal lifespan just fine, w/o extra magnetics...... just call it my OCD/Hate-On-For-Murphy showing , when I bang-on about liking Toys Like These...)

Rgds, D.

 

[Robin Veerman]

Problem is, much of the junk is nonmagnetic, like aluminum.

SR

Not a problem, really….
However, Most quality engines/transmissions etc use aluminum as the block to house bearing bushings/races/cylinder liners etc, so if aluminum or brass particles are elevated more than usual, the component is already enroute to self destruction.
Also be advised that carbon deposits/bits are also attracted to the magnet

 

[LouNY]

A trick we used for many years was to place a cow magnet on the oil pans next to the drain plug. When you got ready to drain the fluid the last step just before pulling the drain plug was to pull the magnet off the pan then immediately drain.

 

[3930dave]

A trick we used for many years was to place a cow magnet on the oil pans next to the drain plug. When you got ready to drain the fluid the last step just before pulling the drain plug was to pull the magnet off the pan then immediately drain.

^ Simple, and effective.

Even rare-earth magnets, are relatively inexpensive today. Bought my last rail of them, quite a few years ago, from Lee Valley Tools.

Magnefine filters have a relatively large magnet inside them. Cut one open, to understand the bypass mechanism - transmission application. First thing I noticed, was the really fine metallic paste on the large magnet, similar to what you'll often see on a diff plug.

Rgds, D.

 

[Sawyer Rob]

A trick we used for many years was to place a cow magnet on the oil pans next to the drain plug. When you got ready to drain the fluid the last step just before pulling the drain plug was to pull the magnet off the pan then immediately drain.

We've done the same thing, it works pretty good.

SR

 

[arto98607]

I usually put a strong base magnet to the side or end of a oil filter cartridge.

 

[WinterDeere]

^ Simple, and effective.

If you can still find a steel oil pan. I can't even remember the last time I saw one on a new car, but it's been at least 20 years... maybe 30 years!

I'd guess they're still out there, albeit in small numbers, just maybe just not the types of cars and trucks I'm buying.

 

[Robin Veerman]

Red choir monthly 1 hour practice session….

 

[bdhsfz6]

I'm getting tired of having to hook up my PTO generator every time we have an outage. I heat with fuel oil, so I'm thinking of getting a diesel 10 - 12KW model. Instead of an outside enclosure, I want to locate it in the back of the barn with a thru wall exhaust.

Any suggestions?

 

[3930dave]

Red choir monthly 1 hour practice session….
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Red Rover, Red Rover, calling Honda Over !



Rgds, D.