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Generator Help
Posted on 8/15/26 at 6:51 pm
Posted on 8/15/26 at 6:51 pm
Ok guys, for you mechanical people, give me some advice please. My father went into a nursing home. I've got his Generac generator 6500 watts that was bought brand new for him 5-6 years ago and it only has 7.4 hours on it. But it's been sitting with ethanol fuel in it all of this time since it was new and run for about a day after some storm we had around maybe 2020ish. What would you do if you inherited this? It is in pristine condition. Do I just crank it up? Or drain fuel, clean carb etc. Not really sure how to proceed. It looks like the valve is turned off so the fuel is not currently flowing into the carb. I don't want to open the valve if I shouldn't. I don't know a lot about engines. Thanks for any help.
8
Posted on 8/15/26 at 8:30 pm to Canon951
quote:
I don't know a lot about engines.
Get a quote to look it over and give it a tune up.
Posted on 8/15/26 at 9:05 pm to Canon951
quote:
don't know a lot about engines
Here's your free opportunity to learn! Carburetor engines are very simple.
Posted on 8/15/26 at 9:16 pm to Canon951
find the hose thats coming from the tank and pull it off closest to the valve. Drain tank. reconnect hose. refill with fresh gas. open valve and try to start.
Posted on 8/15/26 at 10:42 pm to Canon951
I had a generac gp6500 I bought in 2019 and it was a great generator. As stated, pull the hose from the tank and drain it and put fresh non ethanol gas. Clean out the tank as best you can and add some star brite enzyme treatment to it and let it run with a load for a several hours. I sold mine to a friend a few days after Ida since I built my own to power my whole house, but I still miss that thing. Purred like a kitten. Friend says it has treated him well.
This post was edited on 8/15/26 at 10:43 pm
Posted on 8/16/26 at 8:26 am to Canon951
I have a feeling you will need a new carburetor. Ot clean the one tour have. I ordered one for my generator off Amazon
Posted on 8/16/26 at 9:33 am to Canon951
Drain the old gas, and fill with ethanol free gas. Add Seafoam 1 ounce per gallon of gas. Crank and run under a load. Plug up a fridge or freezer.
Run several gallons through it. The seafoam should clean up any gunk or varnish buildup in the carburetor.
Run several gallons through it. The seafoam should clean up any gunk or varnish buildup in the carburetor.
Posted on 8/16/26 at 10:12 am to Canon951
The only things I would add in addition to the other suggestions, the major being drain the tank of the old gasoline, is to also drain the carburetor bowl of old gasoline before potentially replacing the carburetor or cleaning it. They’ll be a small bolt on the side of the carb to do this (see video below). Hopefully the gasoline shutoff valve was closed and the carburetor allowed to run out of gasoline when it was last used several years ago. Even if it was I find with my portable generators some amount of gasoline remains in the bowl so you’ll want to remove that after draining the tank, adding new gasoline and trying to start it.
If and when you get it running, also add “STA-BIL” fuel stabilizer to the fresh gasoline in the tank - I use the “marine 360” version. LINK.
Here is video of a carburetor clean of a Generac 6500 - don’t know if you have this model but I suspect everything is likely as in the video. I would not go through the process of removing the carb and cleaning it unless you can’t get it started after draining the old gasoline from the tank and carb bowl or it runs poorly. I agree with using some Seafoam in the fresh gasoline and letting it run for a few hours if you a get it started with the old carb.
Might want to change the oil after you get I running. Oil will accumulate moisture after several years of sitting up and not being run.
If and when you get it running, also add “STA-BIL” fuel stabilizer to the fresh gasoline in the tank - I use the “marine 360” version. LINK.
Here is video of a carburetor clean of a Generac 6500 - don’t know if you have this model but I suspect everything is likely as in the video. I would not go through the process of removing the carb and cleaning it unless you can’t get it started after draining the old gasoline from the tank and carb bowl or it runs poorly. I agree with using some Seafoam in the fresh gasoline and letting it run for a few hours if you a get it started with the old carb.
Might want to change the oil after you get I running. Oil will accumulate moisture after several years of sitting up and not being run.
This post was edited on 8/16/26 at 11:54 am
Posted on 8/16/26 at 12:13 pm to Canon951
Drained the fuel this morning. About 4 gallons worth. Didn't look all that bad, now I gotta figure out what to do with that. Removed the drain bolt from the carburetor bowl and no fuel drained out out as well as the valve from the tank was in the closed position. I noticed the tip of the drain bolt that goes inside the carb bowl was rusty though. Added fresh fuel and it fired right up. It did surge a little bit while running with no load. I ran it for about 10 minutes. I see this morning after I did all of that that someone posted to run it under load for half an hour so I may go back and do that. I went online and ordered a new fuel filter, spark plug and carburetor just in case. Will change the oil as well. I'm happy it cranked at least so I should be in good shape. Thanks for all of the replies.
Posted on 8/16/26 at 12:14 pm to CrawDude
quote:
Here is video of a carburetor clean of a Generac 6500 - don’t know if you have this model but I suspect everything is likely as in the video.
Thanks for the vid. Looks like the exact unit I have.
Posted on 8/16/26 at 12:58 pm to Canon951
quote:
fuel filter, spark plug and carburetor just in case
Not a bad idea to have those as spares if the big one comes.
Yes you should put it under load to fully exercise and confirm working condition. An electric space heater or toaster over is great for this.
Posted on 8/16/26 at 8:28 pm to Canon951
quote:
Added fresh fuel and it fired right up. It did surge a little bit
The pilot circuit is fouled up. Since you already bought a new carb, I would go ahead and install it.
Posted on 8/16/26 at 10:46 pm to dragginass
Call Angel Small Engine repair on Pecue Lane in Baton Rouge. Never used but hear good things about him . He'll probably check it out fairly cheap.
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