60+ year old thread.

Not an expert on small engines but have worked on a number of them and was a fair shade tree auto mechanic. Even though ran all the gas out of it there’s often a tiny bit of residual in the carb that turns to varnish like and gunk after long no use. I would pull the carb and clean the crap out of it or possibly get a new carb. Just my 2 cents worth. I had the same thing happen on a Honda generator. Thoroughly cleaned the carb, now starts every time and runs til out of gas.

 

"Pro-Tip" ethanol free fuel, should correct fuel related issues in the future...I also leave my Honda gennie, lawnmower, power washer, atv FULL of ethanol free fuel all year, all the time. No carb issue's anymore....

 

And one other thing, if it sat for 5 years change the oil, put a new spark plug in it and if it has a fuel filter get a new one. It’ll run like a champion (pun intended)

 

Thanks Paul, I also saw that some do run it at 50:1.
I have a plan , if it supposedly works well at 100:1 or 80:1, and also works well at 50:1, to make it easy I will just add 2oz of it to a gal., or 1oz to a half gal. and forget about the tenths to make it easy to measure. That would put the mixture above 50:1 but less than the 80:1 and should work just fine---- by my logic!

Travlr, I would be looking at the carb and anything carb related also. I don't know what kind of fuel line generators have on them, but ethanol fuel is notorious for destroying boat fuel lines which causes all types of problems, might take a look at that also.

 

Yeah, I leave my lawnmower full of gas and have never had an issue. Maybe running it out to store it was a mistake...

 

Full of what gas? That is the larger question.

 

Pump gas... Maybe that's the smaller answer...lol

 

Well I picked up thee Mr cool mini split last week from the trucking company.

I made not of some damage to the boxes on the shipper. No damage was found inside, well packed.

It comes with a template for locating the 3 1/2" hole and mounting screws.

The inside unit will be offset so the large hole for the lines misses the studs.

Here you can see the 3 1/2" hole. It will be covered by the inside unit.

Mounting plate is leveled and mounted to the wall.

Next step will be drilling the big hole. Here's the unit it will be replacing also, it only lasted 2 years. GE p.o.s.

I'm still capable of doing diy stuff like this so I'm saving a ton of money. It'll be nice to have the full function of the window back too.

 

Ethanol 10% most likely is what I am getting at. Hygroscopic - absorbing water from atmosphere/condensation making a mess of fuel systems

 

Plus, alcohol is corrosive to jets and destroys many plastics.

 

Yeah... and yet that mower is 17 years old and has never been stored without gas in it. I've been waiting for it to die for at least ten years, so I could get a chargeable one.

So we are back to whether the generator is WORTH trying to fix.

 

pull the plug, replacement may not be needed

 

It’s the water that is hard on jets and thank goodness newer engines use alcohol resistant polymers- but not always. Fuel pump recalls come mind

 

no bueno,,, pump gas, for small, random use engine, if you can,needs be ethanol free, now that being said, it might be a challenge to find it, for example, i live in MD, Chesapeake Bay, Mighty Potomac, and their are only 3 ethanol free stations that I can find in the whole damn state.... worth the effort and you will pay more for it but........

 

I get ethanol free fuel at a marina near me.

 

Pretty obviously... not my experience.

I've made a point of testing some of the advice I hear from people making money by giving advice, and that have become popular opinion. Saved a lot of money by doing so. What I've learned more than anything else... is that "cheap Insurance" is often the more expensive option.

 

One reason you might want to watch the All-Star game. "Robot umpire"balls and strikes. A umpire still calls balls and strikes but each team gets two ball and strike challenges. The challenge result appears instantly on the jumbo Tron, it appears in a format just like when tv coverage shows the simulated pitch and the strike box.

 

Alcohol is listed in the Hazmat Tables, it's listed under Corrosives. Water doesn't bother brass, alcohol does. And within even the last 5 years or so, some motorcycles have had gas tanks melt because of higher alcohol levels in gas.

Small engines aren't built to the same level as that in your car or truck. All small engine manufacturers warn to use E0 gas to this day.

I've had three small engines (chainsaw, pressure washer and weed wacker) damaged in the last 2 years because I screwed up and used 87 octane gasohol for the premix. The pressure washer needed a carburetor, the chainsaw only needed a fuel line (a bitch to replace), but the weed wacker was destroyed.

 

I don't doubt your experiences. But it is the moisture. Absolutely agree on the E0.

Alcohol IS listed as a 3 Flammable liquid, not under Corrosive 8 on the HazMat table

https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-49/subtitle-B/chapter-I/subchapter-C/part-172








Yes, ethanol can corrode brass over time, especially in the presence of moisture, leading to issues like dezincification, where zinc is lost from the alloy. This corrosion can affect the integrity and appearance of brass components. And Yes, water can corrode brass. Also via dezincification, where the zinc component is leached out, weakening the brass over time.

DRY (key word) ethanol in gasoline won't corrode brass, but the problem is it never stays completely dry because ethanol is hygroscopic, very much so. Hence the problem of storage, and gumbo and corrosion.

 

That is baseball.I think there is someone flipping switches turning players and whole teams on and off.Must be like golf.