OT - ETQ generator not starting

[Stormin Mormon]

Monday May 09, 2016

Maybe ten years ago, I bought a 1200 watt ETQ
generator. Two stroke gas mixer. Looks a
considerable lot like the Harbor Freight 800/900
watt generator. Layout of switches and sockets
and all.

When I ought the machine, pour in some gas
mix. Stared uup on three or four pulls. Very
quiet. Delivers electricity. I used it one
cold winter day when a guy I new had the power
shut off. I want to say March 01, 2007. Temps
near zero, and his house was old one with
probably no insulation. Ra fine to power his
furnace gas vanlve and blower.

Sadly, I ran the generatout out of gas, hoping
to lot let th fuel gum up. And it became hard
to start. Started on ether.

I pulled it out, Saturday, for a test run.
Pour in a splash of gas mix. Runs a half
second on ether, did that twice. And then
nothing. Pull and pull. Choke, and not choke.
Still, nothimg. I tried a different spark plug.
Tried the spark plug teter. Which is when I
find the spark is not there. Yes, switch is
on. Cycle the off switch a couple times.

What to check, next? The lawn mower shop near
me gets $80 labor rate per hour. And I paid
$130, post paid for the unit. Don't want to
take it to a shop.

--
.
Christopher A. Young
learn more about Jesus
. www.lds.org
.
.

[trader_4]

I'd say the usual, start with checking the fuel lines, prime bulb, etc
then proceed to disassembling the carb and cleaning it.

[Stormin Mormon]

On 5/9/2016 11:45 AM, trader_4 wrote:
> On Monday, May 9, 2016 at 11:03:20 AM UTC-4, Stormin Mormon wrote:
>> Pour in a splash of gas mix. Runs a half
>> second on ether, did that twice. And then
>> nothing.

>> --
>> .
>> Christopher A. Young
>> learn more about Jesus
>> . www.lds.org
>> .
>> .
>
> I'd say the usual, start with checking the fuel lines, prime bulb, etc
> then proceed to disassembling the carb and cleaning it.
>

1) won't run on ether
2) no spark, at my spark checker.

Would you like another chance?

[Uncle Monster]

On Monday, May 9, 2016 at 10:47:44 AM UTC-5, Stormin Mormon wrote:
> On 5/9/2016 11:45 AM, trader_4 wrote:
> > On Monday, May 9, 2016 at 11:03:20 AM UTC-4, Stormin Mormon wrote:
> >> Pour in a splash of gas mix. Runs a half
> >> second on ether, did that twice. And then
> >> nothing.
> >> --

> > I'd say the usual, start with checking the fuel lines, prime bulb, etc
> > then proceed to disassembling the carb and cleaning it.
> >
> 1) won't run on ether
> 2) no spark, at my spark checker.
>
> Would you like another chance?
> -

I've had to replace the ignition module on small engines before. I had to pull the flywheel to access the module. ^_^

[8~{} Uncle Motor Monster

[trader_4]

On Monday, May 9, 2016 at 11:47:44 AM UTC-4, Stormin Mormon wrote:
> On 5/9/2016 11:45 AM, trader_4 wrote:
> > On Monday, May 9, 2016 at 11:03:20 AM UTC-4, Stormin Mormon wrote:
> >> Pour in a splash of gas mix. Runs a half
> >> second on ether, did that twice. And then
> >> nothing.
> >> --
> >> .
> >> Christopher A. Young
> >> learn more about Jesus
> >> . www.lds.org
> >> .
> >> .
> >
> > I'd say the usual, start with checking the fuel lines, prime bulb, etc
> > then proceed to disassembling the carb and cleaning it.
> >
>
> 1) won't run on ether
> 2) no spark, at my spark checker.
>
> Would you like another chance?
>

Yeah, sorry, read it too quick. I'd be suspect about your
spark tester. You sure there's no spark? Obviously there
was spark at one point, with it firing. Possible it's
intermittent. Find a diagram, locate the ignition module,
magneto, whatever they use?

[Stormin Mormon]

On 5/9/2016 12:04 PM, trader_4 wrote:
>> 1) won't run on ether
>> 2) no spark, at my spark checker.
>>
>>
>
>

> Yeah, sorry, read it too quick. I'd be suspect about your
> spark tester. You sure there's no spark? Obviously there
> was spark at one point, with it firing. Possible it's
> intermittent. Find a diagram, locate the ignition module,
> magneto, whatever they use?
>

I did pull the recoil off. Expose the flywheel.
No magneto around the outside. Might be under
the flywheel. I'm about at the extent of my
experience. if this were an old Briggs, I'd
knock off the fly wheel and look at points. But,
it's too new a machine, and I don't have a
knocker for these smaller units.

[burfordTjustice]

Pretty typical of the masses. Get a generator, test run it
and then let it sit for years. Power goes out , go get
generator and it no runs.
Tsk Tsk!
Go get a good one and run the damn thing at least every
8 weeks under a load.

[David L. Martel]

Stormy,

Have you tried a new spark plug?

Dave M.

[Oren]

On Mon, 9 May 2016 16:45:34 -0400, "David L. Martel"
<mart...@frontier.com> wrote:

> Have you tried a new spark plug?

Nobody ever ask what I ask myself, Self, is the wire snug?

[My 2 Cents]

what I'd do is take the air cleaner off, spray some choke cleaner or
starter spray in it and see if it fires. If not take the spark plug out
and see if it has any spark. If you can get it running on the carb
spray keep it running till it starts pickup up fuel from the carb or
clean the carb. If it's the spark not sparking you are in for a little
learning experience and I doubt if it's worth a new ignition module. I
had one of those that locked up.. I gave it away and I don't usually do
that but it only put out 800 watts on a good day and the coffee maker
takes 900 watts. Let's see what we can find on youtube....
https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=harbor+freight+small+generator

[Stormin Mormon]

Yes, good idea. Two spark plugs and a
spark tester. None of the above shows
spark, or starts the engine.

[Stormin Mormon]

On 5/9/2016 7:06 PM, My 2 Cents wrote:
> what I'd do is take the air cleaner off, spray some choke cleaner or
> starter spray in it and see if it fires.

CY: Saturday, I did get it to almost run, twice, on ether. Later, no
sounds of life.

If not take the spark plug out
> and see if it has any spark.

CY: Did so. No sign of spark.

If you can get it running on the carb
> spray keep it running till it starts pickup up fuel from the carb or
> clean the carb.

CY: I've had that happen on small engines.

If it's the spark not sparking you are in for a little
> learning experience and I doubt if it's worth a new ignition module.

CY: My guess is you are totally correct.

I
> had one of those that locked up.. I gave it away and I don't usually do
> that but it only put out 800 watts on a good day and the coffee maker
> takes 900 watts.

CY: Might be time to invest in propane stove and a camp coffee pot? In
theory, my ETQ was to run my furnace during power cuts.

Let's see what we can find on youtube....
> https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=harbor+freight+small+generator

CY: I'll have a look at the link, some time. Thank you for a thoughtful
reply.

[My 2 Cents]

On 5/9/2016 6:25 PM, Stormin Mormon wrote:

>
>
As far as staying warm when the power goes out or if you're me, when
it's on ...
http://www.factorybuysdirect.com/procom-reconditioned-dual-fuel-vent-free-infrared-heater-20-000-btu-model-md3tpa/?gclid=CLiajrWTzswCFQERaQodZesILg
... Yeah I know these aren't approved for much of anything, but they
work and 99.9% efficient, I don't know where the 0.01 gets lost but I
guess it does. The oxygen depletion sensor amounts to a metered pilot
light flame that doesn't heat the pilot sensor enough if the oxygen in
the room drops to much. What do most folks do when the power goes out?
they use the kitchen stove.
By the way the cats and dogs love the radiant heat from these things.

[cl...@snyder.on.ca]

Disconnect the switch - that will eliminate a bad switch (it grounds
to kill the spark)
Being a cheap chinese engine, it COULD still have points - pop the
flywheel off and check. If it uses solid state ignition you MIGHT get
away with putting in a point conversion module if you can still find
one for a 2 stroke.

Basically though, if it's going to waste more than an hour of
otherwise productive time, you are throwing good money after bad.

[Stormin Mormon]

On 5/9/2016 10:44 PM, cl...@snyder.on.ca wrote:
> Disconnect the switch - that will eliminate a bad switch (it grounds
> to kill the spark)
> Being a cheap chinese engine, it COULD still have points - pop the
> flywheel off and check. If it uses solid state ignition you MIGHT get
> away with putting in a point conversion module if you can still find
> one for a 2 stroke.
>
> Basically though, if it's going to waste more than an hour of
> otherwise productive time, you are throwing good money after bad.
>

Thanks, I'll try disconnect the kill switch. And,
yes I agree with you, that spending a lot of time
on this disposable unit is a waste of a lot of
time. Good project for days with nothing to do.

[Mark Lloyd]

On 05/09/2016 03:14 PM, burfordTjustice wrote:

[snip]

> Pretty typical of the masses. Get a generator, test run it
> and then let it sit for years. Power goes out , go get
> generator and it no runs.
> Tsk Tsk!
> Go get a good one and run the damn thing at least every
> 8 weeks under a load.
>

I've had a generator (it's a Honda) for about 10 years. I run it for
10-15 minutes every month, using a heater or hair dryer for a load. It
always starts.

--
Mark Lloyd
http://notstupid.us/

"Anyone who opposes methods to control the birth rate, is automatically
voting in favour having the death rate go up." -- Dr. Paul Erlich, on
CBC's Quirks and Quarks

[Mark Lloyd]

On 05/09/2016 06:25 PM, Stormin Mormon wrote:

[snip]

> CY: Might be time to invest in propane stove and a camp coffee pot? In
> theory, my ETQ was to run my furnace during power cuts.

The last major power outage we had here was in late May of last year,
when a tornado came through. It was hot, so I needed the generator for
window A/C (and I also had one of those spray water bottles with a small
battery-operated fan on it).

[snip]

[Mark Lloyd]

On 05/09/2016 06:41 PM, My 2 Cents wrote:
> On 5/9/2016 6:25 PM, Stormin Mormon wrote:
>
>>
>>
> As far as staying warm when the power goes out or if you're me, when
> it's on ...
> http://www.factorybuysdirect.com/procom-reconditioned-dual-fuel-vent-free-infrared-heater-20-000-btu-model-md3tpa/?gclid=CLiajrWTzswCFQERaQodZesILg
> ... Yeah I know these aren't approved for much of anything, but they
> work and 99.9% efficient, I don't know where the 0.01 gets lost but I
> guess it does.

Most "waste" energy becomes heat, so a heater can be very efficient.
Some of the energy gets converted to light.

> The oxygen depletion sensor amounts to a metered pilot
> light flame that doesn't heat the pilot sensor enough if the oxygen in
> the room drops to much. What do most folks do when the power goes out?
> they use the kitchen stove.

If you have a gas stove. I hear that's not very efficient as a space heater.

> By the way the cats and dogs love the radiant heat from these things.

I know someone who's been using such a heater a lot this winter. I'm
trying to convince her that propane costs more in those little (about
1lb) bottles.

[burfordTjustice]

On Tue, 10 May 2016 13:47:19 -0500
Mark Lloyd <n...@mail.invalid> wrote:

> On 05/09/2016 03:14 PM, burfordTjustice wrote:
>
> [snip]
>
> > Pretty typical of the masses. Get a generator, test run it
> > and then let it sit for years. Power goes out , go get
> > generator and it no runs.
> > Tsk Tsk!
> > Go get a good one and run the damn thing at least every
> > 8 weeks under a load.
> >
>
> I've had a generator (it's a Honda) for about 10 years. I run it for
> 10-15 minutes every month, using a heater or hair dryer for a load.
> It always starts.
>

That is the whole idea as stated above...
A trouble like hooked to it for 20 minutes will do
unless you have them new state controlled lights.

[burfordTjustice]

light.

[Stormin Mormon]

On 5/10/2016 2:47 PM, Mark Lloyd wrote:
>
> I've had a generator (it's a Honda) for about 10 years. I run it for
> 10-15 minutes every month, using a heater or hair dryer for a load. It
> always starts.
>

I've got a pair of shoes that I polish.

My comment was about as useful for fixing
my ETQ that doesn't start.

[Stormin Mormon]

On 5/10/2016 2:53 PM, Mark Lloyd wrote:
>
> The last major power outage we had here was in late May of last year,
> when a tornado came through. It was hot, so I needed the generator for
> window A/C (and I also had one of those spray water bottles with a small
> battery-operated fan on it).
>
> [snip]
>

Nice to know that your generator will run a window
AC. I'd dare to guess that made life more comfortable.
I've heard hurricanes often come with high heat and
humidity. Less sure about tornados.

[cl...@snyder.on.ca]

On Tue, 10 May 2016 17:07:42 -0400, Stormin Mormon
<cayo...@hotmail.com> wrote:

>On 5/10/2016 2:53 PM, Mark Lloyd wrote:
>>
>> The last major power outage we had here was in late May of last year,
>> when a tornado came through. It was hot, so I needed the generator for
>> window A/C (and I also had one of those spray water bottles with a small
>> battery-operated fan on it).
>>
>> [snip]
>>
>
>Nice to know that your generator will run a window
>AC. I'd dare to guess that made life more comfortable.
>I've heard hurricanes often come with high heat and
>humidity. Less sure about tornados.

They are the "ultimate heat engine" so yes, high heat and humidity
are VERY common with Tornados. Not always humidity - but up here in
the "interlaken" tornado alley, for sure. (almost always associated
with thunder storms, regardless)

[Captain Obvious]

On 5/9/2016 11:03 AM, Stormin Mormon wrote:
> Monday May 09, 2016
>
> Maybe ten years ago, I bought a 1200 watt ETQ
> generator. Two stroke gas mixer. Looks a
> considerable lot like the Harbor Freight 800/900
> watt generator. Layout of switches and sockets
> and all.

Harbor Freight selling ETQ knockoffs?

[Stormin Mormon]

My guess is same factory in China.

[Stormin Mormon]

On 5/10/2016 3:00 PM, Mark Lloyd wrote:
> I know someone who's been using such a heater a lot this winter. I'm
> trying to convince her that propane costs more in those little (about
> 1lb) bottles.
>

Throwing away empty propane cylinders
is always more expensive than pumping
propane into your OPD tank.

[Tekkie®]

Oren posted for all of us...

Anyone notice how much of a good boy I am being?

--
Tekkie