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PaulR · 09-19-2011, 01:39 AM

My EU2000i won’t start.

Seems to me like no fuel is getting in the carburetor (the tank is 3 / 4 full).

If I spray starting fluid into air intake it runs for 5-10 seconds.

If I loosen the bottom screw on the carburetor no fuel runs out (this is the screw shown on pg. 52 of the manual used to drain the fuel -- for long term storage). I even opened the bottom of the carburetor and there were just a few drops of fuel inside.

Apparently EU2000i seems to have a fuel pump. So I disconnected the fuel line going to the carburetor and pulled the start a few times expecting to see fuel come out of the hose. No fuel came out. Does this reveal anything?

Frank's Trailer Works · 09-19-2011, 02:51 AM

check the oil. If low it won't start...

AirsDream · 09-19-2011, 06:26 AM

As I recall, Honda generators generally have a fuel tank vent on the fuel cap that has to be turned on before fuel will get to the carburetor and it will run ...

I have two different sized Yamahas, and they both also have a fuel shutoff, that needs to be turned on before the engine will run - not sure whether Hondas have such a feature ... but following the fuel line from the carburetor back to the fuel tank will lead you to such a critter if you have one.

**azflycaster** · 09-19-2011, 06:52 AM

Fuel pumps do fail. A new one is around $30 and can be easily replaced.

mello mike · 09-19-2011, 07:31 AM

You didn't say if this was new or an old one you have. If you just bought it and are using it for the first time, make sure the vent cap is open or it won't start.

If it's a unit you've used for a while, then I would check the oil level, spark plug, and fuel pump (in that order).

Good Luck!

handn · 09-19-2011, 07:36 AM

My guess is carb is plugged with crud. It has very small openings that plug easily if fuel is not drained when generator stored.
DIY did not work for me and I ended up taking the generator to the Honda dealer.

Mikethefixit · 09-19-2011, 07:57 AM

PaulR
How long has this Genni set not being used. IF its more then 45 days,then the fuel is old. Check all of the suggestions above first. I get this all the time. I have a vertical Honda/pressure washer in the shop now.The carb is so gummed up from leaving UNTREATED fuel in it that it displays the same symptoms. I pulled the bowl and confirmed my supisions. The needle valve has to be replaced.17 bucks.Bowl gaskets are not avaible from my suppliers at least,new bowl and gasket assembly 20bucks. Plus my labor so I just ordered a new carb for the customer $40 bucks including the shipping.IF you are not a qualified technician,and have the speciality tools it takes to work on this machine,I highly recommend you find a Quailfied Tech. to do this work. You will come out better in the long run. OH and empty the fuel out when not in use or use STABIL fuel treatment.

PaulR · 09-19-2011, 10:26 AM

My EU2000i is about 6 years old but has only run probably 50hrs total – virtually nothing the past 4 years, though I would typically start it once a year.

The longer version of the story leading to yesterday's problems is:

I had used the EU a few weekends ago camping but it was running rough and only on choke so I did not use it much. Then yesterday I decided to give it a look, so I took apart the carburetor and cleaned it – sure I did find some deposits. When I put it back together the roughness was gone and it run fine, like new, both eco and non eco operation very smooth, I let it run for about ½ hour.

I then saw a YouTube video about a trick that can presumably be used to run the carburetor dry before long storage. Basically you can disconnect the spark plug kill switch (a little white connector next to the main on/off switch), so that when you turn the switch to off, the fuel is cut off BUT the spark is not shorted so the EU2000 keeps running until it has burned all the fuel in the carb. I did so and sure enough the EU run for about 2 minutes, gasped twice and stopped --- presumably dry.

But then a couple of hours later I put clean gas because I thought I’d run some Techron through.

Alas, the EU would start no more. Got blisters on both hands from pulling. Starting fluid gets it going but apparently no fuel reaches the carb. I took the carb apart one more time, thinking perhaps some bigger pieces of varnish had gotten loose and clogged it up again but no, the carb was clean, all jets were open, there was just no fuel in the bottom of the carb (ok perhaps a few drops only).

dznf0g · 09-19-2011, 12:04 PM

Check the fuel filter where the fuel line goes into the tank. Since you have no fuel coming out of the pump down stream while pulling the rope, you eithe have a plugged filter or the pump itself isn't functioning.

The low oil switch won't stop the pump from operating, just won't deliver spark to start it.

Get the fuel flowing, then see where you are at.

dznf0g · 09-19-2011, 12:08 PM

It's possible, I suppose that the fuel valve could be malfunctioning too. Disconnect the fuel line from the shut-off valve on the tank side and see if fuel runs out by gravity. If it does, reconnect and remove the line from the shut off valve on the fuel pump side. Fuel should flow under gravity. If it doesn't, the valve has an issue.

pmclemore · 09-19-2011, 12:52 PM

Anothercheap and easy thing to try is to pull the plug, wipe it clean and wire-brush it.

This has made me look like a genius more than once. Come to think of it, the only times.

Pat

PaulR · 09-19-2011, 09:09 PM

That you for your suggestions. I will follow the fuel line to the tank -- see if I can find a clogged filter, non working on/off valve or bad fuel pump. Its just that from what I can tell, getting to the fuel lines and the fuel pump requires quite a bit more disassembly (the carburetor was easier to access) so I’ll have to find some horizontal surface in my garage to do the surgery and … well finding such a surface may require some garage cleanup, so may have to wait until next weekend…

BTW, here is the video I found and followed to run the EU 2000i dry (perhaps foolishly so?)

I’m posting it to inject a word of caution, because if indeed my fuel pump went bad right after this, perhaps the fuel pump does not like running dry, or against a vacuum, after all. So I’d advise to at least wait and see what happened to my fuel pump before trying the procedure described in the video.

Honda EU2000i Generator Carburetor Gum-up prevention - YouTube

PaulR · 09-22-2011, 11:26 PM

Thanks everyone. So seems like a fuel problem between the tank and carb.

So I want to trace the fuel path out of he tank. But the question is how do you access the fuel components?

The fuel line seems to come out of the tank…
…down into the on/off switch then…
….up to a white round assembly which I do not fully understand what it is.

Is this white round fuel thing the fuel pump? or the fuel filter? or both? And also out of this white round fuel thing a third line goes into the engine.

The question is how do you get to these fuel components? Looks like the red plastic housing needs to come out. Does anyone have a diagram how the EU2000i is put together? I'd rather not risk disassembling more tan I need to.

Thanks

Phoenix · 09-23-2011, 01:27 AM

Is your Honda still under warranty? I think it is two or three years, now. It might be easier to have it repaired at a Honda service center, if you are unfamiliar with maintenance. You might do more damage than good if you break something.

I have never used this service, but Camping World does seasonal maintenance; and we checked out several Honda models at a local equipment rental place that was a Honda generator dealer, before we bought the 2000i. Their service people were very knowledgeable and helpful.

In fact, the 3000 rental that we were looking at (to see how loud it was) was running real rough when they started it up; and the sales person immediately called over a technician who started working on it. Out of curiosity, we watched while he replaced the spark plug and adjusted the carburetor until it ran smoothly. So, they obviously knew what they were doing.

We were going to rent a 3000i over a weekend to test it with our Bambi, before we bought. However, we later decided to go the 2x2000i route due to the weight of the 3000.

PaulR · 09-23-2011, 01:36 AM

Yes, thanks. Unfortunately it's 6 years old though hardly used, so no longer under warranty.

In any case, I've replaced fuel injection and other parts in my car, I should be able to attempt this...

So I did manage to take off the covers just a while ago.

Seems like the on/off valve is not letting fuel through. I turn the valve on and see only a couple of drops of gas per minute flowing through gravity. The valve does not look like a serviceable part though – looks permanently sealed. I guess, it’s either broken or just clogged.

Any suggestions? Solvents?

I'll detach the fuel lines from the valve --- but its late now and I would have to catch the fuel -- looks like a daytime job -- stay tuned...

Phoenix · 09-23-2011, 01:57 AM

If you can get it out, I'd look for a mechanical clog. Although, you may not be able to remove it; and may have to replace that fuel switch/valve.

I had a motorcycle when I was much younger, and a fuel line clog turned out to be a bug that had gotten in the gas. Also, I once used some old fuel that had been sitting in a 5-gallon can for an undetermined time (dumb idea), and it had what looked like shreds of black, plastic-looking, spongy chips in it -- lots of it. I always wondered if the metal tank had some kind of plastic coating on the inside that had deteriorated over the years. Who knows.

In any case, I'll bet a chunk of something got sucked up in the fuel line. Regarding the fuel pump, we had a small outboard motor (again, years ago) that had the fuel pump fail. I was looking for something that looked like a miniature automobile fuel pump. However, when I finally found out what I was supposed to be looking for, from someone else that had a similar motor, it turned out to be a little rubber tube-looking thing that worked like a balloon, that was pumped up and deflated by pressure from the cylinder (it was a two-cycle motor) -- not at all what I expected. So, hours and hours of troubleshooting to find a little rubber part that looked like it was worth 15-cents, and cost $2 or so. HOWEVER, I do not know what the fuel pump in a 2000i looks like. Sorry for rambling. (Old-timers disease, I guess; and it's late...)

ROBERT CROSS · 09-23-2011, 07:45 AM

PaulR,

Thanks'...have had my 2000i for 5 years and never realized that the mystery fuel line went to the shut-down switch on the front panel.

I converted ours to dual use LPG/gas 4 years ago and use this rather simplistic clamp,(top right), to shut off gas supply when switching from gas to LPG or preparing for Winter storage, start on gas, close the clamp when it starts to stumble open LPG or let it stall for storage.
I suppose I could drain the carb before switching to LPG, but never liked the idea of possible gas vapors around a running gen.

Bob

PaulR · 09-24-2011, 12:55 AM

I guess the defective part seems to be the fuel filter that is embedded into the fuel line right where the fuel line comes out of the tank.

!! That fuel filter is almost impossible to imagine exists unless you know about it, or undo the connection between fuel tank and fuel line!

A second problem is that the fuel hose has also degraded in a strange way. Right where the fuel filter ends, for about ¼” the fuel hose has become really soft and thin!! I cannot understand how that happened.

In any case, both the fuel line from tank to on/off valve as well as the fuel filter need to be replaced. Where do I find parts? I looked online and nothing stood out. Are Honda dealers the best choice for EU2000i parts?

Phoenix · 09-24-2011, 04:04 AM

I don't know if this was done; however, I used to work in a clean room where they had an aerosol particle counter that used special medical tubing as a "sniffer" to sample for airborne particles. It was used, because it didn't sluff of particles, itself, and contaminate the sampled air.

Anyway, it was purchased in a slightly larger diameter than fit on the stub it was plugged onto; and to get a tight fit, we stretched it out, which shrunk the overall diameter of the tubing, especially the inside diameter, and the wall thickness.

I wonder if this may have been done, either by the factory or during later maintenance where the fuel line was replaced.

This probably isn't good on fuel line, but for the particle counter, the tubing got replace regularly; and the line only carried room air at lower pressure than sucking a drink through a straw.

ZoominC6 · 09-24-2011, 06:29 AM

For all of us using generators, it's good practice after each and every use to completely drain the fuel tanks, fire up the generators until they run out of fuel and restart again until the fuel is out of the carb. This practice will prevent gumming up the fuel system at the carb. Changing the oil on a regular basis will also prolong the life of the unit as with any engine but especially with small generators.