Export thread

B&S Homelite Generator: Lots of new parts, won't run.

#1

W

wdromanski

E3000-1A (UT-03595) - Homelite Generator
Motor Model Briggs Straton
170412-2329-01

I was given this generator used. It ran enough to get us through a couple of power outages. Then it started running rough, and eventually wouldn't start.

This fall I did myself a favor bought a new carb, new fuel line and filter, new plug, new gas. I even took the gas tank apart and cleaned it good.

So I give the intake a spray with some starter fluid for good measure, pull the cord, and she fires up. I am triumphant for a few sends, then she sputters and dies.

I still need to replace the air filter, but it should at least run.

What do you think?

WDR


#2

B

bertsmobile1

Get an inline spark tester , fit it and start it up.
Watch the flashes.
If the flashes stop well before the engine stops you have an ignition problem.
If not it is a fuel problem.
let us know how you go.


#3

W

wdromanski

bertsmobile1 said:
Get an inline spark tester , fit it and start it up.
Watch the flashes.
If the flashes stop well before the engine stops you have an ignition problem.
If not it is a fuel problem.
let us know how you go.
Click to expand...

Will do! Thanks!


#4

A

(Account Closed)

If it fired with starting fluid, you have spark.


Address the fuel issue.

Does it have a fuel pump or just gravity fed?

First, un-hook the fuel line from the carb (gas in the tank) and turn the fuel lever on and see if gas comes out.

If it has a fuel pump, crank the engine and see if fuel pumps out of the pump (still disconnected from the carb).

You should have fuel getting to the carb in either event.

Please post back..


#5

A

(Account Closed)

Any updates?


#6

W

wdromanski

bertsmobile1 said:
Get an inline spark tester , fit it and start it up.
Watch the flashes.
If the flashes stop well before the engine stops you have an ignition problem.
If not it is a fuel problem.
let us know how you go.
Click to expand...

Got a spark tester. Flashes while pulling the starter. Continues to flash while it runs. Stops flashing when the engine dies.

So it's not the ignition. I'll look at the fuel supply again. It's been about 2 months since I started this project, so the gas I bought then is starting to get pretty old!


#7

W

wdromanski

SRTsFZ6 said:
If it fired with starting fluid, you have spark.


Address the fuel issue.

Does it have a fuel pump or just gravity fed?

First, un-hook the fuel line from the carb (gas in the tank) and turn the fuel lever on and see if gas comes out.

If it has a fuel pump, crank the engine and see if fuel pumps out of the pump (still disconnected from the carb).

You should have fuel getting to the carb in either event.

Please post back..
Click to expand...


It's amazing how many different projects I can start at one time! Finally got to looking at this again. Thanks for following up.

It's a gravity-fed fuel system. No bells and whistles. Just a tank above the carb, a line with a filter. No pump, no shutoff, etc. And gas flows freely. I did take the whole fuel system apart and clean it. I can't imagine how leaves had gotten into the tank! I suppose the last owner couldn't get it to run reliably. That's why they gave it away.

As it happens, I've been working on this for a couple of months, so the gas I bought is getting kind of old. I'll replace the gas with fresh again before I go any further. I'll post my results.

Thanks!


#8

A

(Account Closed)

wdromanski said:
.

As it happens, I've been working on this for a couple of months, so the gas I bought is getting kind of old. I'll replace the gas with fresh again before I go any further. I'll post my results. Tks
Click to expand...

If that's ethanol fuel, un-stabilized, dump it. I'd at least pull the bowl off again and check for varnish.

If leaves got in the tank, rain got in the tank .

Dumb question, but is the choke butterfly closing fully when activated?

Always start with fresh fuel... Any of my customers machines I get in, the fuel gets dumped (later used for parts cleaning), the tank checked, at least blown out or flushed.

Make sure the tank cap is VENTING or it will run out of run with a full tank after awhile.. Loosening the cap (for testing) to see if it continues to run would verify the cap good or bad..

Your NOT getting fuel to the combustion chamber is your issue...

***Also, do a compression test... If compression is low, the engine won't suck fuel into the combustion chamber. As you don't know what was "dinked with", you might want to inspect the intact manifold, gaskets, etc for any air leaks..

Also, check to see if there's a low oil switch on the engine(it'll have usually one wire coming off it). They do go bad and can cause running issues(probably NOT your issue).

Does your gen engine look like this:





#9

W

wdromanski

I've given a lot of though to this issue of not getting fuel to the combustion chamber. Just as you suggest. And you wouldn't believe what I've done...

I took everything apart. Everything was open and clear. Fuel flowed at each point. Putting it back together, but still wouldn't run, would die out.

So I started putting it back together, checking fuel flow in series and I discovered my problem, and my mistake.

Turns out I had the fuel filter on backwards. So the check valve was checking the flow of fuel in, and not back. Reversing it, and it runs perfectly!

Thanks all for you attention and suggestions.

WDR

SRTsFZ6 said:
If that's ethanol fuel, un-stabilized, dump it. I'd at least pull the bowl off again and check for varnish.

If leaves got in the tank, rain got in the tank .

Dumb question, but is the choke butterfly closing fully when activated?

Always start with fresh fuel... Any of my customers machines I get in, the fuel gets dumped (later used for parts cleaning), the tank checked, at least blown out or flushed.

Make sure the tank cap is VENTING or it will run out of run with a full tank after awhile.. Loosening the cap (for testing) to see if it continues to run would verify the cap good or bad..

Your NOT getting fuel to the combustion chamber is your issue...

***Also, do a compression test... If compression is low, the engine won't suck fuel into the combustion chamber. As you don't know what was "dinked with", you might want to inspect the intact manifold, gaskets, etc for any air leaks..

Also, check to see if there's a low oil switch on the engine(it'll have usually one wire coming off it). They do go bad and can cause running issues(probably NOT your issue).

Does your gen engine look like this:



Click to expand...


#10

B

bertsmobile1

There is no check valve in the fuel line but you can get an airlock in cylinderical fuel filters because the outlet is at the inlet end of paper element.
Putting it in backwards generally prevents an airlock and I do it often when customers et worried that the fuel filter is not full.
There is no difference in the filtering except that when fitter right way round the debris is on the outside of the paper so you can see it.
Wrong way round and the debris is on the inside of the paper element so you can not see it.

Glad you got it running
Consider fitting an in line tap so you can turn the fuel off and run the carb dry.

The only exception to check valves in filters is some of the fuel injected engine ones.
These are generally metal cased so you can not see the fuel inside.
They are also 5 times the price of a std filter.
Also worth noting is the filter medium is finer in filters for engines with fuel pumps than gravity fed systems..


#11

A

(Account Closed)

Glad it's fixed, great job!


Footer Links 1

Top