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Honda generator repair specialist


DShK

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Hi, my EU20i has, after a few weeks of non-use, stopped working. It doesn't fire at all, beyond the occasional backfire pop.

 

Things I've checked (with the advice of a friend):

 

  • There's compression
  • Spark plug firing (maybe a bit weak?)
  • Oil level fine
  • Spark plug wet but not too wet after trying to start
  • Carb cleaned
  • Carb replaced entirely
  • Won't start with carb/intake cleaner squirted into the intake

 

So I'm at the point where I need to get someone with knowledge of these machines to look at it for me. Could anyone recommend such a person, within reasonable travel distance from the Rugby area? 

 

Thanks!

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Have you checked the oil pressure switch? if that failed the unit will not run as a safety feature. You are unlucky for a Honda to jack in. I still fire my emergency ex up a couple of times a year, its still faultless and much older than any eu.

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41 minutes ago, DShK said:

So I'm at the point where I need to get someone with knowledge of these machines to look at it for me. Could anyone recommend such a person, within reasonable travel distance from the Rugby area? 

 

This guy is THE Honda genersator man -he is in Suffolk but he spent about an hour in the phone with me (my call) talking me thru a strip-down nut by nut, screw by screw until "we" found the problem and rebuilt it.

 

PetePower Honda generator repairs – Honda generator repairs, service, parts, advice and lpg conversions 01638 778328 or 07856775398 (wordpress.com)

 

Or his repair service :

 

 

Courier services to transport your generator for service or repairs

If you find this website helpful, please consider leaving a Google review.

For small machines under 30kg I recommend using an online courier agent like www.P4D.co.uk  or  www.interparcel.com. The online courier agents offer collections from a range of couriers at various prices. Typically these include City Link, Yodel, Hermes, and a few more expensive options. Booking a collection is really easy.

For about £10 they will pick the machine up from your address and deliver it to me. Then when the work is complete you can book the return journey in the same way. I don’t have much faith in City Link’s “next day” service. My experience of City Link is that they rarely collect on time although the goods do seem to arrive safely enough.

Edited by Alan de Enfield
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1 hour ago, mrsmelly said:

Have you checked the oil pressure switch? if that failed the unit will not run as a safety feature. You are unlucky for a Honda to jack in. I still fire my emergency ex up a couple of times a year, its still faultless and much older than any eu.

I watched a video on testing some electric stuff, but it seemed impossible to get to the plug without taking the casing apart. The screws holding that together were just rounding off, even with a good soak of PTFE.... Anyway, the spark plug is sparking, and otherwise the only electrics it would control are the throttle (and alternator etc) surely? (throttle able to be manually opened before it's started) There's fuel getting to the cylinders, so in theory, unless my understanding is wrong, it should be firing?

 

1 hour ago, Alan de Enfield said:

 

This guy is THE Honda genersator man -he is in Suffolk but he spent about an hour in the phone with me (my call) talking me thru a strip-down nut by nut, screw by screw until "we" found the problem and rebuilt it.

 

PetePower Honda generator repairs – Honda generator repairs, service, parts, advice and lpg conversions 01638 778328 or 07856775398 (wordpress.com)

 

Or his repair service :

 

 

Courier services to transport your generator for service or repairs

If you find this website helpful, please consider leaving a Google review.

For small machines under 30kg I recommend using an online courier agent like www.P4D.co.uk  or  www.interparcel.com. The online courier agents offer collections from a range of couriers at various prices. Typically these include City Link, Yodel, Hermes, and a few more expensive options. Booking a collection is really easy.

For about £10 they will pick the machine up from your address and deliver it to me. Then when the work is complete you can book the return journey in the same way. I don’t have much faith in City Link’s “next day” service. My experience of City Link is that they rarely collect on time although the goods do seem to arrive safely enough.

 

Yeah I did see this guy, the location put me off. I am reluctant to send such an expensive bit of kit with ANY of those couriers to be honest. Thanks for the recommendation though, I will consider him if I can get an insured courier like DPD at a reasonable rate.

 

I did find this local guy, anyone have any experience with him? https://www.burchmoreservices.co.uk/

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22 minutes ago, DShK said:

I watched a video on testing some electric stuff, but it seemed impossible to get to the plug without taking the casing apart. The screws holding that together were just rounding off, even with a good soak of PTFE.... Anyway, the spark plug is sparking, and otherwise the only electrics it would control are the throttle (and alternator etc) surely? (throttle able to be manually opened before it's started) There's fuel getting to the cylinders, so in theory, unless my understanding is wrong, it should be firing?

 

No there is all sorts of electrics / electronics under the case - but - it is certainly worth draining the fuel and stripping the carb down and cleaning out any dried out vegetable matter (varnish) , refill the fuel tank and try again.

 

When I dropped my outboad overboard (and fortunately recovered it with a grappling hook) I stripped everything down, including the carb, and it just wouldn't start up - eventually traced to an almost microscpoic water droplet in the jet - poked it out and reassembled - started first pull.

 

It takes almost nothing to block a carb and this modern 'high vegetable content' petrol makes it even worse.

 

 

Edited by Alan de Enfield
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1 hour ago, Mickj said:

Change the fuel drain carb of old fuel

 

 

Seconded. 

 

All the higher fractions in the fuel put there to make starting easy/happen at all will have evaporated away if the OP is using old fuel. 

 

Given summer has just passed I wouldn't be surprised if the "few weeks" since it as last used are actually 6 months! 

 

 

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As mentioed in the OP, I cleaned the carb and when that didn't work, replaced it entirely (they are like £30). In the process of doing so I drained the fuel tank. Squirting carb cleaner in the intake should have got it started regardless of fuel (or so I was told by my friend).

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1 hour ago, DShK said:

As mentioed in the OP, I cleaned the carb and when that didn't work, replaced it entirely (they are like £30). In the process of doing so I drained the fuel tank. Squirting carb cleaner in the intake should have got it started regardless of fuel (or so I was told by my friend).

 

Well, I would have squirted petrol or a little easy start because I am no sure what carb cleaner actually is. It may vaporise easily, but how readily will it ignite?

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If carb was removed and refitted was the gasket put back on correctly?

 

My old EX650 (best Honda genny ever) used to refuse to start if the oil was getting old. I don't think it was about the oil level it seemed to be about the condition of the oil itself. Lube oil breaks down after a certain amount of time and feels "thin" and loses its lubrication qualities. I think Honda know about this and designed a sensor which does something to check it. Could just be a theory but an oil change would sort it out.

 

 

 

 

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Think of the Eu generator in two parts, engine side and electrical side, the engne is a conventional CDI ignition small engine with an electronically controlled carb, but the inverter side is not meant to be messed with and mostly unrepairable or uneconomical to repair. (Which is why there are dozens of these on eBay with blown inverter boards that no one wants.) 


 

You can see below that the throttle stepper motor is controlled by the main inverter board which is a sealed unit and unrepairable .

 

Personally i would get the engine running with the eco throttle control disconnected then if it runs I would have elminated all the engine side issues in one go. If you have a new carb ( with fresh fuel in it ), a good spark and some compression i would suspect the throttle control is interfering ?

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37 minutes ago, magnetman said:

If carb was removed and refitted was the gasket put back on correctly?

 

My old EX650 (best Honda genny ever) used to refuse to start if the oil was getting old. I don't think it was about the oil level it seemed to be about the condition of the oil itself. Lube oil breaks down after a certain amount of time and feels "thin" and loses its lubrication qualities. I think Honda know about this and designed a sensor which does something to check it. Could just be a theory but an oil change would sort it out.

 

 

 

 

The oil sensor is just a float switch it does nothing more than cut the ignition circuit a the point of minimum oil level. 

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When my EU20i either wouldnt start, or cut out shortly after starting, Pete Power advised me to fill the oil to just about overflowing. It worked a treat.... something to do with the sensor he said.

 

My EU20i eventually gave up due to the inverter failing. However, I do the same filling to overflowing with my EU10i.

 

Could be worth a try??

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4 hours ago, magnetman said:

If carb was removed and refitted was the gasket put back on correctly?

 

My old EX650 (best Honda genny ever) used to refuse to start if the oil was getting old. I don't think it was about the oil level it seemed to be about the condition of the oil itself. Lube oil breaks down after a certain amount of time and feels "thin" and loses its lubrication qualities. I think Honda know about this and designed a sensor which does something to check it. Could just be a theory but an oil change would sort it out.

 

 

 

 

The ex range are the best ever. My old thing is bomb proof.

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  • 2 months later...

I got this sorted a while ago but thought I'd update for anyone's future reference. I went to this guy https://www.burchmoreservices.co.uk/ and he fixed it up really quickly and for a price I was happy with. Turns out the valves were sticking because the oil was of poor condition. I should have changed the oil as soon as I bought the unit, in hindsight, as I had no idea how old it was. Doh! 

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