Putting the Generator away

[joeysmith]

I feel alot of it has to do with local climate and fuel quality. Since many on here don't have a location listed maybe the folks saying they have no trouble come from a drier part of the country. So, where are you located?

I'm in sc ks

 

[buickanddeere]

I learned something new the other day. Years ago gas was formulated with anti-evaporation additives to help keep the gas from evaporating so much. Now, since all gas vehicles have a closed fuel system (not open to the atmosphere) they don’t use said additives. The additives in question is what caused the varnish that that used to cause so much trouble with engines sitting.

I’ve got a generator that will sit for months on end without starting. Whenever I put it up I’ll add Sta-bil to the gas, turn off the fuel, and let it run until it dies. When I need it again months later, it will always fire right up with 2-3 pulls of the rope.

Fuel tanks have been sealed and have had charcoal canisters since the 1970’s .
Direct injection does away with low evaporation problems in cold weather .

 

[m16ty]

Fuel tanks have been sealed and have had charcoal canisters since the 1970’s .
Direct injection does away with low evaporation problems in cold weather .

Yes, but I don’t think they took said additives out of the fuel until fairly recent (last 15 years or so). I know you don’t get the varnish in carbs like you used to.

 

[JMOR]

Yes, but I don’t think they took said additives out of the fuel until fairly recent (last 15 years or so). I know you don’t get the varnish in carbs like you used to.

“Yesterday’s” tractors from decades ago didn’t have those sealed tanks. Most of the problems that those of us here deal with are on vented tanks.

 

[PJH]

I am putting the generator away after its use in the recent outage here in Michigan. The house power stayed on so it's the one at the farm. I have a small electric pump that I use to pump all the regular fuel out of the tank. I then refill with some REC fuel, run the generator a bit and shut of the fuel and let it run until it quits. This has worked well for me. When the power went out at the farm the generator had not been started in a year, and it started on the first pull.

What is REC fuel?

 

[Keith Williams]

What is REC fuel?

Some gas stations have a separate gas pump set away from the "normal" pumps. Those pumps are used to sell non-ethanol gas (at a much higher price!).
Much of that is used in recreational vehicles. Boats, ATV's, Tractors, Chain Saws, etc.
HTH
Keith

 

[John T]

As a used tractor dealer and farmer I have winterized with every method out there including draining the carb dry etc. however the very best method I found was adding some combustible two cycle oil like mercury quicksilver to the tsnk then run engine s while msybget slight blue smoke. Then add sta bil to the tsnk and run it some more. Then shut off the key. Next spring they start on the first pistons power stroke almost no cranking. I had better luck with that versus running the carb dry To each their own experience and methods

John T

 

[showcrop]

Recently acquired a gas welder that had set for at least 5 years.
Gas in the tank
Valve open
Jump started it an cranked about 2 revolutions and fired up ran fine.
I honestly don't know why everyone has such a problem.
I have never done anything special an have never had a issue

I don't see where you are reading about people having problems. What I read is a lot of posts about what guys are doing that works well for them. Looks like a lot of good PM to me.

 

[buickanddeere]

Is that, again, sarcasm Show Dude? Perhaps you may learn to convey a most basic thought without same. At least try to be somewhat correct. Just a wee bit. Most of the generators I worked with ran (minimum) 2/3 's of the time, around the clock, and not less that 300 days a year.

The topic is small, usually portable generators . Operated mostly in a standby application .
Not gensets on drilling rigs , remote constriction sites , mines , ships or peaking power plants .

 

[buickanddeere]

After it quits, pull on the starter cord until you can feel it's on the compression stroke. That ensures both valves are closed and much less likely to get stuck open.

Good idea, also reduces the tension on a valve spring(s) by not being held open for months at a time .

 

[joeysmith]

I don't see where you are reading about people having problems. What I read is a lot of posts about what guys are doing that works well for them. Looks like a lot of good PM to me.

Fair point

 

[caterpillar guy]

I( don't know. I just kill them when gone and put inside. Pull them out the next season and go to work. Those gas engines are such a fussy temperamental junk pile. I like my diesels and I have never had a problem with pumps being stuck yet. Some of ours set more than they run. The Stiegers set from end of planting till the start of the next other than to rearrange things for winter. The smaller ones run more hours and some year around. Still no problems with them. Those dasterly carberators and all just need so much fussing and points plugs and wires. Missing farting and all. The smaller they are the worse they are too. The H is pretty good about not being a problem with running. Would love to have a small diesel on dad's tiller in place of that foolish gas engine.

 

[JMOR]

Some gas stations have a separate gas pump set away from the "normal" pumps. Those pumps are used to sell non-ethanol gas (at a much higher price!).
Much of that is used in recreational vehicles. Boats, ATV's, Tractors, Chain Saws, etc.
HTH
Keith

that has worked for me!

 

[JMOR]

I( don't know. I just kill them when gone and put inside. Pull them out the next season and go to work. Those gas engines are such a fussy temperamental junk pile. I like my diesels and I have never had a problem with pumps being stuck yet. Some of ours set more than they run. The Stiegers set from end of planting till the start of the next other than to rearrange things for winter. The smaller ones run more hours and some year around. Still no problems with them. Those dasterly carberators and all just need so much fussing and points plugs and wires. Missing farting and all. The smaller they are the worse they are too. The H is pretty good about not being a problem with running. Would love to have a small diesel on dad's tiller in place of that foolish gas engine.

Probably sing a new tune after wrestling with newer diesels with DEF, carbon traps, low carbon fuels,etc.

 

[showcrop]

Probably sing a new tune after wrestling with newer diesels with DEF, carbon traps, low carbon fuels,etc.

That's what glider kits are for!

 

[Mark-Mi]

That's what glider kits are for!

Can you buy a glider kit anymore?

 

[showcrop]

Can you buy a glider kit anymore?

Maybe I did read awhile ago that you couldn't, but I did see recently where someone was taking a wrecked truck with enough good parts and putting an older motor and transmission into it. I assumed that it was to avoid emissions laws.

 

[IHC pickups]

I believe in Sta-Bilt for an additive.
Have used for lawn mowers, wood splitter, old IHC PU that does get started very often.

 

[Dusty MI]

Anyone ever run L.P.G. in a generator, how well do they start after being run then setting for a long time?

 

[ohiojoe]

Anyone ever run L.P.G. in a generator, how well do they start after being run then setting for a long time?

Mine always starts on the second pull after setting, sometimes over 3 years.