Honda generator treatment after 5 years of no use

minisolar · May 2020

My beloved generator ahs been collecting dust in my basement. Unfortunately, save for maybe adding stabil to the gas 5 yrs ago (!), I didn't really prepare it for such a long term no use.

I was hoping to get back to our land sooner than that.

I will be going back shortly and want to give it a good treatment. I order a kit with new filter, spark plug, and honda oil.

I am nervous about the gas in it... Obviously I won't run that gas and will drain carb.

Before running it I want to do a seafoam treatment on it. but I am debating the steps... Should I remove old gas from tank and carb - then add a full tank and sea-foam and let it run completely? or do I remove gas from tank and car & replace filter, spark, and oil - then do seafoam?

OR maybe just gas and oil - then seafoam?

I remember reading a long time ago that once you run a cleaning treatment like that you need to replace spark plug and so on so seems silly to do it before treatment... ?

Also, when I run seafoam... should i just add a full can of seafoam WITHOUT gas and let it run it until it is done? at $7 for a can I don't mind letting it run like that one time to really clean it up

Wheelman55 · May 2020

Mini. Empty the old fuel. Take out the spark plug and heat it up with a torch to burn off the buildup. Regap the plug. Put the cleaned plug back in. Put in new fuel with SeaFoam. See if it’ll start. If it starts, run it for a while. Hopefully it’ll be good to go after that. Put in new plug and filter if you want. These gennies are pretty durable. Mine have run many, many hours with little issue.

If the Honda fails to start (likely), you’ll need to clean the carb. I use brake clean and a graduated set of wire jet cleaners. Be aware that there is a fuel filter deep inside the Honda. This filter has been referenced in the forum. Maybe BB can find it for you if you can’t?

There’s probably a YouTube or three that shows how to do this.

A weakness on the EU2000i’s is the pull cord. If your cord is frayed it’ll likely break sooner rather than later. The pull cords on my two Honda’s broke within 24 hours of one another. I replaced them with Kevlar cords. It’s a tedious task, but not difficult.

Also change the oil after you get it running.

Best!

mike95490 · May 2020

Dump the old gas from tank and carb. Check the plug, and while it's out, spray a shot of lube oil into the cylinder and pull the starter cord a dozen times to spread the oil/WD-40 around and help seal the rings a bit, clean up a bit of surface rust.
refill the carb bowl with carb cleaner and let soak (re-assembled, let the fumes do their work) for an hour, then dump and spray the carb clean. Use the proper ratio of seafaom, just in a quarter tank of fuel, if it will start, great, otherwise check for spark and reclean the carb

Be careful using wires to clean the jets, if you distort the orifice or change the diameter it may be ruined

BB. · May 2020

I think everyone covers it well above...

Next time, run the engine to operating temperature (don't want condensation in the oil), shut down. Dump fuel out of tank. Start again (run fuel out of lines/carb and run till stops--I always use fuel preservative when running genset, changing stored fuel every 1 year). Then open carb drain. Take out spark plug, and a tablespoon or so of oil in hole. Reinstall plug (I use anti-seize compound--be careful to only get on threads, will short plug if on insulator). Pull the starting cord to distribute oil. And give a 1/2 pull against compression (both intake and exhaust valves closed).

And you should be ready for next time (I have started gensets after years of storage, with new fuel, just fine).

-Bill

jonr · May 2020

If you pour oil into the cylinder, blow it out (by attempting to start) before reinstalling the spark plug. Think fouling and hydro locking,

minisolar · June 2020

Thanks everyone. Will do this this week.

mike- I read that seafoam is a carb cleaner as well? Also they mentioned somewhere you can add as much as you want and even burn it by itself??? did you ever hear of this?

BB. · June 2020

Yes, some folks have used Seafoam as a relatively mild carburetor cleaner.

Here is a link to Seafoam about using as carb/fuel system cleaner:

https://seafoamsales.com/sea-foam-official-video-auto-carburetor-intake-cleaning-using-sea-foam-spray/

Works pretty well on gasoline engines with gummy/shellacked lines/passage issues. Worth trying before taking stuff apart and soaking in carb cleaner.

-Bill

Wheelman55 · June 2020

minisolar said:

Thanks everyone. Will do this this week.

mike- I read that seafoam is a carb cleaner as well? Also they mentioned somewhere you can add as much as you want and even burn it by itself??? did you ever hear of this?

I took a Honda motor into the Honda repair center once. I could not get it started. The Honda tech used straight SeaFoam to get it running. Took a while but it worked.

minisolar · June 2020

Wheelman - that is what I saw somewhere that you can just put it in 100% without mixing with gasoline and it will run no problem. They say in their information that you cannot "add too much of it" . I still haven't gotten to it - long story but I am waiting for this discounted gift card to buy a 1 gallon seafoam to use it as running maintenance. My honda is very old (bought 8 years ago used from GC who beat it up)

Hopefully this week

softdown · June 2020

Worth buying some ethanol free gasoline for motors that may sit for awhile. I also recommend PRI-G for gas and PRI-D for diesel. Expensive fuel stabilizers but how much is the engine worth?

My lawnmower fan well for a minute then had to have the old fuel removed to keep it running. Odd.

mcgivor · June 2020

The most common problem with carburetors left for extended periods is a varnish build up, only exemplified with blended fuels, the small holes in the emulsion tube get plugged which cause poor running conditions. Personally I've never used Seafoam but rather have physically cleaned the orifices with solvent and compressed air, draining the carb and tank avoids most problems, however we do sometimes forget.

softdown · June 2020

Potential problem with removing the carb bowl is that ethanol eats at the gasket and it will not seal after moving it. Of course the hardware store had a thin o-ring and a thick o-ring while I needed a medium o-ring. Ethanol - the universal destroyer of fuel systems. Provides my ex-service guy with "100%" of his work.

minisolar · June 2020

Haha. I had the simple stabil before and I bought 11 gallon of ethanol free recently and will continue buying it exclusively for my Honda as well as add small amount of seafoam.

I haven't done anything yet to my generator so let's see. For now I'll empty fuel from tank and carb and maybe let it run on pure sea foam or ethenol free + seafoa mix.

If turns on - I'll let it run for 30-45min to burn everything then I'll shut it down, replace spark plug, filters, and oil. And that is it.

Sounds like a plan or any comments? Also, anyone know what size spark plug socket I need?

softdown · June 2020

I may be wrong - did not know that sitting kills spark plugs?

BB. · June 2020

What can happen, put "too much" oil in the cylinder, and when you crank the engine, the plug gets coated with oil and either does not spark well, and/or gets carbon build up as the tip heats up and burns the oil away.

You can go farther, and drain the old oil (get any moisture and acids out of the crankcase) and replace with new oil.

And you can get desiccant "spark plugs" too:

https://www.amazon.com/s?k=plug-dri

Not sure you can reuse the desiccant (need to heat at ~250f-275F to dry out the silica gel)--The "grid" is glued in, and will the plastic melt? Aviation ones (18mm only?) can be taken apart and refilled/regenerated.

Here is a 14mm that may be one you can take apart--And not a bad price (shipping costs?):

https://www.skygeek.com/dehydrator-plug-14mm-thread-ms3396-12.html

Not sure I would go down that road... I have a couple eu2000i that are 6-12 years old, and both started (after normal run out the gas, drain the carb, optional squirt of oil in the cylinder--first time, I just turned the genset upside down and back upright, pulled the start cord a couple times, and last pull to compression stroke--intake and exhaust valves closed), after 6-12 years of storage in a clean/dry place the started up after a couple of pulls on the cord.

-Bill

Wheelman55 · June 2020

Mini...report back once you work on your Honda. Much good advice here. Best of luck.

jonr · June 2020

I used to focus on covering with oil (usually LPS3) and drying (desiccant or dehumidifier) to protect steel from corrosion. Lately I've been focusing on the advantages of VCIs (vapor corrosion inhibitors). These protect all surfaces within an enclosed area.

minisolar · June 2020

Finally got around to this today. I called up seafoam to hear their take. Guy said to make a 1 part seafoam to 1 part gas mix and try to run it. if no go - let it sit over night and try again the next day. I did 16oz seafoam to 32oz gas - ethanol free.

Before trying this I wanted to empty carb and tank.... they were empty. oh oh. so it all got evaportaed and so on...

I then added the mix and tried about 10-15 pulls. nothing.

I am now letting it sit over night and will try again tomorrow.

My plan was to let it run for 10-15 min on high then replace oil and spark plug. But now it seems like it needs more work. I will try tomorrow and report back. I was optimistic it will just start.

mike95490 · June 2020

did you pull the plug and check it?

minisolar · June 2020

I did not.Honestly I am not sure what to look at. I can pull it. Maybe I will post photos?

Also, the spark was not pretty new I think. I don't remember. If you think I should take it out - I have another I can put in... they aren't expensive.

BB. · June 2020

You are very welcome to post photos here.

My trick in the olden days was to use a gas stove or propane torch to dry out the electrode side of the spark plug (if wet or oily).

Also, try taking plug (any plug) and put on the plug wire, and lay the plug on the engine (or ground with wire and clip). Make sure you have a nice/strong spark.

-Bill

Wheelman55 · June 2020

Mini...Thanks for reporting back. You can do this!

Here’s a how to link for if you need to clean/rebuild the carb.

https://youtu.be/a8m81HReLtI

minisolar · June 2020

I have two spark plugs. both new. one been sitting for 4 years and the other is from a few weeks ago. I will swap the older new one in (haha) then try again. My wife claims that this happened before... it didn't start and then started up the next day.

We shell see...

wheelman! I checked your link and said wow - 3 min to clean a carb! then realized it is for changing the oil haha!

I am hoping not to get to a carb clean... I might just drop it off at a service place if push comes to shove.

I am redoing my enitre cabin's water system, rain system, gas, and some electricity... and then the battery bank. so... I got my plate full

Wheelman55 · June 2020

Ha! Try this link:

https://www.google.com/search?q=clean+carb+honda+eu2000&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&hl=en-us&client=safari#kpvalbx=_wtfqXv6JLtq2tAaVupPwAQ31

minisolar · June 2020

It started today but once I switched off the chuck it will shut down.. I'll try to switch spark. I'd like to have it running fur a while to heat up before I change oil

minisolar · June 2020

Before I try again. Any tips? Should it let it run more on Chuck before turning off?

Vic · June 2020

There is some fuel supply restriction -- in some carb passage, or the possibly the hidden fuel filter.
Leave the choke on as much as is needed, to keep the engine running, with NO load on it. It is possible that the engine might be a bit lean, even with the choke full-on. But, would still run it for ten minutes or so to try to warm it. Perhaps pour some added Seafoam into the gas tank, run it for a while, and shut it down. Let the gensset sit over night. Try starting it again the following day. Perhaps the heat trapped inside the genset could increase the magic power of Seafoam.

Am not sure that any magic elixir will clear the fuel path. There was a Thread (eeerrrr, Discussion) here, that showed or spoke of a fairly invasive tear-down to get to that hidden fuel filter ... will try to look for that later.

There is a Honda EU2000 isa here, that cannot be started when cool/cold with the choke full-on -- need to remove the air filter, and add more choking via two fingers covering the intake path to the carb ... just FYI. Will probably tear it down for the fix, as it does not seem to be healing, using Seaform. The fuel had been treated with 2X recommended dose of StaBil, and still, it was screwed up, the following spring -- my fault, though.

Link to Vid on removing/cleaning Honda EU2000 Fuel Filter:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pzX21-hFjFM

The following Link is much more detailed, if needed:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6eovXyTHZvM

Good Luck, Vic

minisolar · June 2020

OK started it again. It is hot over here. Near 90.

It runs! No chock. I'm letting it run for 10min.

Then, New filters, new spark plug, and fresh oil.

Question - I just looked up a video on replacing air filters to refresh my memory. none of them showed putting some engine oil in it... I remember that you needed to put some oil in the air filter?

Vic · June 2020

Hi mini,

Great that is runs with NO choke.
That indicator light is GOOD, it light, when the genset is supplying 120 VAC on the output. It goes out, when the output has been overloaded, and the output shuts off, to protect its electronics.

Excellent news. Vic

Wheelman55 · June 2020

Green light indicates that the Honda is running. Also tells hours up to a total of 500.

https://www.ar15.com/forums/outdoors/Honda_EU2000i_Hour_Meter_Info/17-649696/

minisolar · June 2020

interesting about blinks and hours! I will check that out next time I turn it on. I also installed those meter hour things on it so I can do maintenance more accurately.

So after 4 years in my basement. Having all the fuel evaporate from tank and crab - I put 1 part seafoam 1 part ethanol free premium gas (16+32) - gave it 15 pulls. Then let it sit for two days then it ran after a little bit with the chock.

Thank you everyone!

Honda generator treatment after 5 years of no use

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