Starting Generator After Being Laid Up For A Year

[Ulysses]

Did you drain the fuel from the carburator the last time you used it? I suspect from what you said it has gunk in the carburator from old gas. I would remove the float bowl and spray it with carb cleaner, unscrew the idle jet (if removable) and, after determining how many turns out (from all the way in) it is set at spray in there too. Then I'd spray inside the intake and tilt it so it can run back out. Put in new gas and try again (if you are sure you have good spark). Some engine starting fluid (conatins ether) might be needed to get it going. You could also try removing the spark plug (before spraying the carb) and see if it looks wet from gasoline. If so, then it's getting gas. If not then try pouring a small amount of gasoline in the cylinder and try to start it. If it runs briefly then you probably have a clogged carburator or fuel line.

Then, after you get it running, pour in some gasoline stabilizer (Sta-Bil etc) and run it for a while. Shut off the fuel and let it run til it stops. Empty the remaining fuel from the carburator before putting it in storage. Alternatively, next season get it out and start it up every month or so. Sta-Bil is supposed to keep gasoline "fresh" for up to a year or two. Without a stabilizer most people consider gasoline "old" after about a month or so.

[bamend]

I can't get my generator to start after laying up since the last hurricane. I've changed the gas, cleaned the air filter, and checked the plug for a spark. I've also overfilled the oil reservoir. It might try to turn over on the first pull after I leave it for 10 minutes. I hooked it up to a car battery and tried to start it that way to no avail. TIA

[BocesLib]

Use some starting fluid and see if it starts and dies. If it does you have a lack of fuel.

Turn the fuel line off (closed position)

Take the carb bowl off and clean it all out with gumout. (or something similar) Clean around the whole carb with it actually.

BTW if the carb is all gummed up and look similar to tar, then you got more serious issues. If that's the case I found it simpler to remove the carb and either A) Get another carb off of ebay if cheap enough B) get a carb rebuild kit and go at it C) Get all new gaskets only and buy a carb boil kit at your local auto store.

When going for the long term storage solution... It all depends on how far you want to go. What I do is run the engine (with the gas tank empty) until it sputters. Put the choke on and it will run some more. After it dies, some carb bowls have a drain on it. Empty out all the gas if any left. (with the carb bowl off or open, make sure the fuel line is open and all the gas is out of there.)

If the gas tank on it is metal, then I use a light spray oil (wd40 or something similar) to coal the inside of the gas tank.(prevents rust, not needed if you have plastic)

You can put a little fogging oil inside the cyclinder (take out plug, clean it up or replace) and turn the unit over a few times with the ignition set to off. This will coat the walls of the cylinder and the piston itself.

Drain and replace the oil if it has been in there for awhile. (used oil can be acidic and cause damage just sitting there)

Put it all back together, maybe even spray down the carb and its linkage (springs etc etc) with some oil and that should be it. With any luck there shouldnt be little if any rust and should start up next year with minimal effort.

Tom