Honda EU6500is Generator

[John Terefenko]

I have this Honda generator. Having a problem and thought I would throw it out here to see what the masses have to say. Just happened. Ran about one month ago as I always run it for exercise and make sure it starts. Now I can start it but is stops after about 5 seconds. Things I checked without getting into much because I am not that sure of what to look for. I checked for oil incase it was kicking out on low oil sensor but not the case. I checked the spark plug and it is clean and gapped right. I checked for gas in carb and there was in bowl and it is clean. There is high test gas which I have been using and it is full and clean. Put fresh in tank because it was about 1/4 full.

Anyone have any ideas?? This thing is so heavy that I would hate to have to lift to bring to dealer. Thanks.

[Kev Williams]

When you checked for gas in the bowl, did you remove the bowl?
I had this happen several times in the past, this guck-
carbguck.jpg
-which resembles the gel in canned Spam but firmer- I'd find in my mower's float bowls. Between water in gas, alcohol in gas, and hoses on gas-engined power equipment not compatible with ethanol, this is the result. Found this in the carbs of 3 mowers, and the carbs on an outboard boat motor... The gas is the bowl is pristine clean but that guck gets up into the jet and the engine dies due to lack of fuel. Another hose that alcohol attacks is the primer tube on many motors. My Cub Cadet 3-stage snowblower at 2 years old wouldn't prime the carb. When I got into it I found the primer tube, which only pushes air, was as brittle and fragile as sugar glass, just crumbled in my hands. Just the fumes from the carb destroyed that tube...

Don't know if ethanol is your problem but worth a look. Some gas stations around here sell alcohol-free gas, and that's all I've put in my small engines for some time now. No more funny business with hoses and carb junk since

[Alex Zeller]

I always run the carb dry when I know I'm not going to use a small engine. Gas inside them sitting seems to gum them up. Ethanol makes it even worse.

[John Terefenko]

I always run the carb dry. Started draining the bowl too about 2 months ago because someone told that was a good idea. I did not take the bowl off.

Is there an additive I can run through the gas to try to clean without taking the carb apart?? The gen has about 70 hrs on it. I use to use middle grade gas but switched to premium last year because someone said that was better. Had no problems till this month that I tried to start.

[Jebediah Eckert]

My first thought was the oil. Maybe double check that. It doesn’t have to be that far down to trigger it. Or just change it, super simple and at least you can eliminate that.

I imagine you are trying to run it without a load and still having that problem? They will shut off if they get overloaded. Eco throttle off when starting it, but I can’t imagine that would do it unless under load. If your getting the red overload light going on there is a way to get the error codes. I think hold down the “I” button?

Also there is an air intake behind the battery. Check that as well as the air filter. If it’s kept inside with 70 hours I doubt those are an issue unless maybe a mouse moved in.

Gas seems most likely? The bowl is easy to take off and check. If you take that off and it’s clean my next move would have to be off to a dealer. It still could be gas but I don’t know enough to clean beyond that. Have them pick it up, they are heavy.

[Tom M King]

I only run non-ethanol gas in any of the small equipment. I do keep a spare carb for the generator, that might go years between uses. The gunk in Kev's carb bowl looks like the stuff that accumulates when ethanol gas has been sitting in one for a while. Carb needle valves don't play well with that in there.

I run four stroke stuff dry, but never a two stroke. Some of my two stroke things might go a few years between uses too but with non-ethanol in the mix, they always start.

[Jebediah Eckert]

Yeah Tom, gas is for sure an issue for me. I can’t get non-ethanol gas in CT. Down your way it seemed like it was plenty last time I was there. I treat all my small engine gas even if I’m not going to store it. Maybe sometimes a waste but plans can change with how long it will be in there.

I use 87 octane. I think gas is like a “sharpening” thread when I tried to look it up. Since then I ask every mechanic I can about what gas to use. I have yet to have somebody say anything but 87 (unless the manual calls for it). They seem to agree teams of engineers design these things and that is what they are meant to run on. A couple have said 87 gas is always “freshest” because the stations sell many many times more then the premium. This could be all hogwash but it makes sense to me so that is what I go with. And for once the “better” stuff to use happens to be the cheapest....why can’t woodworking be like that!

** Don’t take advice on small engines from somebody who can’t confidentially clean his own carburetor. My opinions on this matter are my own and there is a chance they aren’t correct.

** But the basic things I said to check on the generator I know are correct.

[Alex Zeller]

Another simple test is to get an in-line spark detector. They are cheap and are basically light up when the plug fires. If the light goes out before it shuts off it's an ignition problem. If not then it's a gas problem. If not then it's the carb/ fuel issue.

Maybe this will be of some help. Not sure which engine your gen has, this is for the GX series engines, but this should be close. A simple way to test the float valve is to shut off the fuel, remove the bowl drain (should be on the side of the bottom of the bowl), let any fuel drain out into a pan, then turn on the fuel. Fuel should run out of the drain. I would let it flow for a few seconds then shut off the fuel again.
https://www.honda-engines-eu.com/doc...0-d1e8cd215253

[John Terefenko]

A couple answers or replys to the replys. I started using premium gas last year. Before that I was using the middle grade. Does it make a difference I do not know. We too have no non-ethonol gas in NJ where I am. I too have very little knowledge of rebuilding or taking off carbs. I am trying the most simple things. I will take off the air box ( I do not think there is an air filter in there) and will try spraying some carb cleaner in it. I will take the bowl off and look inside to see if it is dirty. As I said spark plug looks brand new and is clean. The problem this this is electronic control so no manual choke. It has a two motors that sit on top of the carb and are a pain in the butt from what I am told to get back on after they are taken off because of the small springs. I would not want to try this. I may have to try to find a dealer. The place I bought from does not work on them, they are just a vendor. As I mentioned when I shut it down I always turn off the fuel valve and let run till it runs out of gas and shuts off. I then turn key off and drain bowl.

I am reading all your replays so keep them coming. Thanks.

[Tom M King]

Octane is just resistance to pre ignition. Having more does nothing for a regular, ordinary compression motor. If you have a high rpm, high compression motor, more octane is required to keep the engine from knocking (prematurely firing as the piston goes up). At high rpm, and with high compression, the spark has to be advanced to a point before the piston reaches TDC, and this requires a higher octane to prevent it from firing too fast. More octane makes it burn slower.

I see guys with regular motorcycles buying racing gas at a station near us. All their chrome exhaust pipes are blue where the exhaust comes out of the head because I expect some of the fuel mixture is still burning as it goes out.

Higher octane gas does not have more power, and I don't know, but don't see why it would last longer.

For a four stroke motor, I would run the gas out when you finish using it, if you are running ethanol gas. For a two stroke, it will be running dry the last few revolutions, if you run the gas out, so that will only shorten its life.

Spraying carb cleaner down a throat will do little. The important parts are inside the guts of the carb, and you have to take it apart to get to those.

There is a float in the bowl that closes the needle valve. The needle valve is usually the problem. They're pretty simple to change, and once they stick, it's hard to get much more life out of them.

[Stan Coryell]

I would take the air cleaner out, spray in a shot of carb cleaner, then start it. Once running give it another quick shot. If it starts to die, give it another shot. If you can keep it running on carb cleaner for 20 seconds or so it's a fuel problem. Otherwise it's electrical.

I use 87 and put Stabil in it. I also use Type II fuel cans, they only vent under pressure. I never run anything dry. I start everything every few months. Whether any of this helps I have no idea. My snow blower, Tecumseh 5 HP snow king, needs a new carb. Not bad after 17 years.

[Mike Wilkins]

Similar problem with my pressure washer. Had the dealer service it to get it running again, and was advised the gas is the culprit. Especially for equipment that is not used often. I have since started using the fuel pre-packaged from the big box store. It has no ethanol in it and includes a fuel stabilizer. No problems since. I also use the pre-packaged fuel in my 2-stroke trimmer and blower.
I have also been adding Sta-bil to the gas for my riding mower all the time, and have no problems starting it after sitting all winter. No corn in my machines.

[Dave Zellers]

I use 87 and put Stabil in it.

I know nothing about engines of any kind. I use Startron as an additive. Is that OK too?
I do the 'run the engine dry and then start it and run it with Tru Fuel' routine before storing. Is that not necessary? It's actually quite embarrassing that I'm still this clueless about the small engines that I depend on.

[John Terefenko]

I am going to pick up some stabilizer and also carb cleaner and try some simple things. Thanks everyone.

[Bill Dufour]

Remove carb and replace with a natural gas version, problem solved, forever.
Bill D