Generator not getting enough fuel

[ClydesdaleKevin]

Sent: 4/25/2005 9:41 PM

Uh oh.  I tried to fire it up today, and it seems its not getting enough gas to start.  I checked the fuel hose, and it SEEMS ok, all the way back to the tank.  On my RV, the generator fuel hose goes to my secondary tank.  If I suck on the hose, I get gas fumes, but its too long to get any gas from just my lung power...lol.

If I hold down the "prime" button for a length of time, the generator will start, but sputters right out.

If I give it a shot of ether, it also starts, but sputters right out.  It WANTS to run, but isn't getting enough fuel.

What could be wrong?  I visually inspected the fuel hose, all the way to the tank, and it SEEMS OK, but would an old hose not create enough suction for the fuel pump to keep fuel supplied?  If its the hose, its going to really suck, since there is no access to the top of the fuel tank, where the hose attaches, and that means I'll have to drop the fuel tank (with all its old hoses and rusted bolts) to get to it.

I did check one thing, however, since my gas guage only goes to my primary tank.  I threaded a peice of wood down the filler neck, and it appears that I only have about 2-3 inches of gas in that tank.   Does the pick-up tube go to the bottom of the tank, or is there a 2-3 inch gap between the tube and the bottom of the tank?

I'm going to put a fuel hose in my lawnmower's red tank tomorrow, and make sure its really a fuel problem before I start tearing things apart.  If the generator fires right up from a red gas tank, then I can assume I'm not getting fuel.

If it doesn't start right up from the red tank, then I know its the generator.

My next step would be to make a couple of trips to the gas station with the red tank, and to fill the secondary tank.  I can't drive it right now with all the repairs going on.  Hopefully this is all thats wrong.

Any suggestions?  I REALLY don't want to pull the tank to get to the hose inlet!

Kev and Patti Smith

[Boise_Chief]

Sent: 4/25/2005 

Are you sure that the genset has a fuel pump?  The generator may not have one which would explain your prob.  My generator was desighned to be gravity fed.  I am installing a low pressure pump to supply it out of the aux tank. 
Good luck Sean

[lockman]

Sent: 4/25/2005

Had exactly the same problem, drove us nuts. Generator would run from a  portable tank but not main. Finally found and replaced the old dried out and cracked supply line. Had to drop tank to reach it, runs like a dream now. Little fuel pump could not overcome all the air leaks in the cracks and could not hold suction. The fuel would run back into the tank or seep out the cracks. Had to replace all fuel system rubber fuel lines, even filler vent line. Much happier and safer now.

[DaveVA78Chieftain]

Sent: 4/26/2005 

Per design, generator fuel pickups do not extend to the bottom of the tank.  They leave about  10%-15% of the gas in the tank.  The purpose is to ensure you have enough gas left in the tank to get yourself (drive) to a gas station to refill.  Given you only have 2-3 inches of gas left in the tank, that is most likely your problem.  Either drive it and get more in the tank of refill it from a 5 gallon tank.

Dave

[denisondc]

Sent: 4/26/2005

If there are any old rubber hoses in the circuit to your genset, it would not be surprising for the old rubber have enough cracks in them that air is being drawn in. Once you have the tank about half full try the suction again.
And when that tank is half full, check by blowing into the fuel line at the genset, and see if someone hears bubbles in that tank. It could still be a plugged up pickup tube.
When I need a good source of suction, I run a long hose from the engines intake manifold, with a valve in the end of it. you can also buy a small hand pump for pulling a vacuum. A handy tool.

[DaveVA78Chieftain]

Sent: 4/26/2005

Just one of things we run into along the way.  My generator had been removed by a previous owner.  The fuel line had been left uncapped in the generator compartment.  Being exposed to the moisture in the air, the copper line corroded up (might of even been a bug or it's nest for all I know) somewhere between just aft of the rear axle and the gen compartment.  Rest of the run was ok.

Dave

[ClydesdaleKevin]

Sent: 4/26/2005

Yay!  The generator not only fired up on the first shot when I ran it right to my red gas can, once I added 5 gallons to the tank, she ran great! It was worth a mouth full of gasoline to prime the hose...lol.

Kev and Patti Smith