This is by far the most thorough step-by-step video I've seen on how to prepare a small engine for long-term storage. Agree with everything you've done here. My father always taught me - "Take care of your equipment and it will take care of you."
100%. I've always been FIRM believer in that if you take care of things that they'll last a long long time. The way I see things is I work hard for our money and in saying that, why would I NOT take care of something I paid big $$$ for? To some $1000 is peanuts and its a tool meant to be used and abused but money to me is still money spent whether it is $10 or $10,000 its all the same. Respect yours and others property and it will pay you back in spades in whatever payback might look like :)
When you've got OCD... it really makes for a great skill/obsession b/c nothing I own breaks or looks old :). If you only saw my lawnmowers and snowblowers you'd be floored... even the 23 year old car we sold that was run in Canadian winters its whole life looks SHOCKINGLY new.
Wow, my honda generator is still in its original packing box and thank you for showing how it needs to be taken care off for years and years of uninterrupted service!! This is the gold standard for maintenance 🎉
I just bought a generator and came across your youtube. Really awesome. 8 years old and it looks brand new. You have set the standard. Thanks. I have saved it so I can refer to this video. Cheers from Melbourne Australia!
I love it! 1yr old unit looks older than your 8yr example. Very meticulous and thorough, should last for ever. The sunblock care was the icing on the cake. Reminds me of my dad who waxes his 22yr old Snapper mower. Same level of detailed storage procedures and care.
lol, yeah I'm a nutbar. My family thinks I'm overly OCD but the way I see things is you spend your hard earned money on 'things" that why wouldn't you take the extra time to care for them properly? Seems silly to toss expensive "toys" around and ruin them over time.
Thorough explanations during every step, clear speaking voice during the explanations, and protecting every part against the elements. I couldn’t agree with you more about taking care of all tools and equipment to assure it has the best chance to last as long as possible. Fantastic video! Thank you.
Wow it’s great when someone knows there stuff and helps us all out to ensure long life out of our generators cause they ain’t cheap and repair bills we can avoid just by taking the time to follow your process. That generator looks like it’s just come out of the Box 8 years old Omg I love it 😆 Thxs for sharing and taking the time to put this video together ❤
Fantastic video! My husband is so busy I want to help him. With this video, I'm sure I can service our 2 Honda Eu2000i's myself. I have rebuilt engines in the past, so this should be easy! Thank you for the information and the extra non-essential things you do for storage!
Lol I take no credit for that word. Years ago, my colleague called me that because of my propensity to dwell on the minute details of a task we were both working on. He commended me for being neurotic about every detail which I guess has spilled over into personal life.
My step father passed away 6 years ago, he had the same honda eu20i sitting in his shed from 2010, he used it twice and was stored under the factory vinyl cover. I pulled it out last week and to my amazement it started on the second pull, I'm just here now learning how to do a service, the oil still looks brand new but I think it could contain moisture so better safe with new oil
sorry to hear about your stepfather. This generator if given the proper care will last a REALLY REALLY long time. Definitely get that old oil and make sure you find the time to fire it up at least once every 6 months to keep everything properly magnetized in the generator. If they're not used for a long long time the magnets get weak and can lose their magnetism. Running it regularly prevents that from occurring.
lol, I get that a lot from people that buy my used items. They can't believe how clean and new my things are. Its my nature to look after things I spent my hard earned dollars on.
I feel like I've been neglecting my Eu2000i pair, given the amount of TLC you give yours. You've motivated me to give mine a nice cleaning today. Great video
better late than never Paul. At least you recognize your EU2000 units need some TLC. I've cared for all my power equipment like this since day one. My feelings are that if I've invested to purchase the very best in equipment why would it not deserve the same level as care? My generator is over 8 years old and looks like I just removed it from the box still :)
yeah, I'm a bit of a neurotic guy when it comes to my personal things. I paid some serious coin for this generator so it had better last until my great grand children are born :)
Great video! I just bought a used Honda EU2000i, and the previous owner didn’t take as good of care of it as I would hope. But, it was an emergency. We had a storm that took out our power for 3 and a half days! It ran great, but I am going to do EVERYTHING you did in this video. I have an 8 year old Polaris RZR 800s and it looks like your 8 year old generator. And I know if I ever go to sell it it will bring top dollar - because I take care of it! I liked your comment in one of the post, something like “it doesn’t take that much effort to keep it looking and running new” - and the “take pride”. Well done - and THANKS!
Having OCD is a curse and a blessing. Blessing in that all my "stuff" is always in near perfect shape. Curse b/c it takes life energy to do these things and these "things" are meant to be tools that are used.
We use our generator for our business ... temporary tattoo's and face painting.... on the fair and festival circuit. It is used and abused, during power outages, back up for the camper and any time we need portable power. We clean the air filter and change the oil about once a year and run the gas dry and that is about it. It is still dependable as can be. Yours should last forever! Great Video.
Yeah I hope mine lasts forever b/c I couldn't possibly afford to buy another one considering they're $1400 Canadian for one! Glad to hear that yours despite its heavy use that it holds up well.
OMG. this is the greatest video on winterizing a generator. Very detailed and cool!! Covers points many other even the manufacturer misses. Love pull till you are on compression stroke. Thanks!!
Great video…. I always add a little dialectic grease to the boot end of the spark plug and the ceramic part of the spark plug for two reasons. Makes it easier to push the boot on to the plug and remove it from the plug. Also prevents corrosion and a repels water.
If you ever want to sell a car (or any other mechanical thing), and the potential buyer wants evidence that you did your maintenance....just refer the buyer to one of these videos. Good lord, I was chuckling toward the end. You are one fastidious man, for sure. Good work!
BfSkinnerPunk You are so right I was thinking to my self have way though that I bet this guy armor all's this thing. Then holy shit he does. Ha But at the same time shame on me for laughing because..., I do the same thing So it's good to see there are other people out there like me
Wow I can't believe I did not see your comment until a year later! Most folks that buy stuff from me appreciate that i PUT in a tremendous amount of care into them. My co-worker persuaded me to sell him my 470,000km Honda civic to him which I thought at the time was mental but he drove that care for many more years after that and it (the civic) ran like a champ b/c it was so well cared for!. I admit I am super OCD and b/c I spent my hard earned dollars buying these things that I sure as hell better respect my investment by taking EXTRA good care of it!
In my eyes you spend good money to buy good equipment why would you NOT take care of it? Honda equipment isn't exactly cheap and thus it is in most people's best interests to look after their gear appropriately.
+glongSJK Glad you liked my vid. Not so surprisingly part of my day job is technical writing and presentation so I guess it does make sense :) You'll love the Honda. Nicest piece of power equipment I've got in my garage...
Awesome video man, you're just like me very meticulous with stuff . I have a eu6500is Honda generator from 2009 and only have 5 hrs on it. I never use it and store it dry . Just have it in the garage for emergencies. Love the machine because how quiet it is. Great way to take care of your stuff thanks for the vid
I'm so super neurotic about everything (I'll probably die young from being so OCD about everything). The way I see it is that while this is a piece of equipment or "tool" as many have suggested that I know I spent my hard earned dollars buying this generator and I'm sure as heck going to go out of my way to ensure it last as long as I'm alive and then some. Only way to do that is give the equipment the respect and care that it deserves. Thanks for watching and awesome you have a EU6500. I so want a generator that big just to say I have one :)
Nice video. I have the same generator and follow pretty much the same steps, however, I also release any fuel left in the carb via the slotted screw on the side of the carb body which will realease the gasoline via the hose down the bottom and side of the unit. I also store with a fitted cover on it. I only have about 35 hours on mine.
how long equipment lasts and how well it runs is all dependent on the amount of attention you give something. I too have a fitted Honda cover for mine but I don't bother draining out the carb bowl b/c I've found that after running it bone dry that there isn't anything left that can be drained out. May your generator have many 1000's of hours of trouble free service :)
People make fun of me because I'm so obsessed about taking care of things. There no winning with a lot of folks but the way I see it is, I spent my hard earned dollars on this and I'm going to sure as heck make sure it lasts a LIFETIME.
Thank You. People say I am crazy too. Very Nice video taking excellent care of your equipment. I am just like you, I want to Keep my valuables in New condition. Bravo!
the way I look at things is, it is a pretty expensive investment and one would be almost stupid to not care for it. That's like buying an expensive car and then never changing the oil or cleaning it and letting it fall apart. Treat everything you own and anything you use with respect and it will pay you back in spades.
Great video and information. One thing to note regarding anti-seize. Most experts advise not to put anti-seize on spark plugs as modern spark plugs are designed with anti-seize properties and applying it can actually negate the anti-seize coating and cause issues like over-tightening due to reduced friction, potentially damaging the threads in the cylinder head. Of course, you should consult the spark plug manufacturer's information sheet to confirm whether or not it has anti-seize properties.
I’ve always placed a light coating of anti-seize on every spark plug for cars, boats, Lowes, snowblowers, generators, wee wacker, motorcycles and more for 60 years. Never a problem…. Snap one stuck spark plug off during removal and you’ll be a believer too.
Thank you very much bought a storage with 6 Honda generators in it all run but will now do exactly as you did again thank you very much very informative
wow a storage unit with 6 Honda generators?! Impressive! I don't think in Canada that we can buy storage units. I watch a show called storage wars and it amazes me at what people find in them.
yep same here... Ethanol while okay if you go through it like water isn't so great for a homeowner that occasionally uses their equipment. Ethanol gas in the "height of use" during peak season isn't actually bad as ethanol based fuel makes a great fuel system cleaner when it is FRESH. I actually will run ethanol fuel through my mowers and trimmers once or twice a season (full tanks) and then when empty that I then fill with non-ethanal fuel. It is obviously a pain the butt to do but since I use my equipment quite a bit all summer long that I am confident I can blow through the ethanol gas in a day or two.
I have actually kept track on useage & get more hours out of non-e than ethanol in my mower, snow blower , Honda generator , Polaris Razor 570 & jet boat of course regular in our vehicles . Right now its $2.97 for non-e & $2.30 for regular in Spokane, WA.
interesting conclusion. I can't say that I have done any time of timing trials on the fuel I use. Personally it doesn't matter on a tiny little engine but it is good to know that non-e fuel runs longer. Thanks for sharing that info!
Fantastic video. I admire your attention to detail. One comment, I pulled the ignition plug apart inside the maintenance cover and ran the generator with the fuel valve in the off position until it ran out of fuel. After doing this I open the carburetor drain screw and still had some fuel come out. It appears to me that doing a final carburetor drain after what you did would really make the fuel system dry.
+GenFree yep that's definitely a good tip indeed! I think whatever route you go to winterize that as long as the carb is dry and you don't have stangnant fuel in the generator that you're golden. Some say you should keep fuel running in the unit to prevent the alternator from losing its magnetism. Not sure how true that is but I guess it wouldn't hur tto run it for 10 minutes a month.
It's actually a better idea IMO to change the oil before running it empty of fuel. That way the oil change is more thorough, since it's changed when the engine is still warm and there's fresh oil circulating inside the engine before storage. Nicely done otherwise and your generator looks brand new. I have the same generator and it's from 2008. Still running flawlessly. One neat trick if the plastics are a bit faded is to wipe them down with WD-40. 😅
I bought mine a little over 5 years ago... filled it with gas and never used it. Didn't drain any fuel out. I think I started it a year or two later. What steps should I take now to make sure it runs ok and don't cause any damage? TY.
+darin Ammann Yep, a well cared for piece of power equipment is always going to last a very very long time. I love detailing my equipment because I have the believe that caring for your equipment just stop at oil changes and air filters. It should be the whole package deal!
Very good video. Only thing I will add is that I believe the 2000i has a drain in the bottom of the carburetor bowl with a tube attached. Even though you ran it dry there will be a small amount of gas left to drain through this drain. Good work.
I have turned that screw to drain the carb but I never got fuel out of it. Probably b/c I tried to start and start and start the generator a million times after it stalled out.
piercedasian, that's probably true if you pull it enough you will eventually suck all fuel out of the bowl if out of gas. However the drain does a very good job. For fun pull the bowl off and take a look. Lots of times I have pulled bowls off after carb run dry to find a fair amount of gas in bowl just waiting to turn to varnish
Great video, thanks!! I think the cleaning and uv protection is excellent. I enjoy keeping my tools clean for the next use. I have a craftman set of sockets from my grandfather, and after every use they get clean and are as good as new. Some say we are crazy I respond not crazy just have Pride, since I lost my grandfather they have a deeper meaning.
+Elvin Nazario I truly believe that things that are cared for DO perform better and certainly last longer. The bonus is that your item also LOOKS better too. My generator is over 8 years old and looks as nice as the day I took it out of the box.
Hey, thanks for the presentation, it is great. I had one question, could you provide a link of where you purchased the oil change extension pipe referred to in this video, thanks in advance, take care.
There could be a fuel filter with a bowl & drain bolt, or a drain bolt in the bottom of the carburetor you also could've removed to drain out any leftover fuel, I'm pretty sure the engine will still quit even when the carb still has a little fuel left in it. Good info/video
There is a drain spigot that looks like a screw and is connected via a tube that actually exits out of the bottom of the generator. To answer your question about fuel left in the carb even after the motor stalls. Surprisingly in my generator there is none but mind you that I tried to start my generator like a billion times with the choke on just to make sure I pulled every drop of fuel out of the carb and the fuel lines. When I opened up the carb drain bolt not a trace of anything came out so presumably the bowl was basically devoid of any fuel.
Nice video. If you have access to aviation 100ll fuel, It is fully stable and will no degrade for several years. I always run my small engines on this before putting them away.
wow aviation fuel? I wouldn't even know where I'd go in our city to get that and if I did find it how would I go about buying it? I'd want to run that 1000LL fuel in my car :)
@@piercedasian 100LL is available at any small airport. Many racing teams use it. Some airports will not fill your gas can but many will. It would be a bad idea for your car. The lead in the fuel kills your O2 sensor and is rough on catalytic converters. But it makes a great fuel for small engine storage.
technically some winterizing is a good idea - mainly the oil change. Spark plugs especially for propane powered engines last a VERY VERY long time so that likely doesn't need changing. Giving the air cleaner a check and possible cleaning is good practice too to ensure you've got a generator to go when you need it.
Ever had an issue with the diaphragm fuel pump in that generator, I heard leaving them empty of fuel they can dry out, just wondering I have two of these and I need to start maintaining them like this
I have had some minor difficulties with getting it started at the start of the season likely as a result of a a dry diagram pump. It does take a bit of extra effort to get a generator started but once they get going they're perfectly fine. I've stored generators completely dry and with some fuel in them but at the end of the day all have one thing in common - they work!
That spark gap looked 0.05 mm off. I jest, but seriously thanks for the thorough routine. My experience with motorcycle air filters taught me that crumpling filter to squeeze excess fluid out shortens the filter life. Patience pays dividends by only flattening filter inside absorbing cloth and air drying for final dry. Excessive friction quickly kills filter integrity due to filter composition.
Lol when I first saw your comment I thought “seriously”? You make a good point about crumpling the filter. Makes complete sense actually! I will have to do what you suggested on my next cleaning and reoiling.
This is great for a generator that might be stored for years. But for season storage I have just used fuel additive to 93 octane and fill my tanks up to the brim with that gas so theres hardly no air pocket. I haven't had a fouled carb since.
that is true - the amount of storage prep I do is quite cumbersome for those that have many piece of equipment to put away. I have so many pieces of gas powered gear that I can literally spend 8 hours to wash, dry, wax, change oil, fuel, etc before I can put them. So much work BUT the effort does pay off in that my equipment looks and performs like new every season. Filling as to the brim with high quality ethanol fuel is definitely a method that will work but I'm super OCD so I am inclined to do what I do every season.
GREAT advice. I noticed you no longer have the hourmeter mounted on top. I guess you didn't like having the access panel tethered to the genset. I am planning to run the generator on premium fuel with stabilizer and I was thinking about storing the unit with the ethanol free gas sold in steel quart cans. What do you think about that?
+Paul Ross It wasn't that the tethered access cover to the hour meter was annoying. I actually tucked it inside the unit instead to protect it from the elements and to prevent it from getting banged up. The hour meter is there to tell me when to change the oil and given how little i use my gen set that I have a pretty good idea of how much time I've run the unit. The hour meter is there to just help me confirm what I sort of already know. Buy premium fuel in the tin cans? Not necessary. Just go to your local gas station and ask the station operator whether or not their premium fuel contains ethanol. Premium fuel in my necks of the woods generally doesn't. The preferred way to store the gen is run it completely out of fuel and repeatedly trying to start the unit until it can't start even with the choke on. A dry generator in my opinion is less problematic than one stored with fuel. Then have fresh gas in your can at any given time and just cycle through it ever couple of months in your car and buy fresh gas. This ways when you DO need it that the gen can be filled and chances are it will fire right up :)
+piercedasian I especially like the log that came with the hour meter & have it enclosed inside alok bag & duct taped it to the top of the generator housing. I log my usage & maintenance immediately AFTER each use. Because the Honda warranty doesn't cover "FUEL RELATED PROBLEMS", I'm using premium non-ethanol gas; numerous other youtube videos suggest the ethanol in gas attracts moisture & may contribute to fuel related problems with the generator; you've not mentioned what kind of gas you use. This video is in my FAVORITE list. I'd like to suggest the generator be elevated 6"-12" above dusty ground as the air intake is on the bottom of the generator. The elevated generator isn't as likely to suck up dust off the ground. Obviously, if the generator is sitting on concrete or pavement then dust isn't as likely to get sucked up the generator's air intake.
Hi Bill, you're right I didn't actually mention what fuel I use in my power equipment. My bad! I use ethanol free fuel which is typically premium fuel. I should point out that not all premium fuel is ethanol free. You have to ask the gas station attendant or the corporate headquarters if the gas station doesn't know. Yeah the little log book is useful but I use a phone app to track my hours since I'm such a scatterbrain. Good suggestion on elevating the generator when it's on dusty ground. I figured that since I've got an air filter coated with bel ray foam filter oil that dust intrusion wouldn't really be an issue. That being said the less dust you expose any power equipment to the better off you are. Thanks for watching Bill.
Well presented. Can you please tell me if NO-OX-ID A-Special compound can be used for the anti seize? Thats all I have. And second, are all spark plugs for gennies nickle alloy? not silver chrome? thanks
Hmm I'm not sure what the plugs are made from. All I know is that 99.999% of the plugs I use in cars and power equipment are made by NGK. As for using NO-OX ID. Don't bother using it. It isn't for the right application. Just make sure you use a good quality NGK plug (new) and carefully install the plug and snug it up hand tight and you should be A-ok.
Great video, I should be getting me EU2000 on Monday and have been looking for a video like this because I like to take care of my stuff too. I own a 2007 tacoma that looks better than my girlfriends 2013 rav4. But thats just me.
Hi! Wonder if you can help me with a generator breaking in question? Finally breaking in my 2000watt Ai Yamaha engined inverter generator today after purchasing it last summer. Conditioned the spark plug cylinder as well as rocking the generator back and forth to built up gas pressure and fume for the initial start. It started on the very first pull, yeah! Everything went smoothly during the first hour run under no load. Turned it off, drained and replaced with new oil. Getting ready to do the 2nd run. But now it won't start when I go pull the cord. Have now pulled it multiple times with 10 - 15 pulls each time. There's enough gas and oil inside. Eco mode off. Knob turned to choke/start. Gas cap vent open. Any idea why it's not starting? its not even turning over one bit. In your video, you mention pouring off the gas opposite side of the opened panel so as not to flood the carburetor reservoir. Did I flooded mine when I placed the generator on a stool and tilted it to get a complete drain? There is a small tube with a screw that will drain off the gas for storage on mine. Can I unscrew that to release the excess gas if i did flooded it? If so, how much gas will that tube release if gas tank contains gas? Or, is this more a case of needing to rock the generator for a minute, sort of like priming a lawn mower, like I did initially, in order for it to start? If so, just for my understanding for future purposes, isn't there already gas inside the line now that it has ran an hour? Any feedback would be greatly appreciated as I'm new to generators.
Hi Dora, it sounds like you may have flooded the unit. Check to make sure your spark plug wire is firmly plugged onto the spark plug and make sure you double check the settings for the choke and eco and other important things including the "run switch" if your unit has one. Pull briskly several times to see if you can unflood it. If worse comes to worst and you can't get it to start then I'd remove the spark plug and inspect to see if it is all soaked with fuel. If it is then just pulling the engine over a few times with no spark plug to rid the excess fuel and dry off everything before reinstalling the plug. You don't want to cause a fire where you're working. If the plug is dry then you're not getting any fuel which means you could have air trapped in your fuel lines. When I run my Honda completely dry and leave it completely dried that it can be a PITA to start up again. If you still can't get it to work try using a long squirt of engine fogging spray into the spark plug hole and then after reinstalling the plug fire it up. It should sound like it's turning over if you use enough fogging spray. I use the engine fog spray on my snowblower when it is difficult to start and it works every time. Hope those tips help!
@@piercedasian Very appreciative of your quick reply. Still not sure what caused the nonstart as I got it started before I saw your steps to diagnose the cause. By letting it sit for a few hours, and remembering the quick guide had mentioned about using Run instead of Choke/start when starting on warm, the engine started back up after I turned the switch to Run instead of choke/start before pulling the chord. Do you think this is what made the difference between start and not start? Or would the flooding clear itself up after sitting there a few hours? Anyways, got it to run another hour before the sun went down to clear some more metal shavings and drained the oil. We'll see what it does next when I fill it back up and pull the chord tomorrow and put it under some load. Trying to get my generator prepared for the hurricane season and familiarize myself using it. I do have fogging oil on hand should I need it tomorrow. I will copy and save your suggestions for future diagnostics and reference should I run into this same problem again in future. Thanks and much obliged for your help!
I have stored fuel in my generator reliable for about 6 months and this is non-ethanol fuel that has fuel preservative mixed in with it. If I am not going to use the generator I will bring it out, fire it up and hook up a load to it and let it run until its out of fuel.
Really awesome video. I'm curious what you use your generator for. I live in the SF Bay Area and PG&E shuts down power each summer due to high winds causing fire danger. I'm taking out my Honda EU2200i generator tonight for the 3rd power shutoff this past month.
I'm embarrassed to admit this but... I don't really use my generator for anything other than dry camping on the RARE occasion that I need electricity. I bought it b/c waaaay back I really wanted to have a honda generator just because they were synonymous with quality and being a big honda guy that I just HAD to have one. In all the years that I have owned this unit that I MIGHT have put 50 hours total on it (possibly less). The hour meter that I installed into my unit to this day shows total run hours of 10 and i put that meter in a long long long time ago. We are fortunate where we live that power delivery is exceptionally reliable and we might get a power outage once a year and even then it is momentary and rarely goes for hours unless there was some catastrophic power event (also very rare). That's crazy how many outages you get in Cali. I'm not sure how good the US power infrastructure is but I do know that the USA is running the grid at near 90% capacity at any given time which means brownouts and rolling blackouts can be a common occurrence esp in major centres. The EU2200i is a great unit and builds on the insanely successful EU2000i. Good job!
Very good tuition Question as you have to remove the muffler to clean carbon build up on the exhaust strainer could you use the anti seize paste on the muffler bolts Is there a advantage to putting a inline fuel filter on
inline fuel filter is only useful for fuels that are dirty and I find that the gas I always buy is very very clean so no need. No harm in putting one it but I didn't feel I needed that for my generator. yes it is HIGHLY recommended to use antiseize on the muffler bolts but just remember to not overtorque the bolts as antiseize or any lubricant on the bolts will change the torque values being applied to the bolt.
while the engine is mostly aluminum that there are *SOME* steel components. Crankshaft end bearings and piston wrist pins, for example, are made of steel and since steel is harder than aluminum that you want to make sure none of that wears away at the aluminum components. I'd agree that there isn't much steel at all BUT even on my generator that there were VERY minute traces of steel on the end of the magnet which tells me that the steel components in the motor can and do wear out over time. Anything to help curb wear and tear is good in my books.
I've never seen anyone who takes better care of their honda portable generator than I do...until now!
lol, treat the equipment with respect and it will pay you back in spades.
This is by far the most thorough step-by-step video I've seen on how to prepare a small engine for long-term storage. Agree with everything you've done here.
My father always taught me - "Take care of your equipment and it will take care of you."
100%. I've always been FIRM believer in that if you take care of things that they'll last a long long time. The way I see things is I work hard for our money and in saying that, why would I NOT take care of something I paid big $$$ for? To some $1000 is peanuts and its a tool meant to be used and abused but money to me is still money spent whether it is $10 or $10,000 its all the same. Respect yours and others property and it will pay you back in spades in whatever payback might look like :)
Most thorough wintering process I've seen on the internet.
When you've got OCD... it really makes for a great skill/obsession b/c nothing I own breaks or looks old :). If you only saw my lawnmowers and snowblowers you'd be floored... even the 23 year old car we sold that was run in Canadian winters its whole life looks SHOCKINGLY new.
@@piercedasianTHIS
Wow, my honda generator is still in its original packing box and thank you for showing how it needs to be taken care off for years and years of uninterrupted service!! This is the gold standard for maintenance 🎉
glad you like my video. My generator is turning 17 this year and its as minty as the day I bought it.
I just bought a generator and came across your youtube. Really awesome. 8 years old and it looks brand new. You have set the standard. Thanks. I have saved it so I can refer to this video. Cheers from Melbourne Australia!
Awesome! Thank you!
I love it! 1yr old unit looks older than your 8yr example. Very meticulous and thorough, should last for ever. The sunblock care was the icing on the cake. Reminds me of my dad who waxes his 22yr old Snapper mower. Same level of detailed storage procedures and care.
lol, yeah I'm a nutbar. My family thinks I'm overly OCD but the way I see things is you spend your hard earned money on 'things" that why wouldn't you take the extra time to care for them properly? Seems silly to toss expensive "toys" around and ruin them over time.
Thorough explanations during every step, clear speaking voice during the explanations, and protecting every part against the elements. I couldn’t agree with you more about taking care of all tools and equipment to assure it has the best chance to last as long as possible. Fantastic video! Thank you.
Glad you found the video helpful! Thanks for stopping by.
Wow it’s great when someone knows there stuff and helps us all out to ensure long life out of our generators cause they ain’t cheap and repair bills we can avoid just by taking the time to follow your process. That generator looks like it’s just come out of the Box 8 years old Omg I love it 😆 Thxs for sharing and taking the time to put this video together ❤
Fantastic video! My husband is so busy I want to help him. With this video, I'm sure I can service our 2 Honda Eu2000i's myself. I have rebuilt engines in the past, so this should be easy! Thank you for the information and the extra non-essential things you do for storage!
Glad to help
Seven years later and this is still a great tutorial!
Glad you liked the video!
Excellent and thorough video! This is the first time I have heard anyone use "pedantic" in a TH-cam video - you are quite an intellectual!
Lol I take no credit for that word. Years ago, my colleague called me that because of my propensity to dwell on the minute details of a task we were both working on. He commended me for being neurotic about every detail which I guess has spilled over into personal life.
My step father passed away 6 years ago, he had the same honda eu20i sitting in his shed from 2010, he used it twice and was stored under the factory vinyl cover. I pulled it out last week and to my amazement it started on the second pull, I'm just here now learning how to do a service, the oil still looks brand new but I think it could contain moisture so better safe with new oil
sorry to hear about your stepfather. This generator if given the proper care will last a REALLY REALLY long time. Definitely get that old oil and make sure you find the time to fire it up at least once every 6 months to keep everything properly magnetized in the generator. If they're not used for a long long time the magnets get weak and can lose their magnetism. Running it regularly prevents that from occurring.
Well done! Your Honda looks brand new for a 8 year old generator. Great job of taking care of your equipment.
thanks! The generator is approaching 17 years old this year and it looks as good as it did in this video.
You are the kind of guy I love to buy used stuff from....!
lol, I get that a lot from people that buy my used items. They can't believe how clean and new my things are. Its my nature to look after things I spent my hard earned dollars on.
I feel like I've been neglecting my Eu2000i pair, given the amount of TLC you give yours. You've motivated me to give mine a nice cleaning today. Great video
better late than never Paul. At least you recognize your EU2000 units need some TLC. I've cared for all my power equipment like this since day one. My feelings are that if I've invested to purchase the very best in equipment why would it not deserve the same level as care? My generator is over 8 years old and looks like I just removed it from the box still :)
Very well done and comprehensive. Ordered that magnetic dip stick and spout from Amazon, didn't know they even know they made it. Thanks
you're most welcome. Thanks for watching!
Wow! Now that was informative. I have an EU1000 and two EU2000s. I've never seen such a thorough video on how to store these long term. Thanks!
yeah, I'm a bit of a neurotic guy when it comes to my personal things. I paid some serious coin for this generator so it had better last until my great grand children are born :)
I never knew which side I should tilt my generator to drain the remaining gasoline. Now I know, thanks.
glad it helped!
Just bought a used eu2000
Now I know how to take care of it
Outstanding video. ..thanks
Daniel Fischer you'll love the EU2000. It is a great piece of power equipment that should last nearly a lifetime for most folks.
Great video! I just bought a used Honda EU2000i, and the previous owner didn’t take as good of care of it as I would hope. But, it was an emergency. We had a storm that took out our power for 3 and a half days! It ran great, but I am going to do EVERYTHING you did in this video. I have an 8 year old Polaris RZR 800s and it looks like your 8 year old generator. And I know if I ever go to sell it it will bring top dollar - because I take care of it! I liked your comment in one of the post, something like “it doesn’t take that much effort to keep it looking and running new” - and the “take pride”. Well done - and THANKS!
wow, that's crazy. No power for 3.5 days?? An ounce of prevention translates to a pound of cure.
Dude has ocd like me i will do these steps after I’m finished with my eu2200
Having OCD is a curse and a blessing. Blessing in that all my "stuff" is always in near perfect shape. Curse b/c it takes life energy to do these things and these "things" are meant to be tools that are used.
A very thorough procedure for long term storage indeed. The same care can be applied to any small engine. Good job!
thanks for watching!
Nice to see someone who really cares about their equipment, great video, Thanks., 👍👍
Yep, I can't afford to replace these things regularly so I figured I may as well do a fine job of taking care of it.
We use our generator for our business ... temporary tattoo's and face painting.... on the fair and festival circuit. It is used and abused, during power outages, back up for the camper and any time we need portable power. We clean the air filter and change the oil about once a year and run the gas dry and that is about it. It is still dependable as can be. Yours should last forever! Great Video.
Yeah I hope mine lasts forever b/c I couldn't possibly afford to buy another one considering they're $1400 Canadian for one! Glad to hear that yours despite its heavy use that it holds up well.
An excellent video. You have given the public some very useful tips on maintaining these awesome generators. I have some work to do on mine! Thanks.
Glad it was helpful!
OMG. this is the greatest video on winterizing a generator. Very detailed and cool!! Covers points many other even the manufacturer misses. Love pull till you are on compression stroke. Thanks!!
Glad it was helpful!
Great video…. I always add a little dialectic grease to the boot end of the spark plug and the ceramic part of the spark plug for two reasons. Makes it easier to push the boot on to the plug and remove it from the plug. Also prevents corrosion and a repels water.
Very detail oriented. I bet your wife is very happy, lol. But seriously, I'm saving this to my generator playlist, since I just bought an EU2000i.
lol, the devil is ALWAYS in the details when doing this kind of work.
Great video. You are so thorough. Loved the recap at the end. Excellent.
Glad you enjoyed it!
If you ever want to sell a car (or any other mechanical thing), and the potential buyer wants evidence that you did your maintenance....just refer the buyer to one of these videos. Good lord, I was chuckling toward the end. You are one fastidious man, for sure. Good work!
Informative
BfSkinnerPunk You are so right I was thinking to my self have way though that I bet this guy armor all's this thing. Then holy shit he does. Ha
But at the same time shame on me for laughing because..., I do the same thing So it's good to see there are other people out there like me
lacenter645 hey this is what you do when you don’t have a woman to take care of 😂
Wow I can't believe I did not see your comment until a year later! Most folks that buy stuff from me appreciate that i PUT in a tremendous amount of care into them. My co-worker persuaded me to sell him my 470,000km Honda civic to him which I thought at the time was mental but he drove that care for many more years after that and it (the civic) ran like a champ b/c it was so well cared for!. I admit I am super OCD and b/c I spent my hard earned dollars buying these things that I sure as hell better respect my investment by taking EXTRA good care of it!
In my eyes you spend good money to buy good equipment why would you NOT take care of it? Honda equipment isn't exactly cheap and thus it is in most people's best interests to look after their gear appropriately.
Great video, with attention to detail. Thanks for sharing.
I was a former technical trainer, you did a great job. I just ordered a honda as my honeywell needs to go to the shop.
+glongSJK Glad you liked my vid. Not so surprisingly part of my day job is technical writing and presentation so I guess it does make sense :) You'll love the Honda. Nicest piece of power equipment I've got in my garage...
Thanks for putting this video together. I now follow all the step presented to prepare Honda EU2000i for winter storage.
you're most welcome. Thanks for watching!
Thank you for taking the time to post this demo. Very helpful.
Glad you found the video useful Lee.
Excellent. Very thorough, yet short video covering several things I would not have considered. Thanks.
+Mike Zimmermann call me anal... My generator looks as good as the day I purchased it :)
Wow, quality video. Added to my Home Repair videos. Thank you!
+45eno glad you liked my video! Thanks for watching :)
Man, you are all inspiration to me. Thank you for this and everything. Peace ✌🏿
very thorough and well presented. all tips and techniques are valuable. thanks!
glad you found the video useful!
Awesome video man, you're just like me very meticulous with stuff . I have a eu6500is Honda generator from 2009 and only have 5 hrs on it. I never use it and store it dry . Just have it in the garage for emergencies. Love the machine because how quiet it is. Great way to take care of your stuff thanks for the vid
I'm so super neurotic about everything (I'll probably die young from being so OCD about everything). The way I see it is that while this is a piece of equipment or "tool" as many have suggested that I know I spent my hard earned dollars buying this generator and I'm sure as heck going to go out of my way to ensure it last as long as I'm alive and then some. Only way to do that is give the equipment the respect and care that it deserves. Thanks for watching and awesome you have a EU6500. I so want a generator that big just to say I have one :)
If you store dry do you run risk of rust inside tank?
Nice video. I have the same generator and follow pretty much the same steps, however, I also release any fuel left in the carb via the slotted screw on the side of the carb body which will realease the gasoline via the hose down the bottom and side of the unit. I also store with a fitted cover on it. I only have about 35 hours on mine.
how long equipment lasts and how well it runs is all dependent on the amount of attention you give something. I too have a fitted Honda cover for mine but I don't bother draining out the carb bowl b/c I've found that after running it bone dry that there isn't anything left that can be drained out. May your generator have many 1000's of hours of trouble free service :)
Thanks for the tool link above. I went ahead and got the extension oil dipstick adaptor and the magnetic oil dipstick too.
you're very welcome!
Very comprehensive video, well done!
I wish everyone cared for their stuff the way you do! Awesome video!
People make fun of me because I'm so obsessed about taking care of things. There no winning with a lot of folks but the way I see it is, I spent my hard earned dollars on this and I'm going to sure as heck make sure it lasts a LIFETIME.
Thank You. People say I am crazy too. Very Nice video taking excellent care of your equipment. I am just like you, I want to Keep my valuables in New condition. Bravo!
the way I look at things is, it is a pretty expensive investment and one would be almost stupid to not care for it. That's like buying an expensive car and then never changing the oil or cleaning it and letting it fall apart. Treat everything you own and anything you use with respect and it will pay you back in spades.
Great video and information. One thing to note regarding anti-seize. Most experts advise not to put anti-seize on spark plugs as modern spark plugs are designed with anti-seize properties and applying it can actually negate the anti-seize coating and cause issues like over-tightening due to reduced friction, potentially damaging the threads in the cylinder head. Of course, you should consult the spark plug manufacturer's information sheet to confirm whether or not it has anti-seize properties.
I’ve always placed a light coating of anti-seize on every spark plug for cars, boats, Lowes, snowblowers, generators, wee wacker, motorcycles and more for 60 years. Never a problem…. Snap one stuck spark plug off during removal and you’ll be a believer too.
What a detailed informative video, perfect!!
Glad it was helpful!
Thanks for the extra information about taking care of these reliable Generators. I have some work to do!
Any time!
One of the best and informative video's I've seen. Super! Thank you!
Glad it was helpful!
Thank you very much bought a storage with 6 Honda generators in it all run but will now do exactly as you did again thank you very much very informative
wow a storage unit with 6 Honda generators?! Impressive! I don't think in Canada that we can buy storage units. I watch a show called storage wars and it amazes me at what people find in them.
Good job ! appreciate taking care of equipment to retain its value also. Also I use ONLY non-ethanol gas in all my small engine equipment.
yep same here... Ethanol while okay if you go through it like water isn't so great for a homeowner that occasionally uses their equipment. Ethanol gas in the "height of use" during peak season isn't actually bad as ethanol based fuel makes a great fuel system cleaner when it is FRESH. I actually will run ethanol fuel through my mowers and trimmers once or twice a season (full tanks) and then when empty that I then fill with non-ethanal fuel. It is obviously a pain the butt to do but since I use my equipment quite a bit all summer long that I am confident I can blow through the ethanol gas in a day or two.
I have actually kept track on useage & get more hours out of non-e than ethanol in my mower, snow blower , Honda generator , Polaris Razor 570 & jet boat of course regular in our vehicles . Right now its $2.97 for non-e & $2.30 for regular in Spokane, WA.
interesting conclusion. I can't say that I have done any time of timing trials on the fuel I use. Personally it doesn't matter on a tiny little engine but it is good to know that non-e fuel runs longer. Thanks for sharing that info!
Excellent tutorial. Thank you for taking the time to share your knowledge. It was very helpful.
Glad you found the video useful. I have a lawnmower winterizing video that is just as comprehensive!
Fantastic video. I admire your attention to detail. One comment, I pulled the ignition plug apart inside the maintenance cover and ran the generator with the fuel valve in the off position until it ran out of fuel. After doing this I open the carburetor drain screw and still had some fuel come out. It appears to me that doing a final carburetor drain after what you did would really make the fuel system dry.
+GenFree yep that's definitely a good tip indeed! I think whatever route you go to winterize that as long as the carb is dry and you don't have stangnant fuel in the generator that you're golden. Some say you should keep fuel running in the unit to prevent the alternator from losing its magnetism. Not sure how true that is but I guess it wouldn't hur tto run it for 10 minutes a month.
Outstanding video, very informative.
Glad it was helpful!
wow very good job my friend , good learning tonight for me , thanks a lot
Glad you liked this video. Thanks for watching!
This was a fantastic video. Well done and thank you for posting!
Glad you enjoyed it!
Excellent, just serviced my own genny. Thanks for sharing.
Glad to help
It's actually a better idea IMO to change the oil before running it empty of fuel. That way the oil change is more thorough, since it's changed when the engine is still warm and there's fresh oil circulating inside the engine before storage. Nicely done otherwise and your generator looks brand new. I have the same generator and it's from 2008. Still running flawlessly. One neat trick if the plastics are a bit faded is to wipe them down with WD-40. 😅
a magnetic dip stick is a must on these , The amount of metal they collect is astounding , much better than flowing around in there like sandpaper
Then something is wrong... mine only collects a little black powder barely observable
Perhaps you may have a weaker / cheaper magnet than the one I have , it collects enough to noice I promise and I change the oil every 8 hours
Thorough process. Well done!
Glad you liked the video!
Very well done. I like your advice of getting a magnetic engine oil cap. Thank you.
Glad you liked the video!
You covered everything I had questions about. Great video..well covered subject. Thanks
Glad it was helpful!
Very clear and easy to follow instructions. Thanks a lot for sharing.
glad you liked my vid. Thanks for watching!
Great video and very detailed and clear instructions. Good woork!
Glad it was helpful!
Is there a float bowl to drain?
Excellent - very helpful demo. Much appreciated.
You’re most welcome!
Very thorough job! really enjoyed your video. 100% Quality workmanship. Thanks
Glad you liked the video. Thanks for watching!
Very helpful video. Thanks!
Glad you liked it!
I bought mine a little over 5 years ago... filled it with gas and never used it. Didn't drain any fuel out. I think I started it a year or two later. What steps should I take now to make sure it runs ok and don't cause any damage? TY.
Great video. Thanks so much for the lesson. Very helpful.
Glad you found the video useful!
top noch! i thought i was the only one that picky! funny though is i use all the same exact products for my stuff. that thing will last for ever.
+darin Ammann Yep, a well cared for piece of power equipment is always going to last a very very long time. I love detailing my equipment because I have the believe that caring for your equipment just stop at oil changes and air filters. It should be the whole package deal!
Great video! Thanks so much!
Exactly the info I was looking for ! Thank you !!
Glad the info was useful to you!
Very good video. Only thing I will add is that I believe the 2000i has a drain in the bottom of the carburetor bowl with a tube attached. Even though you ran it dry there will be a small amount of gas left to drain through this drain. Good work.
I have turned that screw to drain the carb but I never got fuel out of it. Probably b/c I tried to start and start and start the generator a million times after it stalled out.
piercedasian, that's probably true if you pull it enough you will eventually suck all fuel out of the bowl if out of gas. However the drain does a very good job. For fun pull the bowl off and take a look. Lots of times I have pulled bowls off after carb run dry to find a fair amount of gas in bowl just waiting to turn to varnish
Great video, thanks!! I think the cleaning and uv protection is excellent. I enjoy keeping my tools clean for the next use. I have a craftman set of sockets from my grandfather, and after every use they get clean and are as good as new. Some say we are crazy I respond not crazy just have Pride, since I lost my grandfather they have a deeper meaning.
+Elvin Nazario I truly believe that things that are cared for DO perform better and certainly last longer. The bonus is that your item also LOOKS better too. My generator is over 8 years old and looks as nice as the day I took it out of the box.
Very good video! Thanks for taking the time to make it.
you're most welcome. Thanks for watching!
Excellent presentation. Concise and easy to follow. Thank you!
glad you liked my video. Thanks for watching!
Hey, thanks for the presentation, it is great. I had one question, could you provide a link of where you purchased the oil change extension pipe referred to in this video, thanks in advance, take care.
Should we check Gas filter ?
Not unless you're putting really dirty fuel into your generator...
Great info on the Honda Generator, thanks.
No problem!
There could be a fuel filter with a bowl & drain bolt, or a drain bolt in the bottom of the carburetor you also could've removed to drain out any leftover fuel, I'm pretty sure the engine will still quit even when the carb still has a little fuel left in it. Good info/video
There is a drain spigot that looks like a screw and is connected via a tube that actually exits out of the bottom of the generator. To answer your question about fuel left in the carb even after the motor stalls. Surprisingly in my generator there is none but mind you that I tried to start my generator like a billion times with the choke on just to make sure I pulled every drop of fuel out of the carb and the fuel lines. When I opened up the carb drain bolt not a trace of anything came out so presumably the bowl was basically devoid of any fuel.
good video, thanks a lot for sharing!
My pleasure!
Nice video. If you have access to aviation 100ll fuel, It is fully stable and will no degrade for several years. I always run my small engines on this before putting them away.
wow aviation fuel? I wouldn't even know where I'd go in our city to get that and if I did find it how would I go about buying it? I'd want to run that 1000LL fuel in my car :)
@@piercedasian 100LL is available at any small airport. Many racing teams use it. Some airports will not fill your gas can but many will. It would be a bad idea for your car. The lead in the fuel kills your O2 sensor and is rough on catalytic converters. But it makes a great fuel for small engine storage.
Do you have to winterize if you use the propane conversion kit ?
technically some winterizing is a good idea - mainly the oil change. Spark plugs especially for propane powered engines last a VERY VERY long time so that likely doesn't need changing. Giving the air cleaner a check and possible cleaning is good practice too to ensure you've got a generator to go when you need it.
Ever had an issue with the diaphragm fuel pump in that generator, I heard leaving them empty of fuel they can dry out, just wondering I have two of these and I need to start maintaining them like this
I have had some minor difficulties with getting it started at the start of the season likely as a result of a a dry diagram pump. It does take a bit of extra effort to get a generator started but once they get going they're perfectly fine. I've stored generators completely dry and with some fuel in them but at the end of the day all have one thing in common - they work!
Iam Your newest Subscriber I Have A EU1000i And A EU2000i They Love Mobil 1 Full Synthic Oil
Thanks for the sub! Yes the EU series generators are truly a work of engineering marvel.
That spark gap looked 0.05 mm off. I jest, but seriously thanks for the thorough routine. My experience with motorcycle air filters taught me that crumpling filter to squeeze excess fluid out shortens the filter life. Patience pays dividends by only flattening filter inside absorbing cloth and air drying for final dry. Excessive friction quickly kills filter integrity due to filter composition.
Lol when I first saw your comment I thought “seriously”? You make a good point about crumpling the filter. Makes complete sense actually! I will have to do what you suggested on my next cleaning and reoiling.
Dang. Next level video here.
This is great for a generator that might be stored for years. But for season storage I have just used fuel additive to 93 octane and fill my tanks up to the brim with that gas so theres hardly no air pocket. I haven't had a fouled carb since.
You can buy something called Trufuel for 4 cycle engines and leave it in. No ethanol.
@@mousepotatop9767 $20 a gallon for gas. No thanks.
that is true - the amount of storage prep I do is quite cumbersome for those that have many piece of equipment to put away. I have so many pieces of gas powered gear that I can literally spend 8 hours to wash, dry, wax, change oil, fuel, etc before I can put them. So much work BUT the effort does pay off in that my equipment looks and performs like new every season. Filling as to the brim with high quality ethanol fuel is definitely a method that will work but I'm super OCD so I am inclined to do what I do every season.
while that product works well that it is super expensive.
agreed.
How long does it take empty the addition tank from the pipes ? That info would have been very useful
GREAT advice. I noticed you no longer have the hourmeter mounted on top. I guess you didn't like having the access panel tethered to the genset. I am planning to run the generator on premium fuel with stabilizer and I was thinking about storing the unit with the ethanol free gas sold in steel quart cans. What do you think about that?
+Paul Ross It wasn't that the tethered access cover to the hour meter was annoying. I actually tucked it inside the unit instead to protect it from the elements and to prevent it from getting banged up. The hour meter is there to tell me when to change the oil and given how little i use my gen set that I have a pretty good idea of how much time I've run the unit. The hour meter is there to just help me confirm what I sort of already know.
Buy premium fuel in the tin cans? Not necessary. Just go to your local gas station and ask the station operator whether or not their premium fuel contains ethanol. Premium fuel in my necks of the woods generally doesn't. The preferred way to store the gen is run it completely out of fuel and repeatedly trying to start the unit until it can't start even with the choke on. A dry generator in my opinion is less problematic than one stored with fuel. Then have fresh gas in your can at any given time and just cycle through it ever couple of months in your car and buy fresh gas. This ways when you DO need it that the gen can be filled and chances are it will fire right up :)
+piercedasian I especially like the log that came with the hour meter & have it enclosed inside alok bag & duct taped it to the top of the generator housing. I log my usage & maintenance immediately AFTER each use. Because the Honda warranty doesn't cover "FUEL RELATED PROBLEMS", I'm using premium non-ethanol gas; numerous other youtube videos suggest the ethanol in gas attracts moisture & may contribute to fuel related problems with the generator; you've not mentioned what kind of gas you use. This video is in my FAVORITE list. I'd like to suggest the generator be elevated 6"-12" above dusty ground as the air intake is on the bottom of the generator. The elevated generator isn't as likely to suck up dust off the ground. Obviously, if the generator is sitting on concrete or pavement then dust isn't as likely to get sucked up the generator's air intake.
Hi Bill, you're right I didn't actually mention what fuel I use in my power equipment. My bad! I use ethanol free fuel which is typically premium fuel. I should point out that not all premium fuel is ethanol free. You have to ask the gas station attendant or the corporate headquarters if the gas station doesn't know. Yeah the little log book is useful but I use a phone app to track my hours since I'm such a scatterbrain. Good suggestion on elevating the generator when it's on dusty ground. I figured that since I've got an air filter coated with bel ray foam filter oil that dust intrusion wouldn't really be an issue. That being said the less dust you expose any power equipment to the better off you are. Thanks for watching Bill.
Well presented. Can you please tell me if NO-OX-ID A-Special compound can be used for the anti seize? Thats all I have. And second, are all spark plugs for gennies nickle alloy? not silver chrome?
thanks
Hmm I'm not sure what the plugs are made from. All I know is that 99.999% of the plugs I use in cars and power equipment are made by NGK. As for using NO-OX ID. Don't bother using it. It isn't for the right application. Just make sure you use a good quality NGK plug (new) and carefully install the plug and snug it up hand tight and you should be A-ok.
Great video, I should be getting me EU2000 on Monday and have been looking for a video like this because I like to take care of my stuff too. I own a 2007 tacoma that looks better than my girlfriends 2013 rav4. But thats just me.
sweet! How are you liking your EU2000? I haven't really fired mine up much this year. Hoping to take it camping soon so I can put more hours on it.
Hi! Wonder if you can help me with a generator breaking in question? Finally breaking in my 2000watt Ai Yamaha engined inverter generator today after purchasing it last summer. Conditioned the spark plug cylinder as well as rocking the generator back and forth to built up gas pressure and fume for the initial start. It started on the very first pull, yeah! Everything went smoothly during the first hour run under no load.
Turned it off, drained and replaced with new oil. Getting ready to do the 2nd run. But now it won't start when I go pull the cord. Have now pulled it multiple times with 10 - 15 pulls each time.
There's enough gas and oil inside. Eco mode off. Knob turned to choke/start. Gas cap vent open. Any idea why it's not starting? its not even turning over one bit. In your video, you mention pouring off the gas opposite side of the opened panel so as not to flood the carburetor reservoir. Did I flooded mine when I placed the generator on a stool and tilted it to get a complete drain? There is a small tube with a screw that will drain off the gas for storage on mine. Can I unscrew that to release the excess gas if i did flooded it? If so, how much gas will that tube release if gas tank contains gas?
Or, is this more a case of needing to rock the generator for a minute, sort of like priming a lawn mower, like I did initially, in order for it to start? If so, just for my understanding for future purposes, isn't there already gas inside the line now that it has ran an hour? Any feedback would be greatly appreciated as I'm new to generators.
Hi Dora, it sounds like you may have flooded the unit. Check to make sure your spark plug wire is firmly plugged onto the spark plug and make sure you double check the settings for the choke and eco and other important things including the "run switch" if your unit has one. Pull briskly several times to see if you can unflood it. If worse comes to worst and you can't get it to start then I'd remove the spark plug and inspect to see if it is all soaked with fuel. If it is then just pulling the engine over a few times with no spark plug to rid the excess fuel and dry off everything before reinstalling the plug. You don't want to cause a fire where you're working. If the plug is dry then you're not getting any fuel which means you could have air trapped in your fuel lines. When I run my Honda completely dry and leave it completely dried that it can be a PITA to start up again. If you still can't get it to work try using a long squirt of engine fogging spray into the spark plug hole and then after reinstalling the plug fire it up. It should sound like it's turning over if you use enough fogging spray. I use the engine fog spray on my snowblower when it is difficult to start and it works every time. Hope those tips help!
@@piercedasian Very appreciative of your quick reply. Still not sure what caused the nonstart as I got it started before I saw your steps to diagnose the cause. By letting it sit for a few hours, and remembering the quick guide had mentioned about using Run instead of Choke/start when starting on warm, the engine started back up after I turned the switch to Run instead of choke/start before pulling the chord. Do you think this is what made the difference between start and not start? Or would the flooding clear itself up after sitting there a few hours?
Anyways, got it to run another hour before the sun went down to clear some more metal shavings and drained the oil. We'll see what it does next when I fill it back up and pull the chord tomorrow and put it under some load. Trying to get my generator prepared for the hurricane season and familiarize myself using it. I do have fogging oil on hand should I need it tomorrow. I will copy and save your suggestions for future diagnostics and reference should I run into this same problem again in future. Thanks and much obliged for your help!
How long would you store your generator with fuel inside it ? Tha ks for the thorough video saved it to rewatch later.
I have stored fuel in my generator reliable for about 6 months and this is non-ethanol fuel that has fuel preservative mixed in with it. If I am not going to use the generator I will bring it out, fire it up and hook up a load to it and let it run until its out of fuel.
Really awesome video. I'm curious what you use your generator for. I live in the SF Bay Area and PG&E shuts down power each summer due to high winds causing fire danger. I'm taking out my Honda EU2200i generator tonight for the 3rd power shutoff this past month.
I'm embarrassed to admit this but... I don't really use my generator for anything other than dry camping on the RARE occasion that I need electricity. I bought it b/c waaaay back I really wanted to have a honda generator just because they were synonymous with quality and being a big honda guy that I just HAD to have one. In all the years that I have owned this unit that I MIGHT have put 50 hours total on it (possibly less). The hour meter that I installed into my unit to this day shows total run hours of 10 and i put that meter in a long long long time ago. We are fortunate where we live that power delivery is exceptionally reliable and we might get a power outage once a year and even then it is momentary and rarely goes for hours unless there was some catastrophic power event (also very rare). That's crazy how many outages you get in Cali. I'm not sure how good the US power infrastructure is but I do know that the USA is running the grid at near 90% capacity at any given time which means brownouts and rolling blackouts can be a common occurrence esp in major centres. The EU2200i is a great unit and builds on the insanely successful EU2000i. Good job!
Very good tuition
Question as you have to remove the muffler to clean carbon build up on the exhaust strainer could you use the anti seize paste on the muffler bolts
Is there a advantage to putting a inline fuel filter on
inline fuel filter is only useful for fuels that are dirty and I find that the gas I always buy is very very clean so no need. No harm in putting one it but I didn't feel I needed that for my generator. yes it is HIGHLY recommended to use antiseize on the muffler bolts but just remember to not overtorque the bolts as antiseize or any lubricant on the bolts will change the torque values being applied to the bolt.
Do you have the link on Amazon for oil extension. Thanks for great video. I just bought the Honda 3200 very similar fuel injection
You betcha - here it is.
amzn.to/3yC1SGt
good video very thorough...
Thanks very informative video an great attention to detail 👍
Glad you liked the video.
can you tell me what good is the magnet with an aluminum engine ? not many if any metal parts in that engine.
while the engine is mostly aluminum that there are *SOME* steel components. Crankshaft end bearings and piston wrist pins, for example, are made of steel and since steel is harder than aluminum that you want to make sure none of that wears away at the aluminum components. I'd agree that there isn't much steel at all BUT even on my generator that there were VERY minute traces of steel on the end of the magnet which tells me that the steel components in the motor can and do wear out over time. Anything to help curb wear and tear is good in my books.
Thank You so much for the very detailed video
you're most welcome!