EU2000 Honda generator troubleshooting

[thorsness]

I am, by and large, very pleased with my quiet and portable generator. I use it to charge my two, twelve volt batteries in the winter when the sun is insufficient, and for power tools year around. Some time ago it began to surge (about one cycle a second). I put some HEET in the tank and that helped for awhile. Then the surging resumed. So, I played with the choke and found it runs fine at half-choke. If I go back to no-choke, it surges again.
Any thoughts from you small engine gurus out there?
Thanks.

JB

[mike95490]

Sticking governor?

Most air cooled engines use a vane in the cooling air stream, and adjust that for the right RPM.

The EU in EcoThrottle, should monitor the load, and as the load increases, speed up the throttle, to supply enough power.

Is the air filter installed properly ? While checking that, de-gunk the carb with a shot of spray stuff, and add more cleaner to the fuel tank (in the proper ratios)

Has the choke shutter come loose, and shifted position ?

There are a whole lot of things to look at.

[icarus]

Give me some more specifics about how you have been using this genny.

The fact that it runs well half choked, tells me that the carb has a either a plugged main jet, or gum in the fuel. If the engine has sat for a long time without fresh fuel, I would suggest a complete carb clean.

You could try draining the tank, AND the carb bowl, and refill with fresh fuel and see if that cures it. I think the carb has a drain screw and built in drain hose making draining it simple.

Most people don't realize that gasoline goes stale very quickly. If a small engine sits for more than a month or two, the fuel should be drain, and the carb either run dry or a drained or gas stabilizer should be added (a poor second choice IMHO)

Tony

[Moe]

This is a widely experienced problem with the EU1000i and EU2000i generators, which have very tiny fuel jets. It's caused by gas evaporation in the carburetor fuel bowl from leaving the generator stored with fuel in it between uses. The main jet and holes in the emulsion tube get gummed up. I did it with both of mine. Stabil in the fuel didn't prevent it and carb cleaner additive in the fuel did not fix the problem.

To clean them, remove the air cleaner cover, the air filter, then the air cleaner itself.

I can't remember if the air cleaner screws held the carburetor on the intake manifold or if their were a couple of more screws that did that, but the carburertor has to be loosened up to tilt the bottom of it out so you can remove the phillips screw on the bottom that holds the carb bowl on. Be VERY careful when removing the bowl to not bend the floats and change their setting. Unscrew the main jet and catch the emulsion tube when it drops out. If it doesn't, you can push it down in the carb throat and it will fall out.

Soak both in carb cleaner and use a very thin wire (like a bristle from a brass wire brush) to poke through the holes back and forth. You may find corrosion in the fuel bowl. If so, clean out any that's loose. Reassemble everything.

It's helpful to use the on-line Hayward Parts Catalog illustrated parts break down.

Under the Catalog menu, choose American Honda. In the resulting menu, choose Generator, not Generator-RV. Scroll down to the EU2000I selection who's range matches your serial number. Choose air cleaner and carburetor.

Hope this helps,
--
Moe

[Mangas]

I have two of these EU 2000 generators and one had this problem.

As Moe pointed out it turned out to be a clogged carburator. Tech told me that the ethanol in the fuel sometimes degrades in the lines causing the problem. Had mine cleaned and runs well ever since.

Good to know how to do it yourself. They charged me $75!

[icarus]

Let me reenforce my point about stale fuel.

I have spent more time "repairing" engines from the damage of old fuel. It doesn't take very long,, a matter of weeks, or months at most. I ALWAYS store my small engines dry if possible, or at the very least, run the carbs dry before storing.

One other tax on old fuel I have seen, is in horizontal piston engines, stale fuel can collect in the cylinder at the bottom when the engine is shut down. After the ignition is shut off and the engine winds down, it is continuing to pull fuel in the cylinder until it stops turning. This fuel is not burned, and then evaporates leaving a gummy varnish. This varnish/gum can clog the rings such that the engine is never right until it is torn down. ( This is very common in Onan engines)

As Moe has pointed out Stabil doesn't live up to it's reputation. The problems are exacerbated by the tiny holes in the jets of the honda series. (The smaller the engine, the worse the problems can be, and the faster they occur).

Tony

[Brock]

When you say you store them "dry" what does that mean? I had assumed that is what I was doing when I would shut off the fuel to the motor and let it run out of fuel. I have been doing that to infrequently used motors, or starting them once a month. I don't let gas sit for more then six months even when treated with stabil (not sure that really helps, but it makes me feel better) I either run the tank out of gas or drain the tank and add new gas.

[niel]

that would be coined running it dry, but they do sputter until they stop and leave a trace of gas in there. i wouldn't think that trace to be detrimental, but in time would build up if done enough times.
i had to get rid of some old gasoline some time back and i didn't want to put it into my car either and i asked my boss at the time who is a chemist too and he told me to just put it into a pan and let it evaporate. the remainder you can just toss into the garbage if contained, although i wasn't supposed to. there was much more left than i thought there would be and it was a thick jelly. i'd recommend a chemical cleaner such as mek to clean it out, but if it contacts any plastic parts, it could ruin them. in the future after you've manually cleaned it, when it starts knocking from shutting down the gasoline supply and before it stalls that you can spray a bit of ether into it to make sure all of the gasoline has burned off.

[Brock]

I ALWAYS store my small engines dry if possible, or at the very least, run the carbs dry before storing.

Right, so the second part is what I do, run the carbs dry, or running it dry but what else is there to storing them dry? I am just wondering what else I should be doing? I haven't had an issue yet, but if there is something else I could do to avoid having an issue at the worst possible time, I would do that as well

[BB.]

I drain the gas tank (even use a paper towel to soak the bottom of the tank), and run dry. For a one cylinder engine, you can give a soft pull on the starting rope to get the valves closed (piston on a compression stroke).

Pulling the spark plug and squirting some oil in and replacing the spark plug... But that may be a bit excessive (and lots of smoke the next time you start the engine).

I also use Stabil--in five gallon metal gas cans. Dump the fuel (into my car and truck) once a year and refill (for my earthquake preparedness)... Have not had any problem yet.

I would guess with a small amount of fuel, the Stabil might not work as well (1/2 quart left a vented the fuel tank).

Be careful with spraying anything into the carb/fuel lines... There are so many synthetic materials (plastics, rubber, etc.)--that I would worry that might dissolve something or even etch the carb body (like methyl alcohol).

-Bill