Hey all,

I was recently given a Winco 2500 watt generator with a 5hp Briggs, free.

It's roughly a 1986 unit, and has relatively low hours, maybe 200 hrs at the most. The previous owner put a brand new carb on it and it currently will not hold a load.

It has been a great little generator to run smaller items, and was primarily used for winter backup to run a propane furnace. It's been rarely used, and I only know of one time when the oil was changed, and that was a couple of months ago.

I'm having to move in the next month to a area that has un-reliable power in the winter, and I need a generator to run my propane furnace in my house, and maybe a light or two.

I'm thinking that I'd like to rebuild the motor with a rebuild kit or short block.

What would you do if you were in my situation? How reliable are the Ebay kits for $50-$60?

 

The generator sounds right for your needs, so I wouldn't junk it. Personally, I'd buy a replacement engine and just swap them out.

Whatever you decide to do, when you get it all done, start the generator a couple times a month for a hour or so each time. Warm the engine, plug something into the generator and put a load on it. The worst thing you can do with a generator is to ignore it until you need it. And with a routine start and run bi-monthly, you'll have confidence in knowing that it'll be ready when it's needed. And don't forget the gas preservative, like STA-BIL.

 

the winco units tend to be bad. my guess is its not the motor but a faulty head unit.

 

KEEP it !!

 

superrangerman2002

I was just looking in my new Northern Tool catalog and they had a honda 5hp motor for $219 and also a Coleman Powermate 5000W generator on sale for $299 ( Item# 164030-1615). Don't know your budget but this may be the easist way to go.

 

Wow, are you sure on those prices?

I should be a bit clearer....

This genset was owned by my father, and he recently updated to a 6500w for the farm.

I have yet to actually run it, and it's not in my possesion. I'm just relaying what he told me.

I have a feeling that it may have some pretty bad gas in it, and that the carb may be out of whack. I'm going to get it right now, and I hope to post some results.

Hog,

I guess I thought that winco was one of the better genset outfits? I don't know a whole lot about this genset, but I thought it just had a stattor and a rotor?

 

nope no rotor. it will be a magneto setup. maybe the magneto has moved over the years and needs to be re gapped. to regap it loosen the 2 hold down bolts and slide 2 poker cards between it and the flywheel then tighten the bolts. also make sure the plug gap is .034

 

Yes those are the prices in there new catalog i just got monday. There is shipping of course, but no sales tax. I thought that was a great price for a generator.

Hopefully the unit you are getting just needs a minor adjustment or cleanup, to run properly.

Good luck

 

Well I just picked it up. As I had originally thought, what I was told, wasn't really the case.

The genset will fire right up on the 2nd or 3rd pull. It runs like a top at full throttle for roughly 30-45 seconds and then it starts to lope as if it's running out of fuel, then it dies. Right now the tank is roughly half full. Tomorrow I'll fill it up all the way and see if that makes a difference.

One of the gas tank bolts on the bottom of the tank was broken off, and it is allowing the linkages to shift around a bit. I've already drilled out that bolt, and am working on a replacement.

I'm starting to think that there's nothing wrong with the generator or the motor, but the problem is in the pickup tube in the tank. The generator is literally brand new, I'd sure hate to toss such a good little generator.

 

I'd say carb is gummed up, or maybe pickup tube.

 

I agree.

Dump the gas that's in there, at a minimum, don't just fill it up.

 

if it is a B&S engine locate the fuel bowl on the carb. remove the needle, unbolt the large nut holding the fuel bowl on. you will now gain acces to the fuel delivery tubes. take a needle and clean the build up out of them. (brake cleaner works the best) then reassemble. there amy or may not ne a needle on that model. if not then still remov ethe bowl and clean out the tubes.

 

I've seen the carb float become saturated on small engines. Makes troubleshooting a real PITA.
When you have the carb apart, check it in a cup of gas to be certain it floats.

 

Well, so far I'm pretty sure it's the rusty metal gas tank. I pulled the new carb that was added before it came into my possesion, both of the tubes were so loaded up with rust, it's a wonder that the motor ever ran.

Shame that the new carb was installed without fixing the tank, oh well. When I dumped the gas, it looked like red koolaid.

So I picked up a POR15 Motorcycle gas tank kit since I can't find a replacement tank, and some high temp RTV.

Every thing else looks great, magneto, the whole smear.

Can't wait to clean up this tank, it will be a good learning experince as I'm looking to start restoring some older motorcycles.

So far I've only got $50 into it.

 

Thanks for all the tips guys!

After de-rusting the tank and relining it with a motorcycle kit and cleaning up the carb, it runs like the day it was new!

After I got it all bolted back together, I ran 2.5 gallons of gas through it with a pretty decent load from a space heater (I was trying to contribute to global warming ).

Sure glad it wasn't as bad as I was told, other wise I would prolly have junked it and got something from Northern tool.