Trouble starting Honda generator

I have a Honda EB3000C generator with a Honda GX200 motor. It's only a couple of years old and has very low hours. I decided to drain the fuel and refill with fresh fuel. It had sat for about a year. It wouldn't start at first but I sprayed a shot of Gumout into the carb bore and it started on the next pull. So I let it run for about 10 minutes and it ran beautifully. I decided to drain the carb so I siphoned out must of the fuel in the tank, restarted the motor and shut the fuel supply valve off. It ran for about three additional minutes but instead of stumbling and dying like I expected it started to backfire very loudly so I quickly turned it off. I thought maybe some water had gotten into the fuel so I drained the sediment cup and the carb bowl. I put some fresh fuel in the tank and tried to restart it. It would start and run maybe 2 seconds, then backfire and die. Thinking there still may be some water in the carb I redrained the sediment cup and the carb bowl and tried to restart. Same thing, run, backfire and die. I added a little Heet to the fuel, repeat drain and restart - same thing. I'm thinking the original backfire episode may have damaged something but before I tear into it further I thought I'd solicit any experience anyone might have with a similar problem. Thanks in advance.

Reply to
deuce
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Backfires often mean timing is off or a valve is sticking. Time to do some serious mechanical diagnostics. Dig out your shop manual and start checking. Good luck.

Joe

Reply to
Joe

1.) Loosen the fuel tank cap a turn or so

or

2.) Remove the air filter

Will it then run?

3.) Pull the spark plug out and check for fouling

Clean the plug with a wire brush, emery cloth....

Will it then run?

Simple things first. Even check for a stuck choke.

Reply to
Oren

Compare the plug to this color chart

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Reply to
Oren

The only time I've known of a Honda giving trouble, was old gas. Some ether sprayed on the air filter did the trick, and it ran fine after that, with the old gas.

Since the wildcard is the carb service. Please consider pull the float bowl off, and see if the metering jet is clogged. My old Toro snow blower had some particles of black floating in the gas. It repeatedly clogged the metering jet, until I installed a fuel filter. I was very fortunate to have a fuel filter on hand.

Reply to
Stormin Mormon

Backfire is usualy ignition related as in timing or the ignition module failing or a sticking valve, you might pull the plug and ground it then have some one pull the starter to see if its a weak spark indicating the module. Sears has a 4$ inductive spark tester , it looks like a writing pen you touch it to the plug wire when its running it should show if its electrical by the missed firirng pattern. A compression test might or might not reveal a bad valve. Misfire-backfire was my ignition module and coil on several other motors, I dont think its fuel related, on lawnmowers after you hit a rock and stall it the timing can shift and cause missfiring, but a gen cant be stalled like that. New engine oil like mobil 1 , and spray in and kill the running motor with Fogging oil might free it up if its a valve. That 4$ sears tester will pay for itself on future plug, coil, wire issues on any motor, it just save me 250 on my car, a guy wanted to replace what was not wrong, it was one 40$ coil.

Reply to
ransley

Did it have fuel stabilizer in it while it was sitting for a year? Even if it did, my first suspicion would be that the carb is fouled. But usually that doesn't lead to backfiring, just not starting. On the other hand, the backfiring did start when you turned off the gas. If it was timing related, a valve, etc, curious that it started just when fuel was shut off. I suppose the float could be stuck open flooding it badly.

After checking the spark plug condition and for spark, I'd pull the carb and rebuild it. If you get a service manual it should be fairly easy. By taking it apart, you can completely clean it and remove any gunk. The rebuild kits are cheap, look on Ebay. I got one for a Tecumseh engine for ~$12.

Reply to
trader4

Thanks for your reply trader4.

I understand all that's been said about backfiring causes but it's hard for me to believe that turning off the gas did something that caused the timing to be off which thus caused the backfiring.

The spark plug condition is good and the spark is also good. The gas did have fuel stabilizer in it.

The backfiring occured when the fuel level had dropped very low, not quite empty. Perhaps there was floating junk in the fuel and it got into the carb only when the fuel dropped to a low enough level.

I think your tip to rebuild the carb will be the next step.

Reply to
deuce

I haven't seen a plug media blasting bag since the late sixties. They worked wonders. A few pushes on the bottom and the plug was clean. Then re-gap the plug and install for more miles. Eventually you had to replace the plugs, though.

Reply to
Oren

Naaah, we all use wire brushes, now. Works fine, for me.

Reply to
Stormin Mormon

Like others have said, change the plug first just to be sure.

Unlike what others have said, lean mixture can create a backfire condition.

The generators that I have worked on that have sat for a year and wouldn't start is almost 95% due to dirty carbs. The carb has to be disassembled completely and EVERY passage clean. On a Honda, you'll most likely need to get a small wire and run it thru the pilot jet after removing the jet.

Also, drain all gas out of tank, check for rust. It will be a waste of time to clean the carb is the tank is rusty.

Hank

Reply to
Hustlin' Hank

Never, ever use starting fluid (or ether) on a gasoline engine!! It WILL damage the engine to some extent, and it is very flamable. Do NOT use the stupid mormons advice about this!!

Reply to
Gothumbs

HOGWASH!

Ever see "ether" sprayed into a dragster engine, as it fires up?

Carb / ether spray has never damaged any of my engines. From mowers to autos.

Brake cleaner spray if flammable, but never hurt my brakes systems.

,,," damage the engine to some extent." What extent?

Reply to
Oren

Got any proof of your wild accusations? Other than lots of exclaimation points and loose vowels?

Reply to
Stormin Mormon

I'm not expecting any useful reply to your message, or mine.

Reply to
Stormin Mormon

So what do you use "Starter Fluid" on if not a gasoline engine? A diesel? An electric motor? A wind-up toy? Maybe your girlfriend's BOB (battery-operated-boyfriend).

Inasmuch as "Starter Fluid" is sold at the auto-parts store, I can't imagine there are that many cars that are powered by a clockwork mechanism where the pendulum is difficult to get going...

Reply to
HeyBub

a gasoline engine!!

=BD is very =EF=BF=BDflamable.

I doubt starter fluid will wash away much more oil than the regular gasoline that is dispersed within the cylinder at EVERY intake stroke.

Also, even if ti does, it is an unmeasurable amount. Starting fluid is more of a test to determine if a problem is fuel, spark, compression.

Hank

Reply to
Hustlin' Hank

HeyBub wrote: ...

Certainly most commonly and what it (ether as a starting agent) was developed for. But, many modern direct-start diesels are not intended for its use, either, and certainly any w/ glow plugs or similar are definitely on the "not to be used" list.

The biggest problem w/ gasoline engines is the possibility of the high detonation pressures that they're not designed for. Diesels, otoh, do have much higher compression but there are the above caveats even there...

--

Reply to
dpb

That is not ether. It is straight pump gas in a spray bottle.

So you were lucky, that means it's never happened before or never will happen right? Typical. Most people can't see past their own noses.

Because you're not spraying it at what amounts to a giant electronic cigarette lighter...

To the extent that the connecting rod is sticking out the side of the crankcase, for one.

An engine in perfect working order does not need starting fluid. If you need starting fluid to get it running, it has MAJOR problems.

If you're forced to use it, it only takes a whiff to make a huge difference. Idiots will unload an entire can of the stuff into the engine.

Old diesels will make one heck of a clatter when they fire after a shot of ether.

Reply to
mkirsch1

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