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  1. #1
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    Small engine repair thread

    Do we have a small engine repair thread? Couldn't find it, so starting this one.

    I have a Generac pressure washer, gas engine, IIRC 212cc. Was working a few days ago, wouldn't start today, and the oil is full of gas. Gas is leaking internally somewhere into the crankcase.

    Is the engine trash? Google suggests it may be something in the carb allowing leakage, and possibly an easy fix. Any direction anyone could give would be appreciated.
    Quote Originally Posted by powder11 View Post
    if you have to resort to taking advice from the nitwits on this forum, then you're doomed.

  2. #2
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    Spark pug wet? If Yes the Float bowl valve may be stuck open or float has a hole in it and is full of gas. Step 1- Tap tap the carb with a hammer. Lightly. Step 2-Look at the float.

    Put new oil in, Duh.
    Seeker of Truth. Dispenser of Wisdom. Protector of the Weak. Avenger of Evil.

  3. #3
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    Ya. Maybe clean the carb with some carb cleaner. Some of the cheap stuff is made to just have a new carb put on instead of a carb rebuild. Look on the old bezos universe for a carb kit. I know my pressure washer was being a piece of shit and I couldn’t take the carb apart, I looked and there was a replacement kit with new plug and filters and some other crap for like $50.

  4. #4
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    I don’t think those carbs are made to be rebuilt. either swap the carb or you have cracked piston rings (or a cracked cylinder)

  5. #5
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    Carb is bad and rings are probably leaking.

    Google the model # and buy a new carb from Amazon.

  6. #6
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    Thanks - I'll pull the carb off and take a look.
    Quote Originally Posted by powder11 View Post
    if you have to resort to taking advice from the nitwits on this forum, then you're doomed.

  7. #7
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    Small engines I usually just flood with ether and try to turn it over til it blows up then buy a new-to-me one for $25 on Craigslist.

  8. #8
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    The float in your carb is stuck

  9. #9
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    Buy real gas. In a can. No ethanol.

  10. #10
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    Quote Originally Posted by tuco View Post
    The float in your carb is stuck
    Odds are best that this is the issue. I have the same PW and the generac is built better than most. The carb is easily refreshable, had to do it the very first year because...


    Quote Originally Posted by Core Shot View Post
    Buy real gas. In a can. No ethanol.
    my Dad had not used it in months with regular gas.
    Got a local small engine mechanic to refresh the carb and used no ethanol gas from there on out. 7 months later it started on the 2nd pull.

  11. #11
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    I use only non ethanol gas in small engines. Maverick gas stations sell it near me.
    Quote Originally Posted by powder11 View Post
    if you have to resort to taking advice from the nitwits on this forum, then you're doomed.

  12. #12
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    Quote Originally Posted by El Chupacabra View Post
    I use only non ethanol gas in small engines. Maverick gas stations sell it near me.
    So jealous. The only non ethanol here is in a can or at an airport.

    It really makes a difference in carbureted rarely used motors.
    It’s also great in boats, but all the marinas are ethanol. Fubar.

    PS. Obviously your issue isn’t water and ethanol.

  13. #13
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    Looking for diagram or explanation of how a stuck float valve in a carb would result in gas entering the oil. Not doubting this assessment, just trying to learn more. I have 6 small engines at home. Only one is 4 stroke (generator)

    For the other item, I have been successfully using AV fuel for several years. The generator has burned over 400 hrs worth of av fuel.

  14. #14
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    Quote Originally Posted by bodywhomper View Post
    Looking for diagram or explanation of how a stuck float valve in a carb would result in gas entering the oil. Not doubting this assessment, just trying to learn more. I have 6 small engines at home. Only one is 4 stroke (generator)

    For the other item, I have been successfully using AV fuel for several years. The generator has burned over 400 hrs worth of av fuel.
    Gas floods the cylinder and mixes with the oil.

  15. #15
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    Quote Originally Posted by Peruvian View Post
    Gas floods the cylinder and mixes with the oil.
    Who claimed small engines are simple!!

    Thx

  16. #16
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    While I typically use non-ethanol in my small engines, I find the argument for it amusing.

    Grandad rigged a small Honda engine to a wood splitter he had ran off tractor hydraulics for years. No idea what gas he used.

    Dad ran the same splitter for about 10 years. He did not run non-ethanol, and did 0 maintenance.

    I took ownership 5 years ago. Usually I run non-ethanol and/or run it dry within a few months, but sometimes it gets regular gas. It's a bitch to get primed when ran dry, so I usually give it a few puffs of whatever flammable aerosol I have on hand when I need to split wood.

    Damn thing works flawlessly everytime.

  17. #17
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    I bought my Honda genie used for a pretty good price. Previous owner told me that it’d used reg ethanol fuel, there was still some in the tank, and it wouldn’t run right. I could get the thing to fire and run great at full throttle, but it wouldn’t idle steady. I removed the carb, and tried the pull out the jets. They wouldn’t budge because the jets had corroded to the metal body of the carb. I tried drilling one out using a reverse threaded bit hand drill to replace it. The entire portion of carb body that the jet was inside broke into two pieces. Replaced the entire carb and it’s been running great since for 100’s of hours.

    All of the small engine/saw shops around me (4 or 5) are swamped in the spring with saws that need new carbs or carb kits due to ethanol fuel.

  18. #18
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    Quote Originally Posted by krp8128 View Post
    While I typically use non-ethanol in my small engines, I find the argument for it amusing.

    Grandad rigged a small Honda engine to a wood splitter he had ran off tractor hydraulics for years. No idea what gas he used.

    Dad ran the same splitter for about 10 years. He did not run non-ethanol, and did 0 maintenance.

    I took ownership 5 years ago. Usually I run non-ethanol and/or run it dry within a few months, but sometimes it gets regular gas. It's a bitch to get primed when ran dry, so I usually give it a few puffs of whatever flammable aerosol I have on hand when I need to split wood.

    Damn thing works flawlessly everytime.
    it’s not so much the fuel but what the fuel does inside the carb. Ethanol is more corrosive and companies build motors cheaper today then they did 20 years ago. My 044 stihl will use any gas you put in it and never skip a beat, my 440 that’s a lot newer, runs like crap with if if it sits for anything more then a month.

    I do make sure to drain all my tanks in the fall on all my small engine stuff and use stabilizer. There’s a good one for two strokes, it’s in a round red bottle. I usually just keep my small saw in my tool box in my truck with gas in it all winter. That I only fill from the stihl 1 gallon jugs of premix. Safer that way and never fails.

  19. #19
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    to expound a bit:
    -prob a stuck float
    -could be a bad float needle or needle seat. I think ethanol can damage the rubber needle seat.

    I've fixed countless small engines since since the 1990s and I had never seen a needle seat truly go bad until last year.

  20. #20
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    Update: it runs.

    Took apart carb, everything inside looked pretty good, just flooded, no varnish. Cleaned around the float and the little float needle thing. Sprayed carb cleaner throughout, reassembled. Spark plug was wet, left that out and the carb open overnight to let the gas evaporate. Drained the oil (mostly gas), refilled with new oil, it started right up. Washed the driveway for a few minutes to let the engine run, then drained the oil again (still gas in there, didn't drain it all out the first time). Refilled again with fresh oil.

    So far so good. Will see how it goes. Thanks for all the input! There's not much to these little carbs.
    Quote Originally Posted by powder11 View Post
    if you have to resort to taking advice from the nitwits on this forum, then you're doomed.

  21. #21
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    Pro tip: Make sure you have a fuel shut off valve between the tank and carb. If you don't, buy one and install it in the rubber tubing. Always turn off when not running the machine so that a stuck float etc doesn't let gas flood the crank case. This is something I always make sure to have on any small engine after situations likes yours many times.

  22. #22
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    Quote Originally Posted by skis_the_trees View Post
    Pro tip: Make sure you have a fuel shut off valve between the tank and carb. If you don't, buy one and install it in the rubber tubing. Always turn off when not running the machine so that a stuck float etc doesn't let gas flood the crank case. This is something I always make sure to have on any small engine after situations likes yours many times.
    This pressure washer has a fuel shutoff valve, which I'm going to use every time now, and let the engine run out of gas when shutting it down. I used to just leave it open except for end of season draining.

    My snowblower has a shutoff valve too - going to start doing the same.

    I have a little gas generator too, but it doesn't have a shutoff valve. Will have to see if there's a practical way to add one. There's a carb drain screw on it, but it's under a side panel.
    Quote Originally Posted by powder11 View Post
    if you have to resort to taking advice from the nitwits on this forum, then you're doomed.

  23. #23
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    my old neighbor was an HD mechanic but he got the job of keeping all the small engines running for a bulk carrier outfit cuz they were all fucked when he got the job. So pumps, gensets, chainsaws if they didnt start they just got put back on the rack until eventualy nothing worked

    so buddy fixed all the dead engines, got a drum of fuel that he treated with stabilizer so no untreated fuel was allowed in his engines cuz nobody was keeping track on when a motor would be used , it might be 2 yrs

    said all his problems went away with stabilized fuel
    Lee Lau - xxx-er is the laziest Asian canuck I know

  24. #24
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    I bought a bottle of Sta-bil once, used it once to treat some gas with ethanol. Whatever I used it in ran like crap. Stopped using it, now just buy non-ethanol gas, and it seems to work fine even if stored for a long time.
    Quote Originally Posted by powder11 View Post
    if you have to resort to taking advice from the nitwits on this forum, then you're doomed.

  25. #25
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    never had a problem with Sta-bil I only use it last tank before storage and i always run premium in my small engines
    Lee Lau - xxx-er is the laziest Asian canuck I know

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