New fuel

landp

Well-known member
I left my 3210 alone for about a year and went to visit it last month. The generator wouldnt stay running. I did have stabil in the fuel but from what I understand it doesnt always work or I used it wrong. Anyway the carb need cleaning so I am flying back this week to do some more work on it. I want to leave it empty of fuel, would this be a bad ideal?
 

Invizatu

Senior Road Warriors
landp... Usually good to leave empty for long periods of time. Before going too wild with a bunch of tearing the carb apart and cleaning, try adding some "Seafoam" to the gas and see what happens. It is magical! I have used it for years and especially in 2 stroke engines like boats, etc. My brother in law let his generator sit for about 10 months and it wouldn't start, added seafoam and within minutes it started. Let it run for about 20 minutes and he was ready to go. Most auto parts stores carry it, and all marine stores have it in stock. Good Luck! I'm assuming it's gas? (not sure, but I think it's o.k. with diesel also)
 

Kbvols

Well-known member
Most carbs will have a drain plug on the bottom of the float bowl. If you have a fuel shut off close it, add stabil to fuel in tank or drain and then open the drain plug on bottom of float bowl to drain off carburetor. Has been effective for me for years.
 

porthole

Retired
if you are going to let it sit for quite some time there are several fuels on the market just for that purpose.
Tool Fuel is one of them.
 

mobilcastle

Well-known member
I drain one of my motors a few years back and the needle valve was made with a rubber end and it dried out. Had to install new needle valve so I always use stable and run it for a little bit to get it into the float area.
 

mguay

Member
I stopped using pump gas in my genny years ago. As with most others, it only gets used a couple of times a year, and when it's needed...it's needed. Hit the local airport and fill-er up with airplane fuel. Not jet fuel, but airplane fuel! Race gas will work as well. 100 octane clean fuel. There is no junk in it like pump gas which makes the shelf life longer. Smells cool too!
 

boatdoc

Well-known member
There is not a better additive than Sea Foam in my opinion. It does WAY more than Stabil ever thought of doing. Since I have started recomending Sea Foam to my clients, carb work as gone down. It's also on sale at Napa this month.
 

landp

Well-known member
Ok, so add sea form instead of stabil, but do I need to drain the gas out of the system and add new fuel? Since there is only about 7 gal in the tank, can I just add new fuel? Remember there is stabil in the fuel already.
 

brianharrison

Well-known member
My understanding seafoam is a cleaner to remove gas deposit buildup, such as "varnish/deposits" when fuel goes "stale/weathered" over long periods to time. It is not a long term stabilizer.

Stabil is a long term stabilizer and should do the trick, when added as per the instructions. In my experiences, I add a bit more as per directions for "long storage periods" - ie which is greater than 30-60 days according to Stabil......

I would drain the fuel if you can - I have never had luck with old fuel and only struggled with it until it was fully diluted (a 3-5 fills). Old stale/weathered fuel never burns as good as fresh fuel. Make sure you dispose properly - I would not put it into another vehicle/engine.

New fuel will not remove the varnish/deposits in the carb which seems to be your problem. Seafoam will do that.

Brian

EDIT: Seafoam does claim the product adds stabilization for up to 2 years. To add volatility and stabilize fuel for up to 2 years, add 1 oz. Sea Foam to each gallon of fuel. Not sure what they mean though by the words " to add volatility" - that seems opposite of stabilization; makes me suspicious.
 

boatdoc

Well-known member
I get as much of the old fuel out of my clients boats as I can in various ways, depending on the tank and fuel fill. Start with new fuel, not the crap they sell at gas stations,IE ethenol, but real gas, marina or airport and add the Sea Foam to it at 1 oz per gallon. This combination will bring you no future problems. The junk they sell at gas stations is for constant use in our vehicles and is not for engines that may be dormant for some time. I have many, many engines that don't get run on a daily schedule and all of them get GAS and Sea Foam, not ethenol, not a drop of that crap.
 

57chevyconvt

Well-known member
I have started using a Star Brite product that is noted as an Enzyme for dealing with the ethanol in the gasoline. It is the ethanol that creates a problem with the O-rings and rubber parts in the carburetor. I am considering the aviation fuel for the generator since it is seldom used. Spent $170.00 in a hand full of parts to overhaul the generator last year before taking off on the Alaska trip. Don't relish the thought of a carburetor overhaul every year.
 

landp

Well-known member
Well I have learned a lot in the past few days. Meet a guy that is a paramedic and he often rebuilt or replaced generators on the ambulances. He recommended that I use seafoam and premium fuel. I ran that in the generator and was able to keep it running for a few hours. Next day it was hard to start but once running it stayed running but every twenty or so minutes would start to idile rough.

On the third day it started fine and ran about about an hour until I had to leave, but it still wasnt running smooth.

I also meet a guy that had a car sit for two years, he told me that he used a few gallons of "white gas" in it and then just ran normal fuel. Would coleman fuel cause damage to the generator? Would running a few gallons in the generator help?
 

Invizatu

Senior Road Warriors
landp... Before I started experimenting with combustible fuels, I would try a couple of things first. Make sure the air filter is clean. If it has a fuel filter, make sure it is clean. Make sure the spark plug is clean and properly gaped. It might take a little stronger mix with the seafoam (very little) and have to run awhile to clean out all the goop, that is why you might need to check the spark plug, it may be getting fouled burning out the old fuel.
 

brianharrison

Well-known member
I also meet a guy that had a car sit for two years, he told me that he used a few gallons of "white gas" in it and then just ran normal fuel. Would coleman fuel cause damage to the generator? Would running a few gallons in the generator help?

I don't think it would help - not sure if it would cause damage in the diluted stage - you are better off using the correct product like seafoam, if you want to clean up the fuel system without removing the carb. - The correct fix is to remove the carb on the generator and clean/rebuild it.

White gas is the naptha cut from the distillation process - it has low octane and burns hot - could create valve issues. Here is a short wikipedia.

Brian
 

ParkIt

Well-known member
landp... Before I started experimenting with combustible fuels, I would try a couple of things first. Make sure the air filter is clean. If it has a fuel filter, make sure it is clean. Make sure the spark plug is clean and properly gaped. It might take a little stronger mix with the seafoam (very little) and have to run awhile to clean out all the goop, that is why you might need to check the spark plug, it may be getting fouled burning out the old fuel.
That sounds like what you would need to do so it will run consistently. Unless you drain the tank fully there may be sediment at the bottom which Seafoam doesn't break down, at that point you would want to put the highest octane (100-110) or "race" gas through it as well as adding a new fuel filter. Best way to tell if its blocked; hold it upside down with a lighter 2" below it, if whatever drips out doesn't flame then its clogged and needs replacing.
We have to do this often with our track cars, carbed or FI if they have been sitting over winter. Proactive drivers drain the tank and block the line to the filter if its going to sit more than 4-6 months.
 

jmgratz

Original Owners Club Member
We always turn off the gas and let the gen. run out of gas before putting it 'to bed'. I have let it sit up to three months without starting it and have not had any issues with starting. Also always put Sta-Bil in the fuel tank.
 

TXTiger

Well-known member
Just wondering. Could this whole problem be avoided if we just run the generator for 15/20 min every couple of weeks? Even when my rig is in storage I go to check on it, making sure no one has broken in, and I run the generator to circulate the fuel and charge the battery.
 
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