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Mark 7 · 11-26-2018, 08:49 AM

I own a Briggs and Stratton P3000 inverter generator that I bought to power my 5'er on the rare occasion I find myself without shore power or insufficient shore power. The genset works fine for what I need it for, but there is another issue.

If I don't start it at least once a month, I cannot get it started without pulling the plug, drying out the cylinder, and pulling the rope until I can't pull anymore! Eventually I get it to run again... only to be frustrated when it happens again.

I am very careful with gas. I only put NON-ethonol gas in and and I use Stabil in all the gas I put in it. If I know it is going to be sitting for a while, I drain all the gas and run it until it quits.

My question... does anyone else own this genset and experience this issue? What have you done to get around it?

I think I am going to get it running (again) and make someone a hell of a deal on it and go buy a Honda. Should have done that in the first place!

twinboat · 11-26-2018, 09:21 AM

If it has a gas tank shut off valve, close it while the engine is running. Let it run until it stalks out. That will suck most of the gas out of the carburator.

Next time, open the valve, wait a few minutes until the carb fills up, and see if it starts.

The gas in the tank is closed up and can stay a few months but the gas in the carb is open to the atmosphere and could be spoiling. All of your cord pulling is getting that gas out of the carb.

Winterbagoal · 11-26-2018, 09:45 AM

If you're serious about selling the B&S and looking for something better, maybe one of these would work for you? I heard one of the 2KW models last summer, guy had just bought a 2nd one, and the parallel kit, and it was very quiet.
https://www.harborfreight.com/engine...enerators.html
Prices seem decent.

Mark 7 · 11-26-2018, 02:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by twinboat

If it has a gas tank shut off valve, close it while the engine is running. Let it run until it stalks out. That will suck most of the gas out of the carburator.

Next time, open the valve, wait a few minutes until the carb fills up, and see if it starts.

The gas in the tank is closed up and can stay a few months but the gas in the carb is open to the atmosphere and could be spoiling. All of your cord pulling is getting that gas out of the carb.

The P3000 is a little different beast. I could put a valve in but would have to remove a cover to access it. The shut down “switch” might have a valve incorporated... not sure. It is a 1/4 turn knob that feels like a valve.

I’m buying one of those new 6k Honda’s next time around!

Oregon RR · 11-29-2018, 11:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by twinboat

If it has a gas tank shut off valve, close it while the engine is running. Let it run until it stalks out. That will suck most of the gas out of the carburator.

Next time, open the valve, wait a few minutes until the carb fills up, and see if it starts.

The gas in the tank is closed up and can stay a few months but the gas in the carb is open to the atmosphere and could be spoiling. All of your cord pulling is getting that gas out of the carb.

Twinboat - You Sir gave wonderful advice. That mod alone saved me so much trouble every time we would start the generator after even a 45-60 day rest.

Best thing we ever did with our Onan 4000 generator was put on a shut off valve before the carb and run that baby dry every time we use the generator.

Actually a Cummins / Onan mechanic originally said valve it to avoid carb problems! I cannot claim the idea as mine!

Mark 7 · 11-30-2018, 07:03 AM

I do have shut off valves on all of my power equipment and tractors where that is possible. I agree... running the carb dry for extended down times is a must with todays fuels. That, however is not an option with this generator. If you owned one you would understand. I am not going to take a screwdriver and remove a cover every time I need to access the valve.

I do however have some news on the subject. After removing the spark plug a number of times, drying out the cylinder and the plug, cleaning the plug, and pulling about 2 years of life off the recoil rope, I got is started. I let it run for an hour with a load on it just to exercise it a little. I have started it a few times since, usually on the second pull now.

I had a long talk about this with a good friend of mine who owns a fairly good sized power equipment dealership in Canada. He explained to me (as he has many times before) that you don't clean plugs, you put in a new one, and gasoline is garbage after a couple of months, ethanol blend or not! Ethanol fuel never belongs in small engines. (It was not ethanol fuel in this instance, but the fuel was over 3 months old.) In addition to the known varnish problems with old fuel, the flash point raises and makes it hard to ignite, especially with a spark plug that may be compromised.

He also told me that a spark plug that looks to be "sparking" well across the electrode where it is supposed to when laying on top of the head (checking for spark) may not fire properly when installed because under compression it takes more electricity to generate the spark and the plug may be firing across a small bit of carbon up in the plug on the ceramic, IF even firing at all! That is why you don't clean spark plugs.

In my case, since this genset is seldom used... I will drain all the fuel from the tank and run it until it quits, then I will try to come up with some kind of program where I always have "fresh" no ethanol fuel around for it in case of a power outage around here. I also have an ATV with a blade on it for pushing snow, and a garden tractor with a snowblower installed that use the same fuel, but for whatever reason those other pieces don't seem to be as fussy. I should be able to keep fresher fuel around here. If it gets too old, I'll dump it in my van and buy new stuff for the gas can.

He also told me that fuel stabilizers (i.e. Sta-Bil or Seafoam) help, but will not work miracles with todays fuel. Fuel needs to be fresh! He also added that problems just like this keeps his shop busy year round!

We have been good friends for 15 years! You would think I would listen to him! I have got to work on thinning my rather thick skull!

Persistent · 12-01-2018, 10:54 AM

Standby generators are the classic case for "Bad Gas". I am a "know it all". Sorry, I can't help it. I had difficulty accepting advise (normal for me) about aging gas.
Six hours of disassembling and cleaning the fuel system for my Honda generator cured my disbelief. I had stored the generator ready for use but in the end rarely used it. Periodic starting for testing got more difficult as time went on. Eventually it would not draw gas when the tank was less than 2/3 full.
My current plan: In early fall, I begin adding stabilizer to all my gas cans. When the Wisconsin winter comes all my small engines have used enough gas so they contain stabilized gas. I always buy premium gas for my small engines. Two engines require it, but the issue is, it has no alcohol in it. The engines may sit idle for two months.
My standby generator is different. It is always stored with no gas in the carburetor. Most of the time I also drain the tank and fuel lines. I found that I never need it for dry camping 3 to 5 days at a time. Instead, I keep a 1 gallon can of gas which I periodically empty into my lawn tractor or other gas machines.
I am sure RV'ers who need a generator to camp or for full timing don't have the extreme problem I have, but most RV generators sit idle for the winter months. A dry carburetor is a must to prevent "Bad Gas". Draining the fuel system would prevent a lot of problems.

lwmcguire · 12-09-2018, 10:29 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by twinboat

If it has a gas tank shut off valve, close it while the engine is running. Let it run until it stalks out. That will suck most of the gas out of the carburator.

Next time, open the valve, wait a few minutes until the carb fills up, and see if it starts.

The gas in the tank is closed up and can stay a few months but the gas in the carb is open to the atmosphere and could be spoiling. All of your cord pulling is getting that gas out of the carb.

Back in the day of using gasoline generators I found this to be CRITICAL not optional unless you had lots of time and energy on your hands. All small engines benefit from the same procedure letting the carb sit dry instead of soon to be stale fuel. Treating your 5 gallon containers with Stabil is the best way prior to filling the small tanks as well.

harryn · 12-27-2018, 10:10 PM

We had persistent problems with small honda engines until we switched to "canned gasoline".

I hate paying the price, but it completely solved the problem of fuel aging - as well as some kind of intrinsic problem in honda fuel delivery systems that reacts with the gasoline.

Stabilizers were not able to solve the problem. It took canned gasoline. Could not believe the difference in reduced maintenance.

For applications that go through a lot of gasoline regularly it isn't needed, but our needs were more intermittent.