Honda Generator ? /issue

[land 1]

2016,  2000 honda generator starts fine but when i try to turn the choke down it stalls out anything lower then half choke and at 1/2 choke runs rough have to keep it on on 3/4 choke to run smooth, never had this is issue until recent, always choked to cold start it let it run 30sec and then take it off choke and ran fan have emptied gas take tried running nothing but non ethnol fuel for last few tanks no change....any ideas

[Jeremy K]

If you have a choke lever separate from the throttle and the engine only stays running when choked, then your carburetor has a fuel blockage causing it to be too lean(not enough fuel). The only way to balance the fuel air mixture is to restrict the air by choking it. That's why it runs better on choke.

 

AKA: clean the carb

Edited January 15, 2021 by Jeremy K

[Steve D]

18 minutes ago, Jeremy K said:

AKA: clean the carb

And check the spark plug. Some times they get carboned up and will run on choke and run like crap if at all when choke is off. Easy check...clean it up and try again.

[wolc123]

The Honda engine on my wood splitter did that a couple years ago.   I took the air filter off and sprayed in some carburetor cleaner.   Soon it was back to normal, and has been good ever since.  

I have had way less trouble with my small engines, since I started running nothing but ethanol free gas in them, about 5 years ago.  That one little glitch has been it.  It is well worth the extra 50 cents a gallon.  I also add stabilizer to the ethanol free gas.

I have around a dozen small engines, about half of which are 2 strokes.  The only ones I use ethanol gas in are my two lawnmowers, during cutting season.  The last fill of the year on those is also ethanol-free with stabilizer.  

Edited January 15, 2021 by wolc123

[Lawdwaz]

1 hour ago, land 1 said:

 have emptied gas take tried running nothing but non ethnol fuel for last few tanks no change....any ideas

Was it regular ethanol type fuel when this issue started?  If so, I think that's going to be your problem......

Edited January 15, 2021 by Lawdwaz

[wolc123]

Just now, Lawdwaz said:

Was it regular ethanol type fuel when this started?  If so, I think that's going to be your issue......

Sometimes, you can get a little ethanol tainted gas by accident, and I think that is what caused my Honda glitch a couple years ago.  

Now, whenever I buy ethanol-free gas, I pump the first gallon into my car.  Then I fill up the can.  After the can is full, I top off the car with regular cheap ethanol crap.    That costs me an extra 50 cents, but has eliminated any more carburetor issues.    

The quart of ethanol tainted gas, that was in the hose of the pump before getting into your can, is plenty to cause issues in a motor that might not be started in more than a month (like a generator, wood splitter, chain saw, power washer, or boat motor).

 

[land 1]

i ran regular gas non ethonal free in it during hunting season since i burn threw fast and it dosnt sit in the tank but that is when the issue popped up last two tanks ethnol free

[land 1]

il try carb cleaner, i figure its something in the carb  not an engine guy so if that dosnt work ill have it looked at, im guessing the way it started there was something that got sucked up dirt or what not as one minute it was good the next it had issues

[SportsmanNH]

If your problem just appeared out of nowhere like that it might be just the fuel filter. Those small generators have a plastic tube gas filter inside the gas line under the gas tank . You will need to empty the tank to clean it.  I bet its this tube filter and not the carburetor . 

The 1st vid shows you where it is and cleaning it but he doesn't show you how he took the 2 panels off to get to the filter. 

The second vid shows taking the 2 panels off to get to the filter and shows you where it is. but he doesn't  take the filter out. 

 

[Shoots100]

After you clean the carb and change the fuel filter, Add some Seafoam marine additive to your gas.

 

[Arcade Hunter]

11 hours ago, Jeremy K said:

If you have a choke lever separate from the throttle and the engine only stays running when choked, then your carburetor has a fuel blockage causing it to be too lean(not enough fuel). The only way to balance the fuel air mixture is to restrict the air by choking it. That's why it runs better on choke.

 

AKA: clean the carb

Spot on.  More specifically, the main jet is plugged.  

[Daveboone]

8 hours ago, Shoots100 said:

After you clean the carb and change the fuel filter, Add some Seafoam marine additive to your gas.

 

I empty the gas tank and drain the carb, and fill the carb fuel line and carb with Sea foam and let is set an hour or so...then start it up. You will get a wonderful black cloud for a a few seconds as all the crud in the carb burns off. I use Seafoam for alot of old motors that have sat, and it is amazing how well it works.

[mowin]

Agree.. Seafoam is good stuff. I add some when putting up my mowers and handhelds up for the season. 

[land 1]

Thanks guys did a little research and it sounds like a dirty carb is fairly common issues with these, other wise the generator has been great....