Honda generator carburetor flooding issue

SeanFitz335 · 03-22-2022, 11:43 PM

Anyone familiar with generator carb issues? Specifically a Honda EU6500is. We ran the fuel really low on Saturday. We shut it down and then the next morning fuel was leaking from the carb coming out of the inlet/choke bore and dripping down in to the air box.

Pulled the carb and took the bowl off. The float and needle looked alright. Sprayed everything with carb cleaner to try to knock out any sediment that may have made it in from running it low on fuel. Picked up some new o-rings and gaskets and put it back together. Same thing. Started up and ran fine. Then when shutting off and trying to start it again, it won't since it's flooding. Pulled the air box and could see it's flowing fuel again out of the inlet.

Any thoughts on what to look for? What else would cause it to continually flow fuel and overflow the bowl?

Thanks!

vreihen16 · 03-23-2022, 07:36 AM

It's always a dirty/stuck float or needle when that happens to me on small engines. Most times, some "percussive maintenance" applied to the float bowl will free things up in my experience. It may also be worth checking the fuel tank and screen/filter for contamination if it keeps happening.....

GuidoK · 03-23-2022, 07:59 AM

Sounds like a needle/seat issue.
Try to clean the seat with a cotton bud and carb cleaner.

I assume it has a plastic float?
Sometimes you can slightly bend/tweak the position of the base where the needle slits in the float to tweak the height of the float.

Also keep an eye on that oil level.
If it floods, gasoline can poor into the sump/oil; that's not good.

And try to get ethanol free gas for the generator.

CTinline-six · 03-23-2022, 08:17 AM

The float and needle can look ok, but sometimes the needle is slightly damaged at the tip, or the seat can have some corrosion that will cause it not to shut off correctly. You might need to take the carb off, and replace the needle/clean the seat, or just replace the whole carb if that is easier.

vreihen16 · 03-23-2022, 09:52 AM

...or it will just re-clog itself after cleaning if the tank still contains contaminated fuel.

We always park our small engines by running the fuel out. I've noticed stiction in the floats on occasion when we re-fuel them for their next use, particularly on our snowblower. Percussive maintenance always frees things up and stops the fuel bowl overflow from leaking all over.....

SeanFitz335 · 03-23-2022, 11:36 AM

Update: Pulled just the bowl this time and adjusted the float and needle a little to confirm the needle was seating. Reassembled and it fired right up. Confirmed no flooding and it's running great. Thanks again for the feedback!

Thanks all for the replies! I am going to pull the bowl off today and double-check the float/needle. I did a little pressure test on it last night by turning the carb upside down and blowing in the inlet and there was no leak/pass-by. But, could have gotten more sediment in there when I put it back in. Who knows.

If this fails then I'll get a new needle in there.

Thanks again!

03-22-2022, 11:43 PM	#1
SeanFitz335 Private 54 Rep 68 Posts Drives: 2014 335i M-Sport Join Date: Jul 2019 Location: Arizona iTrader: (0)	Honda generator carburetor flooding issue Anyone familiar with generator carb issues? Specifically a Honda EU6500is. We ran the fuel really low on Saturday. We shut it down and then the next morning fuel was leaking from the carb coming out of the inlet/choke bore and dripping down in to the air box. Pulled the carb and took the bowl off. The float and needle looked alright. Sprayed everything with carb cleaner to try to knock out any sediment that may have made it in from running it low on fuel. Picked up some new o-rings and gaskets and put it back together. Same thing. Started up and ran fine. Then when shutting off and trying to start it again, it won't since it's flooding. Pulled the air box and could see it's flowing fuel again out of the inlet. Any thoughts on what to look for? What else would cause it to continually flow fuel and overflow the bowl? Thanks!
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03-23-2022, 07:36 AM	#2
vreihen16 Recovering Perfectionist 15280 Rep 941 Posts Drives: 2015 BMW i3 BEV Join Date: Jun 2019 Location: Orange County, NY iTrader: (0) Garage List 2014 Mighty Freight ... [0.00] 2015 BMW i3 BEV [0.00] 2000 Audi TT Quattro [0.00] 1967 Formula Vee [0.00]	It's always a dirty/stuck float or needle when that happens to me on small engines. Most times, some "percussive maintenance" applied to the float bowl will free things up in my experience. It may also be worth checking the fuel tank and screen/filter for contamination if it keeps happening..... __________________ 2015 BMW i3 BEV, Giga World (Lodge interior), Tech/Driving Assist Packages, 30K miles
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03-23-2022, 07:59 AM	#3
GuidoK #buildnotbought 10857 Rep 4,893 Posts Drives: Z4 3.0i ESS TS2+ Join Date: Jul 2012 Location: Tinkering in the garage iTrader: (0)	Sounds like a needle/seat issue. Try to clean the seat with a cotton bud and carb cleaner. I assume it has a plastic float? Sometimes you can slightly bend/tweak the position of the base where the needle slits in the float to tweak the height of the float. Also keep an eye on that oil level. If it floods, gasoline can poor into the sump/oil; that's not good. And try to get ethanol free gas for the generator. __________________ Z4 3.0i \| ESS TS2+ supercharger \| Quaife ATB LSD \| Brembo/BMW performance BBK front/rear \| Schrick FI cams \| Schmiedmann headers+cats \| Powerflex/strongflex PU bushings \| Vibra-technics engine mounts \| H&R anti rollbars \| KW V3 coilovers/KW camber plates \| Sachs race engineering clutch \| tons of custom sh#t
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03-23-2022, 08:17 AM	#4
CTinline-six Hoonigan 6848 Rep 3,000 Posts Drives: '09 328i, '98 Wrangler Join Date: Dec 2016 Location: Connecticut iTrader: (0) Garage List 2009 BMW 328i N51 [0.00]	The float and needle can look ok, but sometimes the needle is slightly damaged at the tip, or the seat can have some corrosion that will cause it not to shut off correctly. You might need to take the carb off, and replace the needle/clean the seat, or just replace the whole carb if that is easier. __________________ "Yeah, but your scientists were so preoccupied with whether or not they could, they didn't stop to think if they should." -Dr. Ian Malcolm, Jurassic Park
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03-23-2022, 09:52 AM	#5
vreihen16 Recovering Perfectionist 15280 Rep 941 Posts Drives: 2015 BMW i3 BEV Join Date: Jun 2019 Location: Orange County, NY iTrader: (0) Garage List 2014 Mighty Freight ... [0.00] 2015 BMW i3 BEV [0.00] 2000 Audi TT Quattro [0.00] 1967 Formula Vee [0.00]	...or it will just re-clog itself after cleaning if the tank still contains contaminated fuel. We always park our small engines by running the fuel out. I've noticed stiction in the floats on occasion when we re-fuel them for their next use, particularly on our snowblower. Percussive maintenance always frees things up and stops the fuel bowl overflow from leaking all over..... __________________ 2015 BMW i3 BEV, Giga World (Lodge interior), Tech/Driving Assist Packages, 30K miles
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03-23-2022, 11:36 AM	#6
SeanFitz335 Private 54 Rep 68 Posts Drives: 2014 335i M-Sport Join Date: Jul 2019 Location: Arizona iTrader: (0)	Update: Pulled just the bowl this time and adjusted the float and needle a little to confirm the needle was seating. Reassembled and it fired right up. Confirmed no flooding and it's running great. Thanks again for the feedback! Thanks all for the replies! I am going to pull the bowl off today and double-check the float/needle. I did a little pressure test on it last night by turning the carb upside down and blowing in the inlet and there was no leak/pass-by. But, could have gotten more sediment in there when I put it back in. Who knows. If this fails then I'll get a new needle in there. Thanks again!
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