I've got a Honda 2000 small gasoline generator that does not get used much. When it does, it requires a lot of pulls to get it started. Yesterday, I pulled at least 20 times and it didn't run. Finally, I loosed the air cleaner, squirted in some starting fluid and it fired right up on the first pull. So I'm thinking of drilling a small hole in the plastic air cleaner directly across from the throat of the carburetor and putting in a self-tapping screw which can be removed in order to squirt in a shot of ether. Anyone have an opinion on the long term effects of the use of starting fluid to avoid the strains of repeated pulls on an old man's shoulders?

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1977 300d 70k--sold 08
1985 300TD 185k+
1984 307d 126k--sold 8/03
1985 409d 65k--sold 06
1984 300SD 315k--daughter's car
1979 300SD 122k--sold 2/11
1999 Fuso FG Expedition Camper
1993 GMC Sierra 6.5 TD 4x4
1982 Bluebird Wanderlodge CAT 3208--Sold 2/13

It has always seemed to me that the more you use starting fluid, the harder to start the engine becomes...

Have no proof of that, and have never used ether extensively on anything that wasn't already hurting on a number of fronts...

Strange to hear of a Honda which doesn't start easily, that is one of their trademark attributes.

Maybe a simple tune up could return the engine to it's easy-start Honda ways.


Hey, there is a recall on Honda 200 generators.... maybe you can get a nice new easy to start one for nothing.
CPSC - American Honda Recalls Portable Generators Due to Fire and Burn Hazards

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On some nights I still believe that a car with the fuel gauge on empty can run about fifty more miles if you have the right music very loud on the radio. - HST

1983 300SD - 305000
1984 Toyota Landcruiser - 190000
1994 GMC Jimmy - 203000

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The smallest squirt possible to start it shouldn't harm the engine.

I usually see people drowning the engine in starting fluid and that where a lot of the damage comes from.

It does sound like ethanol has gummed up the fuel delivery system.

Perhaps ethanol has caused problems. However, it runs fine once it starts. Even after I shut it down, it fires up again on the first pull.

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1977 300d 70k--sold 08
1985 300TD 185k+
1984 307d 126k--sold 8/03
1985 409d 65k--sold 06
1984 300SD 315k--daughter's car
1979 300SD 122k--sold 2/11
1999 Fuso FG Expedition Camper
1993 GMC Sierra 6.5 TD 4x4
1982 Bluebird Wanderlodge CAT 3208--Sold 2/13

The recalled generator looks identical to mine. I'll have to check the serial number.

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1977 300d 70k--sold 08
1985 300TD 185k+
1984 307d 126k--sold 8/03
1985 409d 65k--sold 06
1984 300SD 315k--daughter's car
1979 300SD 122k--sold 2/11
1999 Fuso FG Expedition Camper
1993 GMC Sierra 6.5 TD 4x4
1982 Bluebird Wanderlodge CAT 3208--Sold 2/13

Ether will eventually dry out the cylinder walls, not a big deal on an engine like that with a cast-iron cylinder. It would be better to substitute a shot of gasoline if necessary. What you should do is get into the habit of shutting the fuel off when finished with the generator and allow the carb. to run out of fuel. Honda's also have a drain provision on the carb. bowl so that they can be stored completely dry, which facilitates the next start. If this is one of their newer models that combine the fuel shut-off with the ignition switch, you can turn the switch almost to the "off" position, as that will shut of the fuel before it grounds the ignition.

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'83 300D, 126K miles.

Ether scares the hell out of me. I don't even want to have it around.

When I have a small engine that doesn't want to start (for example, first start of the season) about a thimble full of gasoline directly into the carb usually gets it going. Works much better if it is fresh gas, not gas that is 3 or 4 months old.

I have a small glass bottle which has a nozzle with a 90 degree elbow that I keep around for this purpose, so I can get the gas into the carb without rolling the mower on its side.

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Palangi

2004 C240 Wagon 203.261 Baby Benz
2008 ML320 CDI Highway Cruiser
2006 Toyota Prius, Saving the Planet @ 48 mpg
2000 F-150, Destroying the Planet @ 20 mpg



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That's a very useful tidbit of info. It does have that combination switch.

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1977 300d 70k--sold 08
1985 300TD 185k+
1984 307d 126k--sold 8/03
1985 409d 65k--sold 06
1984 300SD 315k--daughter's car
1979 300SD 122k--sold 2/11
1999 Fuso FG Expedition Camper
1993 GMC Sierra 6.5 TD 4x4
1982 Bluebird Wanderlodge CAT 3208--Sold 2/13

Good idea.

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1977 300d 70k--sold 08
1985 300TD 185k+
1984 307d 126k--sold 8/03
1985 409d 65k--sold 06
1984 300SD 315k--daughter's car
1979 300SD 122k--sold 2/11
1999 Fuso FG Expedition Camper
1993 GMC Sierra 6.5 TD 4x4
1982 Bluebird Wanderlodge CAT 3208--Sold 2/13

is it worth pulling the carb off, apart, cleaning out what you can see (maybe replace some rubber bits?) then re-assemble and check ? I've done this on a few small engines and never made one worse - most of the time made it better.

this might be something you can do in a warm basement/shop as opposed to car repair that requires time in a cold(?) garage.

-John

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2009 Kia Sedona
2009 Honda Odyssey EX-L
12006 Jetta Pumpe Duse
(insert Mercedes here)

Husband, Father, sometimes friend =)

Maybe but apart from being hard starting after sitting for six months it doesn't exhibit any other problematic symptoms.

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1977 300d 70k--sold 08
1985 300TD 185k+
1984 307d 126k--sold 8/03
1985 409d 65k--sold 06
1984 300SD 315k--daughter's car
1979 300SD 122k--sold 2/11
1999 Fuso FG Expedition Camper
1993 GMC Sierra 6.5 TD 4x4
1982 Bluebird Wanderlodge CAT 3208--Sold 2/13

clean the carb. hondas are pretty easy, you may get away with just taking the bowl drain plug out and spraying carb cleaner in through there. once its all fixed, pick up some fresh gas, and some stabil with ethanol treatment.

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have no worries.....President Obama swears "If you like your gun, you can keep it

Be forewarned that on some Honda's, the governor arm must be disengaged from the shaft to remove the carburetor. Failure to perform a static adjustment will result in a runaway engine and the governor weights going over-center. This will require removal of the generator from the engine to disassemble the engine and reset the governor. Shouldn't be an issue on an inverter unit, as they have electronic speed control.

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'83 300D, 126K miles.

We have a fleet of these at work. They are great machines and we never have issues, even when sitting. Prime, switch to start, choke back and they fire up on the first time. There have been times when they would not start because someone forgot to turn the switch to on. Not that I would ever do that....

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1991 560 SEL / 185k miles
1992 750il / 17k miles - project car

How do you prime it? That's exactly the problem I'm experiencing--no way to prime it.

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1977 300d 70k--sold 08
1985 300TD 185k+
1984 307d 126k--sold 8/03
1985 409d 65k--sold 06
1984 300SD 315k--daughter's car
1979 300SD 122k--sold 2/11
1999 Fuso FG Expedition Camper
1993 GMC Sierra 6.5 TD 4x4
1982 Bluebird Wanderlodge CAT 3208--Sold 2/13