Lamont in NC
Member
Some background, we have an ice storm coming and I'm trying to fix my parents generator. My father brought it to me because it wouldn't start. I found the carb was horribly dirty and ended up replacing it. I sent it back and then he calls to tell me the grommet in the bottom of the tank is loose and all the gas has drained out. So it came back and I fixed that and put on new shutoff valve, hoses and filter. But in testing now I can't get the generator to run reliably. Sometimes it's fine and will run a load for over 20 minutes and I shut it off. Other times it will start but then quickly shut down. Giving it choke doesn't help when it's dying and it sounds just like the switch has been turned off so I'm pretty sure it's not fuel. I don't see any problems with the ground wire and switch.
It's a 10hp Briggs model 205412 with low oil protection and a tiny screw in dip stick that goes in the oil fill hole on the side/bottom of the engine--oil level reads full. It states in the generator manual that it will not stop the engine if it's running only prevent it from restarting. I do not believe this is a pressure system as I think this is splash lubed. There is one wire from a terminal on top the low oil switch that runs to a small silver box about 1" cubed. bolted right behind the on off switch. That box then has another wire that runs to the on off switch. The on off switch has another wire going to ground and another to the mag. How does this system work? How can it be defeated to test if it's the problem?
It's a 10hp Briggs model 205412 with low oil protection and a tiny screw in dip stick that goes in the oil fill hole on the side/bottom of the engine--oil level reads full. It states in the generator manual that it will not stop the engine if it's running only prevent it from restarting. I do not believe this is a pressure system as I think this is splash lubed. There is one wire from a terminal on top the low oil switch that runs to a small silver box about 1" cubed. bolted right behind the on off switch. That box then has another wire that runs to the on off switch. The on off switch has another wire going to ground and another to the mag. How does this system work? How can it be defeated to test if it's the problem?