What Did I Do to Break My Generators???

HadEnough wrote:
One problem remains. It now runs like ****. It’ll only run full choke and has good moments and sputtering moments.

I ran it for about 40 mins now at no load and full choke. It just died after a sputtering, Smokey 40 minute run. It stopped smoking after 5 minutes or so.

I also sanded away any fouling on the plug’s business end after the smoking stopped.

It’s not running well at all. What’s next? New plug, even though it’s not too badly gunked up?

Please tell me I don’t need to do a carb cleaning.

"sanding" modern plugs kills them.. Sanding cuts into and can remove the hard outer porcelain surface leaving a more porous part of the porcelain which can carbon track and foul out must faster. Additionally, if it was a "factory" plug and you never changed it, CHANGE IT, they are junk to start with.

Doesn't take much to foul out factory plugs as they use pretty low grade plugs..

As for the carb, YES, you most likely need to clean it by physically dismantling and removing the jet and emulsion tube.

When you turned entire gen on end, any and all dirt and water was sloshed around inside the carb bowl.. The Honda designed carbs which are also used on Chinese knockoff engines all are very susceptible to the emulsion tube tiny holes plugging even by the tiniest speck of dirt.. When that happens, engine will run lean and rough unless you close the choke partially or completely..

The best fix is removing the emulsion tube and using pressurized canned carb cleaner blow open the holes, and make sure all are open before reassembling.

If new plug and carb cleaning doesn't fix it, then you may have bent or damaged the valves and or other parts due to "hydro locking" the engine.

In the future, never set any engine on end or side unless it was emptied of all fluids or designed to operate in that position..