Honda 2000 running errantly - Altitude issue?

[BobsYourUncle]

Been a while since I've posted anything here, been kinda busy...

Anyhow, I have spent the last month and a bit living at an Alberta government campground with no hookups as I do multiple repairs to an RV resort assaulted by 2 severe hail storms last fall. What a mess!

I have been running my Honda EU2000 daily here to make my morning coffee and keep the batteries up etc. and have encountered an issue I'm not sure about.

The genny is running errantly, not like I think it should. When it is idling with my TT plugged in, the idle speed is not consistent. It revs up then slows down, revs up then slows down consistently. Vroom Vroom Vroom - annoying as heck as it revs then slows over and over again.

This trip is the first time I have used it since I moved to Calgary Alberta from the BC coast. I am wondering if the altitude difference plays a part in it. Surrey BC is close to sea level while Calgary is about 3400 feet above sea level.

I bought the genny at the coast and it always ran fine there. But when I got here it runs errantly.

I can make it run smoothly by pulling the choke halfway. I really don't want to run it with the choke half on all the time.

I got in there and looked to see if there was a mixture screw to adjust but the only one I saw has a stopper on it preventing me from turning it any more than a small amount.

Funny thing though, it isn't all the time. It's running right now and it's reasonably smooth.

Any thoughts or ideas?

[Ron3rd]

Like other said, try the seafoam first. That's what I did with my 11 year old EU2000 that was running bad, same as yours. The seafoam solved the problem. BTW, lots of youtube videos on how to dismantle and clean the carb, and I was ready to do that but decided to give the seafoam one last shot and that did the trick.

[BobsYourUncle]

Thanks for the tips guys.
Yeah could be a gummy carb. It sat for quite a while with the same gas in it. I do run it once in a while and let it get to full operating temperature.
Never thought about the non ethanol gas either.
Just got back from my working out of town trip so I'll check the thing out when I have a spare couple hours.

[marcsbigfoot20b]

I have a Honda EU2000i made in Japan that I bought brand new. Never really used it and the carb would have issues after sitting for 3 months or more.

Since having to clean the carb with 2 hours on the gen, I figured out the best way to prevent that from happening again....even with the crappy Phoenix ethanol gas we have here.

When done with gen, shut it off. Take off side cover, open carb bowl drain screw and let fuel drain out. With it still open, pull the start cord 5 or 6 times and more fuel may come out. Then put on full choke and pull 5 or t6 more times. Screw carb drain back in and put cover on.

I had 1 year old gas in the gen and filled it this weekend up in Greer at 8300 ft with 2 year old gas in a metal gas can and it fired right up (after 7-8 pulls on choke, carb was drained) and ran perfect.
Put 7 hours on it last weekend and it purred like a kitten. When done I drained the carb.

[eichacsj]

BobsYourUncle wrote:


I got in there and looked to see if there was a mixture screw to adjust but the only one I saw has a stopper on it preventing me from turning it any more than a small amount.

Slip the stopper off make your adjustment and slide the stopper back on.

[SoundGuy]

n7bsn wrote:
Avoiding Ethanol may not be possible

The OP is in Canada where sourcing ethanol free gas is easy pretty well anywhere in the country ... as I just mentioned in a previous post I use Shell premium in my own EU2000i but it's just as readily available at Esso, along with a host of other sources in Canada.

[ScottG]

My eU200i ran very rough even when new. It was also hard to start.
I ended up pouring half a can of Seafoam in a full tank of fuel and running it for 6 hours during a trip.
It made an amazing difference. Now it runs smooth instead of jerking around and even starts in 1 or 2 pulls. It always took 18+ to get it running when it was brand new!

[n7bsn]

Ya, it's probably not the altitude, I've had that issue when the carb was "varnished". Yes you should use "mid-grade" gas or better. Avoiding Ethanol may not be possible

We will be a Red Deer in a couple weeks, then overnight in Calgary, then on to Prince Albert for a week

[SoundGuy]

Honda offers 3 different main jets for the EU2000i but the stock jet is good for 4500' so I doubt that's your issue. Try SeaFoam in the gas and SeaFoam spray down the carb throat but if that doesn't clear it you'll have to take the carb apart and clean it manually. I too use only non-ethanol in my own EU2000i, which is really easy as Shell premium which contains no ethanol at all is available everywhere here in Canada.

[Dave_H_M]

wnjj described what my Champ was doing also.

I fixed it the same way but luckily got it on the first time.

[old_guy]

Honda's really don't like ethanol gas too well. I use non ethanol gas in mine .

[BobsYourUncle]

Wiz,
I have never paid attention to winter vs summer fuel. I buy gas from the local station and don't give it another thought. Maybe I need to pay more attention but I don't.
I almost always run in econo mode as it runs at lower RPM's and I try to not irritate my neighbors.
I don't really want to just increase the idle speed,as it does nothing to address the real problem.

[wnjj]

If the choke helps, it's not the altitude. The choke cuts the air like the altitude does. Your carb needs cleaned. The jet probably has stuff in it. Mine did the same thing a couple years ago only running smooth with the choke half on. I used carb cleaner and compressed air on the main jet, only to have no effect. I did it a second time and the problem was solved.

Even though it may be running smooth at times it's probably running lean.

[pianotuna]

Hi,

The carburetor may well be varnished. Try some sea foam. Available at Canuck Tire, Napa and the like.

[MrWizard]

it probably part of the problem
also what about fuel blend, winter versus summer
what blend is in the Honda
how does it run, with econ mode off ?

me i would probably run it with the partial choke and then check the sparkplug to make sure it was not getting fouled

and while you cannot adjust the MIX screw
is there a throttle stop screw, where you can raise the idle speed a little bit and perhaps smooth out this "hunting" problem