Maintenance on my Genset

[Lakota Wolf]

Being somewhat anal retentive at times with making sure maintenance is kept up, I had the ever so familiar brain flauntulance moment. I look at my check sheet for the things that need attending to and for some reason I had forgot the test run of my genset. It was only 3 months since last fired up. ( I know, I already stood in the corner with my dunce cap on). I go out, take the cover off it, dust off a few cobwebs, turn the fuel on, flip the run switch on, and pull, and pull, and pull, and pull and pull, and pull some more, Other then almost ripping my shoulder out of socket and getting a blister on my hand, not to mention, the tell tale signs of cardiac failure, it DID NOT start. One would think after Sixty eleven pulls it would at least Bark, sputter, do something, but Nooooooooo,. No such luck. Ok,,, so now this involves tools,  Usually tools are like toys to a guy. So I drag out the socket set, screw drivers, sand paper and wire brushes.

So 1st thing, turn fuel off, remove fuel line off the carb. Remove the carb, bending the fingers in ways that should be illegal, and squinting thru bifocals at that teensy weensy itty bitty return spring. Get the carb set on the work table, and then get a container to catch all that gas left in the fuel tank and let it drain out. Kinda smells like wet socks left in a gym locker for 5 months. Or the after effects of that triple bean burrito.

Taking the carb apart on portable genset, 4000 watt Predator model is fairly easy. Float bowl comes off with bolt on the bottom, and tilting it off and getting yet another good whiff of that wet sock smell.  Now I have noticed with this So called Corn based fuel. Carbs gum up really nasty,,,EVEN with Stabilizers added to the fuel. After removing the jet assembly inside, it's basically a straw looking tube with tiny holes on the side and cleaning them out with a small push pen,, making sure you don't Waller out the hole size. After blaster the snot out of everything with Carb cleaner, it's all shiney and clean. That's all done didided. Now had to remove the pull start cover to expose the flywheel and to remove the coil.

I notice there is a nice coating of surface rust all the way around the flywheel, so some patience with some fine grade sandpaper all the way around it, then a brass wire brush to make it really purdy and shiney. The same with the contacts on the coil.. gently cleaning the ends. Get it reinstalled,, put the cover back on, and the carb back on. It was time to clean the fuel tank. I looked iside and was surprised it wasn't​ nastified. 

But,,,,,,,,,,, just to be sure. I mix a little gas and some diesel fuel and pour it in the tank and add several marbles,,, yes, marbles. I walk around the yard trying to do my best coocaracha dance,,(have to make the chore enjoyable right?). I was really cutting a rug and just tearing it up dance wise. Was kinda disappointed that the neighbors didn't come out and do a conga line, but maybe another day.. I get it all done, drained out,, after removing the petcock. I then take compressed air and blow the tank out. Spiffy clean, inside and out. I blow out the petcock and apply sealant and thread it back in the tank. I get the tank bolted back in place and reconnect the fuel line, add gas.turn the petcock to on. Flip the run switch on, and prepare to pull and pull and pull and pull, till I keel over with an exploded heart, But to my amazement, 1st pull and varoooooom, it fires up and purrs like a kitten, Wow, who would thunk it?, Started on the 1st pull, and I didn't even rip my arm out of socket or blow a heart valve.. I would have done a happy dance, but I think the neighbors suffered enough with my dance with the fuel tank. So,,, I have made it a point to start my genset twice a month now, weather permitting.(lol).

[Rich Thomas]

You can thank your agriculture industry, some members of congress and the delusional EPA  for the corn fuel, Oh and now the EPA want's it increased from 10% to 15%. They want to up it to 15% even though there own rules would make that illegal. Currently  no small engine manufactures make a motor that won't be ruined by that amount of ethanol. That's a lot of Boats, motorcycles, lawnmowers, and Gen sets to name a few that are at risk from miss fueling. The AMA is at the forefront of the fight against E-15 and any one that wants more info on this subject can get informed by visiting there web sight. There are many other organizations that are fighting against E-15. Google it and see how it can affect your equipment all because of the false hood that it's environmentally sound. Corn belongs on the table not in our fuel tanks.