How long does a portable gasoline powered electric generator usually last?

I bought a 6200 watt Briggs & Stratton portable generator to get me thru after a hurricane (Wilma 9yrs ago?). I've changed the gas and oil and started it with a load every other month for 9 yrs. I run the motor dry each shutdown and put a load on it while I'm running it. I forgot this winter and let the stabilized gas go bad. Fairly sizable pieces of rust in the float bowl like half a penny. Is it time to put it out on the curb or do I go thru the hassle of borrowing a truck and taking it to a shop ? If you've ever been w/o power at your home for a couple weeks when all the stores run out of new machines you'd know where I'm coming from.

Reply to
ted
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Clean out the rust flakes and fire it up???

Reply to
Ashton Crusher

Clean out rust flakes, clean out the carb and it should be just fine. I usually don't even dismantle the carb, but rather just place it whole in a heated ultrasonic cleaner for a while, then blow it dry with compressed air. This is usually enough to clear it if it's not too bad, and then I'll put some B12 fuel system cleaner in the gas to help clear any remaining gum.

Reply to
Pete C.

Mine's a Power Boss about that age with a BS engine. Nothing in manual speaks of engine life. Mine is running well but I don't use it that much. I keep it full but run it every once in a while and change the stabilized gas every couple of years.

Had problem with my snow thrower and put out my back pushing it up loose boards into the back of my SUV. Have bought ramps after that. Learned a couple of things. One you may get someone out to fix it. Friend told me he could have done it. Second some shops will pick up and deliver. Suspect it will cost extra but could be worth saving you the struggle.

Reply to
Frank

If it has rust, the needle valves etc may be shot too. If it were me, I'd just buy a rebuild kit that has new needle valves, gaskets, welch plugs, etc. You can get them for most common carbs for ~$10. Take it apart, clean it, re-assemble. One thing to keep in mind is the rebuild kits I've seen don't include the carb to intake gasket, you have to buy that separately. No reason I see to toss out a generator that is otherwise OK.

Reply to
trader_4

Just sold my 1959 Onan - still running great but a bit hard to start - really should have had a kit put in the fuel pump.

Reply to
clare

I think I'd figure out where the rust is coming from, too. I'd guess the tank so it would be an ongoing problem. There are commercial solutions like Kreme that when used following the proper procedure, will seal the tank. What I've had success with is filling the tank with a phosphoric acid solution and letting it sit for a while. Phosphoric is available at Home Depot, usually in the masonry area. Phosphoric will strip the rust, but not attack the underlying metal like hydrochloric. Also, phosphoric leave a phosphate film so the inside of the tank won't instantly rust.

Next, while you're at Home Depot, pick up some of the two part epoxy people use to lamimate stuff on bar tops and other decorative projects. Let the tank dry, plug the holes, pour in a batch of epoxy, and swirl it around until it sets.

Reply to
rbowman

I bought a used snow blower, had specks of black in the carb, kept plugging the carb jets. I put inline fuel filter, and have not had that problem since.

Reply to
Stormin Mormon

Onanism since 1959. Sounds about right

Reply to
Ed Pawlowski

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Reply to
Mycroft Holmes

That works to keep junk out of the carb. For smaller engines, check the bike suppliers:

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There are a number of small inline or right angle styles to fit in tight spaces rather than the larger automotive varieties. That doesn't address the rusty tank though which may eventually rust through and leave you with a bigger repair problem. I never had a snow blower but some of the bike tanks are designed to look streamlined and pretty also design in low points that collect water and never drain.

Of course, with a cheap snow blower it might not be worth going for the long term.

Reply to
rbowman

tanks rusting out are pretty common, and can leak whatever fuel is in the tank possibly causing a fire:(

a buddy of mine would remove rusty tanks and put gravel or some such in them and had a way to vibrate them. he would removel the gravel, clean the tank and solder any holes

he reported tanks were expensive:(

Reply to
bob haller

Ted-

Unless there are other problems you did not mention, your generator is well worth repairing.

As others have said, you need to address the rust problem. There should be a fuel filter inside the tank or attached to the fuel valve, that would have stopped any rust particles from getting to your carburetor. The filters are often a plastic screen that does not react to gas. I wonder if your filter is missing or damaged?

You could clean the tank and coat the insides per RBowman's suggestion. If you intend to take it to a repair shop, they will most likely recommend replacing the tank. That might be cheaper than paying the labor cost of repairing the old tank.

Fred

Reply to
Fred McKenzie

Another option is a radiator repair shop. The local one will coat a gas tank for $50, which isn't a lot more than buying the supplies and doing it yourself. As you say, it depends on the availibility and cost of snow blower tanks. Tanks for older bikes can be hard to find, often in no better shape than the one you have, and are probably the wrong color so salvaging them is more attractive.

I'm a little surprised the tanks aren't plastic. If aesthetics don't enter into the picture, that has to be a less expensive approach.

Reply to
rbowman

A length of chain works pretty good and is a lot easier to fish out than gravel. Often the filler has a neck that extends a little way into the tank so gravel won't just pour out.

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I'm NOT recommending this technique but it certainly is creative. It's a little too close to the log splitters that are a big screw that bolts onto the rear hub for my liking.

All in all, I'm happy with the phosphoric acid approach rather than mechanical stuff. Phosphoric is pretty benign; read carefully and you'll find it's in your Coca Cola which is probably why Coke is used as a rust remover sometimes.

Reply to
rbowman

Most tanks in the last 15 years ARE plastic - and bein g a Briggs and Stratton engine, tanks should be pretty plentiful - should not be hard to retrofit a plastic tank in any case

Reply to
clare

After all these year, it gets hard to start? Bet you're going blind, too.

Reply to
Stormin Mormon

Separates into three layers, gasoline, ethanol, and water? someone displays a bit of ignorance about chemistry.

Reply to
Stormin Mormon

Many tools now have soft start Strong prescription + bifocals.

Reply to
Ed Pawlowski

Good catch, Detective!

Most lawn mower mechanics don't know much about chemistry. Of course, most chemists don't know much about lawn mowers either.

But the most ignorant of all are the idiots that mandated ethanol in our fuel supply. ;-)

Reply to
pseudonym

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