Generac 4000XL - Too Much Power (High Voltage)

[@8180634]

I've got the same exact generator, it ran our house about a week at a time after several hurricanes, probably a few hundred hours on it now. I used the 220 output to run both legs in the house, it had no problem running a couple of refrigerators, a couple of small (~5k BTU) window A/C units, inside and outside lights and electronics (TV's, computers, security cameras). It was surprisingly efficient on gas and has been reliable. You can tell the power isn't perfect because florescent lights will flicker when it's got some load, but otherwise no problems. We were one of the few houses with power so there was usually a morning line for coffee. ;)

[@KuntalGhosh]

I ran my honda non stop for 5days and it didn't even complaint for once. Had to replace the oil once after 3rd day cus the oil interval was near and i didn't want to throw a rod out of the engine 😂

[@P_RO_]

As a caffiene-a-holic, I must thank you for sharing the elixer of life with your neighbors-in-need. True kindness 👍

[@takeitwithyou4391]

Thanks for your comment. It is good to know this generator is still working good for you after all these years. I have the same model and bought if for Y2K over 2 decades ago. I have used it only a day at a time, at most, on a handful of occasions since then. The other day, I was going to get a replacement generator because I saw such a low output voltage when applying a relatively large load. Fortunately, I came across JamesC's video today ( I have seen other videos of his before) and followed his steps to tune up my machine. Turns out, I forgot about the ability to modify the output voltage via the potentiometer in the control box. BTW, thanks to everyone for their comments ! ! !

[@johnhardasnails7464]

@@takeitwithyou4391. Yes that potentiometer is kind of cheaply made for course level adjustment. I found a better 10 turn pot at digikey and replaced it on a 5500xl and 4000xl and 4000exl as they all use the same control board. It’s also hard to find new control boards as a company makes an aftermarket replacement for over 200$ , the module in alternator is also often not available or expensive at over 100$. I buy used working or non working similar generacs just to have spare parts

[@SiaVids]

Attention to detail, well explained and no background music. The perfect video. 😎👍

[@martyb3783]

I really appreciate your attention to detail and frugality. It's all of the little things that eat away the profit of a used generator. You manage to be very frugal without sacrificing quality. Well done.

[@billy123174]

I don’t know why but I find when you fix or install new wheels I find it extremely satisfying

[@rstephe]

As always, great job putting it back into service instead of becoming landfill. Thanks to the subscriber for donating it for us to learn from.

[@kenjohnson5498]

I can't think of how many times your videos have got me out of a jam when i was stuck, Thank you for sharing your knowledge so we all learn to fish.

[@PaulHigginbothamSr]

I really agree with this comment as Jame's videos would be the answer to fixing your own genset, probably wouldn't matter the size of the genset. Don't usually see him work on say nat gas units of say 20kw or higher which would suck the gas if that was the fuel. Small engine mechanic does the heavier units in fact he has a 400kw unit you would use for a small town if say it's wind gen went down or small hydro. Don't want to run it more than a week or the small town will run out of money.

[@JasonW.]

@@PaulHigginbothamSr my 16kw LP generator uses 1.75 gallons of LP per hour, based on how much I had to refill after it ran a several days

[@eddiel.7770]

Just got a 4000XLE from my neighbor for free. It looks like it was sitting for a long time and so far it needs a new carb, air filter, oil pressure switch, oil filter and new tires. I pulled the carb and squirted a little gas in the manifold while cranking the engine and it fire right up for about two seconds. Plugged a shop light into the generator and fired it up a second time and to my surprise the light came on. Just finished ordering most of the parts off Amazon and used a set of tires with rims from Harbor Freight which are a nice fit. So far I'm into the job for about fifty dollars which includes a can of rattle can red paint. Instead of dealing with the stock battery I wired up two big alligator clamps on the battery leads so I can jump off a car battery. Thanks for the video on adjusting the voltage. Here's an update, after installing all the parts it started right up and runs. The little spring on the governor rod was rusted and broke so the idle was all over the place, got one on order. Need to trouble shoot the low oil warning light circuit, the light doesn't go off. Think there is a problem in the control board oil light circuit or wiring harness.

[@mvigue8693]

Sorry this is random but thank you for all of the great content! I just finished my first ever valve job on a snowblower, which involved removing the cylinder head (L-head Tecumseh). I would have never been able to do it without the knowledge/confidence gained from watching your videos. Keep up the amazing work!

[@jcondon1]

Glad to hear. Hope it fixed you issue.

[@ohioplayer-bl9em]

I learned to wrench on a moped. Till this day I find small engine/carb repair much more difficult then actual automotive engines. The engines are so small that if anything is off just slightly they wont even start. spark, fuel, compression? most car engines will start and run enough to help figure out whats up. You can have spark, fuel, and compression on a small engine and crank it all day without a single put put puttt. It definitely is an art for small engine repair.

[@prodkey]

As always - well done! Tip: I bought a handful of small left twist drill bits. These are so cool because when drilling it out many times the bit will “catch” the broken bolt and back it out! Done!!! Just a helpful (hopefully) tip. Cheers!

[@kdodson3585]

Great video as usual. Based on watching many of your videos I have refurbished a free Yamaha ef2000is and it is running well. Needed carb cleaning, new foot, missing a few screws, and the fuel shutoff broke. I added an extended run option using a marine tank and pulse fuel pump. I ran it under 1500 watt load for an hour. No hiccups. I would not have known where to start without you videos. You do great work explaining. One thing I would mention after wiring a boat is try the marine crimp connectors. They have a glue heat shrink which makes the connector watertight. No corrosion after 10 years in a salt water environment.

[@PaulMack1249]

Hey, Jim…good find on the Molex connector, especially when there was no physical evidence that was obvious until you pulled the pins. However, your testing skills led you to the logical conclusion. Well done. As far as the OEM carb leaking, that’s a head-scratcher. Before you rebuild it, I hope you do a dye test to identify the source of the leak, as the rebuild kit won’t be a guarantee that it will solve that problem.

[@tsant6591]

I have the EXL, and I've learned alot from this, and the other EXL model you've worked on, so I'm ready to troubleshoot mine. That's the beauty of KZbin and sharing the knowledge. Thanks!

[@2002vaughnbrown]

😊😊😊😊😊

[@2002vaughnbrown]

😅😅4😅😊😊5😅😊😊😊😊

[@johnsimmonds8620]

❤❤

[@xelexer]

Hi, I recently subscribed. Thank you for the info. Recently I was gifted two non functional generators. Having a terrible left leg I decided I cannot work on them on the floor. I cannot afford a fancy lift, so after some pondering I came up with a simple cheap way to get them off the floor to make it easier to work on. I fastened some plywood on a drum cradle. I stood the generator on end and strapped it to the cradle. Viola, single handedly, even with the bum leg I got the generator to a working height. I hope this helps! Happy New Year! 123123

[@jonminer9891]

Hi, James. I would say you did a very good job on what looked like a throw away generator. I appreciate your care in both the fine electrical work and the cleaning you did. Replacing all the used parts made a through job of it. Thanks for sharing! Stay healthy!

[@willardsmith2435]

Well done James! Intermittent problems are the most difficult to troubleshoot. Way to stay with it to the very end.

[@rodneymiddleton9624]

I have a WEN that's set up just like this one. The ground wires were cut in the control panel causing the idle down to not function. I repaired them and fixed that problem. It had lost the intake valve keeper also. Thanks James!!

[@michaelmathews295]

So nice of him to not clean it up for you before you worked on it.

[@ohioplayer-bl9em]

You would be surprised how many people never clean engines. You can eat off the car engines in my vehicles. I wash them spring and fall. Keeps the hoses and belts fresh as well.

[@alankrek5676]

Hi James. Just got done watching and enjoying this latest video. Great job of diagnosing and repair. I'm retired and have been enjoying many of your previous videos and just realized that I wasn't subscribed, so I took care of that. My fiancee has a Chicago Electric 7000 watt gen. from HF. I did an oil change, filled it up with exactly the amount of oil the manuel said. Started it, it ran about 4 minutes and shut off. Unplugged the module, it ran fine. Changed the module, 4 minutes and it stopped again. Just for piece of mind I topped the oil off till it was full to the top and it run fine. Hard to believe a couple ounces of oil made the difference. At least I know the low oil sensor works! Thank you for sharing your knowledge with us. Take care & God bless.

[@jesterr7133]

I just got my first generator a week ago and have never worked on one, but there is something about this that is utterly fascinating to me. I wish generators were more common in my neck of the woods, so I could get some experience working on them. I really enjoy your videos though.

[@andrewgrace4410]

Nice troubleshooting James and add-ons 😊

[@kstricl]

Watching these videos finally kicked my backside into gear and got me to resolve the carb issues on my low hour Champion generator. I just cleaned all the passages out and after running a few minutes under load it smoothed right out for me.

[@edcannon6392]

I have the same 4000 generator and when I take the fuel bowl nut off I have a problem with it wanting to leak. On mine the bowl is very thin and will deform very easy. It is a poor design. I real enjoy watching your patience and willing to go almost forever to fix problems.

[@YukonHawk1]

That genny looked almost brand new by the time you were done with it. Great job on a great machine.

[@spudman9367]

James thanks for the reply yesterday. This morning I connected the heat gun (1300 watts) directly into one of the outlets on the generator. With heat gun on high, frequency was 61 htz, voltage 123 volts. Yesterday when I messaged you I had plugged the heat gun into the outlet on the P3 Kill A Watt meter and the voltage was 112 v. Why that is i don’t know but it’s working correctly now. I enjoy watching your videos and your trouble shooting skills are what keeps me watching!

[@richardwalters1803]

James, dont hesitate to solder molex connectors. Wire is like a sponge, and will wick moisture if not soldered. Just my opinion after 30 years of their use.

[@eDoc2020]

On the other hand soldering the terminations of stranded wires produces stress points where all the strands will break with movement. You need to make sure the cable is well-clamped ahead of the solder so this doesn't happen.

[@davidduma7615]

Glad you were able to restore this... seems like a sophisticated machine. I wish i had known about low oil shutoff and idle down features before i bought my storm generator. That clouded plastic window over the fuel gauge can be cut away. I used a "watch glass" and silicone gasket to make a new cover.... but grind a little notch so the tank can breathe. (The plastic window has a tiny pinhole).

[@budthomason8890]

James-- If you don't want the drill bit to suck it's way through a hole you are drilling . Put a piece of hose between the chuck and the end of your bit. Leave just enough of the bit sticking out at the end of the bit to make your hole. I found it also helps to keep the bit cooler.

[@richcarter9476]

Great job troubleshooting and saving that generator. I have a comment about the fuel leak. I think the stamped metal bowl is bent in a little where the bolt is. I have seen this issue with these bowls before. They become "bent in" due to the bolt pressure and don't allow the bowl to put enough pressure on the rubber o-ring between the bowl and carb. I have used a socket and hammer to push it back out. Reinstall and don't over tighten the bolt. Thanks again.

[@olddawgdreaming5715]

Enjoyed the video and your work is great. Thanks for sharing with us. Fred.

[@somerandomguy3868]

Thanks James, I'm impressed that this pretty small generator has pressurized oil and idle down these really are well made

[@PaulHigginbothamSr]

James your electrical work is par exollence. Thank ya'll for giving us hope to do things correctly when you show correct methods and care.

[@tombenvenuto204]

Hi James, I had the same exact issue with the carb on a Briggs & Stratton and phantom leaking. I spoke with a local small engine repair tech and he said that sometimes if the bowl is overtightened over time the nut will indent the bottom of the bowl and you can never get them to stop leaking. Not sure if that was your issue but but I put a new bowl on and it fixed mine. Thanks for the great videos. God bless.

[@4sl648]

Great education! Thanks. I have worked on medical electronics since the early 1980s when everything was analog discrete circuits. There were a lot of little potentiometers to adjust. I still have a little plastic screwdriver which is like a black plastic straw with a flat screwdriver tip recessed in each end. It keeps from slipping off the screw and shorting circuits and doesnt conduct electricity back to the user. Given the unfused AC voltages accessible, one of those would be a good idea for anybody making hot adjustments.

[@garyhoffman4653]

Thanks. Very informative video. Thanks for sharing.

[@FliesLikeABrick]

I love that you consider and execute (when it makes sense) component-level repairs instead of buying whole boards or considering the generator not worth repair. This is what we need to see more of, tonconbatg the wastefulness of the usual consumer mindsets. Almost everything can be repaired, and for hobbyists the time generally should not be weighed as an expense. Things that are broken should be given to people who want to fix them or learn (not thrown in the landfill)!

[@thesilentonevictor]

I have been watching your videos for the past days you are an artist I must say very passionate about your job I am a hvacr tech from st lucia the Caribbean

[@anthonysimonhough9691]

Great job , it’s fascinating watching you solve problems , it has helped me out a lot thanks.

[@mjg263]

Excellent troubleshooting as usual, sir! That Molex connector might have eluded me, I usually check to make sure things are tightly plugged in and not corroded but I might have missed that one!

[@adnacraigo6590]

Once again the doctor saved a patient.

[@SimpleLife1971]

James, you pulled out all the stops on this one! You have to be the best diagnose and generator repair guy I've ever seen! I always enjoy your videos!

[@larrykelly2838]

Doc., this video was really a learning experience especially regarding the voltage etc issues. Appreciate your efforts.

[@jcondon1]

Thanks Larry

[@christophermarshall5765]

Nice fix. Runs great. Those Molex connectors aren't my favourite type.

[@davidbohner2061]

Typical phenomenal Condon job! 👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️✅✅✅✅✅

[@masonbeveridge]

Used to have a generator similar to this but I got a new home and it wasn't really powerful enough to run what I needed so I sold it and now have a preatedor 6500 but as always very nice work

[@hermanpepper3623]

We have used the kzbin.infoUgkxOTeIs0vv4_9B5hsmnLsk9r930uDQLu_Y for probably 30 hours with our camper and it’s been great! The noise level is really only noticeable when running the AC and other appliances like the microwave, hair dryer, or coffee pot. It’s not huge like other ones and it has wheels so even at 90lbs, I can move it!

[@coreybabcock2023]

Lots of harbor freight tools I see so awesome I think that's my go to place for what I need to fix stuff too

[@paulanderson388]

I bought a new Generac 4000xl in about 2000. It has been very a very dependable generator and is almost a commercial grade quality, I really like the ECO throttle engine speed control feature that works similarly to the newer inverter generators. In my opinion the 4000xl is a keeper.

[@lv_woodturner3899]

A useful video as usual. I have a Generac EXL so a lot of useful information for future potential troubleshooting. Thanks.

[@brianwood5220]

Nice bit of detective work James. Thanks for sharing

[@charleshare6840]

James you always provide a learning experience. I have learned a lot from you. Thanks.

[@deangentles4966]

Hi James always learn a lot from your class mate Great fault finding thanks for sharing

[@wildefox1478]

Pretty simple and easy fix on this one, just some bad connectors on those wires, nice work as always James!

[@JackTaylor-p8l]

Well done educational video. Clear and sequentially organized organized for a good understanding of the whole process. Thank you!

[@rick5515]

Another great posting as always. Thank you very much. As far as crimping goes, I purchased a IWISS model IWS-30J 5 years ago. Comes with 5 different die sets. One of the dies works with the pins you were working with. So far I have had good success with it. Not one connector that I could not crimp. 30 bucks on Amazon. Just a thought.

[@captianm4766]

The three pin molex connectors are notoriously bad for being intermittent when slightly oxidized. We had to replace thousands of them in equipment we were producing that lived in less than pristine environments.

[@frankward423]

Great job as always. I'm always learning something from your video's.💪

[@67mlb67]

You’ve done it again James! Always great work.

[@offgridwanabe]

Nice save

[@mrobi5797]

Another great job James. An excellent learning tool from you. Thanks for the video.

[@jabcrap]

James I love your videos. I have learned a lot about the generation side of the generators. I do have one suggestion. Buy a decent multimeter like a fluke. After watching your videos, I believe some of your slightly off readings are due to that meter that you use. I am an electronics technician and it’s not uncommon to get spurious readings, sometimes even with a quality meter. Also, I see you have a soldering iron you should get into fixing your own boards. If a capacitor or diode looks bad, it usually is and cheap and easy to fix. Thanks for your videos.

[@TheVaga9]

Best KZbin channel on planet earth!!! Back on my planet the internet is very slow.

[@paulravitsky2898]

Good call on the Molex pins. You may want to check out 35820 TL from Marlin P Jones. It is a universal crimp tool kit. I different jaw sets to cover all types of pins/contacts and works well. As far as your vacuum leak thought, the bowl itself is not under a vacuum. It is vented through a hole, usually in the carb face {filter end}. Generac designed that regulator to fail. They could have mounted the board upside down to better protect it from water intrusion. Great job as usual!

[@1SmittysGarage]

Very intriguing here. Can't say I've ever encountered that before. Said it before and I'll say it again. Very informative and excellent troubleshooting indeed. Setting the bar high! Great video! Blessings and respect!

[@philippebelair3372]

SUPER bon travail A+.... heureux d'entendre parler d'harmonique a petit voltage, je connais plus les filtres a harmonique sur des ligne 315 K.V. ( 315 000volts) etc. ...merci encore .

[@Ram14250]

Great work James! Just great work!!

[@lambition]

Generac service manual actually calls for 38 - 40Hz auto idle speed. Setting procedure according to the manual, idle stop screw on carburetor needs to be backed out enough so idle speed is only affected by solenoid, then adjust solenoid to idle at 25 - 35 Hz, then adjust idle stop screw on carburetor to run at 38 - 40Hz.

[@MrTonyPiscatelle]

Another great repair James. You showed that generator who the Generator Whisperer is. LOL Awesome video.👍👍

[@kthwkr]

Trim pots wear out. And not necessarily from use. The element inside a trim pot is a carbon resistor spread out over a length and a contact that drags over it. A lot of use can over time scrape off the carbon.(A wah wah pedal murders the pot) But even without wear the carbon element can degrade from age so that the output of the voltage division is very erratic. Commonly on audio equipment the pot becomes scratchy because when you turn it you hear a scratchy noise. Turning the pot back and forth a bunch of times can polish up the metal contact and the carbon resistor and often fixes it. But some Deoxit can help to clean up the pot. In fact the same company makes a cleaner specifically for pots(Deoxit fader F5). But that trim pot you are adjusting is very sealed up. It can't be perfectly sealed because the screw has to go into it so maybe some deoxit F5 will help.

[@ratbagley]

I have the same one. Just bought a tri fuel kit for it from Century. Can't wait.

[@billsemmendinger2592]

Hi James, I'm in the process of rewiring a Blazer and had to make up a connector with the same terminals you were using. I also had the same issue swaging then until I figured out I had the terminal in upside down. Now they come out picture perfect almost every time. I put the terminal in the tool and clamp it down until it hold the terminal in place the insert the wire and crimp it. Hope this helps 😀

[@r8118830]

Impressive work James. What made you look at the molex crimp connecter? It would have done for me.

[@Cee.Jay.71]

Love your videos and the way you go about troubleshooting. The terminal which didn't break has been exposed to the same conditions for the same amount of time as the other two so personally I would have replaced that too. The jaws of my crimping tool are wider and do both crimps at the same time but even then they sometimes need a little tweaking with a pair of needle nose pliers. Crimping those fiddly little buggers is one of my least favourite parts of hobby electronics!

[@jcondon1]

I did all three of them, only showed two on video.

[@Cee.Jay.71]

@@jcondon1 I should have more faith!😂

[@timswinamer1302]

James I could watch your videos all day long you are one fussy guy and I like that Awsome channel James keep up great work

[@richardwalters1803]

as always, enjoying your videos. You have lots of patience. I ll complain again cause I see you working down on the ground, especially now that you have a lift table.

[@johnnybgoode6466]

HIJames - well done again. Making treasure from trash. Your also closing in on 100k subscribers - you'll be receiving your YT plaque soon I hope.

[@michaelkennedy2528]

You get some real gems in there but a good number of them turn out really well it appears.

[@FrankTheTank417]

Love all these videos. I just wish I could keep up in regards to the electrical side.

[@Finite-Tuning]

Hey man, just a quick tip: To help find the leak at the fuel bowl, try using a blow gun. Sounds counter intuitive I know, but blowing air across a leak really accentuates it and makes it much easier to see the source. When you hit the leak, you'll know it! I really enjoy your videos and of coarse I subscribed. Cheers 🍻

[@Bulletman426]

Again an outstanding video of bringing a pretty bad hopeless looking, running generator back to serve its purpose. Great trouble shooting Jim!! 😊

[@jimato01]

An excellent presentation as usual

[@watermanone7567]

Very nice job having multiple issues. Thanks much, very imforative.

[@A_Man_In_His_Van]

This series of generac open frame alternator generators are some of the best ever made. Automotive style lubrication and filter means the engine is a 2000 hour unit, not 250 hours like the crap being pumped out today. Now it looks like the Baldwin kleen power are the best as far as not distorting their output/ having clean output, but for 95 percent of open frame generator applications, this is my preferred unit. I use a Westinghouse igen 4500 inverter, a couple of Firman wh02942 inverters, several different 2200kw class inverters, and even a little sportsman 1000 watt inverter. Oh, and an Onan Emerald 4kw (1800rpm twin) on my Winnebago. That all being said, I use my generac whenever possible. I just like them, and I have never ever, not once run into a problem with electronics burning out because of the generator. I think that is only going to happen if you shut down your generator under load, and that's just a bad idea all around anyway. Anyway, I just wanted to drop my .02 and let people know the truth about these. If you have the need for this style generator(construction, food truck, outdoor lights) grab one, they are getting hard to find in nice condition....

[@johnmckee7937]

Great work James, just some comments on mole connectors which I dealt with for decades. Not only do they break, they loose tension. Most pins are round although they do make square ones. So you are mating a round surface with a flat one depending on tension to make contact. With the connector off site down the inside, can you see through between housing and spring? It's bad, needs replaced. You can tighten them but it's only temporary.

[@eDoc2020]

I've only ever seen that type of connector used with square pins.

[@johnmckee7937]

@@eDoc2020 the square pins make better contact and have a higher amperage rating.

[@philliphall5198]

Those pins have been a problem from the start

[@johnmckee7937]

@@philliphall5198 yes., I think I first started working with them around 1978.

[@kingstonrc329]

Hey great job on this one. I have a very similar model generator. Do you know of a good wheel kit for this generator?

[@philliphall5198]

Now I know where to look Having same problem Thank You 🙏

[@shawnmrfixitlee6478]

Nice work again James .. ENJOYED !

[@fobia-9024]

118 minutes well spend, better than Netflix movie night 😂

[@jesterr7133]

Those clone carbs are a lifesaver. I have never had any issue with them. I was recently working on one of my riding mowers, and the carb was shot. It had a Nikki, and even the Walbro replacement was $140. I got a clone carb with air and fuel filters for $12, and they work perfectly. The prices for some of the OEM carbs are nonsensical, especially when there are much cheaper options available for a fraction of the price. I got one with a bad fuel shutoff solenoid once, but I delete those and install manual shutoffs on my machines anyway, but I have had great luck with them otherwise.

[@brunomahle1618]

8. To adjust the idle control solenoid, proceed as follows: a. Loosen the solenoid JAM NUT, then turn the solenoid BOLT clockwise (faster) or counterclockwise (slower). b. When engine speed is 1500- 2100 rpm (25-35 Hertz), hold that setting and tighten the solenoid JAM NUT. c. When JAM NUT is tight, check that engine speed is still 1,500- 2,100 rpm (25-35 Hertz) FINAL ADJUSTMENT: On the carburetor, turn the idle speed stop screw clockwise (faster speed) until engine speed increases to 2,280-2,400 rpm (38-40 Hertz) (see Figure 4.4). NOTE: Idle speeds less than about 38 Hertz could cause the engine to stall when loads are suddenly applied

[@jcondon1]

Thanks. Could have used that a few days ago.

[@jcondon1]

Made the adjustment tonight. Thanks again.

[@brunomahle1618]

@@jcondon1 Glad to help.

[@brunomahle1618]

@@jcondon1 Do you not have that manual?

[@peterouellette3874]

Nice going James

[@HeIsTheHighlander]

I think it's a good idea to replace all 3 pins if 2 of them have failed. Regarding THD - try heater with no fan, maybe some of all those harmonics come from the load, not from the generator.

[@Farm_fab]

Those paper fuel filters are good on equipment with either a pulse pump or electric. I do like that the filter better because of more surface area, but that's one of the reasons they don't do well for gravity flow.

[@RiverratGoRVing]

Always very informative, James just one question: Did you change the oring on carb and replace the bottom bowl gasket with a new copper one to see if that stops the drip. Michael.

[@billiehydrick6417]

Amazing thanks James

[@Rorschach1024]

@James Condon, a suggestion when salvaging old fuel. Put a paper towel in the funnel to act as a gross filter to catch most trash as you pour it out. Then, pour it into a clear plastic bottle and let it set for a half hour or so and let whatever water may be in it to settle. Then, you can carefully decant the gasoline off the top, leaving the water (and ethanol!) in the bottle. This minimizes how much waste gas you need to dispose of.(Frankly, I just pour it out on the driveway and let it evaporate. It typically isn't much, and it is mostly water anyway).

[@erik_dk842]

Add enough water to draw all the ethanol out, then decant

[@Rorschach1024]

@@erik_dk842 downside to that is that the octane rating goes in the crapper. But if you are mixing it with fresh fuel and running it in your car, then it isn't a big deal because the car fuel has ethanol in it too, so not much point.

[@erik_dk842]

@@Rorschach1024 I don't think generator engines need much of an octane rating to avoid detonation.

[@glenncox3986]

You did notice he had a coffee filter in the funnel when pouring in the fuel, 1:02:40. He has used this trick in other videos as well as settling the fuel first in 1 liter bottles.

[@rtaylor616]

Cleaning up/smoothing the inside “arch” of the crimp pliers with a fine round file will help the metal pins skid around and crimp down

[@rich3500]

Another great rebuild there James. I was interested to see the clone carb not performing as well as the oem one and have often wondered about the jets in clone carbs. When you buy a clone carb it comes with one jet fitted but the carb might be used on many engines of different capacities and the jet supplied might not be correct. I know that the Honda GX160 and GX200 both use the same carb but the GX200 has a larger jet fitted, so a clone might not work properly. I would be interested to know if the clone you bought has the same size jet as the oem carb, and also see how the generator runs if you fitted the oem jet to the clone. Best wishes Richard

[@honkhonklersr.4340]

You really need to get a trim pot driver to adjust those trim pots James.

[@waynec3121]

Awesome video this one went covered A to Z .

[@ron827]

Great sleuthing as usual but I would love to know why the OEM carb dripped. You mentioned the owner's furnace did not like the generator output due to high voltage. A neighbor who was not the electrician he thought he was, back fed 240 from his generator into the 120 circuits and called me when light bulbs were popping, circuit breakers were tripping and his fridge was making a strange noise. He was the same guy who allowed a salt block to drip on the carb and ruined it. He held three college degrees.

[@jcondon1]

You and me both. Would much rather use the OEM carb. The MityVac said the needle was holding pressure just fine. Very odd.