boreray
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Smoking generator on startupWhat is it with me and generators? It now smokes really badly on startup and is getting through a lot of oil. I'm guessing a gasket or something similar is damaged. Does that sound about right?
Thanks
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digit
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Maybe piston rings a worn, try checking the compression first.
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Gervase
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What colour is the smoke - dark or light?
Could be the valve stem oil seals or a gasket. Is there any sign of oil underneath, and does it smoke after it's warmed up?
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crofter
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Did you turn off the choke?
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RichardW
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Sounds like it just plain old worn. Could be fixed with a cheap rebuild (oil valve seals, new rings & oil scraper rings,) or it might need a proper recon (as above plus rebore & new piston, valve grind, cam work & all the other bearings doing).
Which engine is it & what genny?
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boreray
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It's an SDMO HX3000. There is only pale coloured smoke for about 1 minute then nothing.
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RichardW
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Good robust Honda engine on that. They dont tend to smoke till they have done lots of hours or have been run with little or no oil. Spares are easy to get & reasonablely priced.
I have a honda on my micro digger. It too smokes on start up (lots) but once warm it stops. On mine its going to be the rings / bore wear & I think yours might be as well (it could be stuck rings as well but less likely). Valve stem seals tend to smoke all the time or for longer than just a quick warm up. I forgot to top the oil up. It now used a fair bit but most of it is on start up.
In my case it still starts first pull even after 6 months so I'll leave alone. When the time comes I think I might go for a new engine as they can be had for about £90 (not Honda) for mine. Did consider a diesel one but it does not get used enough to justify 3 times the engine cost. Plus it will run all day on a tank full.
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boreray
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Thanks again for all your help. I'm looking to buy a larger diesel pramac generator as I'm now a dealer for them. So hopefully can get this one sorted fairly cheaply and use as a backup.
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Castle Farm
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Turn the fuel off when you stop the engine as fuel is pooling in the carb and when you start the machine up it's burning the oil residue off.
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RichardW
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I have had the Pramac sd6000s with AVR for nearly a year now. Nice solid quiet genny. I should have had the 32amp spocket upgrade as my welder trips the 16amp breaker.
Castle Farm, as its a four stroke there should be no oil residue plus that would not explain the increased engine oil usage.
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boreray
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I do always turn off the fuel after use.
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RichardW
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I think he means to turn it off & let the engine stop when it runs out of fuel so there is none left in the carb. A good idea at the end of its regular use as the petrol evaporates & that lacquers up the carb.
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