Finally, if it’s none of the aforementioned reasons were your issue, then you might have a damaged compression release on the camshaft inside of the crankcase. It’s best to start with the simplest explanations first and progressively dig into the generator further as needed. Shipping all 7 days! That water can also lead to rust which can also seize up your piston but we’ll get to that later. To determine if the start switch is defective, use a multimeter to test it for continuity. Petrol Generator Won’t Start * Check the Spark Plug – Do inspections on the spark plug for any signs of damage or wear. You should also check to make sure the spark plug gap is set correctly. Email. :confused: Essential air flow that travels into the carburetor into the ignition is a definite … For small engines, spark plugs typically need to be replaced every season or after 25 hours of use. Monte. Small engine electric start conversion is a great option so you can save yourself time and hassle. I noticed the pull cord wasn't fully coiling in the machine, ... Have 5550 generator which start easily but stops after a short time. Let’s look at the causes really quickly below. link to How Long Can I Leave the Car Radio on? Pull-Rope Malfunction. when I pull rope, I get a 2-3 coughs or a flame out of carb. This site is owned and operated by Robert Van Nuck. If your Generac won’t start even after trying all the tips above, … Let me know which one and ill help. There are also models that are equipped with an AC switch, which is not related to the start of the engine. The switch should have an open contact in the 'off' position and a closed contact in the 'on' position. Four Common Reasons Why Your Generator Won’t Start. You can check motor by moving flywheel with cover is off. In fact, as soon as the power fails, the modern home often lacks even the most rudimentary conveniences. In the event, the generator still fails to start; you need to check the … Yamaha Generator Advice: I convert a lot from gas to be able to run on gas, propane, or natural gas. Beyond the extra effort required by the heavy impeller, the causes of hard rope pull on vacuums and chipper shredders are similar to causes of hard rope pull on other equipment. If it’s low then … I've only run it on stabilized gas and started it every 30 days and ran it for at least 30 minutes per the instruction manual. Enter model number to search for the required part specific to your product, Browse our parts categories to select from a variety of parts for your product. If the porcelain insulator is cracked, an electrode is burned away or damaged, or there is heavy carbon buildup at the electrode, replace the spark plug. I got an old 4500 – Yamaha yf4500 – yf-4500 – I’m trying to get running at work that ran fine all summer. If the recoil starter assembly is defective, it may not engage the crankshaft correctly. The carburetor might be clogged. This could be due to running the generator without oil or enough oil and the piston is not lubricated and cannot move (at all or easily) within the cylinder. What you’ll want to do is first remove the rubber boot that snaps onto the spark plug and then remove the spark plug with a spark plug removal tool or deep-well socket and ratchet. Of course, check your oil levels first. Generac GP5500 generator very hard to start with pull cord. it has seized; The engine oil level is too low; There isn’t enough fuel in the tank, the wrong type of fuel has been used and/or fuel has been left sitting in the tank for a long time without use; Inspect the spark plug for signs of wear or damage. Are you going to buy a generator? The safety switch can be tested with a multimeter to determine if it is defective. After checking on fuel, you have to find out if the air intake or filter and the exhaust pipe are in good condition. Over time, some of the ingredients in the fuel may evaporate, leaving behind a thicker, stickier substance. Start doing it yourself with the confidence that comes with 100+ years of experience. If you had gasoline on your rag that you dipped in, then you will need to clean out your carburetor as it will keep flooding. We carry more than 4 million parts from over 175 major brands, so chances are, we've got the part you need. Here's How Long Can You Leave Your Car's Headlights On. The tech said it creates something along the lines of a "electromagnetic gate" the resistance in pulling starting is created from parts of the generator acting like a magnet. Posted March 16, 2017 by John Anderson. Robert lives in central Michigan and enjoys running, woodworking, and fixing up small engines. I seem to recall us having this problem before, but paid to have it diagnoised. If oil was on the end of the cloth rag that you dipped in, then flushing it like you did above should be all you need to do. Briggs & Stratton Generator Troubleshooting. If the start switch is difficult to turn or works intermittently, replace it. I’ve cover each of these 5 reasons in a bit more detail and what you can do to resolve the issue. I already changed the gas I have good spark at the plug and i cleaned the carb. If the carburetor is clogged, try cleaning it with carburetor cleaner. Some generators have start switches instead of forcing you to pull a pull rope to start up the generator. link to Here's How Long Can You Leave Your Car's Headlights On, Terms and Conditions for Home Battery Bank, Liquid Oil, Gas, or Water sitting on the Piston, Remove sparkplug, pull cord rapidly to flush chamber, change oil, No oil, rust, or engine failure from overheating (no oil), Check oil, add small amount of oil to combustion chamber through spark plug hole, Compression Release Assembly broken inside the Crankcase. The generator won’t start. Knowing if it’s water, gas, or oil can help you diagnose exactly why you have this problem to begin with. The start cord on our 9.9, 4 strok merc kicker will not pull. Hydrolock can occur if your generator has tipped over or been on a hard angle for too long and oil can seep up past the piston rings and sit on top of the piston. The ignition coil sends voltage to the spark plug while the engine is running. When you pull on your recoil starter, you should feel the resistance of the engine as you try start the generator. If the start switch is broken, you can’t start the generator. We've all accidentally left our car's headlights on at one point or another during our driving careers. This could be a case of the cylinder isn’t lubricated due to sitting for a long time. Inspect the spark plug for signs of wear or damage. Before replacing the ignition coil, ensure that the spark plug is working properly. Hope this helps some of you. This is a common problem with newer generators that are not run on a regular basis. Check for the oil level. When the power goes out, our quality of life is reduced to 19th century standards or worse. When I say flush out I mean all of the liquid contents will come shooting out the spark plug hole and will fly 10′ up in the air. If the recoil rope is slack, it may not be engaging the flywheel and will need to be replaced. A dirty spark plug can cause your generator not to start while you can pull the spark plug and attempt to clean it with a wire brush. If you can, continue with this section. The generator is low on fuel it worked yesterday--my son was using it--but today it won't start. The low-oil sensor isn’t working properly. Beyond that is the flywheel and right where the flywheel is connected to the shaft in the center you’ll see the flywheel keys. If it did, then you definitely have hydrolock. Thanks in advance for any advice. Fuel Filter Issues. Oil is just as important as having fuel for running your generator. These assemblies are not that difficult to fix and I have a video link below where you can see me reassemble a fully disassembled one and it also shows how to start a generator with just a piece of rope if your recoil starter assembly is beyond repair. If that’s the case you’re definitely not going to get things running and you’re probably going to be looking for a new generator as opposed to the money it costs to fix such a thing. Hydrolock is when you have a liquid sitting on top of the piston inside of the combustion chamber. You will also need to change the oil since gasoline has undoubtedly seeped down into your crankcase as it worked itself between the piston and the cylinder. If there is a crack on the porcelain insulator, or the electrode is damaged or burned away, just replace this spark plug. An improper spark plug gap could lead to engine knocking and poor performance. Remove the pull start cover and verify its the pull start and not the motor. It may seem obvious, but it’s worth checking whether your generator has gasoline in the... 2. Then use a flashlight to see if you have any liquid inside the combustion chamber. Getting the generator running doesn't happen with every pull. After an hour or so, try gently pulling the recoil cord with the spark plug still removed to see if the added lubrication has allowed the piston to free itself. If cleaning the carburetor isn’t effective, rebuild or replace the entire carburetor. When you pull the starter rope, tabs extending from the pulley and cam should grab the hub on the engine, causing the engine to turn. To access this you’re going to have to remove the starter recoil assembly (as we did in the previous section) and remove the starter cup and the fan disc. It is not a switch for starting the generator. While this is convenient, it also introduces a new way for the generator to fail to start. A clogged carburetor is most commonly caused by leaving fuel in the generator for a long period of time. It seems to be locked up, just won't pull. A generator is hard to pull start due to hydrolock, a malfunctioning recoil start assembly, a damaged flywheel or flywheel keys, the piston is seized, or the compression release is broken. It could be that the piston was run without oil for too long and the excessive heat is actually caused the piston to find with the cylinder. Common solutions for: Generator won’t start. If your oil is very low, fill it accordingly and you can also drop a tablespoon of it into the combustion chamber through the sparkplug hole and let it sit for a little bit. The piston cannot compress liquid but it can compress gasses, so if you have oil, gasoline, or water sitting on top of your piston then it will be physically impossible for you to pull the recoil starter cord since you cannot overcome the laws of physics. Trying to save money and do it ourselves this time. If you had water on your rag that you dipped into the combustion chamber, then you can proceed with running it after you flushed it like I mentioned earlier AND after you change your oil, since water is probably mixed in with it. Now that we have crossed off the top 3 easiest reasons, we’re going to proceed to look at your piston to see if it’s seized up for one reason or another. Already ordered? This gasoline will flood up to the top of the carburetor and then drain out the throat of the carburetor either through the air filter side or back into the combustion chamber depending on what angle you’re generator is sitting during storage. The recoil starter assembly engages the crankshaft to turn over the engine. After any service is performed on a unit, always double check the generator system yourself. I have an entire step-by-step article and video here to guide you through the process. When you release the rope, the tabs should retract and the rope should rewind back on the pulley. 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