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2024/01/20 16:36:04
Mandinka

Homelite 5000 carburetor question

I have a Homelite 5000 generator which ran a couple of years ago. I unfortunately left it with gas in it for 18 months and when I went to start it it woudn't start.
Rather than try to clean the carburetor I just bought a new one, not a homelite though, it looked exactly the same in the images but is for a Honda.
Ok, so I put it on, put fresh gas in the tank, flushed it through the new carb and still it won't start. 
It will start if I spray carb cleaner into it and did before I changed the carb as well.
 
I pulled the plug and there is little to no odor of gas which makes me believe that for whatever reason fuel is not getting through and since it is a new carb and fresh gas, the only thing I have left is the actuator. 
The generator does not have a battery start so I have no idea if there is power getting to the actuator when I pull the recoil starter but the carb kit did come with a plastic inline fuel on/off that has electrical connectors attached to it.
 
The power switch on the generator is in the on position for it to run. There are no other visible reasons that it will not start.
 
Any ideas anyone ? And if it's easier, how do I wire in the fuel tap with the connectors ?
 
Here is a link to the carb kit I bought.
 
 
 
Thanks !
 
7 comments Leave a comment
SRTsFZ6
Your picture didn't post however it does sound like a fuel issue.
 
What engine brand and HP is it?
 
Is there a solenoid on the bottom of the float bowl with a two wire pigtail attached to it?
 
Clamp off the fuel line after removing from the carb. Put fuel in the tank and then let drain 
into a container to make sure fuel flow IS getting to the carb..
 
If so, pull the float bowl on either/ both carbs and check that the valve is free.
If so, keep the solenoid plugged in, and crank it.  It should open. 
 
If it does not, that's likely your issue.  You can snip/grind off the valve allowing fuel to flow.
 
What the valve does is close off when no power is sent to it. That's to cut fuel thru 
to the carb main jet to prevent back firing on shut down.. 
 
IME, it's not necessary and mostly used on mowers, not generators..
 
.
 
 
2024/01/21 07:53:52
Mandinka
SRTsFZ6
Your picture didn't post however it does sound like a fuel issue.
 
What engine brand and HP is it?
 
Is there a solenoid on the bottom of the float bowl with a two wire pigtail attached to it?
 
Clamp off the fuel line after removing from the carb. Put fuel in the tank and then let drain 
into a container to make sure fuel flow IS getting to the carb..
 
If so, pull the float bowl on either/ both carbs and check that the valve is free.
If so, keep the solenoid plugged in, and crank it.  It should open. 
 
If it does not, that's likely your issue.  You can snip/grind off the valve allowing fuel to flow.
 
What the valve does is close off when no power is sent to it. That's to cut fuel thru 
to the carb main jet to prevent back firing on shut down.. 
 
IME, it's not necessary and mostly used on mowers, not generators..
 
.
 
 




Yes, there is a solenoid actuator on the bottom of both the old carb and the new one. Fuel flows through the carb, I flushed it to make sure it had fresh fuel in it as well as to make sure it flowed. When I opened the drain screw the fuel poured through it until I turned the stopcock off.
 
I tried cranking it with the recoil and it was impossible to see if the solenoid was opening / closing or not. 
I don't see how it could be anything else. I get fuel to the carb but the plug is dry. It's a brand new carb so unless it's somehow a dud....the solenoid is my problem.
 
It's a Homelite 5000w (6250 peak) but I can't see any identifying marks on the motor. It's an OHV.
 
I have attached a photo of the generator control panel as well as the image from Amazon for the carb kit I have.
The only thing I can see with the carb kit I bought is that the isolator plate doesn't have a groove in it for the choke vacuum (I think that's what it is) whereas the one that came off the generator does have one so I used that instead of the one that came with the new generator.
I'll try to hook up the old solenoid to see if I can see it open/close when someone else pulls the starter.
If you think of anythign else please let me know. 
 
Do you know why the new carb kit came with the fuel on off valve that has electrical connections ?
 
Thanks
 
 
 
 
 
2024/01/21 13:15:32
SRTsFZ6
I just finished and delivered a Honda engine/generator with the same carb earlier today...
 
You do have fuel in the bowl BUT the solenoid has to open or it WILL NOT RUN...
 
As stated earlier, if the solenoid isn't opening for an electrical reason, remove the 2 screws, 
cut off the plunger and re-install.  Your engine will likely fire up then.
 
And those 2 small phillips head screws are usually VERY tight.  Be prepared to use a hand impact 
tool or vise grips to break loose..
 
Impact tool (about $12.00):
 
2024/01/22 14:57:09
SRTsFZ6
Ok, if your engine doesn't say Honda on the cover, it's a Chinese clone.
 
I see in your pic a low oil cut off switch(squarish).  If your engine has that, un-plug it.
It's designed to kill spark if it senses low oil.   They DO GO bad.  It won't hurt anything, 
you just have to check oil yourself and not wait for the machine to run low on oil...
 
.
2024/01/22 15:01:09
SRTsFZ6
The red buttoned switch, with wires is the main engine kill switch. I wouldn't mess with it un-less need be.
 
As stated earlier, the boxy item, with 2 wires is the low oil cut off switch.
 
The solenoid, that needs to open the valve inside to run, is attached to the bottom of the carb with two screws...  The bowl doesn't have to be removed to modify it..  Just take care around the little black seal that goes up against the float bowl..
 
.
2024/01/22 15:07:08
Mandinka
SRTsFZ6
Ok, if your engine doesn't say Honda on the cover, it's a Chinese clone.
 
I see in your pic a low oil cut off switch(squarish).  If your engine has that, un-plug it.
It's designed to kill spark if it senses low oil.   They DO GO bad.  It won't hurt anything, 
you just have to check oil yourself and not wait for the machine to run low on oil...
 
.




 
There's definitely a spark, it will fire up when I spray carb cleaner through the butterfly valve (choke).


I took the actuator off the old carb so I know what to look for, yes, it was tight.
As for the low oil switch, like I saiid, it runs on carb cleaner so it's not cutting the spark.
I'll remove the plunger on the actuator, I'll bet that is it.
 
Thanks
2024/01/22 16:26:23
SRTsFZ6
That actuator should move very, very easily.
 
Some penetrating oil will often loosen it up and no cutting is even required...
And those do/often seize up...
 
Please post back how it goes..
 
.
2024/01/23 08:23:08

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