QuestionQUESTION: Hi. This engine is in a generator. It will at times begin to skip and sputter, and at times even shut down, but will re-start. The fuel is clean, the filter clean, and I have removed the carb bowl to check for water/dirt or sticking float, but it is always good. Oil level is full, and I have temporarily by-passed that shut-down to make sure it isn't that. There are also times when it will run for many hours at a time and never skip a beat. Is it likely the coil is breaking down? It never does it when cold. Thank you.
ANSWER: One thing I don't know from your message is, does this happen under a full load, as with a big current draw? These generators under a full load will act as such, or if it has either a bad carb adjustment (if it has a adjustable carb), or needing a full carb cleaning, and rebuild. Now keeping in mind, I have seen bad coils on other pieces of equipment do the same thing when hot, but it has been extremely rare, and should only be changed as your last resort after checking the fuel distribution first in it's entirety.....Tom
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QUESTION: Hi Tom. Thanks for your reply. This is a 5500 watt generator used at our camp. It seldom has more than a 500-900 watt load most of the time, as it typically runs just lights. I don't think it has ever seen a full load!! This carb is non-adjustable, aside from the idle screw. If you lean toward the coil, is there a spec I can check with an ohmmeter?
AnswerThe very first thing I would check is the rather small wire that runs from the coil to the shut off switch. This will be located under the air shroud connected to the coil by a slide on blade connector. We have found this wire at times to have chaffed against something to have exposed the wire itself, and to either ground out the coil completely, or to have created a spark to ground, just enough to rob some of the spark, and have it skip, and sputter. If this wire is not the cause we would move on to the fuel system, and carb. Followed by changing out the coil. Keeping in mind I can gain a lot of idea by myself seeing the type of skip, or sputter. Sometimes we will spray a little starting fluid close by the carb to see if it helps which is then an indication that it may be lacking enough fuel. Tom
