Predator engine issues!

[dave_dj1]

So after bragging how reliable my 11 hp HF predator engine has been....
I went to pick it up at my brothers today and it started first pull as usual after sitting all winter.
I tow'd it to where I was going to cut and split and set it up and it would not start.
I could smell gas so I thought I flooded it. I didn't have the proper plug wrench with me so I left the splitter in the woods and drove the 4 miles home and got a 5/8, 11/16 and a 3/4 deep well socket and 6" extension and some oil just in case it was the low oil shut down. Well it turns out the damn plug is metric! I got back and could smell gas, i grabbed the rope thinking maybe it had dried out, I couldn't even pull the rope and there was gas coming out of the exhaust pipe! I ended up leaving all the wood I cut and hooked the splitter back on after using a ratchet strap to pull the log lift back up (note to self, leave it up until it's running next time!)
I'll tear into it in the next day or so and see why the float must have stuck. I did shut the fuel off now....lol
What a day!
I try to use only ethanol free gas but who knows.

 

[backhoelover]

cheaper to just buy a new carb on ebay. its a honda clone.

 

[T. Mainus]

We don't have the clones but all of our compressors and generators are Hondas. My guys are told that at the end of the day after shutting everything down the fuel gets shut off before going back in the trailer. Our Hondas usually start on the first pull, if they don't 99% of the time the fuel was left on and the jarring around in the trailer will give me grief the next day. Been a while since they were to full to pull over but it happens some times, its not just the clones. We remove the spark plug and pull it over a couple of times, get the gas out of the cylinder, and put it back together then they usually start.

 

[cantoo]

My guess is the needle has some crud on it and stuck. Had a new Chinese generator and the fuel would just flow thru it. My son pulled the carb apart and the end of the needle was completely gone. Whatever scrap metal (old huskys I assume) they made the needle out of was crap. I know the scrap metal from Huskys have to go somewhere but why don't they use it to make Jreds that only sit on a shelf anyway. They used to use the old huskys to make Ladas in Russia I heard.

 

[mohick]

Had the same happen on a brand new engine on a rental splitter put a new engine on it, fired up second pull pulled it 3 miles and was flooded beyond running, hadn't shut fuel off before towing, I guess they bounce so much the fuel goes ape inside and floods everywhere. Dried it all out no harm no problem. starts first pull for customer now!!!

 

[aokpops]

Had it happen over fueling rip the vent hose off the carburetor never happened again. Don't like shutting the fuel off but will if I tow it

 

[aokpops]

Got the 11 horse too carburetor should ok . My though was when over filling look like it siphoned down the vent .never any trouble after that . Keep the fuel 1 inch down from the top never pulled mine down the road

 

[GVS]

We don't have the clones but all of our compressors and generators are Hondas. My guys are told that at the end of the day after shutting everything down the fuel gets shut off before going back in the trailer. Our Hondas usually start on the first pull, if they don't 99% of the time the fuel was left on and the jarring around in the trailer will give me grief the next day. Been a while since they were to full to pull over but it happens some times, its not just the clones. We remove the spark plug and pull it over a couple of times, get the gas out of the cylinder, and put it back together then they usually start.

Not a Honda but the Chonda I have has a fuel shut off valve as does the B&S on my splitter.They both have a float type carb.Some but not all float carbs.will not take towing with the engine shut off and with the fuel valve left on without flooding.One of those things you learn and never have to RE-learn!

 

[svk]

If you trailer them without the fuel shut off they will do that every time.

 

[mohick]

Good to know , I'm not the only one. good to know too, just had to learn the hard way!!

 

[babybart]

Good to know , I'm not the only one. good to know too, just had to learn the hard way!!

Is there any other way to learn? 43 years old and still can't do it the easy way!

 

[dave_dj1]

Thanks for the input guys, good information. I have tow's it many times and to be honest I can't remember whether I shut the fuel off or not. And to be fair, I did tow it up a trail that was pretty rocky so the splitter did bounce quite a bit. I'll get the plug out later and change the oil and see what happens.

 

[milkman]

Squirt a few drops of oil in the cylinder and crank it over before replacing the plug and should be good to go.

 

[Sawyer Rob]

I'd be checking for gas in the oil too, it probably will need to be changed.

SR

 

[Chris-PA]

Meh, the gas will evaporate out.

 

[blades]

Not before you score all the bearing journals and cylinder walls. and it will seize tight. Change the oil - cheap insurance.

 

[svk]

Same thing goes with outboard motors. The carbed versions love to dump fuel into the motors while trailering. Especially Suzukis.

 

[Marshy]

Meh, the gas will evaporate out.

Not if you ruin all the bearings in the motor first. A quick oil change is great advice.

 

[Chris-PA]

Not if you ruin all the bearings in the motor first. A quick oil change is great advice.

In old piston aircraft engines they used to mix fuel into the oil to thin it at altitude. This things turning maybe 3600rpm on a log splitter?

 

[Marshy]

The small engine also has no oil filter and a small quantity of oil. Thin it out with fuel and it stands a good chance of damaging it.