I used to use an Epson ET-2550 ua-cam.com/users/postUgkxciSwynMJ7PnUvvx11rewiu-yFBkZTl53 , an early model of the ink tank style. It worked well, but had one nuisance that drove me up the wall; if you didn't put it in high quality print mode you'd get a streak across the page. I'm happy to say I have yet to see this with this printer. The print quality has been fantastic so far, the set up was super easy. All in all I'm very happy with this printer.
James: I do hundreds of Honda's for the Amish and others. First make sure the valves are adjusted to about 4 to 6 thousands of and inch. They are famous for going out of adjustment. Second, you can remove the plastic stop on the adjustment screw by heating it with a hot air dryer or shop heat gun, it will get soft and should come right off. I have also cut of the little stop tab with a small cut off wheel on a Drummel tool. I also drill idle jets on lots of them. The EPA sets them far to lean and causes many issues. Different altitudes makes it necessary to drill the pilot jets. Also thought your governer spring looked a little loose. Sometimes they get stretched out by people trying to replace carbs and it will also help cause surging. Great video and those are excellent machines when cared for properly. Thanks P.S. check out Dony Boy's latest video on the tiny screen under some of the newer carb inlet fittings. They plug really easy. Thanks
Thanks. Did not think about cutting it or heating to remove the limiter. I did check the valves at one point. Did not make the video, but they were dead on. Thanks for the advise.
Waterman one (or James), please consider producing a video on the valve adjustment and jet drill out....I'm very interested and I'll bet others are too. Thanks!
After seeing this, glad see the one I have same as this is still rock steady on it’s original carb after many years. Mind you I’m at 1400+ feet elevation which might just like a lead sea level jet. I always run the gas out in carb when I’m done using it. I’m sure that helps.
Ah, I think we have a fisherman working as a carb doctor. The wire bristle is a great carb cleaning tool but I prefer the wire in a bread wrapper twisty because it is easier to hang on to and not loose. The melted airbox could be from the frequent use of starting fluid or a substitute such as acetone. When purchasing a small engine piece of equipment, I always inspect the starter rope. A worn rope tells me it has been started many times or it is hard starting. The shut down "pop" can be eliminated by holding the throttle butterfly in the idle position for a minute or so to let the engine cool down and then shut the ignition off with the throttle in the closed position. When shutting off an air cooled engine via the ignition, the governor opens the throttle butterfly wide open and the carb meters a large amount of fuel into a hot engine. This unburned fuel passes into the hot exhaust manifold where it is ignited and creates an explosion. It can be very damaging to the manifold gasket. The carb solenoid is intended to prevent this. The metering needle which appears to be unremovable can be if the tab is carefully reduced in size or the surrounding area enlarged. An engine needing to be slightly choked appears to be running lean and turning this needle open by 1/4 turn should make a big improvement. I have resurrected many engines with this procedure. This is the best internal combustion engine channel on MeTube with quality content, no obnoxious music, no foul language, great delivery and lots of good tips. If all generator owners knew what Dr. James knows, generator sales would plummet.
Ron, I was thinking acetone also. The plastic looked 'chemical melty' not heat/flame damaged in my opinion. Especially since the carb side didn't look bad....
As I've said before, you're a freakin' bulldog. Never giving up and tenacious till you figure it out. Now after watching this one, I'm just gonna just start calling you Dr. Frankenstein.
Hello. I discovered this channel just yesterday and I've watched dozens of videos because I like this theme, mechanics. The reason for my comment: after I bought a new battery for my car and the problem was the starter brushes, I dedicated myself to learning mechanics. I never needed to go to the workshop again, neither I nor anyone in the family. Father, father-in-law, brother-in-law, nieces, no one else paid for repairs in workshops. Then I learned carpentry and saved a lot of money on furniture. And part of the family too, which made me some money.
I worked on a power washer, had a similar carburetor. The guy that brought it to me said, I think it has bad gas. I pulled the spark plug, had spark, I checked for compression, absolutely no compression. Pulled the head, no bad valves, the intake valve guide had moved towards the valve head and was holding the intake valve open. I cleaned it up took it to a machine shop, they heated the head removed the valve guide. They knurled the guide heated the head again drove the guide back in. Did a valve job and now it runs great. I also drained the gas from the tank flushed it, Cleaned the carburetor, and it was gumed up bad. Now it starts on the first pull. I enjoy watching your channel. I was very interested because of the low compression. Thanks for all the information
Excellent point. On the one hand, I like knowing that drilling the jets can solve the problem. But on the other hand, I have to think the generator ran fine when new, with the original jet size. I've just never known where else to look.
The first thing I thought of when it was hard to start. You shouldn't have to drill out a brand new OEM carb. Unless you're trying to make horsepower, but that's not what this channel is about. Also explains the popping out, and even the burned air box.
@@bobadam7021 I almost never drill a jet out. Usually can clean them up and get them to run with OEM jetting. I checked the valve lash off camera and it was dead on. Was just as surprised that the new OEM carb did the same thing. Thought this one would be a simple cleaning after opening up the carb that came on the machine.
I have this exact model. I have taken meticulous care of it and it has given me no problems except I had to lightly clean carb once. Always use ethanol free gas in it, and change out the gas regularly along with the oil.
I Was starting to wonder. what could be wrong? but it can be staring you write in the face, because you know you fix it. but did you?.. you sometimes you need and go over it again sometimes. great job, you got it running great.
Wow. Admire your patience and excellent foresight replacing both of the jets in the new carb when the issue persisted. Bummer to have to modify the jets so much though as the typical homeowner is not likely to have the micro drill bits or want to monkey with doing the work. I get annoyed at how long it takes to drill out jets when I need to do it, but maybe my cheap set needs to be upgraded. Top quality as always and please do keep them coming! Early mowing season has started here in NC so I hope to move some mowers, blowers, whips and pressure washers that are taking up space while getting equipment in for service too.
The Honda power equipment (and many others recently) i've worked on has been intentionally been very lean to meet a Calif emission standard, and the damn engine has to be really hot before it runs right on the lean mixtures they are requiring. On some stuff, I xref a replacement carb from a prior or older model where the main jet is adjustable. The factory adjustment seems to be "Find out where it runs perfectly, then lean it out two turns!".
I love your videos. You are so patient and methodical in everything you do. I don't work on many generators however after watching so many of your videos I do believe I could do a decent job at it. I do work on walk behind/push mowers more. This video reminds me of one particular mower that I was given, repaired and then sold, however I do wish I could get that mower back now. It was surging just like this engine. Initially it was surging worse, however I drilled out the pilot jet and the surging was less, but didn't go away. I made a slight adjustment to the governor and increased the rpm a bit and the surging went away and the mower ran and cut great, but at what I believed it was a bit high on the rpm. At the time, I was tempted to increase the size of the pilot jet again rather than making the other adjustments, but was afraid I would destroy the jet. I believe that would have been the better option to try. That is why I watch your videos along with others, in an effort to try to improve myself/skills. Thanks so much for all of the great content you provide. My actual business is in lawn care, and one of my assistants is interested in helping make repairs to our equipment. I have directed him to your videos as well as a couple of others because there is so much to learn from y'all. I do a good job with the equipment we use daily, however when it comes to other brands, there is a skill that I have still strive to acquire.
Great video. Not many would have bored the jets. Thinking outside the box can fix a lot. Really like your determination. I like how a torque wrench is a highly used tool. Especially with plastic involved
17:00 I think they used lots of starting fluid to get the engine running. The fluid collected at the bottom of the airbox and ignited somehow. Maybe it backfired a little bit after it was in storage for a long time (sometimes the valves initially dont close all the way after that until the engine ran a couple minutes). Thats why the airfilter is in good condition. It wasnt there.
Not this video but another one has helped me. Twice I have used your tip to remove the spark plug, fill the bottom stroke of the cylinder with rope and be able to loosen the nut on the flywheel to remove it. Mice had nested and chewed the insulation off wires causing a short and cut thru a wire powering a headlight. Neither were generators. The generator video parts are over my head. I would have taken it to the repair shop had I not watched your videos.
WOW ! This one almost got you !! I think i would remove that brand new Honda carb, replace all of its new parts, put it back in the box and on the shelf ! Then I would re-install the carb that came with the generator along with the bored out pilot jet (using # drills ?).
Lots of interesting bits in this and some contradictions. When backfiring on shutdown, first thing I check is a leaking needle valve / float adjustment. I use the inner wire off a twist tie rather than 'abuse' my wire brush. Top marks on another good diagnostic presentation.
when i first watched one of Taryl's videos i thought he was a nut case , then i quickly realized he is a small engine genius , i never miss an episode , learn a bunch of new tricks and laugh my guts out every time , that Slippers character cracks me up 😂
Wow that was a naughty carburetor. Thank goodness you took your time and got it running great in the end. Great job of diagnosing and testing. Thanks for the information and video.
Jim, one thing I've found that cleans small holes well, is a strand from a piece of wire rope. We have a rather unlimited source at work as this is used on semi truck door seals. Your way seems to work well, and it's unlikely you have the same access to these. We've used this technique on cleaning the overhead bug spray nozzles to great success.
Great work on that generator, my guess as to why the plastic air filter housing was melted would be that someone probably was smoking or had an open flame near it and it caught on fire or perhaps they had a heater close to it while working on it. Excellent work as always!
Thanks for posting this. I have the model 6500 H which is a very similar generator to this one powered by the same engine. I think I bought it in 1999, so it’s it’s an older product. I’ve had the very same problem with engine surging and more recently low power up output. No amount of tinkering was going to fix this for me, and unfortunately the small engine repair shop was unable to do anything except hit me with an invoice for trying. I’ll have to study this video again to see what exactly it was you did to get the engine running smoothly and strongly. It looks like you opened up At least one of the Jets to .020 of an inch. Thanks again.
If helps to have some extra jets in case you go too far. Start conservative. You can always open it up more, but cannot put the material back. If surging under load then focus on the main jet, otherwise the pilot jet.
The back side of your air cleaner grid looks to be fine... That melt is from using of using the wrong starting fluid trying to start this thing. That's a chemical melt, not fire melt.
everything with a gas engine is so leaned out our days due to emission control , everyone now has a jet drill set in their tool box , 90% of the of the small engines i work on run rough or surge due to the idle jet being to small , drill once ,twice , three times usually and it runs like it should
That yellow goop came from the ethanol / gasoline chemistry they shoved down our throats, and or non ethanol approved stabilizer. BTW, best carb tear down and service on YT! Did you forget to burnish the #78 sized orifice on the pilot jet? I did 10 years with Sears Lawn and Garden.... Never saw a clean one, not even once........ I kept six cleaned spare ones, handy at all times.
Definitely adjust the valves. Previous owner said low compression maybe. Did he do a compression test? Does he have a compression tester? Does he even know how to perform a compression test? Or is he just talking out of the side of his mouth? Don't trust what seller's tell you. Love all, and trust few.
I checked the valve clearance at one point. That did not make it in this video, but is was dead on. The engine maintained speed so well under load, pretty much dismissed any compression issues.
It freaks me out to drill jets. The generator I’ve been working on I must have gone up five drill sizes one at a time till I ran right. Now it runs perfect. All else being good I will not hesitate to increase the size of the jets starting with the pilot jet. If it surges under load I’ll go for the main jet. I’m putting those number drill sets to use.
This generator had a knock off replacement carb and it was way off. Number one problem with gen is carb fouling. After cleaning runs lean. Aftermarket carbs can be off. Even new gens seen to run on the edge of running too lean. Maybe with a little wear, carbon buildup, fuel type, very small air leaks and altitude tend to make matters worse. Oh for the days of carb adjustment screws.
@@davidschipsi1316 this would have been a quick fix with an adjustable jet. Last time I drilled a jet, the bit broke in the pilot jet. Unfortunately the pilot jet was no longer available. Been a little gun shy since. This one changed my mind.
I had to go up quite a bit on drilling jets out on a Cub Cadet snow blower that apparently surged brand new and was serviced under warrenty. The owner gave up and pushed it in a corner. His grandson got it and brought it to me. I had it running better than new when he picked it up. Always a good feeling when I can beat the manufacturer.
@@jcondon1 I have a set of German made jet reamers. I have never had to use them to adjust a jet size but they make excellent cleaning tools. The ones I have go down to even smaller than your bristles. I used to do that too. Thing with the reamers to clean a jet is go small and turn them backwards. No chance of cutting the brass and won’t hurt the reamer if it’s not jammed up to the point in the reamer taper.
Those pilot jet caps can be removed by gently prying up on them while using a torch to heat the cap to melt the loctite. Be careful to not pry too hard or the screw will break off at the narrow point.
Hi James! Your a wizard! Totally enjoy you bringing these back to life! Wish I could send a pic of my toast Champion Duel Fuel 9000 that has a huge hole blown thru it's crankcase!
Glad you finally got it running correctly. When I saw the the dirty carb, like you thought easy peasy. I enjoy watching you bring various generators back to life. We have a 7000W Predator (Chihonda clone engine) I bought in 2016. Just did the quarterly test today. Learning tips from you if I ever have a problem with it. I don't know if the dearth of Predator generators on your channel or our local Craigslist is because no one is buying them or they are extremely reliable compared to other models.
I do not get many of them. Assume because they work, but not sure when they started making them. Most I end up with are 10-20 years old and not taken care of. Also would assume those shopping at Harbor Freight know how to take care of a small engine better then most others.
Great job of sleuthing this one out! Thought it was going to end badly there for a minute. Unusual for a Honda to behave badly. Must be a California carb...
I have seen a couple of brand new Lifan clone engines where that idle carb screw was broken off. I think that is done in the factory due to emission regulations. On my old engines, which are pre EU stage V, there is a normal screw but on anything I bought recently the screw was broken off and thread locker applied to it.
@@jackpatteeuw9244 it's called the pilot screw in the service manual. It's a brass screw on the side of the carb, not the bigger plastic screw on top next to the throttle.
I had that same problem replaced 2 oem carbs with a new oem carb and on the 6.5 hp briggs and stratton I had could never get rid of the surging no matter what oem briggs carb I had never figured it out but realized that the crank was loose and the motor was done for so just replaced the engine anyways @James Condon
It seems like they all hunt, because the jet is not adjustable. I would have the right micro drill bit handy, and slightly enlarge the jet. You would like the results, and be taking all old carbs out of the trash, and reworking them....!!!!!....Good Job, Jim, as always....
I don’t think that 2 perfectly fine carbs would cause the same problem. Drilling the jets may have fixed the problem but highly doubt they were the actual cause. I think you should make a second video trying to find the real issue. Still enjoyed watching you trouble shoot this. Keep up the good videos.
James you should really do a cylinder leak down test before dealing with anything in the carburetor. I've gotten into a habit of doing that first before digging into any machine that comes in my shop. It will immediately tell you if you have bigger problems before tackling the smaller ones. Recently just had a snowblower come in where it would idle fine and soon as you put it to full speed no load it would start to backfire stumble and want to die. Turns out it was a combination of leaking valves intake to be specific and the guy stripping out the spark plug threads where compression was leaking from the spark plug itself. After doing a thorough valve job on both valves and reaming out the old spark plug threads and putting in a thread insert, all is right again. Had I not done the leak down test I would have done the same as you and tried cleaning out the carburetor thinking that it was a mixture issue.
Thanks, will do a leak down test to be sure. Would expect the engine to be down on power though. It kept its speed better then most under load so may have dismissed that possibility too fast. I feel like drilling a jet out is a bandaid and not really a fix. This one caught me off guard. After seeing the inside of the carb, thought a simple clean would have fixed it.
Remember too Jim... that the fuel system MUST BE VENTED! Fools a lot of people who overlook that tiny hole in the gas cap to balance the pressure! Good Luck! Steve
You should set the valve clearance and clean/gap or replace the spark plug before chasing carb issues. You could be tuning the carb to compensate for other issues, especially if the PO's friend had his fingers under the valve cover.
I agree. Did not show it, but changed the spark plug and checked the clearance. Clearance was dead on. Felt like changing the jetting on this was not the real fix,. Like you said, compensating for something else.
Another issue is that as time goes on, the gasoline sold in North America has more and more alcohol in it, resulting in less power available in the same amount of gas. I've found that on older snowmobiles, the jetting that worked 20 years ago is too lean under the same conditions now.
That air filter cover looks like it was chemically melted. Possibly someone used a harsh chemical like enamel reducer for some reason on that area. I have seen that look before plastic when chemicals are used on plastic that cannot handle it.
Hi James, you should Dremel the restrictor on the mixture screw, that will give you more adjustment either to richen or lean the carb next time a similar problem arises.
Hey this ain’t rocket science. We did learn a lot here discussing this. I have removed the little plastic stop caps on weed eaters and cut a screw driver slot on occasions. Glad it runs well now!
GREAT JOB ! I have had this issue so many times with the clone engines and some Honda's as well . They like to try to run them as lean as they can from the factory and it causes problems in some cases .. Just a heads up you forgot to add the two 0's behind the 161 to the part # in the description .. SURE ENJOYED !!
@@jcondon1 I agree , But I have seen them just as janky as the clone carbs for the lean condition . Wish they would change there jet size on the carbs . Sure would solve a ton of issues for us !!
From what I'm seeing in the couple of videos that I have watched, you are finding the same problem that most of us that work on small engines. The new fuels that are around. With that and I did hear you mention Harbor Freight, a friend recommended these plyers. You can find them at HF at www.harborfreight.com/3-piece-long-reach-hose-grip-pliers-37909.html?_br_psugg_q=hose+plyers They make it easy to remove fuel lines that may be just plain stuck or even hardened. Just an observation and suggestion. I enjoy watching your videos and have learned many new things. Thanks. Greg
Our same model does the same thing brand new. I tried everything you have, gave up and put a tiny vice grips on the choke holding it slightly out. You can also lay a small cloth or rag over the governor arm to muffle the surging. The fuel cock lever has a spring that ours broke and it leaks and you have to buy a whole new fuelcock.
Most times I’ve had a surging problem like this it has turned out the be an intake leak or clogged jets. Usually the gasket. One time it was a gas line that had dry rotted from the inside out and basically turned into a flapper valve.
Hey James thanks for this video I ran into same problem with a Craftsman Snowblower I had for customer . I opted (because I had a choice ) to buy a adjustable carb for the Tecumseh engine it had after a few adjustments the surging went away and it ran like new for a 25 year old engine. But good to know for future generator fix’s down the road.
Jim, FYI, If you treat you rubber/neoprene hoses and parts/grommets with AT 205, it will recondition brittle rubber, to like-new Resilience. I have brought back many crank case breather tubes that woul have snapped otherwise.....it cost from 8 -12 dollars on ebay.....
YES. They CAN be removed. It requires the delicate use of a cut-off wheel on a Dremel tool. Sometimes the protrusion on the screw can be snipped off with side cutters.
nice James, you always manage to find great bargains :) I'm glad to see your channel getting bigger. keep it up with good work, we all need to learn from someone and you are a great teacher.
First time I watched this I felt different than this time. Your thought process followed the track and succeeded. Good job on detective work. Kind of funny the other carb was just not going to work. I think it might have with enough fiddling so as not to have to buy a new carb which I am sure you can use in the future on some project.
@@jcondon1 Dude, I thought I was the only one. I broke my favorite needle file a couple weeks back, and despite having extras of the same exact file, none seem to have that precise feel and performance. Wife thinks I'm crazy. Noone else understands. RIP file and wire, you shall be missed dearly.
Seems like most of the newer small engines are jetted lean or very nearly, a little bit surprised that the new carb didn't slove the issue, but running perfect at the end
A heat gun on the fuel screw cap and gently pry it off with needle nose pliers. Re install with a small drop of superglue after you've adjusted it. Your right... these are set up from the factory to be super lean! You'd benefit if you'd readjust all the Honda fuel screws.
More info, please. I thought the carb issue I had was because of too little stabilizer which resulted in some varnish. Could it be the stabilizer is causing the problem? I could try to turn over my fuel more often, but I go out of my way to get E0 gas for my small engines. Getting it more often will be a hassle, but possible.
@@andyrichardson6188 The most important thing is to empty the bowl of the carb when before the generator is put into storage. Then I strongly recommend to use ethanol free gas on small / carburetted engines or engines which are not used very often. Fuel stabilizer helps, but after a long time the fuel with stabilizer tends to turn the fuel into jelly. So in my opionion for short term storage stabilizer relly helps, but for long time storage it makes it worse (imho). How I do it: Empty the bowl of the carb and change the oil before putting the gen into storage. On gens with a fuel tank made from metal: I fill it up to the brim with fresh, ethanol free gas to protect the bare metal inside from rusting. If the gens fuel tank is made out of plastic I drain the fuel completely, because the fuel can actually partially dissolve the plastic. I dont use any stabilizer. After about 1 year of storage I drain the fuel (put it into my car or bike) and replace it with fresh fuel. That way I never had any fuel related problem with my gens.
EARLY IN MY CAREER AS AN AUTO TECH WAS LOOKING FOR A VACUUM LEAK, SPRAYED CARB CLEANER AROUND THE INTAKE, A BAD PLUG WIRE ARCED AND CAUGHT THE ENGINE ON FIRE. SINCE THEN HAVE USED WATER, IT WILL CHANGE AN IDLE, SOMETIMES YOU CAN HEAR OR SEE IT GET SUCKED UP.(IT WILL ALSO SHOW YOU BAD IGNITION WIRES, , ETC).
The previous owner might have sprayed carb cleaner on the air filter and it melted the plastic. Some carb cleaners are very debilitory to certain plastic!
My thoughts on the damaged filter box are this. This generator might have been repaired before you got it, and the air filter might have been damaged at the bottom, the float stuck and gas saturated the filter or ether was sprayed in below the filter. An unknown source of ignition caused it to ignite, thus causing what we observed here. Just speculation, Jim.
my powermate 7000 has been used only once . it has been sitting with fuel for a number of years. i tried starting it but it would not start. i believe that there may be gum in the carb. will pull down the carb and clean it up. will let you know. thanks for the video
I used to use an Epson ET-2550 ua-cam.com/users/postUgkxciSwynMJ7PnUvvx11rewiu-yFBkZTl53 , an early model of the ink tank style. It worked well, but had one nuisance that drove me up the wall; if you didn't put it in high quality print mode you'd get a streak across the page. I'm happy to say I have yet to see this with this printer. The print quality has been fantastic so far, the set up was super easy. All in all I'm very happy with this printer.
James: I do hundreds of Honda's for the Amish and others. First make sure the valves are adjusted to about 4 to 6 thousands of and inch. They are famous for going out of adjustment. Second, you can remove the plastic stop on the adjustment screw by heating it with a hot air dryer or shop heat gun, it will get soft and should come right off. I have also cut of the little stop tab with a small cut off wheel on a Drummel tool. I also drill idle jets on lots of them. The EPA sets them far to lean and causes many issues. Different altitudes makes it necessary to drill the pilot jets. Also thought your governer spring looked a little loose. Sometimes they get stretched out by people trying to replace carbs and it will also help cause surging. Great video and those are excellent machines when cared for properly. Thanks P.S. check out Dony Boy's latest video on the tiny screen under some of the newer carb inlet fittings. They plug really easy. Thanks
Thanks. Did not think about cutting it or heating to remove the limiter. I did check the valves at one point. Did not make the video, but they were dead on. Thanks for the advise.
Waterman one (or James), please consider producing a video on the valve adjustment and jet drill out....I'm very interested and I'll bet others are too. Thanks!
Use a #78 micro drill bit on the low speed jet.
Likely just drilling or going up on the main jet is all it needed.
After seeing this, glad see the one I have same as this is still rock steady on it’s original carb after many years. Mind you I’m at 1400+ feet elevation which might just like a lead sea level jet. I always run the gas out in carb when I’m done using it. I’m sure that helps.
Ah, I think we have a fisherman working as a carb doctor. The wire bristle is a great carb cleaning tool but I prefer the wire in a bread wrapper twisty because it is easier to hang on to and not loose. The melted airbox could be from the frequent use of starting fluid or a substitute such as acetone. When purchasing a small engine piece of equipment, I always inspect the starter rope. A worn rope tells me it has been started many times or it is hard starting.
The shut down "pop" can be eliminated by holding the throttle butterfly in the idle position for a minute or so to let the engine cool down and then shut the ignition off with the throttle in the closed position. When shutting off an air cooled engine via the ignition, the governor opens the throttle butterfly wide open and the carb meters a large amount of fuel into a hot engine. This unburned fuel passes into the hot exhaust manifold where it is ignited and creates an explosion. It can be very damaging to the manifold gasket. The carb solenoid is intended to prevent this.
The metering needle which appears to be unremovable can be if the tab is carefully reduced in size or the surrounding area enlarged. An engine needing to be slightly choked appears to be running lean and turning this needle open by 1/4 turn should make a big improvement. I have resurrected many engines with this procedure.
This is the best internal combustion engine channel on MeTube with quality content, no obnoxious music, no foul language, great delivery and lots of good tips. If all generator owners knew what Dr. James knows, generator sales would plummet.
Ron, I was thinking acetone also. The plastic looked 'chemical melty' not heat/flame damaged in my opinion. Especially since the carb side didn't look bad....
Ahhhh the life of retirement. Hot coffee and a new video to watch.
As I've said before, you're a freakin' bulldog. Never giving up and tenacious till you figure it out. Now after watching this one, I'm just gonna just start calling you Dr. Frankenstein.
Welcome to retirement... I just hate coffee, I'll bring Tea.
@@wotknot1757 Going to say the cards. Dr. James Carb Frankenstein.
Cigar and three fingers of scotch on the rocks
@@uawsux wow so original
Hello. I discovered this channel just yesterday and I've watched dozens of videos because I like this theme, mechanics.
The reason for my comment: after I bought a new battery for my car and the problem was the starter brushes, I dedicated myself to learning mechanics. I never needed to go to the workshop again, neither I nor anyone in the family. Father, father-in-law, brother-in-law, nieces, no one else paid for repairs in workshops.
Then I learned carpentry and saved a lot of money on furniture. And part of the family too, which made me some money.
I worked on a power washer, had a similar carburetor. The guy that brought it to me said, I think it has bad gas. I pulled the spark plug, had spark, I checked for compression, absolutely no compression. Pulled the head, no bad valves, the intake valve guide had moved towards the valve head and was holding the intake valve open.
I cleaned it up took it to a machine shop, they heated the head removed the valve guide. They knurled the guide heated the head again drove the guide back in. Did a valve job and now it runs great. I also drained the gas from the tank flushed it, Cleaned the carburetor, and it was gumed up bad. Now it starts on the first pull.
I enjoy watching your channel. I was very interested because of the low compression.
Thanks for all the information
Thanks for showing the projects that drive you crazy. Otherwise new people think it's all straightforward and simple.
Great Job James. Sticking with it and figuring out the issue. Most would have given up when the new carb didn't fix the issue.
I like the discussion that your channel generates. Plus, I learn a lot about troubleshooting with your patient style.
James, take a look at the valve lash. Incorrect valve clearance can severely affect intake vacuum and make the carb run lean.
Excellent point. On the one hand, I like knowing that drilling the jets can solve the problem. But on the other hand, I have to think the generator ran fine when new, with the original jet size. I've just never known where else to look.
So how does that work? Is the intake valve open for too little time, sucking too little air and too little fuel?
The first thing I thought of when it was hard to start. You shouldn't have to drill out a brand new OEM carb. Unless you're trying to make horsepower, but that's not what this channel is about. Also explains the popping out, and even the burned air box.
@@bobadam7021 I almost never drill a jet out. Usually can clean them up and get them to run with OEM jetting. I checked the valve lash off camera and it was dead on. Was just as surprised that the new OEM carb did the same thing. Thought this one would be a simple cleaning after opening up the carb that came on the machine.
I love your videos. Well though out, methodical troubleshooting, and you admit when you make a mistake. Keep 'em coming!
Really glad you didn't give up in this one. Surging seems to be such a common issue so I'm glad you solved it!
I have this exact model. I have taken meticulous care of it and it has given me no problems except I had to lightly clean carb once. Always use ethanol free gas in it, and change out the gas regularly along with the oil.
I Was starting to wonder. what could be wrong? but it can be staring you write in the face, because you know you fix it. but did you?.. you sometimes you need and go over it again sometimes. great job, you got it running great.
Love how this generator ups the voltage the more you add load.
Some do. Not sure it on purpose, but I like it.
Wow. Admire your patience and excellent foresight replacing both of the jets in the new carb when the issue persisted. Bummer to have to modify the jets so much though as the typical homeowner is not likely to have the micro drill bits or want to monkey with doing the work. I get annoyed at how long it takes to drill out jets when I need to do it, but maybe my cheap set needs to be upgraded. Top quality as always and please do keep them coming! Early mowing season has started here in NC so I hope to move some mowers, blowers, whips and pressure washers that are taking up space while getting equipment in for service too.
The Honda power equipment (and many others recently) i've worked on has been intentionally been very lean to meet a Calif emission standard, and the damn engine has to be really hot before it runs right on the lean mixtures they are requiring. On some stuff, I xref a replacement carb from a prior or older model where the main jet is adjustable. The factory adjustment seems to be "Find out where it runs perfectly, then lean it out two turns!".
I love your videos. You are so patient and methodical in everything you do. I don't work on many generators however after watching so many of your videos I do believe I could do a decent job at it. I do work on walk behind/push mowers more. This video reminds me of one particular mower that I was given, repaired and then sold, however I do wish I could get that mower back now. It was surging just like this engine. Initially it was surging worse, however I drilled out the pilot jet and the surging was less, but didn't go away. I made a slight adjustment to the governor and increased the rpm a bit and the surging went away and the mower ran and cut great, but at what I believed it was a bit high on the rpm. At the time, I was tempted to increase the size of the pilot jet again rather than making the other adjustments, but was afraid I would destroy the jet. I believe that would have been the better option to try. That is why I watch your videos along with others, in an effort to try to improve myself/skills. Thanks so much for all of the great content you provide. My actual business is in lawn care, and one of my assistants is interested in helping make repairs to our equipment. I have directed him to your videos as well as a couple of others because there is so much to learn from y'all. I do a good job with the equipment we use daily, however when it comes to other brands, there is a skill that I have still strive to acquire.
Great job James glad to see you sticking to your instincts and working it out ran like new
Great video. Not many would have bored the jets. Thinking outside the box can fix a lot. Really like your determination. I like how a torque wrench is a highly used tool. Especially with plastic involved
17:00 I think they used lots of starting fluid to get the engine running. The fluid collected at the bottom of the airbox and ignited somehow. Maybe it backfired a little bit after it was in storage for a long time (sometimes the valves initially dont close all the way after that until the engine ran a couple minutes). Thats why the airfilter is in good condition. It wasnt there.
That makes sense.
Not this video but another one has helped me. Twice I have used your tip to remove the spark plug, fill the bottom stroke of the cylinder with rope and be able to loosen the nut on the flywheel to remove it. Mice had nested and chewed the insulation off wires causing a short and cut thru a wire powering a headlight. Neither were generators. The generator video parts are over my head. I would have taken it to the repair shop had I not watched your videos.
Great videos as usual, super methodical and thorough. Keep up the great work! 👏
WOW ! This one almost got you !!
I think i would remove that brand new Honda carb, replace all of its new parts, put it back in the box and on the shelf ! Then I would re-install the carb that came with the generator along with the bored out pilot jet (using # drills ?).
Lots of interesting bits in this and some contradictions. When backfiring on shutdown, first thing I check is a leaking needle valve / float adjustment. I use the inner wire off a twist tie rather than 'abuse' my wire brush. Top marks on another good diagnostic presentation.
I just learned that trick of spraying carb spray onto the carb seat in a Tarl video a few weeks back.
Taryl knows more about small engines than most folks will ever know. It's his business and business is good.
when i first watched one of Taryl's videos i thought he was a nut case , then i quickly realized he is a small engine genius , i never miss an episode , learn a bunch of new tricks and laugh my guts out every time , that Slippers character cracks me up 😂
Use heat like a soldering iron or a small gas torch to get the anti tamper off of the mixture screw. Worked a lot with Honda engines.
Good to know. Thanks.
I notice you never drop or throw down your tools I like that .🔧
Wow that was a naughty carburetor. Thank goodness you took your time and got it running great in the end. Great job of diagnosing and testing. Thanks for the information and video.
Jim, one thing I've found that cleans small holes well, is a strand from a piece of wire rope. We have a rather unlimited source at work as this is used on semi truck door seals. Your way seems to work well, and it's unlikely you have the same access to these. We've used this technique on cleaning the overhead bug spray nozzles to great success.
Great work on that generator, my guess as to why the plastic air filter housing was melted would be that someone probably was smoking or had an open flame near it and it caught on fire or perhaps they had a heater close to it while working on it. Excellent work as always!
Some people like me put a electric heater close to engine to make easy start but some are stupid and set it way to close
Thanks for posting this. I have the model 6500 H which is a very similar generator to this one powered by the same engine. I think I bought it in 1999, so it’s it’s an older product.
I’ve had the very same problem with engine surging and more recently low power up output. No amount of tinkering was going to fix this for me, and unfortunately the small engine repair shop was unable to do anything except hit me with an invoice for trying.
I’ll have to study this video again to see what exactly it was you did to get the engine running smoothly and strongly. It looks like you opened up At least one of the Jets to .020 of an inch.
Thanks again.
If helps to have some extra jets in case you go too far. Start conservative. You can always open it up more, but cannot put the material back. If surging under load then focus on the main jet, otherwise the pilot jet.
Great job James, I thought it was too much air myself. Great call.
The back side of your air cleaner grid looks to be fine... That melt is from using of using the wrong starting fluid trying to start this thing. That's a chemical melt, not fire melt.
I’ve drilled the main jet out “ever so slightly” on many of these. It’s a science and an art.
Shave the tab off that screw and adjust it. They want them running so lean for air pollution but then they run like crap
.002 was truly a butt kicker in this scenario. Another great job and video.
everything with a gas engine is so leaned out our days due to emission control ,
everyone now has a jet drill set in their tool box ,
90% of the of the small engines i work on run rough or surge due to the idle jet being to small , drill once ,twice , three times usually and it runs like it should
I learned that lesson the hard way. Should have kept going with the drill from start.
Learning each time James thanks for sharing 🇦🇺🦘👍
Nice tip on harvesting wire from a brush @James Condon
Seems to be running a lot better with new carb from Honda with drilled out jet interesting very intriguing 🤔 @36:40 @James Condon
That yellow goop came from the ethanol / gasoline chemistry they shoved down our throats, and or non ethanol approved stabilizer. BTW, best carb tear down and service on YT! Did you forget to burnish the #78 sized orifice on the pilot jet? I did 10 years with Sears Lawn and Garden.... Never saw a clean one, not even once........ I kept six cleaned spare ones, handy at all times.
Another great video . I am addicted to these videos and learning so much. Greatly appreciated.
I been trying to watch them all
Hi James, a few days ago I consulted you on an air filter base and something else, coincidentally it's exactly this model, thanks
JOB WELL DONE- With modifications, SUPER!!
Definitely adjust the valves. Previous owner said low compression maybe. Did he do a compression test? Does he have a compression tester? Does he even know how to perform a compression test? Or is he just talking out of the side of his mouth? Don't trust what seller's tell you. Love all, and trust few.
I checked the valve clearance at one point. That did not make it in this video, but is was dead on. The engine maintained speed so well under load, pretty much dismissed any compression issues.
It freaks me out to drill jets. The generator I’ve been working on I must have gone up five drill sizes one at a time till I ran right. Now it runs perfect. All else being good I will not hesitate to increase the size of the jets starting with the pilot jet. If it surges under load I’ll go for the main jet. I’m putting those number drill sets to use.
This generator had a knock off replacement carb and it was way off. Number one problem with gen is carb fouling. After cleaning runs lean. Aftermarket carbs can be off. Even new gens seen to run on the edge of running too lean. Maybe with a little wear, carbon buildup, fuel type, very small air leaks and altitude tend to make matters worse. Oh for the days of carb adjustment screws.
Most new equipment is set up too lean. Thanks EPA, and the all knowing government.
@@davidschipsi1316 this would have been a quick fix with an adjustable jet. Last time I drilled a jet, the bit broke in the pilot jet. Unfortunately the pilot jet was no longer available. Been a little gun shy since. This one changed my mind.
I had to go up quite a bit on drilling jets out on a Cub Cadet snow blower that apparently surged brand new and was serviced under warrenty. The owner gave up and pushed it in a corner. His grandson got it and brought it to me. I had it running better than new when he picked it up. Always a good feeling when I can beat the manufacturer.
@@jcondon1 I have a set of German made jet reamers. I have never had to use them to adjust a jet size but they make excellent cleaning tools. The ones I have go down to even smaller than your bristles. I used to do that too. Thing with the reamers to clean a jet is go small and turn them backwards. No chance of cutting the brass and won’t hurt the reamer if it’s not jammed up to the point in the reamer taper.
Those pilot jet caps can be removed by gently prying up on them while using a torch to heat the cap to melt the loctite. Be careful to not pry too hard or the screw will break off at the narrow point.
Hi James! Your a wizard! Totally enjoy you bringing these back to life! Wish I could send a pic of my toast Champion Duel Fuel 9000 that has a huge hole blown thru it's crankcase!
Glad you finally got it running correctly. When I saw the the dirty carb, like you thought easy peasy. I enjoy watching you bring various generators back to life. We have a 7000W Predator (Chihonda clone engine) I bought in 2016. Just did the quarterly test today. Learning tips from you if I ever have a problem with it. I don't know if the dearth of Predator generators on your channel or our local Craigslist is because no one is buying them or they are extremely reliable compared to other models.
I do not get many of them. Assume because they work, but not sure when they started making them. Most I end up with are 10-20 years old and not taken care of. Also would assume those shopping at Harbor Freight know how to take care of a small engine better then most others.
Appreciated.nice job,finally reached the carburetor faulty jet find .we learn from you
Great job of sleuthing this one out! Thought it was going to end badly there for a minute. Unusual for a Honda to behave badly. Must be a California carb...
Some friend, wanted it for himself. I do, love Honda
I have seen a couple of brand new Lifan clone engines where that idle carb screw was broken off. I think that is done in the factory due to emission regulations. On my old engines, which are pre EU stage V, there is a normal screw but on anything I bought recently the screw was broken off and thread locker applied to it.
That screw goes to that tiny passage in the carburetor throat, up stream from both the throttle and choke. Some kind of air bleed ?
@@jackpatteeuw9244 it's called the pilot screw in the service manual. It's a brass screw on the side of the carb, not the bigger plastic screw on top next to the throttle.
I had that same problem replaced 2 oem carbs with a new oem carb and on the 6.5 hp briggs and stratton I had could never get rid of the surging no matter what oem briggs carb I had never figured it out but realized that the crank was loose and the motor was done for so just replaced the engine anyways @James Condon
It seems like they all hunt, because the jet is not adjustable. I would have the right micro drill bit handy, and slightly enlarge the jet. You would like the results, and be taking all old carbs out of the trash, and reworking them....!!!!!....Good Job, Jim, as always....
I don’t think that 2 perfectly fine carbs would cause the same problem. Drilling the jets may have fixed the problem but highly doubt they were the actual cause. I think you should make a second video trying to find the real issue. Still enjoyed watching you trouble shoot this. Keep up the good videos.
I agree. Hoping someone has the answer in the comments.
Guitar strings work great to clean out jets and all orifices.
James you should really do a cylinder leak down test before dealing with anything in the carburetor. I've gotten into a habit of doing that first before digging into any machine that comes in my shop. It will immediately tell you if you have bigger problems before tackling the smaller ones.
Recently just had a snowblower come in where it would idle fine and soon as you put it to full speed no load it would start to backfire stumble and want to die. Turns out it was a combination of leaking valves intake to be specific and the guy stripping out the spark plug threads where compression was leaking from the spark plug itself. After doing a thorough valve job on both valves and reaming out the old spark plug threads and putting in a thread insert, all is right again.
Had I not done the leak down test I would have done the same as you and tried cleaning out the carburetor thinking that it was a mixture issue.
Thanks, will do a leak down test to be sure. Would expect the engine to be down on power though. It kept its speed better then most under load so may have dismissed that possibility too fast. I feel like drilling a jet out is a bandaid and not really a fix. This one caught me off guard. After seeing the inside of the carb, thought a simple clean would have fixed it.
Wow took awhile to start thought there was a worse problem then just the gelled fuel in the carb @19:20 @James Condon
Thank mr generator for fixing it yeah buddy 😊 👌
Remember too Jim... that the fuel system MUST BE VENTED! Fools a lot of people who overlook that tiny hole in the gas cap to balance the pressure! Good Luck!
Steve
You should set the valve clearance and clean/gap or replace the spark plug before chasing carb issues. You could be tuning the carb to compensate for other issues, especially if the PO's friend had his fingers under the valve cover.
I agree. Did not show it, but changed the spark plug and checked the clearance. Clearance was dead on. Felt like changing the jetting on this was not the real fix,. Like you said, compensating for something else.
Another issue is that as time goes on, the gasoline sold in North America has more and more alcohol in it, resulting in less power available in the same amount of gas. I've found that on older snowmobiles, the jetting that worked 20 years ago is too lean under the same conditions now.
That air filter cover looks like it was chemically melted. Possibly someone used a harsh chemical like enamel reducer for some reason on that area. I have seen that look before plastic when chemicals are used on plastic that cannot handle it.
Hi James, you should Dremel the restrictor on the mixture screw, that will give you more adjustment either to richen or lean the carb next time a similar problem arises.
Hey this ain’t rocket science. We did learn a lot here discussing this. I have removed the little plastic stop caps on weed eaters and cut a screw driver slot on occasions. Glad it runs well now!
I've had good luck using WD-40 in the ultrasonic cleaner on carburetors. It seems to do a nice job of dissolving petroleum based messes.
GREAT JOB ! I have had this issue so many times with the clone engines and some Honda's as well . They like to try to run them as lean as they can from the factory and it causes problems in some cases .. Just a heads up you forgot to add the two 0's behind the 161 to the part # in the description .. SURE ENJOYED !!
Thanks, will update the description. Never expected an OEM Honda carb to be such an issue.
@@jcondon1 I agree , But I have seen them just as janky as the clone carbs for the lean condition . Wish they would change there jet size on the carbs . Sure would solve a ton of issues for us !!
Troubleshooting. Both rewarding and frustrating.
From what I'm seeing in the couple of videos that I have watched, you are finding the same problem that most of us that work on small engines. The new fuels that are around. With that and I did hear you mention Harbor Freight, a friend recommended these plyers. You can find them at HF at www.harborfreight.com/3-piece-long-reach-hose-grip-pliers-37909.html?_br_psugg_q=hose+plyers
They make it easy to remove fuel lines that may be just plain stuck or even hardened. Just an observation and suggestion. I enjoy watching your videos and have learned many new things. Thanks.
Greg
Our same model does the same thing brand new. I tried everything you have, gave up and put a tiny vice grips on the choke holding it slightly out. You can also lay a small cloth or rag over the governor arm to muffle the surging. The fuel cock lever has a spring that ours broke and it leaks and you have to buy a whole new fuelcock.
Most times I’ve had a surging problem like this it has turned out the be an intake leak or clogged jets. Usually the gasket. One time it was a gas line that had dry rotted from the inside out and basically turned into a flapper valve.
Hey James thanks for this video I ran into same problem with a Craftsman Snowblower I had for customer . I opted (because I had a choice ) to buy a adjustable carb for the Tecumseh engine it had after a few adjustments the surging went away and it ran like new for a 25 year old engine. But good to know for future generator fix’s down the road.
Jim, FYI, If you treat you rubber/neoprene hoses and parts/grommets with AT 205, it will recondition brittle rubber, to like-new
Resilience. I have brought back many crank case breather tubes that woul have snapped otherwise.....it cost from 8 -12 dollars on ebay.....
YES. They CAN be removed.
It requires the delicate use of a cut-off wheel on a Dremel tool.
Sometimes the protrusion on the screw can be snipped off with side cutters.
Have tried the side cutters several times. Always ended in failure. Maybe I need to try the Dremel.
@@jcondon1 This is according to Mustie1.
nice James, you always manage to find great bargains :) I'm glad to see your channel getting bigger. keep it up with good work, we all need to learn from someone and you are a great teacher.
hi james you got a bargain, a good 390 honda model and the paint work looks good
First time I watched this I felt different than this time. Your thought process followed the track and succeeded. Good job on detective work. Kind of funny the other carb was just not going to work. I think it might have with enough fiddling so as not to have to buy a new carb which I am sure you can use in the future on some project.
The new carb has already been put to good use on something else. Was surprised that a new OEM carb did not solve the issue.
You can dremel the little nub off of that low speed needle and then remove it for cleaning and adjustment.
So many motorcycle engine and carb tricks cross over into small engine repair or is it the other way around. hmmm lol
"I lost my favourite wire" 😆, said nobody ever.....😃
It was perfect :( the new one just isn’t the same.
@@jcondon1 Dude, I thought I was the only one. I broke my favorite needle file a couple weeks back, and despite having extras of the same exact file, none seem to have that precise feel and performance. Wife thinks I'm crazy. Noone else understands. RIP file and wire, you shall be missed dearly.
Seems like most of the newer small engines are jetted lean or very nearly, a little bit surprised that the new carb didn't slove the issue, but running perfect at the end
I believe the EPA is responsible for that.
I just did a 5000 honda it was piston rings , they were stuck in the piston , I just last night fired it up changed piston rod head and cam.
Got there in the end👏👏👏👍
Another great video, James. Keep em coming. 👍
Thanks, James...this was an interesting one!
A heat gun on the fuel screw cap and gently pry it off with needle nose pliers. Re install with a small drop of superglue after you've adjusted it. Your right... these are set up from
the factory to be super lean! You'd benefit if you'd readjust all the Honda fuel screws.
Surprisingly I put this carb on a Honda clone recently and it ran great.
Fuel stabilizer. Stabilizes fuel so much it turns into super stabile jelly.
More info, please. I thought the carb issue I had was because of too little stabilizer which resulted in some varnish. Could it be the stabilizer is causing the problem? I could try to turn over my fuel more often, but I go out of my way to get E0 gas for my small engines. Getting it more often will be a hassle, but possible.
@@andyrichardson6188 The most important thing is to empty the bowl of the carb when before the generator is put into storage.
Then I strongly recommend to use ethanol free gas on small / carburetted engines or engines which are not used very often.
Fuel stabilizer helps, but after a long time the fuel with stabilizer tends to turn the fuel into jelly. So in my opionion for short term storage stabilizer relly helps, but for long time storage it makes it worse (imho).
How I do it: Empty the bowl of the carb and change the oil before putting the gen into storage.
On gens with a fuel tank made from metal: I fill it up to the brim with fresh, ethanol free gas to protect the bare metal inside from rusting.
If the gens fuel tank is made out of plastic I drain the fuel completely, because the fuel can actually partially dissolve the plastic.
I dont use any stabilizer.
After about 1 year of storage I drain the fuel (put it into my car or bike) and replace it with fresh fuel.
That way I never had any fuel related problem with my gens.
EARLY IN MY CAREER AS AN AUTO TECH WAS LOOKING FOR A VACUUM LEAK, SPRAYED CARB CLEANER AROUND THE INTAKE, A BAD PLUG WIRE ARCED AND CAUGHT THE ENGINE ON FIRE. SINCE THEN HAVE USED WATER, IT WILL CHANGE AN IDLE, SOMETIMES YOU CAN HEAR OR SEE IT GET SUCKED UP.(IT WILL ALSO SHOW YOU BAD IGNITION WIRES, , ETC).
WOW! Increased jet size. Hot Rod Honda. Next step turbocharging.
The previous owner might have sprayed carb cleaner on the air filter and it melted the plastic. Some carb cleaners are very debilitory to certain plastic!
Good point
Thanks for the video James.
Great patience
Gotta love getting items for cheaper because people are miss informed about a problem 🙄😕 @James Condon
I knew you would figure it out!
I too harvest wire from a wire brush when I need to clean small jets
My thoughts on the damaged filter box are this. This generator might have been repaired before you got it, and the air filter might have been damaged at the bottom, the float stuck and gas saturated the filter or ether was sprayed in below the filter. An unknown source of ignition caused it to ignite, thus causing what we observed here. Just speculation, Jim.
I use a wire brush wire to clean the carb too.
Thanks for fixing!!!
my powermate 7000 has been used only once . it has been sitting with fuel for a number of years. i tried starting it but it would not start. i believe that there may be gum in the carb. will pull down the carb and clean it up. will let you know. thanks for the video
How did it go?
Another great video...Thanks james