Champion Generator

[john in la]

I have a 9000/7000 (approximately) gasoline only generator.
Doing my crank and run that I try to do every few months and the engine will not crank over with the electric start or the pull cord.
I'm thinking the compression release is messed up or the flywheel key sheared throwing it out of time.

So am I right to assume my first order of business is to pull the plugs and see if that frees it up.
If yes compression release If no flywheel key
Then I should check the valves for adjustment.

I've never worked on a compression release motor before.
Now I got to go look up the valve clearance and find my feeler gauge that I never use anymore.

 

[Southern Ray]

Yes pulled the plug and see if the starter will crank the engine.
Insert a stick into the sparkplug hole to see if you have piston movement.
Flywheel key is another thing to check.

My Briggs and Straton engine on my mower was giving similar symptoms. I checked and readjusted the valve lash.
I also pulled the starter and cleaned it out. The commutator was all carboned up.
Cleaned it nice and shiny with some fine steel wool. Relubed and reassembled.
Starts up nicely and quickly.

 

[docmirror]

Gas tank is above carb, and its all downhill to the cyl. Might find its hydrolocked. Has happened to me with a 3400W Champion.

 

[a49deere]

there's a compression relief on a motor that small? how does that work? Do you have to pull/open something?

 

[Ray,IN]

I have an Echo chain saw that is very difficult to turn over and will not try to run. It's impossible to be valves or compression release, so must be flywheel key. Since I bought a Ryboi electric saw I never look at that Echo now.

 

[NDIHC]

I vote hydrolocked. Cousin forgot to turn off the gas valve when he borrowed my little 20hp skidsteer. When he went to start it he thought he had ruined the engine. Needle valve leaked enough to fill one cylinder with gas.

 

[Pete in Holland MI]

Generators should always have the gas turned off and let them die out that way instead of switching them off. Makes them more probable to start when you really need it.

 

[NDIHC]

there's a compression relief on a motor that small? how does that work? Do you have to pull/open something?

Look up easy spin starting. In small engines it is a small bump on the camshaft that slightly opens the intake valve to release some compression during starting. Easy spin starting was a feature of Briggs and Stratton engines at least from the 60s and newer.

 

[Ray,IN]

Generators should always have the gas turned off and let them die out that way instead of switching them off. Makes them more probable to start when you really need it.

I had a Boliy 3.6k genset that had a tiny screw in the bottom of the float bowl to drain it for storage. I forgot once; a new carb from Canada was $39. This new gas ya'know.

 

[miangus]

The compression relief works by opening the exhaust valve a small amount at cranking speed by adding a extra bump on the cam and moves the bump out of the way at speed. It should have about 50 PSI of compression at cranking speed. If the compression relief does not work, exhaust valve usually out of adjustment, the starter will not be able to crank the motor. From your description it is rolling over with no compression. Maybe valve stuck open, a little piece of carbon under the exhaust valve. Remove plug and there should be piston movement. I would not expect it to be a flywheel key. I hope it isn't caused by the issue I had with a generator I bought cheap at an auction, broken con rod.

 

[Mule Meat]

A sheared flywheel key will not prevent the engine from turning over. It will just prevent it from running due to being out of time.
Valves being out of adjustment will not prevent the engine from turning over either. It will just prevent the engine from running or running correctly.

I would think hydro locked or something internal broken.

I have a small 3400 Champion generator that is about ten years old. I always turned the fuel off and let it run until the engine dies instead of using the kill switch. Never had any fuel related problems with it by doing that.

 

[john in la]

From your description it is rolling over with no compression

No just the opposite
It will not crank at all
I didn’t think about it but some on here may be correct it is hydro locked.
I’ll pull the plugs out and see what happens then.

 

[Blackhole49]

Gas tank is above carb, and its all downhill to the cyl. Might find its hydrolocked. Has happened to me with a 3400W Champion.

X2. If so, an oil change is in order.

 

[miangus]

It doesn't take too much to cause the motor to seize from rust. If it is not hydro locked, try spraying some BP Blaster into the cylinder. Remove the recoil starter and try to turn it over with a socket and breaker bar. I used to put my generator in storage by stalling it with fogging oil, it was a nuisance on shut down and start up so I quit.

 

[john in la]

Update
Oil looks good and is full.
Pull starter cord. Moves a little but will not turn over.
Pull spark plug out
Plug looks good and dry.
Pull cord.
Engine turns over like normal.
Didn’t notice any gas shooting out of plug hole
Put spark plug back in.
Pull cord
Get about half of cord to come out and it locks up again.
Pull cord again and it’s locked up and will not turn over.
Pull plug back out and it cranks over like nothing is wrong. It’s like the motor has 500 lbs of compression and every time it comes up on the compression stroke it locks up.

I thought it was a 2 cylinder but was wrong.
420 cc single cylinder champion motor

 

[john in la]

Update 2
Pulled valve cover off.
You can feel the slightest little bit of play in the rocker arms but I didn’t check them with a feeler gauge.
Got my wife to take a video of the valves while I pulled the starter cord slowly.
Valves are moving normally but I didn’t notice the little bump in the exhaust valve I was hoping for.
Google says to make sure valves are adjusted before you dig into it. Can’t find my feeler gauge so got a new one coming.

So is the only cure replacing the cam ????
How big of a job is that ????

 

[UncleTom]

I have only seen flywheel keys sheared in push mowers when there is a blade strike. The keys on push mowers are aluminum and made to shear on purpose when there is a blade strike. I cant imagine the flywheel key would shear on a generator. I would like to think the key on a genny is steel.

 

[Jim.ME]

I am not saying it is common, but it is worth checking the key. I encountered a generator that had partially shear the flywheel key. It would turn over ok when pulling the cord slowly. If you pulled the cord quick to start it, it would kick and rip the cord out of your hand.

 

[a49deere]

Update 2
Pulled valve cover off.
You can feel the slightest little bit of play in the rocker arms but I didn’t check them with a feeler gauge.
Got my wife to take a video of the valves while I pulled the starter cord slowly.
Valves are moving normally but I didn’t notice the little bump in the exhaust valve I was hoping for.
Google says to make sure valves are adjusted before you dig into it. Can’t find my feeler gauge so got a new one coming.

So is the only cure replacing the cam ????
How big of a job is that ????

If you got to dig into it that deep, a new generator would be a lot less hassle and probably only marginally more expensive! Aren't champion generators low end quality to begin with? Just Askin!!

 

[miangus]

Try adjusting the exhaust valve to .006. It takes very little extra clearance on the exhaust valve to cause the compression relief to not get the job done. It happened to me on a lawn mower, adjusted the valve and it cranked right over. It is possible the mechanical system that engages and disengages the little bump on the cam is sticking. I watch a U-Tube guy called James Corben that does a lot of generator video's he has covered the issue.