Leave carb drain open on Honda gen in storage?

samsontdog wrote:
I always run my EU3000 and my EU2000 Hondas dry then open drain screw and do not start for maybe 5 or 6 months. All ways start right up. I always close the drain screw. I have been doing it this way for years

This is essentially what I do except after draining the carb and closing the screw I keep cranking it until it will not try to run. I have not had any trouble running it after 2 years of not using. No need to run these every month just to exercise them in my opinion. When you are ready to use it change the oil and refill with fresh gas with a stabilizer and you should have no issue.

Dick

OP here -- a follow-up -- I drained the carb, no problem. I pulled the cord three times with the switch in the off position to drain the lines some more, and a little more gas came out of the drain hose. I closed the carb drain screw.

The next time I went to start it, I pulled normally on the cord, just to see what would happen without priming. It started right up on the first pull. Rather than being pleased, I am confused. I thought that after draining the carb and pulling the cord in the off position, all of the gas would have been drained and that it would need priming the next time, but it did not.

I am not sure what I am doing wrong, but I have reached the end of my limited knowledge. Any more thoughts on what I can do to REALLY purge the carb and lines of fuel when draining the generator prior to storage??

Hi,

I spoke to my small engine mechanic and he suggested the design of the Yamaha carb does not lend itself to sucking it dry.

I run Aspen fuel in our small engines that get very few hours.

http://www.aspen.se/Canada

NinerBikes wrote:

pianotuna wrote:
Hi,

I'm guessing I can do the same thing with my Yamaha Sieb electric start.

1. turn off gas
2. run until it stops
3. attempt to start with full choke.

Would that be about right?

Should do it.

If you Turn off the gas,run till it stops......Step 3 is not Needed.......YOU DID IT WITH step 2.....:W

pianotuna wrote:
Hi,

I'm guessing I can do the same thing with my Yamaha Sieb electric start.

1. turn off gas
2. run until it stops
3. attempt to start with full choke.

Would that be about right?

Should do it.

Hi,

I'm guessing I can do the same thing with my Yamaha Sieb electric start.

1. turn off gas
2. run until it stops
3. attempt to start with full choke.

Would that be about right?

profdant139 wrote:
AHA!! Light bulb flickers slowly on. Way to go, Niner! Now that I think about it, what you said is obvious (but it wasn't till now). The jets are so tiny that draining the carb bowl will NOT draw out the fuel inside the jets -- as the result of capillary action (the same thing that causes water to creep up into a paper towel), the gas in the jet will cling if not positively burnt out or else drawn out by a vacuum.

So there it is -- drain the carb bowl. Tighten the carb drain screw. Choke on full. Three good pulls and you're done -- dry as a bone in the carb jets. To start it the next time, several slow pulls to prime it. Then start it.

Is there a way to know when it has been actually primed? I guess just trying to start it??

And again, those of you who do not have to use California gas, all of this may not be necessary.

Open the vent cap on the fuel tank to "on" Turn the Ignition/fuel switch to "run".

Choke the carb. Keep on pulling until it fires up and starts running. Adjust the choke to 1/2 on. Run for 30 seconds to a minute, turn choke off fully.

I generally start my generator in "Eco" mode. No need to race a cold engine at 5000 rpms when 3000 will do just fine. I want the piston slap and tolerances to decrease at a slower rpm, as the piston warms up, and expands in the bore, to provide a better seal, and better fit the bore before exposing the motor to any type of work or load.

AHA!! Light bulb flickers slowly on. Way to go, Niner! Now that I think about it, what you said is obvious (but it wasn't till now). The jets are so tiny that draining the carb bowl will NOT draw out the fuel inside the jets -- as the result of capillary action (the same thing that causes water to creep up into a paper towel), the gas in the jet will cling if not positively burnt out or else drawn out by a vacuum.

So there it is -- drain the carb bowl. Tighten the carb drain screw. Choke on full. Three good pulls and you're done -- dry as a bone in the carb jets. To start it the next time, several slow pulls to prime it. Then start it.

Is there a way to know when it has been actually primed? I guess just trying to start it??

And again, those of you who do not have to use California gas, all of this may not be necessary.

ah64id wrote:
I currently own 2 EU2000s and had a different one several years ago. They all take ~10 pulls to fire once they have been ran out of fuel or the carb drained. It just takes that many for the fuel pump to fill the bowl. If it takes fewer pulls then the carb isn't dry.

This /\... sometimes mine takes 15.

You want to drain the carbs float bowl. Once that is empty, then you want to choke the carb so it can't suck air in on the intake stroke. This causes a vacuum from the piston intake stroke to draw all the fuel retained in the jets out of the jets and into the combustion chamber, where they can do no harm or leave varnish deposits. Now all your fuel jets are clear of damaging fuel and are cleared and only filled with air, a non varnishing material, while in storage, just like the motor and carb came from the factory.