When shutting down my generator from its monthly exercise, it occurred to me that I might have it wrong. I have been shutting off the fuel valve and letting it run dry. This means that a small amount of gasoline remains in the carburetor which will certainly dry out and leave a deposit before the next month is up. By leaving fuel in the bowl, that won't happen. Any small engine experts know the answer? Applying a coat of varnish to the interior of the carburetor every thirty days may not always be the best?

Drain the bowl. The gas will evaporate over time anyways, so if you leave it full at shutdown, a majority of it will be gone come next month.

TomG2 wrote: I have been shutting off the fuel valve and letting it run dry. That's what I do with my generator.

Hondas have a drain screw at the bottom of the bowl. I thought monthly running was supposed to eliminate the need to drain the carb.

I keep StarTron in the fuel tank and keep the carb wet. Even if you drain the float bowls the carb has lots of small passages that won't drain and the fuel can gum up.

Stabil or seafoam and no draining necessary.

Wet Bowl or Dry Bowl? | Good Sam Community

26 Replies

TomG2
Explorer
Dec 22, 2015
boogie_4wheel wrote:
Drain the bowl. The gas will evaporate over time anyways, so if you leave it full at shutdown, a majority of it will be gone come next month.

With fuel in the tank and the fuel valve on, the bowl would remain full and not dry out from month to month. Seems that way to me anyway.
TurnThePage
Explorer
Dec 22, 2015
Stabil or seafoam and no draining necessary.
Hondavalk
Explorer II
Dec 22, 2015
I keep StarTron in the fuel tank and keep the carb wet. Even if you drain the float bowls the carb has lots of small passages that won't drain and the fuel can gum up.
2oldman
Explorer II
Dec 22, 2015
Hondas have a drain screw at the bottom of the bowl. I thought monthly running was supposed to eliminate the need to drain the carb.
gbopp
Explorer
Dec 22, 2015
TomG2 wrote:
I have been shutting off the fuel valve and letting it run dry.

That's what I do with my generator.
boogie_4wheel
Explorer
Dec 22, 2015
Drain the bowl. The gas will evaporate over time anyways, so if you leave it full at shutdown, a majority of it will be gone come next month.

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Wet Bowl or Dry Bowl?

26 Replies

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