Generator Problem

[tlmgcamp]

I have a Generac xg8000e. It's not in an rv but I guess it could be so I hope someone can offer some ideas.

It's probably 15 years old and I got it about 5 years ago from my MIL. It as been very lightly used and runs like a champ. It has always been stored in a basement level garage.

About a week ago the DW smelled gas downstairs and traced it to the garage. I traced it to the gen. I didn't see drips or anything so I started poking around the fuel lines and carb to find nothing wet. I took off the air filter cover for better access and found about 1/3 of the square paper air filter stained and smelling of gas.

Any ideas?

 

[House Husband]

The only way for gas to get to the filter, is if the float stuck or the needle & seat failed allowing too much gas in to the carburetor bowl.

Richard

 

[tlmgcamp]

The only way for gas to get to the filter, is if the float stuck or the needle & seat failed allowing too much gas in to the carburetor bowl.

Richard

Ok...males sense. But could that suddenly happen on its own without anybody moving it or running it for months?

 

[OldWEB]

It should not be stored "for months" with the fuel valve "on", or if it has no fuel valve, empty the tank and run it dry... same as turn the fuel valve "off" and run it dry before storing it. Prevents the fuel from drying up and varnishing the carb.

 

[tlmgcamp]

It should not be stored "for months" with the fuel valve "on", or if it has no fuel valve, empty the tank and run it dry... same as turn the fuel valve "off" and run it dry before storing it. Prevents the fuel from drying up and varnishing the carb.

Fuel is treated with Sta-Bil

 

[John From Detroit]

Ok...males sense. But could that suddenly happen on its own without anybody moving it or running it for months?

Yes the needle valve (Float valve) is held closed by the float. IF the float gets "Gas logged" or otherwise fails it won't hold the needle in the valve and what you get is what you got. (Gas leaking )

Carb rebild kit and new float and you are good for another many years.

 

[tlmgcamp]

Yes the needle valve (Float valve) is held closed by the float. IF the float gets "Gas logged" or otherwise fails it won't hold the needle in the valve and what you get is what you got. (Gas leaking )

Carb rebild kit and new float and you are good for another many years.

Ok...so a carb issue can start this issue while it sits by itself. However, the air filter cover has been off for a full day and there is no gas visible. Could the internal mechanism un-stick itself and stop the leak. Although, now that I said, I realize that I moved the gen a couple of times while trying to figure out what was going on. Could that movement have temporarily resolved the issue?

 

[OldWEB]

Fuel is treated with Sta-Bil

That is good for the fuel, it will still evaporate in the carb over time, just now with Sta-Bil coating the surfaces too....

 

[Mark_K5LXP]

Gas on the air filter could come from the carb but it could be via a second path. I've had small engines that vent the gas tank to the air cleaner, I guess as a form of evaporative emission control or filtered air inlet for the gas tank. Something as simple as a full tank and some expansion from temperature, or sloshing by moving the unit around could net a similar result.

Mark B.
Albuquerque, NM

 

[tlmgcamp]

Gas on the air filter could come from the carb but it could be via a second path. I've had small engines that vent the gas tank to the air cleaner, I guess as a form of evaporative emission control or filtered air inlet for the gas tank. Something as simple as a full tank and some expansion from temperature, or sloshing by moving the unit around could net a similar result.

Mark B.
Albuquerque, NM

Interesting...there is less than 1/2 tank of fuel, there is a vent tube coming out of the top of the tank and going under the panels that dress up the outside of the gen. I guess it's time to see where that goes. Thing is, it wasn't moved for a while and when it was it was seemingly not violent enough to get the gas to slosh around and get up into the vent. Still, any port in a storm so I will check it out

 

[DonTom]

there is a vent tube coming out of the top of the tank and going under the panels

By any chance is there some type of vacuum controlled valve or petcock in there that is designed to stop the gas flow when the engine dies?

My 2002 Suzuki DR200SE motorcycle had such and the first symptom it had was running very poorly with lots of gas on the air filter. Also first happened after the bike sat for around a year. The problem was a seal in the fuel valve. When it gets dry, it can crap out. It got its vacuum from the front of the carb to control the petcock valve. When no vacuum, this valve is supposed to stop the fuel flow.

But when the seal in the petcock goes bad, the gasoline from the fuel tank pours into the carb via the vacuum line.

What I did to fix it is to change to a manually controlled petcock that has no need for the vacuum line. Now no trace of that old problem, but the engine will no longer shut off the petcock when not running.

-Don- Reno, NV

 

[Onyrlef]

By any chance is there some type of vacuum controlled valve or petcock in there that is designed to stop the gas flow when the engine dies?

My 2002 Suzuki DR200SE motorcycle had such and the first symptom it had was running very poorly with lots of gas on the air filter. Also first happened after the bike sat for around a year. The problem was a seal in the fuel valve. When it gets dry, it can crap out. It got its vacuum from the front of the carb to control the petcock valve. When no vacuum, this valve is supposed to stop the fuel flow.

But when the seal in the petcock goes bad, the gasoline from the fuel tank pours into the carb via the vacuum line.

What I did to fix it is to change to a manually controlled petcock that has no need for the vacuum line. Now no trace of that old problem, but the engine will no longer shut off the petcock when not running.

-Don- Reno, NV

You should get you one of them electric rigs.

 

[1blue78]

Take the air filter off, get it running and after it is warmed up mist carb cleaner in the air intake and try to keep it running by increasing the throttle while spraying. That should clean it up. FYI fuel stabilizer is only good for 3 - 6 months.

 

[DonTom]

You should get you one of them electric rigs.

Or five of them. . .

-Don- Reno, NV