Seafoam saved my Honda eu2000 Generator

thorsness
thorsness Solar Expert Posts: 52 ✭✭✭
My Honda EU2000 generator had been giving me fits and I had several very good suggestions from you guys, all of which helped. But, finally, the dern thing just crapped out and would not run, choke, no choke, etc.
I remembered several guys mentioned SeaFoam, so I bought some, cleaned my spark arrestor then after reading the can, drained all the gas from the carb and tank, poured in some SeaFoam, pulled the cord through several times (trying to get the SeaFoam into the carb since it's hard to get to) then added a quart of fresh gas and fired it up. Started, ran fairly well, lots of gray smoke (as the can says) and then as the smoke decreased, the engine ran better and better. Ran that tank out, poured more SeaFoam in, added a little gas and repeated. Wow. Going back to NAPA today for a gallon can of it. Plan to treat all my engines and may pour a little on my bran flakes to!
So, thanks again for the great advice.

JB

Comments

  • icarus
    icarus Solar Expert Posts: 5,436 ✭✭✭✭
    Re: Seafoam saved my Honda eu2ooo Generator

    JB,

    I glad it worked out for you. I highly recommend that if you don't use a small engine every couple weeks, (enough to always need fresh fuel) that you drain the carbs and or the tanks before it sits. Some of the fuel stabilizers (Store-it- and-start-it, or Stabil) seem to help prevent varnish deposits in carbs. I do think though that it is better to leave the carbs dry.

    Tony
  • john p
    john p Solar Expert Posts: 814 ✭✭✭
    Re: Seafoam saved my Honda eu2000 Generator

    My method of starting hard to start engines gasoline or diesel is give a few squirts of RP7 or similar into the air inlet. then very quickly hit the starter or if possible have someone squirt the RP7 into the air inlet while its turning over..:cool:
  • westbranch
    westbranch Solar Expert Posts: 5,183 ✭✭✭✭
    Re: Seafoam saved my Honda eu2000 Generator

    JB, a little experience of mine showed me that for any extended period of sitting ( > 1 month), you need to run the unit dry and THEN open the valve on the bottom of the float bowl.

    This advice came from my local Honda dealer after he gladly took my $$ to clean the carb. Cheeeeeap insurance.

    He also let me know that the carbs are prone to falter with the smallest amount of gunk going through the carb, they will start to 'hunt' when on ECONO.

    My habit now is to at least run it dry in the summer by only adding a minimum amount of fuel. I also use a fuel stabilizer in All my cabin gas, as modern gas can go 'off' right after it goes into the Gerry Can...

    cheers
    Eric
     
    KID #51B  4s 140W to 24V 900Ah C&D AGM
    CL#29032 FW 2126/ 2073/ 2133 175A E-Panel WBjr, 3 x 4s 140W to 24V 900Ah C&D AGM 
    Cotek ST1500W 24V Inverter,OmniCharge 3024,
    2 x Cisco WRT54GL i/c DD-WRT Rtr & Bridge,
    Eu3/2/1000i Gens, 1680W & E-Panel/WBjr to come, CL #647 asleep
    West Chilcotin, BC, Canada
  • BB.
    BB. Super Moderators, Administrators Posts: 33,422 admin
    Re: Seafoam saved my Honda eu2000 Generator

    I guess RP7 is the Australian equivalent of WD 40...

    At least some warnings with WD 40...

    Never spray into flame--and I would suggest that it would also apply to engine intakes in case of a "back fire". Could flash back to the can and your hand. youtube video showing flame spreading back to can--stupid kid tricks. Another video (not work safe with volume up)--of kid+stick+fire+wd40 and the results.

    Another warning... WD 40 is a very poor lubricant. Little lubrication value, does not protect against future corrosion, and tends to leave gum behind.

    From my small plane days and storing it outside next to the Pacific Ocean (before a storm tore a wing off--another story)--we used LPS 3 (the "3" leaving behind a waxy grease for lubrication and protection--not to be used to start an engine).

    -Bill
    Near San Francisco California: 3.5kWatt Grid Tied Solar power system+small backup genset
  • RandomJoe
    RandomJoe Solar Expert Posts: 472 ✭✭✭
    Re: Seafoam saved my Honda eu2000 Generator

    So far (just over a year) I have been hauling my eu2000i out roughly once a month to fire up for an hour of operation under load. I haven't drained the gas in that time, just treat it with Stabil. So far, no problems...!

    But a question on letting it run out, is there any problem with letting it die from lack of fuel while under load? I guess I'm more concerned with the loads - is there going to be a power spike / brownout or something? Or will the inverter just kick out before anything too hideous happens? I can see where an older-style generator head could make all kinds of nasty glitches on the power line at that time... I suppose there could potentially be issues with the inverter itself too...

    I did try a couple of times to run it dry, but the silly thing runs so incredibly long on so little fuel...! I never did get it to die before I had to shut it off so I could leave the house.
  • BB.
    BB. Super Moderators, Administrators Posts: 33,422 admin
    Re: Seafoam saved my Honda eu2000 Generator

    Some people (I have read from) have worried that running a genset dry may cause it to "lean burn" near the end and cause parts to overheat.

    There should be a fuel drain plug on the bottom of the carburetor.

    For my gas engined tools in general, I just let them idle/mid range RPM run till the die (with fuel off). There is not that much power, so even if they burn lean, it should not be enough BTU to really overheat any components (relatively short time, low volume of "hot air" flowing because of low load--if heavy load--I would think the fuel "goes away" so quickly--there is still little danger of overheating).

    And all small engine's have tiny fuel galleries and jets. Letting the fuel set is asking for problems. For me, a worse problem than running lean.

    By the way, this is supposed to be a great Yahoo hosted forum for eu2000i fans... I have not looked there much--but was highly recommended.

    -Bill
    Near San Francisco California: 3.5kWatt Grid Tied Solar power system+small backup genset
  • icarus
    icarus Solar Expert Posts: 5,436 ✭✭✭✭
    Re: Seafoam saved my Honda eu2000 Generator

    I wouldn't worry about damaging the engine by running out of gas. I would however be concerned about damaging the load, as it begins to run rough as it runs out of gas.

    I personally run them out of fuel with no load at idle, and then choke and start a few times to get as much out as possible. Most Hondas have a carb drain screw which will do the same thing,, I can't remember about the EU 1000.

    Running every month or so is fine, but remember that the fuel in the tank might be a year old by the time you need to add fresh. I was always taught to keep the tanks either full or empty. In between invites trouble.

    Tony
  • BB.
    BB. Super Moderators, Administrators Posts: 33,422 admin
    Re: Seafoam saved my Honda eu2000 Generator

    I don't choke--It can draw raw fuel into the cylinder/valve area and wash the oil film off... Bad if "turning", bad for storage.

    Also, to store, on a one-lung engine, give a slight tug on the starter cord until it stops... Now you have both intake and exhaust valves closed and no condensation coming in from the ports.

    -Bill
    Near San Francisco California: 3.5kWatt Grid Tied Solar power system+small backup genset
  • icarus
    icarus Solar Expert Posts: 5,436 ✭✭✭✭
    Re: Seafoam saved my Honda eu2000 Generator

    The point of choking when the engine is out of fuel, is to draw the last little bit in to the cylinder to be burned. The amount left unburned to contaminate the oil is so small as to be insignificant.

    The other reason to leave engines with the valves closed is to take the tension off the valve springs.

    Tony
  • john p
    john p Solar Expert Posts: 814 ✭✭✭
    Re: Seafoam saved my Honda eu2000 Generator

    BB WD40 RP7 SAME THING different brand
    never had a problem spraying it into air intake as there is a filter there between the end opening and the engine... even use fly spray it works.. as for its lubrication properties ??? well it scores .0967 on the intergalactic spectrometer..
  • mike95490
    mike95490 Solar Expert Posts: 9,583 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Re: Seafoam saved my Honda eu2000 Generator
    RandomJoe wrote: »
    is there any problem with letting it die from lack of fuel while under load?

    YES. If you are running close to full load, the residual heat in the windings, when the "blower" stops, will cook the varnish, and then you get shorted windings.

    Much like a car boils over in the desert, when you stop at a gas station. (East coasters find out about that the first trip out.) You have lost your 80mph ram air thru the radiator, and water circulation when the engine switches off.
    Powerfab top of pole PV mount | Listeroid 6/1 w/st5 gen head | XW6048 inverter/chgr | Iota 48V/15A charger | Morningstar 60A MPPT | 48V, 800A NiFe Battery (in series)| 15, Evergreen 205w "12V" PV array on pole | Midnight ePanel | Grundfos 10 SO5-9 with 3 wire Franklin Electric motor (1/2hp 240V 1ph ) on a timer for 3 hr noontime run - Runs off PV ||
    || Midnight Classic 200 | 10, Evergreen 200w in a 160VOC array ||
    || VEC1093 12V Charger | Maha C401 aa/aaa Charger | SureSine | Sunsaver MPPT 15A

    solar: http://tinyurl.com/LMR-Solar
    gen: http://tinyurl.com/LMR-Lister ,

  • icarus
    icarus Solar Expert Posts: 5,436 ✭✭✭✭
    Re: Seafoam saved my Honda eu2000 Generator

    Good point Mike,

    My run on such small loads I forget about the consequences full loads,

    T
  • BB.
    BB. Super Moderators, Administrators Posts: 33,422 admin
    Re: Seafoam saved my Honda eu2000 Generator

    Regarding closing valves to lessen spring loads (and "spring sag")... I don't think I buy that as a failure mode for good quality/well designed engines.

    Obviously, for multi-cylinder engines--finding a place where all the valves are closed is not going to happen--and we don't ever worry about that.

    If the valves springs were designed to be so close in yield strength that they start yielding/creeping when left open and the engine is cold--they would die at elevated temperatures during normal operation and cycling operation which would seem to be a more severe load (dynamic forces of moving valves, slamming shut, etc.).

    I have a friend that used to make light weight valve keeper sets for racing motorcycles... And they replaced the sets after a few races--not after sitting around for two weeks between races. There it was dynamic stresses that caused failures--not storage under tension/compression.

    -Bill
    Near San Francisco California: 3.5kWatt Grid Tied Solar power system+small backup genset
  • icarus
    icarus Solar Expert Posts: 5,436 ✭✭✭✭
    Re: Seafoam saved my Honda eu2000 Generator

    I confess that I have no evidence, anecdotal or otherwise that keeping the stress of the valve springs helps anything at all. It does seem intuitive however when a large engine (my Lister Diesel for example) is stored for many months, that leaving the stress off the springs is a good thing.

    Tony
  • BB.
    BB. Super Moderators, Administrators Posts: 33,422 admin
    Re: Seafoam saved my Honda eu2000 Generator

    Regarding Listers--I have read (like here where an oil pump pressure relief spring shattered into 7 pieces) about springs failing (and governor springs needing to be replaced) in the new ones from India (among other failures).

    -Bill
    Near San Francisco California: 3.5kWatt Grid Tied Solar power system+small backup genset
  • icarus
    icarus Solar Expert Posts: 5,436 ✭✭✭✭
    Re: Seafoam saved my Honda eu2000 Generator

    There are Listers, there Lister/Petters and then there are "Listeroids". Most Listeroids are knockoffs made largely in India.

    Mine is a 1950's vintage SL 2 coupled to a 5 kw 240 genset. Still runs like new. Makes a ton of noise. I fire it up every couple of years but I don't use it for anything. I have been trying to give it away, but shipping would be expensive.

    Tony
  • thorsness
    thorsness Solar Expert Posts: 52 ✭✭✭
    Re: Seafoam saved my Honda eu2000 Generator

    Bill,

    I like the LPS 1,2 & 3 myself. Use the '3' on exposed surfaces on my floatplane and it does a fine job.

    JB
  • BB.
    BB. Super Moderators, Administrators Posts: 33,422 admin
    Re: Seafoam saved my Honda eu2000 Generator
    icarus wrote: »
    Mine is a 1950's vintage SL 2 coupled to a 5 kw 240 genset. Still runs like new. Makes a ton of noise. I fire it up every couple of years but I don't use it for anything. I have been trying to give it away, but shipping would be expensive.

    Every time I hear of something like this -- I just have to step back and be amazed...

    We are now in a world that is so interconnected by trading and cheap/efficient transportation (Pakistan pot on a stove designed in the US assembled in Mexico from parts made in China a Thailand running natural gas from Russia piped in Korean steel, cooking some strange--to us--Peruvian grain using meat from Argentina...) a perfectly working piece of equipment is not worth anything.

    And yet, Tony's Dad (I am guessing) somehow found it worth bringing this "monster" (in the good sense ;) ) all the way from England (probably) to an island on a lake in Canada in the middle of nowhere.

    Wow....

    -Bill
    Near San Francisco California: 3.5kWatt Grid Tied Solar power system+small backup genset
  • icarus
    icarus Solar Expert Posts: 5,436 ✭✭✭✭
    Re: Seafoam saved my Honda eu2000 Generator

    Actually,

    We bought it used in ~1965 from a fishing resort 100kms away. In those days, we had no roads, so the seller floated down his lake, put in on the CN Rail, and they dropped it off at our stop. Over the portage on a 1929 Model A Ford Truck, floated down our lake, off our island on rollers with blocks and tackles. Been there ever since.
    (It replaced a 1948 Onan 3 kw auto start. The lister burns ~1/4 per hour, the Onan ~1 gal! Still have the Onan, it runs like new as well!)

    It is important to remember that Canada, especially post war had lots of trade with GB, and tons of manufactured items came from England. The engine came from Dursley England, but the GenSet was made by Russel-Hippwell in Owen Sound Ontario. (A fairly large industrial company at the time). We also had, (at the bush camp we ran) another Lister, 10 kw open flywheel water cooled. That ran great until the next owners killed it y not putting oil in it. It probably had 20k hours on it.

    As for the middle of nowhere. We are in the middle of nowhere now, sort of. We do have a road to the lake shore so that we can go to town anytime, but in so many ways we are way more isolated than we were back then. In those days we only had the railway. Our community was 400km long, but only 10 meters wide! All along the railway were small communities, populated mostly by railway maintenance workers,, every 5-10 miles. You knew everyone along the line, as you would take the train to town once a month or so for supplies. We would ride down the line with the section gang on the "hand car" to visit neighbours.

    There were bush trappers, prospectors, fishing and hunting guides all scattered in the bush. In 1950 within 10 miles we probably had 20 people living around us. Now there is one other. The railway now does all it's maintenance with trucks from town, no one traps, and all the guides live in town.

    I miss the community,

    Tony
  • thorsness
    thorsness Solar Expert Posts: 52 ✭✭✭

    Where did the time go? Honda EU2000i and Seafoam update. I still love and use Seafoam. However, as you guys have said, the most important thing to do is drain the carb bowl if you're not using the generator again for a week or two. With the Honda it's very easy; one straight screwdriver and about 2 minutes max. I did not do this enough that I accumulated so much varnish and algae in the carb that Seafoam wouldn't help. I got on YouTube and found DIY tutorials on cleaning the carb. Very easy (I'm a lawyer, not a mechanic!). Put her back together and she runs like a top. Now, I am rigorous about clean fuel and draining the carb. Now and then if it starts to run a little rough, a good dose of Seafoam sprayed into the carb (3X then let it sit for 20 minutes) and we're back in business.
    Thanks again for all the good advice.   -JB