rookie with a few fuel station problems

[rbaja272]

Good morning all..
I'm a total rookie and we just bought a 2008 cyclone 4012. my kids race motocross and will be dry camping 99% of the time. my issue is that i seem to have some bad gas in the tank. i have been trying to run through it.. the generator is using it but will stall at times and i have to clean the throttle plates pretty often.. anyone recommend a good additive or should i bite the bullet and drop and clean the tank?

Problem 2. the fuel gauge doesn't work.. i have read sometimes they can be wired backward from the factory? [previous owner is not sure if it worked they say] since the generator only has 200 hours on it i can believe that. anyone know where i can get a wiring schematic so i can start testing?

problem 3. fuel pump.. the pump at the station runs but will not prime or push fuel.. if it was not used often or ever would the system need to be primed before it would full from the tank.

thank you in advance for any advice

 

[jmarnell]

I've always used SeaFoam fuel treatment in our Cyclone. It was recommended to me early on and it has always worked great on keeping the fuel fresh and the generator carburetor clean.

On the fuel gauge, it may be that the wiring is reversed. Ours was, and I had to press the switch for the fuel station tank to see the generator fuel tank level. But that was an easy fix by shutting off the power, unscrewing the control panel where the gauge is, and reversing the wire connections. Really easy since the wires just pull off the connections and push back on.

I hope someone else has a recommendation on the fuel station pump. We've never had trouble with ours. I would think it would prime itself, but I don't know for sure.

 

[rbaja272]

I've always used SeaFoam fuel treatment in our Cyclone. It was recommended to me early on and it has always worked great on keeping the fuel fresh and the generator carburetor clean.

On the fuel gauge, it may be that the wiring is reversed. Ours was, and I had to press the switch for the fuel station tank to see the generator fuel tank level. But that was an easy fix by shutting off the power, unscrewing the control panel where the gauge is, and reversing the wire connections. Really easy since the wires just pull off the connections and push back on.

I hope someone else has a recommendation on the fuel station pump. We've never had trouble with ours. I would think it would prime itself, but I don't know for sure.

thank you for the help. i will check on the guage.. mine only has one tank i guess since it is older.. thank you again

 

[Hollandt]

Good morning all..
I'm a total rookie and we just bought a 2008 cyclone 4012. my kids race motocross and will be dry camping 99% of the time. my issue is that i seem to have some bad gas in the tank. i have been trying to run through it.. the generator is using it but will stall at times and i have to clean the throttle plates pretty often.. anyone recommend a good additive or should i bite the bullet and drop and clean the tank?

Problem 2. the fuel gauge doesn't work.. i have read sometimes they can be wired backward from the factory? [previous owner is not sure if it worked they say] since the generator only has 200 hours on it i can believe that. anyone know where i can get a wiring schematic so i can start testing?

problem 3. fuel pump.. the pump at the station runs but will not prime or push fuel.. if it was not used often or ever would the system need to be primed before it would full from the tank.

thank you in advance for any advice

Since your pump runs but dies not pump is it possible that the DC voltage going to the entire system is wired backward? If the geared pump runs in the wrong direction it will not pump. Could be instead of past issues on other units with the gauge being wired backward, everything is?

 

[Flick]

Good morning all..
I'm a total rookie and we just bought a 2008 cyclone 4012. my kids race motocross and will be dry camping 99% of the time. my issue is that i seem to have some bad gas in the tank. i have been trying to run through it.. the generator is using it but will stall at times and i have to clean the throttle plates pretty often.. anyone recommend a good additive or should i bite the bullet and drop and clean the tank?

Problem 2. the fuel gauge doesn't work.. i have read sometimes they can be wired backward from the factory? [previous owner is not sure if it worked they say] since the generator only has 200 hours on it i can believe that. anyone know where i can get a wiring schematic so i can start testing?

problem 3. fuel pump.. the pump at the station runs but will not prime or push fuel.. if it was not used often or ever would the system need to be primed before it would full from the tank.

thank you in advance for any advice

Having had numerous occasions of fuel systems subjected to bad fuel, I think that all 3 of your problems are related to the bad fuel and varnish deposits. I’d bite the bullet and get the tank steam cleaned by a professional. That way you can check your fuel sending unit and pickup tube for your pump and eliminate those possible problem areas. You can perhaps fix the gauge problems elsewhere, but if your throttle plates are getting messed up routinely, you’ll always have problems. Good luck.

 

[rbaja272]

Since your pump runs but dies not pump is it possible that the DC voltage going to the entire system is wired backward? If the geared pump runs in the wrong direction it will not pump. Could be instead of past issues on other units with the gauge being wired backward, everything is?

that's an interesting point.. i thought i was crazy but when i was messing with the pump nozzle it felt like it was sucking vs pushing.. i will have to dig and see if i can find where the main circuit for the that system starts. maybe i will reverse it at the gauge and see if that works.. if it does i will check the pump from there and see what i have.. thank you for the thought.. i will have to dig and see if i can find the wiring schematic..

- - - Updated - - -

Having had numerous occasions of fuel systems subjected to bad fuel, I think that all 3 of your problems are related to the bad fuel and varnish deposits. I’d bite the bullet and get the tank steam cleaned by a professional. That way you can check your fuel sending unit and pickup tube for your pump and eliminate those possible problem areas. You can perhaps fix the gauge problems elsewhere, but if your throttle plates are getting messed up routinely, you’ll always have problems. Good luck.

this was the first weekend we had used it.. i don't want to pull the tank unless i have to but that may be the end result.. i have the means to flush and pull it if needed but i bet that would not be fun.. luckily i can clean the throttle plates in and 20 minutes but i'm sure its not great for the generator

 

[NYSUPstater]

Local radio station has a auto care segment hosted by a couple local techs (they know their S***) and highly tout Sea-Foam, so give it a whirl!

 

[BWStark]

Just a suggestion, if you can find non ethanol gas use it. I’m in Tx and started using it for all my gas tools and wife’s car. The difference is amazing.

 

[rbaja272]

Just a suggestion, if you can find non ethanol gas use it. I’m in Tx and started using it for all my gas tools and wife’s car. The difference is amazing.

not a lot around me with but may have to find some

 

[NYSUPstater]

not a lot around me with but may have to find some

If none avail, then when you do buy gas, use Star-Tron fuel additive. I use it religiously in my snowmobiles and highly recommended in any 2 stroke engines that sit.