Honda EU2000i Leaking Oil and Won't Run - Found in the Trash

Honda generators are known for their reliability. Could this one be the exception? Apparently the prior owner thought so because he threw it away. Even broken Honda's have value. Is this one broken? Lets find out.
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#HondaPower #GeneratorRepair #SmallEngineRepair #SmallEngine #DIY #Fixed #Troubleshooting #HowTo
Alternator, Bad Fuel, Bad Gas, Blue Smoke, Carburetor Cleaning, Carburetor, Clean Power, EU2000, EU2000i, Fixed, Fuel Contamination, Generator, Hertz, Honda Generator, Honda, How To, How-To, Leaking Oil, Load Test, Oil, Overfilled Oil, Repair, Small Engine, Smoking, Surging, THD, Total Harmonic Distortion, Troubleshooting, Water in Fuel, White Smoke, Will Not Start

[@scroungasworkshop4663]

Wow, don’t take it personally but Americans seem quite wasteful to me. Watching your’s and others videos and the condition that some machines are in when they’re left out for free or garbage collection just leaves me speechless, especially gas engined machines. Maybe it’s the cheap initial cost that makes them easier to just toss. I have that same generator and here in Australia they were $1800 - $2200 AUD. The eu2200i has replaced the eu2000i but sell for around the same price. Looking at Walmart US the most expensive gas powered pressure washers are around $500US. In Australia it’s difficult to find a gas powered pressure washer for that price and those ones that are, are junk sold by the big box hardware stores. A 3200 psi Honda powered Karcher like mine is around $1500. Admittedly even you were surprised that the Honda generator was dumped. Perhaps the previous owner tossed it out of frustration. The sad part is I’ll bet he’s running around telling everyone that Honda’s are junk. Obviously you proved they’re not. Thankfully there are people like you that save this stuff from landfills. Cheers from the expensive land down under. 🇦🇺

[@jcondon1]

No offense taken. Its hard to believe. There are not many small engine shops in my area and the few that exist charge $100 an hour and months waiting for repair. Most end up in the trash because the cost to repair often exceeds the value. Honda's though are very different since that are expensive and hold there value. It is wasteful and thankfully there are a lot of people like me who pull this stuff from the trash or buy them really cheap and fix them up.

[@scroungasworkshop4663]

@@jcondon1 Yes, I forgot how much they cost to repair, and when they are relatively inexpensive to buy new it makes sense. 👍

[@jcondon1]

Tom just found a $1,000 Stihl saw in the Australian trash. To be fair, it was really broken and the owner at least took it apart before giving up. kzbin.info/www/bejne/hqDOdK2NasadpNUsi=Ku8uC8X6p4Ki8WyS

[@bobsbarnworkshop7542]

I’m right there with ya! Realize that most people are not mechanically inclined and stuff like this just baffles them! Thank goodness you and I have some ingenuity and brains to fix and figure things out!!!

[@milfordcivic6755]

Most of the time, the repair shops will tell the customer it's cheaper to buy a new machine. That's why stuff like this gets thrown out.

[@MyClutteredGarage]

Me: I’m not going to watch a 45 minute video. Also Me, 45 minutes later: that was really well done and interesting.

[@raymondschneider5217]

Me, too, Cluttered. James is a natural teacher; very patient, succinct and clear presentation. Would enjoy watching more repair vids (e.g., replacing the starter cord, etc). Y'all Be Safe!

[@bennoklaas563]

Same here. I was rooting for the little engine on the patio: you can do it, get rid of that nasty oil.

[@bambambundy6]

I like the longer vids. You get more information. You may know how to do whatever it is but you may see a better way.

[@mattclifton6516]

You gotta make better use of your time and watch all videos on 2x speed. Knocked this one out in 22 and a half minutes.

[@MikeyAR7373]

Never thought about watching these videos on 2X excellent idea .

[@michaelkennedy2528]

That is the perfect generator, not only because it is a Honda, but the fact that it generates power AND repels mosquitos!!

[@rusack7174]

Expensive but truly great generators.

[@mensaswede4028]

While it is a great generator when it’s working, the fatal flaw is that Honda designed it such that it is essentially unserviceable in an economic way.

[@michaelkennedy2528]

@@mensaswede4028 In the hands of James, it can be done. Reminds me of this joke: A gynecologist had become fed up with malpractice insurance and HMO paperwork, and was burned out. Hoping to try another career where skillful hands would be beneficial, he decided to become a mechanic. He went to the local technical college, signed up for evening classes, attended diligently, and learned all he could. When the time of the practical exam approached, the gynecologist prepared carefully for weeks, and completed the exam with tremendous skill. When the results came back, he was surprised to find that he had obtained a score of 150%. Fearing an error, he called the Instructor, saying, “I don’t want to appear ungrateful for such an outstanding result, but I wonder if there is an error in the grade?” “The instructor said, “During the exam, you took the engine apart perfectly, which was worth 50% of the total mark. You put the engine back together again perfectly, which is also worth 50% of the mark.” After a pause, the instructor added, “I gave you an extra 50% because you did it all through the muffler, which I’ve never seen done in my entire career.” James reminds me of this doctor, he can get in there and fix it one way or another.

[@P_RO_]

@@mensaswede4028 Honda's rarely need parts, but when they do they're expensive. I don't think that's a slight on the consumer as much as very finely made parts costing more to make.

[@glennschlorf1285]

Nice little genset

[@StirlingLighthouse]

A friend once told me that every lawnmower you see on the side of the road likely only needs minimal effort to get them going. People toss away things often because no one has any skills left to fix it.

[@Catpanl]

This is fact. I have picked up 3 over the years and the most I did was order a new carb from Amazon for $20. People have no skills or clue what to do and they don’t know where to go for a repair either. So for $200 they get a new one.

[@bixby9797]

I"ve been using an early 90's Cub Cadet 2166 for 10yrs that some sold me for $50 because "it didn't run". Oil, plugs, cleaned carb, drained the fuel with a new filter and lines and cleaned the ignition stuff up with sandpaper. Runs like a top.

[@user-mj6fe5jf9z]

I have never bought a new lawnmower, including the one I used to cut grass as a kid in the early 70's. I can't tell you how many mowers I have thrown in the truck, got running, and given to friends. I have also made an untold amount of money cleaning carbs in the spring.

[@jefffather4663]

A picked up a self-propelled mower at the curb in my neighborhood. Cleaned the carb, flushed the tank, changed the oil three times - it was nasty. I'm still using 5 years later, but now it's starting to burn oil. I just need it to hang on 4 more years until I sell the house and it will convey.

[@-----------------------------]

No one has useful skills anymore. But at least the nerds won! Nerdy hobbies like DnD, marvel movie binge watching, and non stop watching twitch streams playing video games. Nerdy skills, na no one wants that anymore. Just the useless hobbies.

[@flyrock45]

I bought one of these 10 yrs ago and to this day, it still runs great. I run nothing but ethanol free premium fuel, start it up once every couple of months and put a good load on it. It came in quite handy after a wind storm hit 2 years ago and left us without power for 6 days. I set it up outside and it ran the fridge, a few lights in the house, coffee maker in the morning and the washing machine. I filled it up before going to bed and in the morning before leaving for work. It ran for 6 days straight no issues. When neighbors were using these big, loud gensets mine was just humming away mainly for the fridge. I used about 1.25 gallons per 24 hours when neighbors were burning 5 gallons a day. Honda makes an excellent product and they'll run for years if well maintained.

[@scottpecora371]

Was snowmobiling at Mt. Bachelor Oregon, some years back, a couple of generator pearls came out of that trip. They had a big military tent set up, and there was a snowmobile rental business set up all season long. They had an eu2000 set up to a 5gal aux tank that ran 24/7 during the entire time they were up there. At night, it was averaging from 5 below to 5 above zero. They taped off some of the cooling vents on the generator. Otherwise, you had to use some choke. Taping off half the cooling vents seemed about right to allow the generator to reach proper running temperature when it was that cold out. So we did the same to our eu1000, and it ran great. Because the highest it got, the whole trip was 22F, and the generators just wouldn't warm up to operating temperature.😊

[@arishem555]

I remember those times during soviet union, - where things in people's houses were serving them for decades and some of those still around. why? because we were not able to buy things in the stores, - so that's why people were fixing everything all the time. Something broke, - you are fixing it again. You always knew someone who can make spare part for you. And now so many things are going to a dumpster because we don't know how to fix it anymore.

[@jimrky6062]

People in this country mainly haven't been able to fix things since the 30's - and it has, since the 20's, been the dream of most Americans simply to be 'Consumers': buy it, abuse it - and when it breaks throw it away and get the Newer Better model. I was raised to buy used, overhaul to spec's, and maintain for a long service life. Mostly I am still the same way. But many things are less able to be repaired and you bring the 'Parts Cannon' to bear, until it costs more to fix than replace. I harvest the old unit for parts and try to get another like unit to use going forward. Some units don't have very much 'fix' engineered into them at all and that's sad.

[@vipvip-tf9rw]

they were hard to buy, because they were rare and simple as stick this gen is simple like that, but something like ecoflow, yeah, cheaper to buy a new one

[@JanicekTrnecka]

I would love to fix some appliances, usually its a 30cent spare part, but getting that specific part takes so much time and so much hassle to replace it sometimes its more cost effective to just buy whole new machine (what is ridiculous paradox)

[@IAWAF]

Appliances sold in U.S. used to last for decades and were repairable (I remember repair techs coming to our house during the 1960’s and 1970’s). But today, these things are built cheap and considered disposable. When I bought a new clothes washer in 2015, the sales lady told me it would last about 8 years. I questioned this, as our washers and other heavy appliances used to last 20+ years or more. She said, “They don’t make them like that anymore”. My washer lasted 7 years - the repair guy told me the main circuit board went bad - $400 just for that part, plus installation. So it didn’t make sense to repair it - just bought a new machine. And another big piece goes to the landfill. 😮

[@Kevin19700]

Absolutely spot on! Every year, billions of dollars in repairable items are thrown away in US.

[@knobbiesshreaded3137]

Mine is over 15 years old. Only maintenance, change oil, air filter, check the plug, and cleaned the carb once. Videos like this give Rookies like me the confidence to do our own repairs. Thanks.

[@able880]

Mine not a inverter Honda just regular honda 650 I think - 30 yr old been used after many hurricanes just change oil. -

[@emptech]

The agency I work for has four of these units. When we had problems and took them to a shop, we found the problems were usually with old or bad fuel. I make it a point to pour the fuel out and run the engine dry. I've never had a problem since doing that. They are extremely reliable, and two units can be connected in parallel to double the capacity. Jim

[@jcondon1]

Most small engine problems are due to bad fuel.

[@stevegiron8825]

Get the Hutch Mountain cut off switch. They're 20 bucks. When you shut off the gen, it burns all the fuel from the carb. Next time you go to start, they start on the 1st pull, instead of gumming up the carb.

[@bixby9797]

StaBil always in the fuel. With my lawnmowers and chainsaws I run that and at the end of the season I run them dry, pull the plug and mist with Balistol, give a few pulls and loosely put the plug in for storage.

[@SilvaDreams]

​@@bixby9797That works to some degree, or did, with old unleaded fuel but the new stuff with the ethanol added in the fuel only has a shelf life of a few months unless stored in a completely air tight enviroment since the ethanol will pull moisture out of the air and contaminates the fuel.

[@michaelweems679]

Most small engine problems are due to ethanol in fuel today.

[@rp42069]

You hit the jackpot finding that treasure in the trash! I'd never been that lucky.

[@hwingerrr5680]

Best curb find I encountered was a grandfather clock in pristine condition and the only problem was the chains were all tangled up. The people may have decided they didn't need it anymore, but it just needed some detangling, and it works perfectly, and they even included the papers with it.

[@cgss08]

James, the only additional check you should have made was to check the spark plug. The plug could be loosly gapped or is fouled. Combustion chambers get very hot when they are burning off oil so a plug check is required.

[@brianallen9810]

I would have put a new plug in myself.

[@cjsebes]

I was thinking the same. A new plug would probably put it over the edge to being a perfect runner.

[@XxTWMLxX]

Check the oil too after shutting it down when it stopped smoking. Make sure it didn't burn all the oil out of it. He mentioned excess oil will push past piston but if rings were worn it will dump all oil past. Should of checked oil after run and changed plug or atleast checked it.

[@einfelder8262]

I would have pulled the muffler off and cleaned it out. Now it will be half full of soot from the boiled oil.

[@dougle03]

@@einfelder8262 The sponge looked a lot cleaner on the last build up, so perhaps they both got a clean.

[@PilotMcbride]

My guess about the oil overfill is that the owner rolled the generator over onto its side to put new oil in it rather than filling it the right way. Good job overall

[@einfelder8262]

That's also possibly how the cylinder and muffler filled with oil via an ope exhaust valve (if that's where this engine parks).

[@marcusbuchner1615]

That could be a way of how the oil was overfilled. Then got sucked up through the crank case ventilation tube, making smoke.

[@RickinICT]

I don't think there's any way they could have gotten that much oil in the crankcase other than laying it on its side. It was pouring out of the crankcase while sitting level as soon as the dipstick was removed.

[@goatman86]

I thought the whole thing got in the water and somehow it got to both fuel tank and engine. That would explain increased "oil" level. And the smoke could be water slowly evaporating when the oil heats up. I'd check oil level after few hours

[@PilotMcbride]

@@goatman86 There was no water found in the oil drained from the machine, but there was evidence that it was possibly inundated at some stage (rust on the crank counterweights). If that was the case, the former owner in an attempt to recover the generator did an oil change and in doing so, unwittingly tipped the generator over to refill the oil, not knowing the correct procedure. The smoke was smoke, not water vapour and as previously posted, that could have been oil that leaked passed the exhaust valve and into the muffler, burning off during the initial running period(s). The only water found was in the fuel which could've entered during the possible inundation or from corrupted fuel added after the incident. Thank you for your input.

[@foxfox4413]

Have one of those generators, least 15 years old, used on back of a boat, had to clean the carb once, bad fuel in New York. Even ethanol free fuel. Every year I have to clean carburetors on lawnmowers, zero turns, golf carts, etc. That Honda is a good generator, I wouldn't get rid of it. They are pretty quiet even under full load, currently use mine as backup power at home and for RV camping.

[@macmorgan6685]

You should always run the tank dry after a seasons use.

[@macmorgan6685]

The emulsion tube gets plugged, uae .009 guitar string to clean.

[@xxcrazy_critr6661]

Someone with more money than talent, that's for sure. If I found that in the trash I would go buy some Lottery Tickets immediately!

[@stevesumpter4383]

How much you wanna bet the owner laid the generator on it's side and filled the oil to the top. Thanks for the videos !

[@tubereactor7393]

I was thinking it was perhaps a case of sabotage. I.e. A nearby camper was mad bc it was running too late in the evening. So they dumped in extra oil plus added water to the gas. Better than sugar, I suppose!

[@guzziwheeler]

@@tubereactor7393 I am an automotive engineer and I never understood why and how sugar in the fuel should damage an engine. Sugar is not soluble in gas or diesel (I tried it out). All it can do is clogging a filter or a jet. Which would result in failure, but not in damage. Any ideas anyone?

[@barrygrant2907]

@@tubereactor7393 The water was probably due to ethanol gas. The oil? Anyone's guess.

[@iandennis7836]

​@@guzziwheeleras I understand it, the sugar when it burns produces massive carbon deposits from the intake valve right through the engine and this gums up everything inside necessitating a complete strip down to decarbonise the internals.

[@guzziwheeler]

@@iandennis7836 But why would it burn? How would it get into the cylinder? Not with the fuel, it is unsoluble. And not thru a carburettor or injection system, the filter and/or the jets will catch it.

[@dragonhealer7588]

Our EU2000i is ancient, or seems that way, we keep it full of gas because it sees 150 to 200 hours of operation every month for the last 12 years. I've had to adjust the valves 3 times in all those hours. It's forced to live outdoors as well, but the unit always starts first or second pull. Amazing machine.

[@readyplayer2]

Just curious, what do you use it for to get 200 hours of operation per month? I’ve seen these frequently at food trucks. I have the EU2200i and it’s a great little machine.

[@dragonhealer7588]

@@readyplayer2 Race weekends, amateur sports car.

[@volvogt21]

Does it surge at idle?

[@dragonhealer7588]

@@volvogt21 Noticeably on eco mode.

[@DIRTDUMMY1]

2400 hours, adjusted the valves a few times... definitely a wrench head😂 oh, but that specific 2200i actually does 2600i😮

[@DylanMartinRacing]

you are so gentle with everything! it’s like watching a precision piece of equipment being rebuilt. I quickly realize why i break 75% of the small motor stuff I work on lol

[@stevez340]

I watch a few KZbin videos and “try” to repair most things before replacing. Recently rebuilt my GE dryer, replaced my snowblower belts and cleaned the carb in my 15 year old Honda eu2000i that was starving for fuel and wouldn’t run a 1,000 watt appliance. Saved me hundreds of dollars👍

[@landiahillfarm6590]

Not gonna lie, there is something VERY satisfying how much attention to detail you put into CLEANING these revivals and making them look their best.

[@sw6188]

I was just thinking the same. It gave me warm fuzzies to see the level of detail in cleaning the unit up after he got it running.

[@car2069]

James, that pull cord wear is not from excessive pulling. It is where the pull cord rubs against the inner shroud when the unit runs. It is at an angle and generates wear. A true sign of a higher hour unit. I fix hundreds of these a year. The surging also doesn’t matter because the inverter still outputs clean power. They all surge like that at no load

[@jeffclark2725]

Yea, i have seen the rope wear issues, just like the honda mowers first couple feet of rope exposed to weather and sun and deteriorates before the rope on the starter pulley, the carb adjustments are so critical on those

[@alext8828]

Why can't the water go thru the jets?

[@jeffclark2725]

@alext8828 water doesn't get drawn like gasoline or alcohol, it can just sit there,till it's cleaned out

[@car2069]

@@alext8828 even if it passes it doesn’t burn so the engine will never run. Gotta get it completely out.

[@alext8828]

@@car2069 Interesting. Thank you.

[@Free_Ranger_CT110]

It's crazy what people throw away, that turned in to a beaut little Honda generator.

[@G31mR]

From what I saw in the video, the smoking issue came from an oil level that was still over-full. When you first removed the excess oil, you only got the oil level down to where it didn't come out the fill orifice. Actually, the oil level should be about three-quarters of an inch BELOW that point. The filler cap has a dipstick on it that tells you where the oil level should be. I wasn't surprised to see it smoke for a considerable time at startup. I WAS surprised that you didn't catch that. Otherwise, an interesting video with no obnoxious music to distract. Well done.

[@patrickrooney5130]

Your a 100,, present right. to mutch oil is just as bad not enough

[@tactileslut]

Clear vocal pickup and I definitely appreciated the lack of the usual backing tracks. This is how I-fixed-it videos should be done.

[@user-cs1em7nd9t]

"Actually" according to the Honda manual the oil level should be at the top of the oil filler neck guy in the video had it right and your way would be too low. quote Honda maintenance manual; 1. Remove the oil filler cap and wipe the dipstick clean. 2. l~nsert the dipstick into the oil filler neck but do not screw it in. 3. Iif the level is low, fill to the top of the oil filler neck with the recommended oil.

[@JRoy-1969]

You’re 💯 right, the oil should barely touch dip stick without threading cap. It only holds 400 CC/milliliter, 13-14 ounces. Just under half a quart. An ounce of oil will burn a long time in that small engine.

[@RonaldDaub-xi5jz]

I've seen people throw things away because it had too much oil in it

[@4RXLA]

Based on the 2 blinks of the inverter light at initial start, the generator has 200-299 hours of running time on it. A great dumpster find. Worth at least $700 in current condition. Honda’s are definitely worth the money and are bulletproof like you said. Would love to see you do a engine teardown on one of these one day but they are pretty indestructible.

[@jcondon1]

Did one a couple years ago kzbin.info/www/bejne/n4CVkmx_abuZes0si=OQxVrDUkqv-ibR13

[@donraptor6156]

Worth $200.00 at best. Used Hondas in good shape here go for about $600.00

[@usmcmustang2972]

I suspect that that generator was run on choke for some time. The generators are good, but they are not "owner proof" . The sticker indicator for the choke, is unclear to people who have been taught only to read the sign language, which is for Neanderthals who cannot read words. This causes people to run then on choke because the sticker says "Choke/(baffle symbol)/-> .. The arrow on the right is misleading because it can be translated as "run" and the word "choke" on the left causes people to think choke is to the left ... The fuel tanks fill up with water because the dial vent on the fuel cap allows humidity and rain moisture to leak in.. These are two failings of the Honda generators. I know of three cases where this has happened.

[@itskarl79]

The reason it was smoking is because it was overfilled with oil. It just had to burn it off. It may have even disrupted the rings, And they subsequently had to reseat.

[@trvman1]

Me, I am lazy :) I would have done what you did, filled the tank 1/4 with new gas and then thrown in some carb cleaner and/or some SeaFoam and let it run dry and see what happens. Then maybe done it again before doing a carb clean. Put a new plug in it too.

[@dalestanley506]

I am amazed that you didn't replace the pull cord.

[@jcondon1]

Not an easy task on this machine. Decided to leave it for Jason. As much as I like this generator, there are certain maintenance items that are a lot more work then you would expect.

[@dalestanley506]

@@jcondon1 I knew it wouldn't be easy. You don't usually stop til you reach perfection. Keep up the good work.

[@robw1330]

I was given an EU1000i a few years ago. It seems it's a common problem where people overfill the oil. Mine was turned on it's side and filled to 'full' on the dipstick. Everything was soaked in oil, even the air filter was dripping. I cleaned it up and it smoked for the next 2 weeks but it's been bulletproof since. Love that little genny.

[@tonyfox1434]

You forgot to reinstall the fuel feed clamp! Good thing you decided to look at the carb again. Great video

[@kevinklassen8199]

We would love it if you would put a bore scope in every cylinder during inspection to see the wall condition and to read the spark plug. We all look forward to the oil getting checked before testing

[@Bajatrvlr]

I have to say I get a warm fuzzy feeling whenever you do a Honda… there’s nothing like them in the generator world; they just won’t die. Mine is going on 24 years and still start’s first or second pull. Yes they are a thousand dollars but they’re worth every penny…

[@jcondon1]

My EU6500 has never let me down.

[@philipmulville8218]

Nice job. Excellent camera work. Thank you, James.

[@JVR2019]

Everything you did was perfect with one exception; as a precaution I'd have checked the engine oil again as the smoking reduced. That's just to be certain that the smoking didn't stop because the engine had run out of oil.

[@yanbag9487]

the engine would of stopped running due to the low oil switch

[@adamdnewman]

@yanbag9487 unless the switch failed

[@yanbag9487]

@@adamdnewman it wouldn't run with a bad switch ..no spark

[@CASEYDODSON]

I miss the old days when you would put the torque specs up on the screen, but that's a nitpick great videos.

[@johnclarke8180]

With the amount of oil in the beginning I would say the exhaust was half full of oil. Great save, well done!

[@johnclarke8180]

The crankshaft must of been hammering the oil in the crankcase, lucky it didn't spin.

[@PeterLawton]

"exhaust was half full of oil" ... Optimist. 😀

[@hugh007]

Agreed about oil in the muffler. Could have been laying on its side.

[@nairbsggirb1718]

My brother and I use these exclusively for our Alaska/Bering Sea mining operations, meaning we are out in some of the worst conditions you can imagine, with salt water exposure, pelting rain, sub-freezing temperatures, and rocking on heavy sea days. Every now and then, we do have to pull them apart like you've done here, clean the spark plug, ream the carb jets, get water out of the fuel, etc. Our biggest issue is sideways water spray fouling up the electronics. In those cases, we have to either let them air-dry or force air through the open clamshell for quite a while. After they dry out internally, they usually fire right up with no issue. In addition to using them on our dredges, we use them for our welding and repair projects in the harbor, as well as a One-Stop shop for all of our homestead power needs. Absolutely amazing machines, and worth every penny. *I should mention the Yamaha equivalents are also rock solid

[@demonkey123]

Definitely an improvement on the idle after cleaning the carb. Great job. I’m so jealous. I wish I could come across a Honda generator that have been thrown in the garbage. 😁

[@Shuhaib-jt9nq]

When i depressed i watch james james fixing so relaxing

[@utubetjc]

I have owned two of these and currently have the EU2200i. Meticulous about exercising under varying loads monthly, frequent oil changes and ethanol free premium gas only. I also clean the muffler screen about every 50 hours. Great video....well done!

[@charleswesley9907]

Bought 2 @ 2000 watt Harbor Freight Predators . They work great !

[@JRoy-1969]

@@charleswesley9907 I would like to know in a few years how well they do. Honda is hard to beat. A friend bought a Yamaha for 400$ less than the Honda, would not put out the same as Honda, eventually it failed. Money wasted. Honda is going strong 15 years later.

[@TheSilmarillian]

Yet no ethanol based fuel the pistons turn black as night, premium gas only.

[@Ex3t3r]

As a heating engineer that works on service and repair of oil boilers when we suspect contamination of the fuel (kerosene) through water we dip the fuel storage tank to check for the presence of water using an American product call 'Kolor Kut Water Finding Paste' Just thought I would introduce you to this product if you are not familiar with it as it is a very quick way of immediately detecting a contaminated fuel supply.

[@user-jj3hi3gh4u]

During Desert Storm we found that almost every Iraqi fighting position had a Honda generator in it. We confiscated them took them home and used them when we went to the field for at least ten more years. Great piece of kit, thank you Sadam

[@marktrammell8456]

That muffler must have been full of oil because of the overfill of oil. Oil would have gotten in through the crankcase vent and then sucked in through the intake. What a great find! Something you may want to add to your tool set is a Forney 86140 Tip Drill Set or a GYROS 20 PCS Mini Twist Drill Bit Set to help you open up those jets. Those small engines are always manufactured to run too lean to meet emission standards.

[@DJ_Megahertz]

Yeah, I was going to comment that in the video you can see evidence of oil around the exhaust output.

[@philipthomas2452]

The problem with this generator is everyone is afraid to work on them. I took my generator to an established small engine shop with a good reputation and he couldn’t stop an oil leak. My generator ran great but leaked when turned off. I got brave and tore the thing apart and found it was leaking from the low oil sensor where the wires come through the bottom of engine. Replaced oil sensor and grommet thing and used a little black rtx. Good as new now no leaks

[@rmoreno6014]

It's easy to comment on the guy who tossed this beautiful Honda generator. He did it out of frustration obviously. He didn't have any knowledge about the unit....and acted hastily. It was foolish...however the guy let anger & frustration takeover. The guy in this video has pretty good knowledge of mechanics & is able to troubleshoot extremely well. Furthermore; the video is edited for time. This mechanic put in lots of hours of labor to get it working again to make great KZbin content. Once again thank you & Kudos to this man for his helpful video and for his excellent skill set level for him to show us step by step how he fixed thus generator. Thank you!!

[@jcondon1]

Thanks!

[@FirstNameLastName-hahaha]

Brilliant - the rest of my morning chores got unexpectedly put on hold for this - very demystifying for the casual owner

[@MARKE911]

What a great find. Definitely jealous of the quality and consistency of great work you put in to make it run and look almost new.

[@patrickcaudill2939]

Great video👍🏼 Bet the spark plug is slightly oil fouled. Think for $5 bucks and an additional 15 minutes, it couldn’t hurt Many, many thanks 😊

[@jostouw4366]

They soon burn clear.

[@JRoy-1969]

Gasoline and a wire brush, clean the spark plug. Ensure gap, 28-30 on that engine. Good to go.

[@TommyAtkins-kb6fw]

Great to see you rescue this obviously perfectly good little gen. from the dump. Seems to be in lovely condition. All it needed was a bit of love and understanding !

[@erico7430]

I have two 2200's and I treat them like gold, Can't believe somebody dumped that? Great find.

[@garrydonnelly6433]

There is a heck of a lot to be learnt from watching your videos, James. Your attention to detail including cleanliness is fantastic and the fact that you explain everything that is going on including what might happen is so educational. Love your videos. I especially liked the one where you swapped the engine and repaired the front suspension on your son's go cart. Really good and entertaining. Thanks heaps and Happy New Year to you and yours.

[@rosewood7592]

I love watching your videos. I can't wait for my generator to start running rough cuz you have taught me how to adjust and clean a carb! Thanks for the commentary as you go, it helps me better understand.

[@adoreslaurel]

I used to work for a Honda Dealer and one problem i found with the 10i [probably the same problem would occur with larger models] was that sometimes people would let them run on the slow setting [no big load] for a considerable time, perhaps with a light on sitting around a camp fire and the muffler would get a carbon build up which evdentually led to not enough power available when a real load was applied, I used to tell customers to give the generator some real load occasionally to prevent this problem.

[@gordpeet1323]

I have had this same generator for 20 years. I haven't had a minute of trouble with it, but this video will be saved for if I do. Very informative! Thank you so much.

[@terryberes7030]

I really like how you always clean items up when working on them. Most people don't do that, and I hate a dirty repaired item.

[@sugarskulllyfe5890]

Agreed

[@sprolyborn2554]

He also spent twice as long cleaning it than fixing it :)

[@Hawk7886]

People would flip the absolute hell out if a shop billed them flat rate to clean everything so it looked new. It's one of those fun content creator things that doesn't really translate to real world stuff.

[@paultice610]

What a great way to start a new year with another great video. Keep up the good work.😊

[@seymourpro6097]

You have skills with small engines, that some people simply do NOT.

[@tomquintero7583]

That was quite satisfying to watch, thanks for sharing.

[@CodfishCatfish]

The Bain of the EU20i (the UK version of the EU2000i) has to be the idle jet. There is a reason in my opinion and it’s a combination of stale fuel and tarnishing (always use a fuel additive) and the journey from float bowl. That is where the lean problems comes from. I cleaned the idle jet perhaps 10 times on an EU20i that had less than 10 hours running time because old fuel tarnishes the aluminium path from float bowl to plastic idle jet. It has to be pristine for the idle to run with the choke fully off. Mine runs perfect with the idle fully off but only after really cleaning it with brake and clutch cleaner (better in my opinion than carb cleaner). Great video but this is a design flaw and 1 week is enough for untreated fuel to tarnish the idle jet path and that’s from experience. Thanks again for a brilliant video. PS: I used to build generators here in the UK. Lombardi, Ruggerini, Yanmar, Lister Petter, Briggs and Stratton and finally Honda GX120 through to GX390’s. Honda the most reliable just behind Lister Petter (these things could survive a nuke and still work). Shame the carbs don’t come with a better idle jet!!??

[@habana7638]

I use my EU2200i at least an hour a week and have had no problems at all for the last three years, it runs perfectly, same goes for my 40 year old Briggs & Stratton, use it regularly is my advice..

[@CodfishCatfish]

Absolutely and that’s exactly how Honda should recommend the maintenance. We use RON95 E10 here now or the more expensive RON97 E5. There is RON99 and RON101 as some places too. I’m not sure the octane number will make a difference but the higher ethanol content in my opinion makes the mix more susceptible to hygroscopic effects. Apparently E10 also burns hotter and may lead to issues. More research needed I think!!!💭

[@CodfishCatfish]

This is interesting and could be why my engine was clogged up from 3 years in storage. It didn’t have fuel additive when stored!!! Ethanol is more aggressive than petrol to both metals and rubbers/plastics and can, therefore, affect engine parts such as gaskets and seals. Also, the ethanol is hygroscopic (it attracts water), which in some cases can cause issues. So it is advised not to fill up the car with E10 (even if the vehicle is suitable for this) if you are not going to use the car for an extended time

[@zzpaul01]

In my experiences old fuel and especially the modern fuels are always the problem, i turn fuel off and let run dry when leaving off for a while but modern ones don't have a fuel tap.

[@larrycleeton]

There was a recall on these gensets where the clamps on the fuel lines at the tank were potentially positioned where they would rub a hole in the fuel line causing a leak and potential fire. You must separate the case to get at them. You might want to check. EDIT: serial numbers EAAJ-2260273 through EAAJ-2485025. Doesn't look like that one is in that range. Mine was but didn't have the issue.

[@Charles00-xj3kz]

Great video. I have a better understanding of whats under the maintenance pannel. You learn so much watching someone talk through the repair of a engine.

[@hectorsand6800]

Pretty good video. I'm glad I watched until the end. Those waterfalls were the icing on the cake.

[@Wheel_Horse]

You're a lucky boy James to get freebies like that! I wish I could find them!

[@rusack7174]

I have a Kipor KGE3000Ti Inverter Generator that exhibited a similar light-load idle surge. I don't have an ultrasonic cleaner, but I pulled the carb and shot carb cleaner in, through, and over all that I could. It still had the condition slightly. So, I added a little fuel system cleaner in with the fuel with each tank fill and the condition has largely gone away. Runs very well now. As you know, generators not used very often will start to have fueling problems, especially at idle. I now drain the float bowls when I know I'm not going to be using them for a while. Thanks for the video!

[@ronhammar1154]

Nice to watch a video when someone knows what they are doing ! Good job !

[@user-zc5qy2sr1c]

Thank You for making this Vlog James. I have an identical Honda as yours. I bought it brand new and have used it for years. Mine has the same idle issue as yours. I just figured that was as good as its going to be. They are great little generators.

[@JohnSmith-yv6eq]

Drill out the idle jet 1 drill size bigger as James has done many times previously....

[@RandyGriffin-jx7uy]

Man wished I could find a few like that side the road , great video

[@Rorschach1024]

Me too, I'm clearly not checking the right dumpsters. =b

[@Asidebar]

I live in Florida. Almost every time we have a hurricane I drive around a few days/weeks after and have found some great generators sitting out for trash pickup. Lots of folks had old gas in them couldn't start them and threw them away. They just go buy a new one instead of repairing.

[@RandyGriffin-jx7uy]

@@Asidebar I live close to pc beach I also have found a few that I had running in a hour or less

[@rodneymiddleton9624]

That’s almost the easiest fix I’ve ever seen on your channel so far!!!! Nice job Jim!!

[@brodyz8327]

I came across a eu3000is practically the same scenario, huge behemoth left to be discarded. Rusted out gas tank, scuffed up, handles broken. Nobs shattered. After a year of so I finding parts on the cheap and finally finding a gas tank for it… I got it running again and it’s working perfectly. Total investment… totally worth it. I have it in my truck now working odd jobs. Pulls a table saw with ease.

[@wingloading]

Your EU videos always make me appreciate that I keep my EU1000i on hand as a backup to my Duromax. That little things starts my giant waste my pump.

[@venenareligioest410]

James, whenever things look good and your only half way through the video, we know there is trouble ahead (I’m pleased to say) 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻

[@stoptheirlies]

Happy new year James. Hey don't forget the frayed starter cord mate. Bob

[@jag0627]

Thanks for making the video. Very clear and thorough. Well done!

[@dbcooper692]

I own the very same generator and I bought it about ten years ago and I love it. What a find. I live in the mountains and we have power outages all the time sometimes for weeks at a time!!

[@jimlondon1]

I can't fathom how people throw away things like this. Nice find and a straightforward fix. 👍

[@tbas1972]

Now that's a score! Some people amaze me with what they throw away, I found a Coleman lanter in the trash, just needed a new globe and mantles and it works perfect

[@hoopaholicstickum]

One man’s garbage is another man’s gold! Nice score!!! I had one of the 1st gen mini Honda generators way back in 1975 or so… ran my 11 foot camper like a champ. Super quiet. Always put it under the front of my truck for more sound insulation. Loved it.

[@garyholt4445]

I gave my son a really good Honda lawnmower. It worked for a short time then stopped. He cursed it and had a big moan to me that it is not reliable. He had a second look and found the plug lead had come off. He replaced it and was on his way again. Then he sent me a message telling me how wonderful the mower went.

[@misscrabstick]

Nice result, glad you went back in and did the carb because you forgot the fuel pipe clip first time round.

[@randychapman6753]

Yup,I noticed that too.

[@sirgreybat5954]

Nice video, as always! Only a very few people are truly lucky enough to find a perfectly good (with just a little bit of James' time) Honda EU2000i in the trash!

[@rudiratlos6707]

Very profound / professional. Thanks !

[@CezaryKorsieko]

Man, i had a lucky day and i found the same generator but completly disassembled in the box. Few parts missing including valves and spark cover but i think i will try rebuild it as much i can. I hope electronics is ok. Daily i work for my local honda dealer so i have access to all nessesary docs and parts so i will join to Honda generator owners ;) Best luck with your unit. Best regards from Poland.

[@DeadKoby]

That's a good find indeed. Even if the engine was somehow wrecked, I'm sure the parts would be appreciated. Nice that it was saved and fixed.... its a shame when good gear meets the grave.

[@Asidebar]

James I love your Honda generator videos. I have two of the eu2200i that are the best in my opinion. I live in Florida and used them during hurricanes for many years. I take very good care of my generators.

[@volvogt21]

Do they surge too?

[@Asidebar]

@@volvogt21 All my HONDA generators run smoothly and perfectly.

[@rufan2199]

Awesome video. Thanks. You made me nervous running it so long indoors but a lot of good information

[@GH-wt7ww]

My brothers new EU2200 would stumble and pop at idle on first start. He returned for exchange stating it was defective. The new one did the same thing but it's a great generator. Nice work James I'm jealous of the find.

[@JohnDoe-df2zz]

Another great video thanks. I have a similar generator and it's been great. I wish I could find one in the condition you did that just needed a bit of work, but I think that may require more luck than I have. Keep up the good work!

[@iuandy]

Wow! Great find! Thanks for posting James. Your videos are the best small engine videos on KZbin. You inspired me to buy a neglected Honda power washer for next to nothing on Facebook Marketplace a couple weeks ago. Just for fun and experience, I disassembled the entire engine and put it back together. New piston rings, a valve adjustment, and a new carb (she was too far gone to clean) and it runs like new.

[@jcondon1]

Nice

[@roypublic3269]

I have an older Honda EX 800. LOVE that machine! NEVER, throw away a Honda.

[@nofotomojo]

Learn from my mistakes. I was camping in my pick up and put my 2000i under the bed of my truck to keep it out of the weather. What I didnt pay attention to was the rain dripping off the truck was falling right on the gas cap. I've been more careful since.

[@richb419]

Hi James, I'd bet that even new Hondas surge at an idle, you have mentioned that. a lot of Tecumseh engines from the past at low load did that. I feel that the motors must meet the EPA standards for anywhere in the states, we all know that elevation has a large impact on jetting. keep up the good work Rich

[@rickkneeshaw6337]

Great video, thanks. Really like your attention to detail, and it pays off. The only small suggestion I would make would be to change out the spark plug and that might help with the idle flutter. I've worked on many small engines over the years and often the new plug does the trick. Thanks!

[@C7CORVETTEz51]

Awesome video I enjoyed watching 👍🏻

[@JoseGarcia-vq7yo]

Thanks for that video. Great presentation.

[@stomper2582]

They probably overfilled it because they tilted it up to make it easier to fill and they decided too much is better than the right amount. 😮

[@kmonyt]

Thanks for these honda videos. Love them. Bought a 2200i a few months back. Only put ethanol free in mine, run it every couple weeks, stabil in the gas. The manual is super clear about not overfilling the oil tank. I measured mine out and put exactly the right amount in. The newer design shifts the oil tank lip out a couple inches to make it easier to drain.

[@laurapalmerTDGE]

Yes. The best way : drain the warm oil and fill with a measuring cup. Use Motul 10w30 or 5w30 API sn. I mainly use the 7100 10w30. Or Amsoil XL Boosted 10w30. And alkylate fuel. Because of the oil burning : clean the spark plug.

[@karlschwab6437]

Trying to find a shop to service these machines when they have no idea what they might get into, is the problem. When the service they perform is all about making their living, can understand that. This is a main reason this type of small engine equipment is discarded. If you can fix it yourself, its a whole nother story.

[@unknownfuture.]

Very interesting and educational video, thanks. You have just kept it very simple and easy to follow too.

[@iantyler4045]

I cant believe someone would throw that genny away. Glad it fell into your hands. I have a EU2200i Honda genny and it runs the aircon in our caravan without flinching. They are expensive but worth the extra in my opinion. Great video.

[@slypig24]

What a great find & repair. Our Honda's runs slightly rough with no load too. In our Honda manual, it suggests turning on/off switch to half off, for shut down. As it closes the fuel valve and allowed it to use all fuel in lines. Then turn off fully when it stops.

[@GregKryg]

An artist at work! Great video.

[@foxuae03]

Dude... congratulations on your NEW HONDA GENERATOR!!!! Ive owned one since a decade ago still runs similar to yours! Nothing but oil changes and they work fine!

[@martin4787]

When over filled with oil, the oil comes up the breather pipe and not passed the rings. I'd have also opened up the idler jet one size or oiled the air filter to smooth it out James. Having said that, I'd like to wish you all A Very Happy New Year from this side of the pond 🎆🎆🎆 Happy New Year🙂

[@watermanone7567]

Nice job James; I usually drill out the idle jet one or two mini drill sizes up from what they are. EPA rules are running them way to lean. Thanks for a great video.

[@wryanddry2266]

That would explain the slight surging.

[@watermanone7567]

Correct, or plugged with ethanol sludge. thanks@@wryanddry2266

[@DJ_Megahertz]

I have my 9000 feet above sea level and having the same issue. I was thinking there might be a need to change out the jet? If I’m thinking this through correctly, and higher altitudes, you would need more fuel? If I apply a lot a little bit of choke, it stabilizes, just like in the video.

[@watermanone7567]

Start with the idle jet so you don't go to far. Might want to buy several jet sizes.@@DJ_Megahertz

[@wryanddry2266]

@@DJ_Megahertz First try using the idle mixture adjusting screw if it has one.

[@jws3925]

I can't believe how many great little generators you get free! I want a couple of these Hondas you seem to get so easily!!