Troy-bilt generator problem help needed

[diverguy]

ok i have a 1000 watt generator that i use for camping and tailgating. really neat unit but last year at Talladega it started acting up. well yesterday i started trying to figure it out, and i cant. so here is the symptoms.
starts great. very easy, one pull, with choke on and runs like a dream with choke off. power to 110 outlets. absoluty perfect. idols up when under power and everything then nothing. dies. one pull of the cord and runs like a champ for about 1 to 2 min. then dies. starts right back up. no probelm then dies. it will always run for about 1 to 2 min.
here is what i have done.
new spark plug, completely disassembled cleaned, and reassembled the carburator, cleaned the airfilter, cleaned fuel tank and new fresh fuel, checked oil and is good. put it all back together and same thing. starts, runs dies, starts right up, runs dies. over and over.
troy-bilt says it is a fuel problem, that the ignition either works or it doesnt. so if it starts and runs it is not an ignition problem. said it sounded like a fuel cavitation problem. could really use some of you mechanics help on this. suggestons, possibilities. thanks.
diverguy and diverkid.

[Micro469]

Couple of other things to check..... hose from fuel tank to carberator, fuel tank cap, fuel tank filter.

Then there's the magneto and the points. If the casing is cracked on the points it could be shorting out.....( I think they are called the points.... they are located around the magneto and fire the plugs...I think) Anyway... had to replace them on my 3H Johnson outbourd....

[Dale M.]

Leave gas cap "loose" and see if it runs longer!... Fuel tank vent may be plugged and causing vacuum in tank.... Also IF it has fuel filter, change it out...

Dale

[Q]

Sounds like restricted fuel flow.

If you have a fuel shut off valve on the tank, run the generator until it stops, immediately shut off the fuel valve, drop the float bowl and see if it's full of fuel.

If it's not full of fuel, check to make sure the gas tank is vented so it's not creating a vacuum.

Check the flow by removing the fuel line at the carb and letting gas run into a can for a couple minutes.

Q

[Kevin A]

If it's a Briggs & Stratton engine, most likely is.
It may need a new diaphragm under the carburetor.
Here's a link that might help.
http://www.small-engines.com/diafram.html

[Chuck Craven]

Had an engine that did something like that. Turned out to be a soft spot in the full line that would block off the fuel flow when running but was open when just sitting. I could not tell it by pinching the hose it was just the inside of the hose that blocked the fuel.
Also the ground form the magneto may be loose and when running stops making a connection.

Chuck

[diverguy]

ok further explaniation. it is a vanguard engin. fuel lines have been cleaned and are clear. i have run it with and without the fuel cap. same result. no fuel filter perse' (unless in shutoff) but clean fuel flows freely when open or on. float and float needle have both been checked and work properly (no sticking). it acts as if the ignition as suddenly been cutoff but starts right back up with one pull.

i will replace fule lines tomorrow, thanks, not exactly sure where to find the magneto but will take a few more things off and see if i can find it.

[Jiminsav]

does it have a low oil shutoff switch?...it may be activating with oil in the crank adequate, but after a minute, the oil level drops and trips the switch.
just a thought.

[diverguy]

i have thought of that but could not find one. oil shut off.
what really bugs me about this is i am a former ASE certfied auto diesel mechanic. been out of it for a while but not much of the basice have changed. so it is stumping me.

[Kevin A]

I found this site for you, http://www.gokartsupply.com/trouble.htm
Will Not Stay Running:
Check gas and oil: If your engine has water in the gasoline, it will start, run for a few seconds, then as soon as the water hits the carburetor the engine will die. You can look in the bottom of the gas tank and see water "beading" around if it's present. If your engine's gas tank and carb. do contain water it must be removed completely.
Loose spark plug wire or bad plug

Clogged or wet air filter
Faulty stop switch
Oil guard sensor is tripping (9hp Vanguard equipped units only)
Throttle cable is grounding to engine stop terminal
Carburetor not functioning properly

Maybe Jim is right about the oil sensor.

[Micro469]

If it's a pull start... magneto is right under the winder.. Top of engine....Or side...

[dhazard]

I have had magnetos fail on small motors before. Most of the time they just stop working, but one time I had one that would fail when it got hot. When that motor would stop it wouldn’t restart till it cooled down. I don’t think it’s a magneto failure but …The magneto will be someplace around the flywheel, some are on the underside so the flywheel must be pulled to replace it.

I think that Jim might be on the right track. Check your owner’s manual and see if it has an oil cutoff switch with a plug that can be disconnected to disable it. The generator that I just got has one. Good luck

[Chuck Craven]

Old Vanguard engines have the magneto under the flywheel. You have to pull the flywheel to get to it. There should be a wire coming from the coil that is connected to the block close to the Mag’s mounting screws. The other wire should go to your points.
New Vanguard engines have electronic spark coils. There is an AC generator under the flywheel not a magneto some place a diode bridge is mounted to get DC power. Generators can do the same cut out when running from loose wire connections too. Some simple things can get real frustrating at times but keep looking you will find it!

Chuck

[diverguy]

i will look tomorrow for the oil cutoff switch, i really dont think it is water in gas because i completely cleaned the fule system from the tank, lines, carb all the way through and add fresh gas. new plug. it is a fairly new unit. kind of a compact design all in a case with a cary handle. not what your typical generator looks like.
owners manual? are you supposed to keep those? LOL

thanks everyone with you help and suggestions.

[bdosborn]

On both of the 1000W generators I've had there is a little fuel pump to deliver fuel to the carb that runs on manifold vacuum. You might check to see if you have one and if its working? Also, I have a low oil light that comes on if the engine is shut down for low oil. But, I've read on other forums that the low oil switch can cause the problem you're describing.
Bruce