I had one similar to this a long time ago. It gave me fits all the time. I had it sitting in my back yard with a piece of tarp over it, and one day I went in the back yard and it was gone. I still wish I knew who stole it so I could thank him.
Who would ever think a guy that fixes old generators on UA-cam could have almost 200k subs? That’s amazing but it’s also pretty easy to believe because Jim is really great at what he does. The man is a perfectionist and at 55yo I’ve learned A LOT from him. The most valuable lesson I’ve learned is to take my time and not rush when working on things. My Dad was a great mechanic, but he worked like a pit crewmen. I however am NOT a great mechanic, but I did pick up the pit crew thing from him and that’s a bad combination. I tend to break most everything I touch. Watching these videos has helped me realize that and overcome it! Thanks Jim! 😊
Runs great, and runs away under load..... Great video!! I still don't know what it is about your videos, but I'm just a chef who loves watching you fix these up and breathe new life into them.
Great video Jim. Tip: when I have a tank like that, I use a pressure washer inside the tank. Less chemicals used. It works well. Then I use evapo rust.
My dad was given one of those engines when he built me a go cart 30 years ago, I ran the wee out of it and when I rebuilt the same go kart for my kids last year I was amazed how well it still ran after a carb clean and a new strainer on the pickup tube!
I had the exact same generator but made by Dayton. Same engine though. I has the same issue with nasty gas in the tank, and cleaned it up just like you did. Of all the generators I've owned and repaired over the years, this unit always ran the best, and had dead on perfect frequency and voltage, unloaded and loaded. Smooth as anything. Really solid unit!
Used a couple of those Kawasaki engines over the years here in Oz - still got at least one somewhere. Pretty near indestructible. We used them instead of Breaks and Scrap 'em because they outlasted any B&S considerably on marine hydraulic plants. A mate was a major Kawasaki dealer, so it was a no brainer for me - there are dozens of these engines on farms all around my district running augers etc. and they have a very good reputation because they just keep going and start easy. Never seen one with that much crud in the tank though, that's pretty extreme... I've done very well with Acetone with grunged up tanks on old engines, seems to really melt the heavy varnish away overnight.
I really loved the quality of this repair to this 4 decades old machine and you preserved it also which is honourable in the preserving of a well made old tiny motor and generator that could. 🎉🎉❤
Between you working on small engines, and Cutting Edge Engineering Australia machining and fixing large parts, i really feel like i have it made when it comes to watching quality content on UA-cam. Keep up the great work!
Learned a lot from this video Jim. A perfect example of what a fuel tank can look like after some neglect. Reminds me to go look in the tank of my P-washer.... Thanks for the video.
Those were real popular in the late 70's to about 1983 in the back of magazines like Mother Earth. They were literally the first tri-fuel sold you could get.
You help me feel my age. You talk about that machine as being from the 1980s. As though it was an eternity ago. I was married and had 2 children by 1980. A great deal of my mechanical ability was learned on a 80s something car. It would be nice if time would just stop advancing. I like your videos.
To fasten the yellow tubing on the brass rod, you can use stainless steel “safety” wire, wound around twice, then twisted (available from several RC turbine vendors). We use it for RC jet fuel systems. Making a very small flare on the end of the brass rod helps too.
There is also a tool that allows you to make a clamp using safety wire. The wire is doubled over, wrapped around the line and through the loop. The tool is used to help cinch the wire down tight.
This video has given me an idea for a slow rotating wall mounts motor. Something with a shaft that you could slide a piece of round stock over with a snug fit drill and tap it for a lock down screw on the shaft. The other end could have a flange with four holes to screw a rectangular piece of wood maybe 12“ x 6“ with a piece of wood to act as a shelf with a bracket so you can set a small gas motor tank including a motorcycle tank on that piece of wood, hold it in place with a bungee cord, and let it rotate with screws or bolts in it and just rotate like a rock Tumbler.
An absolutely fantastic job on saving that tank! Your patience and persistence are inspiring, as well as your methods. I can't thank you enough for posting your videos as there is MUCH we can all learn from you. Next time I get a tank like in this video, I want to try what you did here instead of finding another tank... WELL DONE SIR
Your picture should be in the dictionary under tenacity for how hard you worked on getting that gas tank cleaned. On a side note you have got to love the $20 diaphragm pump from Kawasaki that cost .35 cents to make in china. It is so cool to see an older well-made machine, unlike the half-plastic junk being sold today.
I use Chem Dip on really varnished tanks, and it seems to work really well. I have been reusing the same can for several years now with no issue. It still seems to work fine. I would have just filled up a bucket and soaked the entire tank. That is one of the most varnished tanks that I have ever seen.
Wow! Just wow James. I remember working on one of those diaphragm type carburetors like 50 some years ago. Could not tell ya what the engine was on. That varnish really was something. Your care and craftsmanship are simply amazing! Thank you for sharing it with us all.
Have you ever tried lacquer thinner to remove varnish from the carburetor and gas tank? I like that you work neatly ,clean and never throwing the open packages or old parts on the floor like the cool people on tv do. Thanks for showing us when you make a mistake not and editing it out. Markar
James, I love seeing these old machines brought back to life. Your ability to "think outside the box" enables you to succeed where others would not even try. Your success is proof that " where there's a will, there's a way" . I trust you had a great Christmas and will have a very satisfying and prosperous 2024 !
Growing up, we had a Fairbanks Ward generator that was the big brother to this one! Same red color. Early to mid 1980's vintage. Ours was 4000 watts, powered by an 8HP (I think) Tecumseh. It never ran perfect, always being hard to start and would hunt a little bit with no load. After my father passed away, I was getting it going for my mother and knowing way more about engines at that point, was able to get it running PERFECTLY after cleaning and adjusting the main jet open just a hair. Great old units - both yours and the one my family had. :)
I love seeing these older gen-sets getting renewed. I guess it brings me back to my younger days. All of your videos have something that makes me feel good! Thanks for what you do! Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year
James you have certainly been an inspiration. I'm a hobbyist and a tinkerer, and my latest project has been cleaning up a compressor that my friend and I swiped from the side of the road. my patience and throughness has grown immensely from watching your videos. keep up the good work!
Fantastic recovery of this unique old unit, Jim. Thanks to Kyle for getting, and giving, it to you. Great fix on the carb tube with the modern day 2 stroke design using the hose and filter. Favorite line? "... could try an Easy Out, but i don't think it's going to be easy". 😁👍👍 Happy New Year to you, yours and all fellow subscribers!
Maybe in the old days Japan copied USA Briggs? Today China and Briggs seem to copy Japan (Honda GCV/H 160, 190, & 390) I wonder who they will copy now that Honda is stopping the US sales of lawnmowers? BRING BACK THE QUANTUM!!! @@robertwayland8477
I tried finding some information on Fairbanks Ward, and I totally struck out. I found one more generator that sold in an estate auction and a few more random tools, but no information whatsoever on the company itself, beyond that it seemed to be based out of Chicago. This is obviously a pretty rare machine, and is really unique in the way it was built. I think it is one that should definitely be preserved for the future. Nice save.
Thats the problem investing a lot of time in some of these old odd ball machines, you get them going again , and what will conk out next, and are you gonna fix it again, but they do make great videos,just like resurecting that old car that has been in a feild for 50 years
I also tried finding information about Fairbanks Ward. I found a few items including a milling machine and a dinner set. I wonder if it was one of those companies which just badged other (quality) products under their own name. Interesting when you consider that the trend now is to make cheap products under the name of once reliable brands. I've learned the hard way to research the actual manufacturer of products rather than go by the name. No more Toshiba, Panasonic, JVC, Hitachi, Finlux.
Love watching the old stuff run. I called that a Briggs first look! That machine is for real! I would love to have it! But ya spent 500 t&m to fix the tank!
Its always great to see the old school generators resurrected by someone as knowledgeable and wise as you James. I could practically smell the vanish from here in the UK James, especially once you were mixing and cleaning it, you must have stunk like an you bathed in varnish... I know I did when I was refurbishing my emergency power plant earlier this year. The wife said she could smell me before she saw me... Bravo sir, as your patient was worth the effort and it would make a bally good backup genny for sensitive electronics as they love a good sine wave and can take the voltage on the chin all day long... Its always fab to see you persevere James, as most people just chuck in the towel as the first sign of hard work....Happy new year :)
I bought a1973 Honda 175 XL(on/off road bike) that'd sat for 20 some yrs. It cleaned it all up and put extreme off road tires on it and a 16" rear sprocket for going real slow. It ran OK at first, but one time 500 miles away at deer camp it started to have a hesitation when opening the throttle. Looking inside the carb, a "chunk" of varnish had come loose and was floating between the main jet and the discharge orifice. W/ very few tools out in the woods, I could not get the main jet out, so I just kept poking itt with a wire and penetrating oil in the passage. It finally broke up and I could clean it out good. Then it ran like new again. Innovation, persistence and a little knowledge pays off when it's important. ben/ michigan
I really hope there are some very happy retired Kawasaki engineers watching. I really enjoyed your meticulous work, detailed commentary and superb editing. Great stuff thank you
Your videos are actually therapeutic for me!! I find your demeaner and the quality of your videos extremely relaxing. You also have the patience of a saint! Thanks Jim. ✌
Great vid as always, little tip on oiling filters if you don't want oil all over your hands you can put a cap full in a zip lock bag and work the oil around the bag then drop in the filter seal the bag and work it into the filter, I find it evenly and nicely coats the filter with no mess and is reusable!
I have a Dayton generator that uses a Briggs engine. I got it dirt cheap because it had no compression, it was an exhaust valve rusted in "open" position. I got it to run with a valve job & new head gasket and it made power. I haven't played with it lately. I should pull it out again.
Great work James! I have the exact same red color Fairbanks Ward Gen. and it was given to me. I cleaned the tank and it works well, and kind of hard to pull the rope on the 5hp Kawasaki motor (due to compression) as I saw you giving it a good pull too on yours. Fortunately almost no plastic on the Fairbanks Ward Gen. and lots of compression with fairly low AC distortion. It's built like a tank and we all only wish that all modern Gens. were built with that build quality. I just fired up "old red" a few min. ago and it and runs well...137VAC at 60.1 hz, no load, and 120VAC at 58.3 hz with 2000 watt load for my gen. It will run a 1500 watt heater with no problem for sure.
@@jcondon1Yep.. I mounted that gen. to a dolly that has 4 wheels and lays flat, and the removable dolly handle installed in the vertical position. I put it on 2 2x4 boards and used 4 extremely large harbor freight tie wraps to secure it to the dolly, and it says put, is much easier to move, and also easier on my back.
My Grandpa also taught me to use some super small chain & wd-40 or kerosene to clean old fuel tanks with. He said it was easier to grab the chain with a coat hanger or a piece of bailing wire.
Great job Jim! I never thought that the tank would clean up that well. That little generator was very impressive, seemed like it hardly noticed the load. Thanks for another great video!
Another great project Jim! It's great to see another vintage machine put out clean power. Just a note on the carb, maybe you could leave the throttle disconnected from the throttle body (since it is removeable) when installing the governor linkage. Install the carb to the intake sans the throttle lever first; thread the linkage on to the throttle lever and then replace the lever in to the throttle body. Maybe this could work and save you some effort?
to get that jet out use a torx driver that is just a little larger than the opening in the brass jet that is above the actual jet orifice "hole". Get one you have to tap in. The torx bit will grab the inside diameter and allow you to put some force on it. you can save the jet as well.
Great video lesson on restoring an older machine. The tank rehab was very well done. One thing: Would a vibratory table help to "rattle-off" tank deposits more quickly? Just a thought...Might shorten the time-to-success.
Kawasaki is always worth saving. And even though Kawasaki had nothing to do with the generator, the last Kawasaki setup you had was also exceptionally clean, too.
James I normally use my sandblaster poked in the filler neck, within seconds the tank is clean, save your self twenty hours and materials get a sandblaster. Super video as usual.
Your WAY more patient than I am on gas tanks. After one round of HF degreaser and nuts and bolts, as nasty as it is, I'd of grabbed the jug of muriatic acid and left it in for an hour. Quick and clean. Once in a while I'll end up with pin holes, but you get that no matter what. Proper PPE is, of course, a must. A masterful job as always.
Great repair.. Love the older machines. Those older flat heads, certainly make less HP, and are probably less fuel efficient, But they seem to make good torque and handle loads well at lower RPM's They are mechanically a bit quieter too. I had a yellow version of this machine.. did not realize it till you showed the yellow one at the end. Unfortunately it had some failure I could not fix.. something ignition related, and I could not get the flywheel off to get to the problem.. It think the coil was mounted inside the flywheel not around the perimeter... so it ended up in the trash. :(
In the early to mid 1950s, Fairbanks Ward a Chicago-based company made a "complete home workshop" consisting of a 1/4 inch handheld electric drill with accessories to convert it to a tiny tablesaw or drill press.
James, great jod of saving something old into something useful for someone who is in need. Keep posting as your information on repairs is very helpful and useful to those of us that still DYI . Tks, Michael
I noticed when you cranked it over the fuel was blowing back out the intake. Maybe a bad or stuck intake valve??? Sweet little generator! Thanks for the vids! Happy Holidays! 🎊
One trick I learned on complete accident is to boil the tank in water with cascade dish washing powder. You can be generous with the powder. Once it boils then reduce the heat to maintain it just hot enough to not boil. Submerge the tank in a pot and not boil the water in the tank directly. It’s an old trick I use to bring stainless steel pots to a like new finish removing Burt on foods and grease that are to hard to remove with basic scrubbing or running in the dishwasher. I ran into the same issue with a fuel tank on a lawn mower I restored. I remembered trying this trick with the pans and thought it wouldn’t hurt. It worked pretty well and was able to salvage the tank. Note: this does not work with aluminum at all. Just steel and stainless steel. It’s a definite for stainless though.
excellent video, it is a very old generator and it worked well for its age and thanks to you for the good service you did, especially with the fuel tank, thank you very much for sharing your work, greetings from Michoacan Mexico
Hi James, should you first loosen the plug then blow all the debris, years ago the auto manuals stated that you loosen the plugs then run the engine to use the compression to clear the chips away and then remove them, many engines had scoring in the cylinders probably due to junk through the plug hole. although almost nobody did this. Like your videos Rich
Your videos are among my favourites, I look forward to seeing new ones all the time. I would like to point out that you should get into the habit of using pliers on the side where the teeth can grip. The teeth will not grip from the end. From my experience the best solvent for varnish is lacquer reducer, it usually makes it like brand new again.
@@murkywaters7185It did not look like those pliers were vampires, I know what you mean. Even if they were, they grip at an open “v” which is less than ideal. I have been a mechanic for over 50 years, trust me I know what I am talking about.
Excellent James; I have had some luck using vinegar to dissolve dirty tanks, but you need to be careful that you don't eat thru the tank. Thanks for a great video.
When I was working as an electrician in the 1970’s, my company supplied me with a small generator like that to take to jobs to run drills and power tools. Long before cordless tools!
This weekend I was rebuilding a carb for a similar machine - FA76D. Few differences I managed to spot: air filter box is a bit different due to choke mounting (mine is a push-style verticutting machine and it has a cabled choke lever) and carb is different. It’s the same brand - TK carb, but it’s a bit different. And yes it was an issue to get the gasket set, so I bought 2 of them. Great video and tremendous work on that tank! I’d give up with just seeing what’s inside there :)
Another great video Jim. I always enjoy your patience and method to restore these pieces. I have had really good luck with a small long nose visegrip on stubborn small bolts and screws. Looks like you may not have had enough to work with but give it a try next time.
These videos are so satisfying, I prefer watching these instead of a movie!
Me too
I had one similar to this a long time ago. It gave me fits all the time. I had it sitting in my back yard with a piece of tarp over it, and one day I went in the back yard and it was gone. I still wish I knew who stole it so I could thank him.
That is exactly the kind of historical machine preservation I adore!
Who would ever think a guy that fixes old generators on UA-cam could have almost 200k subs? That’s amazing but it’s also pretty easy to believe because Jim is really great at what he does. The man is a perfectionist and at 55yo I’ve learned A LOT from him. The most valuable lesson I’ve learned is to take my time and not rush when working on things.
My Dad was a great mechanic, but he worked like a pit crewmen. I however am NOT a great mechanic, but I did pick up the pit crew thing from him and that’s a bad combination. I tend to break most everything I touch. Watching these videos has helped me realize that and overcome it!
Thanks Jim! 😊
Runs great, and runs away under load..... Great video!! I still don't know what it is about your videos, but I'm just a chef who loves watching you fix these up and breathe new life into them.
Great video Jim. Tip: when I have a tank like that, I use a pressure washer inside the tank. Less chemicals used. It works well. Then I use evapo rust.
My dad was given one of those engines when he built me a go cart 30 years ago, I ran the wee out of it and when I rebuilt the same go kart for my kids last year I was amazed how well it still ran after a carb clean and a new strainer on the pickup tube!
I had the exact same generator but made by Dayton. Same engine though. I has the same issue with nasty gas in the tank, and cleaned it up just like you did. Of all the generators I've owned and repaired over the years, this unit always ran the best, and had dead on perfect frequency and voltage, unloaded and loaded. Smooth as anything. Really solid unit!
Used a couple of those Kawasaki engines over the years here in Oz - still got at least one somewhere. Pretty near indestructible. We used them instead of Breaks and Scrap 'em because they outlasted any B&S considerably on marine hydraulic plants. A mate was a major Kawasaki dealer, so it was a no brainer for me - there are dozens of these engines on farms all around my district running augers etc. and they have a very good reputation because they just keep going and start easy. Never seen one with that much crud in the tank though, that's pretty extreme... I've done very well with Acetone with grunged up tanks on old engines, seems to really melt the heavy varnish away overnight.
😂😂 breaks and Scap 'em 😂😂😂
They are named BS for a reason, rite?
Get it way hotter than that.
I used boiling water and dawn to clean a tank before
Generator surgery withdrawals are over here we go. Glad your back James.
I really loved the quality of this repair to this 4 decades old machine and you preserved it also which is honourable in the preserving of a well made old tiny motor and generator that could. 🎉🎉❤
Between you working on small engines, and Cutting Edge Engineering Australia machining and fixing large parts, i really feel like i have it made when it comes to watching quality content on UA-cam. Keep up the great work!
Learned a lot from this video Jim. A perfect example of what a fuel tank can look like after some neglect. Reminds me to go look in the tank of my P-washer.... Thanks for the video.
Those were real popular in the late 70's to about 1983 in the back of magazines like Mother Earth. They were literally the first tri-fuel sold you could get.
It amazes me how long lasting these old machines really are.....great job James
You help me feel my age. You talk about that machine as being from the 1980s. As though it was an eternity ago. I was married and had 2 children by 1980. A great deal of my mechanical ability was learned on a 80s something car. It would be nice if time would just stop advancing. I like your videos.
Me too.
To fasten the yellow tubing on the brass rod, you can use stainless steel “safety” wire, wound around twice, then twisted (available from several RC turbine vendors). We use it for RC jet fuel systems. Making a very small flare on the end of the brass rod helps too.
There is also a tool that allows you to make a clamp using safety wire. The wire is doubled over, wrapped around the line and through the loop. The tool is used to help cinch the wire down tight.
If shipping wasn't priced like emergency vascular surgery without insurance, I would buy that machine in a heartbeat!
This video has given me an idea for a slow rotating wall mounts motor. Something with a shaft that you could slide a piece of round stock over with a snug fit drill and tap it for a lock down screw on the shaft. The other end could have a flange with four holes to screw a rectangular piece of wood maybe 12“ x 6“ with a piece of wood to act as a shelf with a bracket so you can set a small gas motor tank including a motorcycle tank on that piece of wood, hold it in place with a bungee cord, and let it rotate with screws or bolts in it and just rotate like a rock Tumbler.
An absolutely fantastic job on saving that tank! Your patience and persistence are inspiring, as well as your methods. I can't thank you enough for posting your videos as there is MUCH we can all learn from you. Next time I get a tank like in this video, I want to try what you did here instead of finding another tank... WELL DONE SIR
i concur! here here! (or is it hear hear?) hear here?
Your picture should be in the dictionary under tenacity for how hard you worked on getting that gas tank cleaned. On a side note you have got to love the $20 diaphragm pump from Kawasaki that cost .35 cents to make in china. It is so cool to see an older well-made machine, unlike the half-plastic junk being sold today.
I use Chem Dip on really varnished tanks, and it seems to work really well. I have been reusing the same can for several years now with no issue. It still seems to work fine. I would have just filled up a bucket and soaked the entire tank. That is one of the most varnished tanks that I have ever seen.
Or Berryman's carb cleaner.
Even better is Goof Off, but it's a little more expensive than commercially prepared paint stripper which works FAST.
Buy the Berryman in the 5 gall pail it comes with a nice basket inside the pail too dip it in , napa will order it for you
Wow! Just wow James. I remember working on one of those diaphragm type carburetors like 50 some years ago. Could not tell ya what the engine was on. That varnish really was something. Your care and craftsmanship are simply amazing! Thank you for sharing it with us all.
Have you ever tried lacquer thinner to remove varnish from the carburetor and gas tank?
I like that you work neatly ,clean and never throwing the open packages or old parts on the floor like the cool people on tv do.
Thanks for showing us when you make a mistake not and editing
it out.
Markar
Yes!
James, I love seeing these old machines brought back to life. Your ability to "think outside the box" enables you to succeed where others would not even try. Your success is proof that " where there's a will, there's a way" . I trust you had a great Christmas and will have a very satisfying and prosperous 2024 !
Growing up, we had a Fairbanks Ward generator that was the big brother to this one! Same red color. Early to mid 1980's vintage. Ours was 4000 watts, powered by an 8HP (I think) Tecumseh. It never ran perfect, always being hard to start and would hunt a little bit with no load. After my father passed away, I was getting it going for my mother and knowing way more about engines at that point, was able to get it running PERFECTLY after cleaning and adjusting the main jet open just a hair. Great old units - both yours and the one my family had. :)
Taryl Fixes all- has a vid on how to fix those tank tubes- a piece of brake line
Also, could put a length of plastic tubing with a weighted filter on the end !
I love seeing these older gen-sets getting renewed. I guess it brings me back to my younger days. All of your videos have something that makes me feel good! Thanks for what you do! Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year
Thanks. Merry Christmas and Happy Nee Year
paint stripper gets weaker the more work it's done, as I found out, using it for it's original purpose, many years ago !
@@CrimeVid Yes indeed, strippers do get tired out. Taking it all off can take a lot out of a person.
James you have certainly been an inspiration. I'm a hobbyist and a tinkerer, and my latest project has been cleaning up a compressor that my friend and I swiped from the side of the road. my patience and throughness has grown immensely from watching your videos. keep up the good work!
Fantastic recovery of this unique old unit, Jim. Thanks to Kyle for getting, and giving, it to you. Great fix on the carb tube with the modern day 2 stroke design using the hose and filter. Favorite line? "... could try an Easy Out, but i don't think it's going to be easy". 😁👍👍 Happy New Year to you, yours and all fellow subscribers!
Thanks Eric
The gas tank looks like an old Briggs setup
Maybe in the old days Japan copied USA Briggs? Today China and Briggs seem to copy Japan (Honda GCV/H 160, 190, & 390) I wonder who they will copy now that Honda is stopping the US sales of lawnmowers? BRING BACK THE QUANTUM!!! @@robertwayland8477
I tried finding some information on Fairbanks Ward, and I totally struck out. I found one more generator that sold in an estate auction and a few more random tools, but no information whatsoever on the company itself, beyond that it seemed to be based out of Chicago. This is obviously a pretty rare machine, and is really unique in the way it was built. I think it is one that should definitely be preserved for the future. Nice save.
Thats the problem investing a lot of time in some of these old odd ball machines, you get them going again , and what will conk out next, and are you gonna fix it again, but they do make great videos,just like resurecting that old car that has been in a feild for 50 years
I also tried finding information about Fairbanks Ward. I found a few items including a milling machine and a dinner set. I wonder if it was one of those companies which just badged other (quality) products under their own name. Interesting when you consider that the trend now is to make cheap products under the name of once reliable brands.
I've learned the hard way to research the actual manufacturer of products rather than go by the name. No more Toshiba, Panasonic, JVC, Hitachi, Finlux.
What you are looking for is Montgomery-Ward out of Chicago. Like Sears-Roebuck, they re-badged appliances to sell as their own.
Simply amazing, James! You resurrected this one.
We’re going to start calling you the Gas Tank Whisperer!
Love watching the old stuff run. I called that a Briggs first look! That machine is for real! I would love to have it! But ya spent 500 t&m to fix the tank!
Its always great to see the old school generators resurrected by someone as knowledgeable and wise as you James. I could practically smell the vanish from here in the UK James, especially once you were mixing and cleaning it, you must have stunk like an you bathed in varnish... I know I did when I was refurbishing my emergency power plant earlier this year. The wife said she could smell me before she saw me... Bravo sir, as your patient was worth the effort and it would make a bally good backup genny for sensitive electronics as they love a good sine wave and can take the voltage on the chin all day long... Its always fab to see you persevere James, as most people just chuck in the towel as the first sign of hard work....Happy new year :)
I bought a1973 Honda 175 XL(on/off road bike) that'd sat for 20 some yrs. It cleaned it all up and put extreme off road tires on it and a 16" rear sprocket for going real slow. It ran OK at first, but one time 500 miles away at deer camp it started to have a hesitation when opening the throttle. Looking inside the carb, a "chunk" of varnish had come loose and was floating between the main jet and the discharge orifice. W/ very few tools out in the woods, I could not get the main jet out, so I just kept poking itt with a wire and penetrating oil in the passage. It finally broke up and I could clean it out good. Then it ran like new again. Innovation, persistence and a little knowledge pays off when it's important. ben/ michigan
I really hope there are some very happy retired Kawasaki engineers watching. I really enjoyed your meticulous work, detailed commentary and superb editing. Great stuff thank you
Just now got done watching this vid , by far one of the hardest I've seen seen you overcome... Great job & God bless.
Your videos are actually therapeutic for me!! I find your demeaner and the quality of your videos extremely relaxing. You also have the patience of a saint! Thanks Jim. ✌
Well said. I agree. His excellent editing ,makes a much better video, I feel like I am standing next to the bench.
If nothing else went correctly, I'd still applaud you for the fuel-tank clean up. Excellent work!!
That gas tank clean up was incredible! Took a while but turned out great. I really like ur videos. The commentary u provide is so helpful.
That generator isn't running, it's slowly walking away 😂
It looked like it was trying to dismount from the lift table too.
@@Snooooozel I noticed that too. I told Jim if he had 21 more vibrating generators he could play a football game. lol 😝
Like most folks here, I really enjoy seeing this vintage equipment revived. It absolutely is a piece of history.
I love the way you clean everything while you’re working on them. So many problems can be hidden under dirty and grime.
Boy James, that tank was a bear buddy. I know right away you were going to have your work cut out for ya .well done brother 🙏 thanks for sharing 👍
Great vid as always, little tip on oiling filters if you don't want oil all over your hands you can put a cap full in a zip lock bag and work the oil around the bag then drop in the filter seal the bag and work it into the filter, I find it evenly and nicely coats the filter with no mess and is reusable!
I admire your thoroughness. I learn a lot about procedures from your videos. Thank you.
Glad you like them!
FYSA- graphic at 1:23:43 states watts vice volts.
Great to see a Kawasaki small engine powering the generator so well. Useable antiques are the best.
I have a Dayton generator that uses a Briggs engine. I got it dirt cheap because it had no compression, it was an exhaust valve rusted in "open" position. I got it to run with a valve job & new head gasket and it made power. I haven't played with it lately. I should pull it out again.
For the bottom carb nut try sticking the nut in the end of flex tube, aim with pliers, twist the tube to start the nut.
3:38 loud
I hope that the maker of W D 40 sends you a case of W D 40 you have showed all the use of its products that can be used for !
Great work James! I have the exact same red color Fairbanks Ward Gen. and it was given to me. I cleaned the tank and it works well, and kind of hard to pull the rope on the 5hp Kawasaki motor (due to compression) as I saw you giving it a good pull too on yours. Fortunately almost no plastic on the Fairbanks Ward Gen. and lots of compression with fairly low AC distortion. It's built like a tank and we all only wish that all modern Gens. were built with that build quality. I just fired up "old red" a few min. ago and it and runs well...137VAC at 60.1 hz, no load, and 120VAC at 58.3 hz with 2000 watt load for my gen. It will run a 1500 watt heater with no problem for sure.
It was surprisingly hard to pull over. It felt like an engine twice it’s size.
@@jcondon1Yep.. I mounted that gen. to a dolly that has 4 wheels and lays flat, and the removable dolly handle installed in the vertical position. I put it on 2 2x4 boards and used 4 extremely large harbor freight tie wraps to secure it to the dolly, and it says put, is much easier to move, and also easier on my back.
It's amazing to me that these old machines make cleaner power than the newer ones.
I'd like to know why, too.
@@erik_dk842Quality windings
@erik_dk842 better components and not mass produced for a price. This was not inexpensive when new.
My Grandpa also taught me to use some super small chain & wd-40 or kerosene to clean old fuel tanks with. He said it was easier to grab the chain with a coat hanger or a piece of bailing wire.
I really enjoyed watching this. Thank you so much!
Great job Jim! I never thought that the tank would clean up that well. That little generator was very impressive, seemed like it hardly noticed the load. Thanks for another great video!
Nice work James! That looks like the job site generators we used to use back in the early 1980s. Great for operating power tools for short periods.
James, I enjoy your channel, Ive watched a few videos, you know what youre doing, cheers !
Thank you for your help with my generator your ideas will help keep it going for years to come
Well done. Bringing that tank back from the dead. I'm surprised at how steady it ran.
You and me both.
Another fine exhibit in the James Condon Genny Museum!
My thanks to you, to the donor and Dave for the ethanol-free gas. Hurrah!
Another great project Jim! It's great to see another vintage machine put out clean power. Just a note on the carb, maybe you could leave the throttle disconnected from the throttle body (since it is removeable) when installing the governor linkage. Install the carb to the intake sans the throttle lever first; thread the linkage on to the throttle lever and then replace the lever in to the throttle body. Maybe this could work and save you some effort?
Another one back from the dead. Love the old stuff. Great job Jim.
Fuel injector cleaner does wonders!!!
Great Recovery James. Pretty good for 40 years old. New generators these days wouldn't last less than half that time.
Agreed, most new generators are luck to make if 10 years
to get that jet out use a torx driver that is just a little larger than the opening in the brass jet that is above the actual jet orifice "hole". Get one you have to tap in. The torx bit will grab the inside diameter and allow you to put some force on it. you can save the jet as well.
And well done the ultrasonic bath!
Great video lesson on restoring an older machine. The tank rehab was very well done. One thing: Would a vibratory table help to "rattle-off" tank deposits more quickly? Just a thought...Might shorten the time-to-success.
Kawasaki is always worth saving. And even though Kawasaki had nothing to do with the generator, the last Kawasaki setup you had was also exceptionally clean, too.
Amazing how well the engine cleaned up
Good job James.
James I normally use my sandblaster poked in the filler neck, within seconds the tank is clean, save your self twenty hours and materials get a sandblaster. Super video as usual.
Need to get one of those.
as a unit its still a very good basic power generator despite the age , well done
Your WAY more patient than I am on gas tanks. After one round of HF degreaser and nuts and bolts, as nasty as it is, I'd of grabbed the jug of muriatic acid and left it in for an hour. Quick and clean. Once in a while I'll end up with pin holes, but you get that no matter what. Proper PPE is, of course, a must. A masterful job as always.
Great repair.. Love the older machines. Those older flat heads, certainly make less HP, and are probably less fuel efficient, But they seem to make good torque and handle loads well at lower RPM's They are mechanically a bit quieter too.
I had a yellow version of this machine.. did not realize it till you showed the yellow one at the end. Unfortunately it had some failure I could not fix.. something ignition related, and I could not get the flywheel off to get to the problem.. It think the coil was mounted inside the flywheel not around the perimeter... so it ended up in the trash. :(
Solid unit, thanks to Dave, a solid guy, you own a nice piece of history
In the early to mid 1950s, Fairbanks Ward a Chicago-based company made a "complete home workshop" consisting of a 1/4 inch handheld electric drill with accessories to convert it to a tiny tablesaw or drill press.
Merry christmas and a happy new year to you and your family, great job getting that up and running again well done
Brilliant restoration, James. I hope you and your family are enjoying the Holiday Season. Thanks for sharing,
Thanks for the interesting and motivating year. Have a safe and fun New Year. Best wishes from Oklahoma
Really neat old unit! Good job, that carb was really rough.
Brilliant outcome Jim. Lovely classic generator from yesteryear. Looks like something you'd find in an older American or German fire engine
James, great jod of saving something old into something useful for someone who is in need.
Keep posting as your information on repairs is very helpful and useful to those of us that still DYI .
Tks, Michael
I noticed when you cranked it over the fuel was blowing back out the intake. Maybe a bad or stuck intake valve??? Sweet little generator! Thanks for the vids! Happy Holidays! 🎊
Another great video amazing to see that generator come back to life thanks James for sharing so much valuable information
One trick I learned on complete accident is to boil the tank in water with cascade dish washing powder. You can be generous with the powder. Once it boils then reduce the heat to maintain it just hot enough to not boil. Submerge the tank in a pot and not boil the water in the tank directly. It’s an old trick I use to bring stainless steel pots to a like new finish removing Burt on foods and grease that are to hard to remove with basic scrubbing or running in the dishwasher. I ran into the same issue with a fuel tank on a lawn mower I restored. I remembered trying this trick with the pans and thought it wouldn’t hurt. It worked pretty well and was able to salvage the tank.
Note: this does not work with aluminum at all. Just steel and stainless steel. It’s a definite for stainless though.
Absolutely wonderful to see old machine come back to life. hope you had a good Christmas, and all the best for the new year.
excellent video, it is a very old generator and it worked well for its age and thanks to you for the good service you did, especially with the fuel tank, thank you very much for sharing your work, greetings from Michoacan Mexico
Hi James, should you first loosen the plug then blow all the debris, years ago the auto manuals stated that you loosen the plugs then run the engine to use the compression to clear the chips away and then remove them, many engines had scoring in the cylinders probably due to junk through the plug hole. although almost nobody did this.
Like your videos
Rich
Your videos are among my favourites, I look forward to seeing new ones all the time. I would like to point out that you should get into the habit of using pliers on the side where the teeth can grip. The teeth will not grip from the end.
From my experience the best solvent for varnish is lacquer reducer, it usually makes it like brand new again.
VAMPLIERS have teeth on the end! Amazing tool, get one!
@@murkywaters7185It did not look like those pliers were vampires, I know what you mean. Even if they were, they grip at an open “v” which is less than ideal. I have been a mechanic for over 50 years, trust me I know what I am talking about.
Those are Engineer brand screw extractor pliers.
Wow I am amazed that the tank cleaned up that well. Great job!
I appreciate your tenacity with that gas tank...I think I would have thrown in the towel well before you did :). Nice save.
Excellent James; I have had some luck using vinegar to dissolve dirty tanks, but you need to be careful that you don't eat thru the tank. Thanks for a great video.
When I was working as an electrician in the 1970’s, my company supplied me with a small generator like that to take to jobs to run drills and power tools. Long before cordless tools!
This weekend I was rebuilding a carb for a similar machine - FA76D. Few differences I managed to spot: air filter box is a bit different due to choke mounting (mine is a push-style verticutting machine and it has a cabled choke lever) and carb is different. It’s the same brand - TK carb, but it’s a bit different. And yes it was an issue to get the gasket set, so I bought 2 of them.
Great video and tremendous work on that tank! I’d give up with just seeing what’s inside there :)
Thanks!
Runs great for it's age. Power output is really good for an old machine.
I sure like it when things are around for many more years. Hooray!
Great job saved another one. It’s good for at least another 10 years. Actually, it’ll probably outlast us all. When things were built the last.
Another great video Jim. I always enjoy your patience and method to restore these pieces. I have had really good luck with a small long nose visegrip on stubborn small bolts and screws. Looks like you may not have had enough to work with but give it a try next time.