Generator won't start ?
 

I pulled my Generac 4000XL out of the garage to start and test before the Fall, can't be too early !

Anyway didn't start, didn't even seem to want to start, so looking for your thoughts.

Things I've done so far...
Yes, I checked that the gas valve was turned on :)
Drained gas, and added fresh
Remove spark plug, cleaned and re-gaped
Check oil level, all OK
Air filter was checked (paper filter is damaged and will be replaced)

Thoughts ?

Gummed up carburetor?
 

Possibly a gummed up carb? How long was the gas sitting in it since last use? Did you have sta-bil or a similar additive in the gas to prevent gumming up? I've had that happen to me on the snowblower if I leave it for the summer with gas in it and no fuel stabilizer. Just a thought....as that's the extent of my mechanical knowledge...:eek::laugh:

If it ran when parked you only have two things to check:

1) Gas left in the carb is bad and has gummed it up. Take it apart and soak it in PineSol (wear gloves). Use guitar strings to ream out the idle jut and other small passages.


1000) Mice ate your wires. Look for evidence of that.

No evidence of mice, and I added Sta-Bill to gas last Fall and ran engine for a few minutes before shutting down. I haven't had the need to start since then.....

Pin-Sol to clean carb parts ? Haven't heard that advice before ?

Take the spark plug out, leave the plug wire on, and ground it against the generator. Hold it with a gloved hand. Then briefly crank the generator to see if you have a spark.

After cranking with the choke on, look inside the carburetor and make sure it is wet with gas.

No start
 

Pull the spark plug, put teaspoon of gas in cylinder, reinstall plug and try to start. If it fires you know it’s fuel problem, 90% of the time if it does this it will continue to run.

You could have a stuck float, stuck electric fuel shut off valve or dirty carburetor.

Float:

A stuck float can often be remedied by rapping the side of the carb with a wrench.

If you hit it hard enough you will break the carburetor and need a new one.

That will also solve the problem but it is not the low cost alternative.

Adding Stabil to the gas in the fall can be helpful... more or less.

Fuel valve:

Remove and clean.

Reinstall and try to start.

Carburetor:

Stabil put into already old gas is not optimal.

If you run the generator for a short time the treated gas may not go where you need it to go.

If you did not drain the carburetor or run it out of gas then this can happen.

Go to FLL Mart (hi Less! :D) and get a jug of PineSol.

TAKE DETAILED PICTURES FROM MULTIPLE ANGLES AS YOU GO.

Remove the carb.

Turn the idle mixture screw inward while counting the turns to a lightly seated position.

Document the number of turns because on reassembly you will need to turn it all the way in and then back it out that same number of turns.

Be careful not to bend the float assembly.

Soak the whole assembly in PineSol with special attention paid to drowning every passageway.

Ream out idle jet and passage with guitar strings.

Reassemble and reinstall carb.

Try to start generator.

Take it to the shop because you missed something on reassembly.

:D

BE SURE TO PROVIDE ADEQUATE VERBAL LUBRICATION WHILE WORKING ON THE GENERATOR.

Good luck. We are all counting on you!

I’ll go with gummed carb. Anything I use that I know will sit gets non ethanol gas in it

I agree that gas left in the carburetor could be the problem. You could try getting a can of engine starting fluid. Spray into the air intake. Or remove the plug, spray the fluid in the cylinder, replace the plug and crank it over.

Once you finally get it running: Start it once a month for a 10 min test run. Then to shut down, close the gas shutoff and let it run out of gas to stop. This clears gas out of the carb. You generator should have a gas shutoff, if not see if you can install one.

Alan

I drain the gas from my generator and put it in the car. Then I run the gas out of the carb, plus I change the oil. Next time I need it, I gas it up and start it.

Did you squirt a little fresh gas in the carburetor? You should never leave gas in the carburetor, there should be a little bolt or screw you can remove to drain it.

Why drain it at all? Just run it dry.