Smarter Tools 2000iQ Generator

There is a lot of misunderstanding and misinformation when it comes to fuel in general, and octane and grades in particular. Some of this confusion is caused by the names they are given: Mid-grade, and premium or High test. The truth is far different. Take four equal measures of the four commonly available gasolines: 100% gas 87 octane regular; 90/10 ethanol enriched 87 octane regular; 90/10 ethanol enriched 89/90 octane mid-grade; and 90/10 ethanol enriched 93 octane premium. (Different brands may have slightly different octane ratings, but they are similar).

If you measured the energy available in the four equal measures you would find that the 100% pure gas has the most energy. After that, the fuel in each grade has less energy because the ethanol additive is replacing the gasoline, and is actually acting as  a filler with reduced energy. On to the mid-grade: high performance engines have higher compression in an attempt to produce more power in a smaller space, and a result the fuel will detonate prematurely because of the compression. The mid-grade fuel is actually degraded with a retarder to control that early detonation. The octane goes up, power goes down, and the gas companies charge more than double what that additive actually costs to give you less power. With the premium, it more than doubles the amount of additive. Again, even less energy for even more money.

Those vehicles that have a mid-grade or premium fuel requirement have to run on that fuel or detonation, commonly called pinging or knock, will result. Bad for the engine. So, running higher than needed octane gives you less energy for more money. For the best power and reduced fuel system problems use 100% gas. Here in the east I find that the break-even price point for the tradeoff between increased mileage with 100% gas and reduced mileage with ethanol enriched regular is .25-.28/gallon. I use stabilizer in the gas cans for small engines regardless of the fuel type.  

Do a little research and you'll come to the same conclusion.

I completely agree -- use 87 octane non-ethanol fuel, run the carburator dry when the generator isn't going to be used for awhile and put in fuel stabilizer.  There is nothing to be gained with higher octane, but there is something to lose with ethanol.  It does indeed collect water over time.  The right stabilizer will help but why take the risk.  I've gotten into the habit of using non-ethanol fuel for all my small engine needs.  

An interesting sidelight -- I have a 2010 Polaris ATV that was actually spitting raw fuel out the tank overflow, which it is absolutely not supposed to do and which could be dangerous.  On my ATV, the fuel tank is in the worst possible spot, right behind the radiator and ahead of the engine.  A little research revealed that the vapor pressure of gasoline with 10% ethanol in it is about 10% higher than non-ethanol gas with the same octane rating and at the same temperature.  That means there will be more vapor at the same temperature with ethanol gas than with non-ethanol and therefore a higher tendency for ethanol fuel to boil/bubble.  In my case, the fuel spitting disappeared completely when I stopped using ethanol fuel.

Brian

For those who specifically have the Smarter Tools 2000w gen...did you have trouble starting it up?  I just tried it out for the first time (at home).  We are not high altitude, so if that could make a difference, it doesn't here...it is brand new, just arrived from Costco yesterday (they don't carry it locally, so I had to order it).  Put in the oil and new gas as directed.  Followed the directions...yes, my son was helping me and we read the directions and did each step as indicated.  After many pulls, he - a 25 yo guy - finally got it started.  I was not able to at all.  While I'm no weight-lifter, I am also not a weakling.  We let it run just a couple of minutes, turned it off, then tried to restart after about another 2 mins.  No luck - for either of us.  Will it get better over time?  Also, it was not what I would call quiet, even by gen standards.  Will it quiet down after a bit of time?

Thanks,

Lee-Ann

First how did you shut the unit down after the initial test run, via the shut off switch or fuel shut off switch, or both. did you turn every thing back on, is there fuel in the tank?

I have had the unit prior to them coming out with the current model & normally it starts with 3 or 4 pulls even when the carb is run dry.

Sorry iam not much help.

I agree with Cozy2. Check that everything is turned on and there's fuel in the tank. Also, when you have the choke engaged, it can sometimes flood by dumping too much gas into the combustion chamber. I remedy this by pushing the choke knob back in ever so slightly and giving it a few more pulls.

When it does finally start, does it first blow out some grayish smoke and then clear up as it gets up and running?

If it wasn't the choke setting then it sounds like there is something wrong with yours.  With the choke set properly mine starts in 2 or 3 pulls, as it did the first time also.  And if yours is loud that's another indication something is wrong.  It's just a little louder than a Honda, but certainly not loud....

Make sure the gas tank vent is open.

Like BigE, mine starts with just a couple pulls. It is possible that it flooded if the choke is not set properly. I had trouble once in maybe 50-60 starts, and I think I bumped the choke and flooded it. Also, it needs to be OFF the Eco setting to start it. I would call mine quiet too.

Cozy,

I pushed the "engine off" button.  I can't recall if we reset the "petcock" knob (that is the fuel switch, yes?) to off between tries, but did so when we shut it all down.

Lee-Ann

I don't use the fuel cutoff after shutdown unless I'm packing it up after the last use. I just use the off/on switch. I don't see why that would make a difference though. Is the gas fresh?

Hmmm...fuel overage may be an issue.  The owner's manual said it hold 1.1 gal.  I got 1.078 gal of gas, put it in expecting to have enough room...and overflowed a bit, without pouring in all of it.  We tried to clean it out a bit.  Maybe tomorrow I will need to get a turkey baster and drain  bit.  Will also play with the choke the way you mentioned.  Thanks for the info.  As far as grayish smoke, none.

Lee-Ann

To be honest, I have never heard what  Honda sounds like.  But I have heard gens enough at fairs and this reminds me of one of them (not quite THAT loud).  Will try emptying some gas and see if that helps.

Lee-Ann

Now you got me...I don't recall seeing that in the directions!  Will re-read the papers.

Lee-Ann

It sound alike flooding the choke may be an issue here.  How does one "unflood" the choke?  Siphon a bit out?  Thanks.

Lee-Ann

Went straight from the Bp station to the house to the gen this afternoon.  

Lee-Ann

Okay, I need to use the multi quote function next time!  Will try siphoning some gas out tomorrow, adjusting the choke, and re-reading the directions (venting the gas tank?  DOn't know about how to do that)...tomorrow.

Thanks for all you ideas,

Lee-Ann

Leemom3:

The first-day-lesson you'd learn in a gasoline engine class is:  

1) They need fire to run. 

2)  They need air to run.  

3)  They need gas to run.

Let's presume the first two are ok and go to the third.  The reason for this is something you said about filling the tank 100%.

Just as you can hold a liquid up in a straw if you put your finger over the end of it, you can sort of do the same thing with your engine if the tank is not vented.  The cap is acting like your finger over the top of the gas tank and holding back fuel from the carb.   See (3) above.

I can foresee a situation where you filled the tank to the top, attached the cap, (I'm supposing the cap has a little twist vent on it) but didn't open the air vent.   Once you opened the petcock to let gas into the carb, the vacuum held back the gas.  

A little of it seeped into the carb in time, and you were able to start the engine, but you may have been cranking with a practically dry carb all this time.

If no fuel wasn't the case, maybe too much was the situation, aka, flooded.   To keep the engine from flooding, you could try pulling the choke out, yanking ONCE, pushing the choke in and pulling a few times.   If no start, pull the choke out, yank once again, push it in, and then try again.  Even trying a 'half choke' may prove to be the trick.

Like Doug said, 1 pull with choke out, then push it in. I have had a small motor that require two pulls with the choke out but not more than that. Motors/carbs are all a little different, try one, then two pulls to see what works. I've been surprised just how easy this Yamaha motor starts and how quiet it is.

You guys have done a greatjob of identifying possible issues & solutions. I am betting on the gas cap vent not being open & or over chocking.

Normally an engine will start with the gas cap unvented, but the engine will just stall unexpectedly after running a while.   Sometimes the pressure will rebuild in the tank from the evaporating fuel and equalize things (if it's warm weather) and the engine will start again, and run for a while, before stalling again unexpectedly. 

It can cause a silly feeling when one then discovers and opens the air vent on the gas cap and the problem is solved.  I speak from experience, and experience, and experience...LOL. 

Particularly, a visual clue can be seen if one is operating an outboard motor that unexpectedly stalls when under way.  The clue to the unvented tank's cap will be that the gas hose's priming bulb will be collapsed because air is unable to replace the fuel burned from the tank and the soft rubber priming bulb collapses, and the engine starves for gas.

Let's hope Lee-Ann's problem is something this simple.  Those little Yamaha engines typically start very easily.  I can almost rely on mine starting on the first pull.