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[Shop-talk] balky Honda EU2000i generator

To: shop-talk@Autox.Team.Net
Subject: [Shop-talk] balky Honda EU2000i generator
From: Roland Wilhelmy <rwil@sbcglobal.net>
Date: Mon, 06 Feb 2012 22:51:33 -0800
(shop-related statement: one of my shops is a shipping container 1/2
mile from the nearest power.  The Honda supplies power to saws, drills
and lights.)

My generator has rather suddenly some up with some symptoms.  It would
only start and only continue running with the choke on.  Then the
motor would continue to run but the generator stopped after a few
seconds (8 amp electric chain saw.  same as I have used for years). No
glowing overload light; no popped circuit breaker, no low oil light.
I brought the genny to civilization to try to diagnose and fix it.

My shop manual has lots of details but is not much help in
troubleshooting.  Google revealed that others with similar symptoms
had cured them by cleaning the main and pilot jets and 'main nozzle'.
Gummy old gas was the culprit.  Sure enough, it helped.  Now the
generator will start on choke and run with choke off in the 'eco' mode
but the moment I switch the eco mode off and the genny should rev up
to full output it immediately shuts off instead.  It also shuts down
immediately when I put a load on it in eco mode.  It shuts down
quickly as if the ignition was turned off, not more slowly like
running the carb out of gas.  I have not tried to run it with choke
on.  It might continue to run but I don't know.  I can check tomorrow.
By advancing the throttle stop screw a lot so that the eco setting
sounds like the full power operation, I can get it to keep running
with eco off, but it 'hunts' and  won't hold a steady speed when I do
that.  Besides it defeats the eco mode which is supposed to respond
whenever there is a need for power and throttle down when it isn't
needed.

Does anyone have experience to bear on these symptoms?  I can check
out the specs on every module, one by one, following the shop manual.
Or I can try to find a competent service shop.  Neither option is
pleasant to contemplate.  There are lots of Honda dealers  who say
they have sales and 'service' but I am uncertain, and I would hate to
pay someone $100 to do something that I could do myself in an hour or
two.  There are lots of good online sources of repair parts once I
figure out what is needed.

Thanks in advance for any help.

-Roland
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