Homelite 5000 Generator puzzle

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Homelite 5000 Generator (6500 running)with a Subaru Robin motor won't start. Last time I did start it was in CT before selling my house up there in Northeast a year ago. Now in NC, I did everything I could, clean carbu, change spark, change oil, I did spray a little starting fluid inside the choke and is trying but...... I read this generator motor has a sensor for the low oil, so I would like to bypass it and get the motor running. The reason I dont take it to the shop ( here in the Triad ) is [censored] heavy and I dont really use it a lot, but I ve been working in updating my lawnmowing equipment since I have a lot of green to cut. Thank you for you time.
 
Just some basics, #1 is the sparkplug getting wet with fuel and #2 is it getting a strong spark? Fresh fuel is key too.
 
Carb is clogged with ethanol goo junk. You need a carburetor rebuild.

For future reference, dont store generators with fuel. I like to run a quart of non-ethanol fuel threw the tank/carb until it runs out of fuel.

That gets all the ethanol goo out of the carb and they usually start right up next time you need it.
 
I always start with the basics.

1) do you have spark?
2) have you tried a different spark plug?
3) Add fuel to the intake (starting fluid) and it runs for a time?
4) Have you tried disconnecting the wires to the oil level sensor?

That's a great little engine BTW.

If in fact it runs on starting fluid, and you have the fuel valve on the bottom of the tank open, try ensuring there is fuel flow through the pump. You could also try feeding the carb with fuel via an external hose to the fuel fitting on the carb. Could be your fuel pump is dry or inop.
 
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if there was old gas in the tank and it was E10 then dump the tank and change the fuel filter.

You may have gotten phase separation and that non-combustive good sink to the bottom to get picked up by the pickup tube. The first think hit with it is the fuel filter. After that it is the carb.
 
Does this have an Automatic Voltage Regulating circuit that can kill the spark? I feel since it won't even sputter on starting fluid you have a safety switch shutting things down. AVR should bypass to let it get going but you never know. Trace all the stuff back to the "kill wire", it should all be teed in together there.
 
Oil level sensor is just a basic on/off float switch on most small engines (uses a magnet in float - when it drops low enough, the magnet triggers a reed switch that opens up and disconnects negative/ground to spark. Try disconnecting it, or short across connector with a jumper (if it's a single wire, tie the wire that plugs into the switch (not the one ATTACHED to the switch) to ground. Otherwise, if you have a multimeter than you can confirm that the main kill switch and oil switch are working properly - anything more than about 2 ohms (ideally 0) of resistance and they should be replaced. oil level sensors usually don't need to be cleaned (at least not the magnetic type) - I've only ever seen one get gummed up on an engine that was THOROUGHLY abused - over 100 hours of almost constant runtime.
Otherwise, don't be so quick to assume that your carb is dead/gummed up like some others here have. There's a million and one problems that can cause a no-start solution, but the first and easiest to identify is ignition/spark.
 
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You have to do a basic fuel vs spark diagnosis first. If you don't have starting fluid put a few drops of gas in the intake and pull the cord to see if it will fire at all. If it does fire, the problem is going to be that the carb is clogged up. This is by far the most common reason for not starting after a period of storage.

If no spark, look for a small electrical wire coming from the coil (which is under the flywheel cover). This is the so-called "kill wire". If the wire is left open circuit, the engine can run. If anything connects it to ground, the engine will stop. Thus you can bypass all the potential stopping systems by disconnecting the wire from any switches, sensors, etc. and making sure it doesn't ground out.
 
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Originally Posted By: Cujet
I always start with the basics.

1) do you have spark?
2) have you tried a different spark plug?
3) Add fuel to the intake (starting fluid) and it runs for a time?
4) Have you tried disconnecting the wires to the oil level sensor?

That's a great little engine BTW.

If in fact it runs on starting fluid, and you have the fuel valve on the bottom of the tank open, try ensuring there is fuel flow through the pump. You could also try feeding the carb with fuel via an external hose to the fuel fitting on the carb. Could be your fuel pump is dry or inop.


Excellent diagnosis list.

I had a spark plug once that would spark outside of the cylinder but wouldn't work installed. Always have a known working spare plug.

If the engine has a good plug and the low oil shut off is functioning properly with proper oil level, the carb likely needs a thorough cleaning.

Far too often people fail to completely clean jets and galleries in carbs. I've done it myself. As much as it's often disparaged, using a very thin flexible wire is often a must to properly clean jets, galleries and orifices.

I like to strip the paper/plastic from garbage bag ties and use the wire to clean carbs. The wire is very thin and will take a lot of bending before it will break. The last thing you want is to break off a piece of wire in a bad spot.
 
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