Honda EM5000SX won't stay running!

[Bstout]

My Generator has become intermittent. It runs great when it's cold but after a few minutes or after it reaches full operating temperature it wants to intermittently shut down. I wait a few seconds and it starts right back up again using the electric start. Again it'll run for a few minutes before I hear it sounding like it's starving for gas just a little, then it just shuts down like I turned off the switch.

I've discovered if I leave it in the auto mode (with no load) it runs perfect at low rpm. If I push the auto switch to off, it starts coughing/backfiring and wants to shut down. If I pull out the choke out while this is going on it'll kick in and run to the set governor speed like it's supposed to do. I also noticed I can't kill the engine when it's running full rpm by using the choke. This seems odd to me, not being able to kill the engine by flooding it out.

I've done all the usual cleaning of the fuel filters, disassembled and cleaned the carburetor (wasn't dirty and didn't change the condition at all), fuel line and so on to no avail. None of them were really showing any issue. I did notice the check valve that's connected to the auto choke solenoid isn't perfect. I can still blow air through it a little in the stop position. The BB moves out of the way fine in the wanted direction, it just doesn't stop ALL of the air in the unwanted direction. My gut tells me this is probably not the problem though. It's got plenty of fresh gas and the oil is full. I ordered a shop manual from ebay and it came today so I've been busy studying it.

All suggestions will be appreciated.

Thank you.

Bob

[KE4AVB]

Several version of the gen. What is the Vin (serial) number?

[38racing]

Defective low oil sensor?

[Luffydog]

Possibly a bad coil. Get an inline lighted tester put in on crank it up let it run until u hear starting to shut down look at the tester light and see if it has spark.

[KE4AVB]

Sounds more like something is plugging the high speed carburetor metering circuit. Most newer engine tends to run off high speed idle metering circuit until loaded. Once the engine start receiving an load the carburetor switches over to the high speed metering circuit path. With OP having to choke the engine is a good sign of this. This would also explain why the OP can't flood out engine using the choke. All it takes is something like a grain of sand partially blocking a metering jet to do this.

I have cleaned carburetors before that still gave trouble to only find I missed something unseen until under magnification. This year I have plugged idle jets so small that took a strand of throttle cable wire to unplug them. I also just through with a toy ATV carburetor that the main jet was this small and it have a rust flake in it that the ultrasonic cleaner couldn't remove.

[Bstout]

I found this number on the frame (EA7-1164841). I purchased the unit used in 2002. The original owner said he purchased it in the fall of 1999 and said it was supposed to be a 2000 year model according to the dealership.

Here's what I did this morning. I pulled the carburetor again and disassembled it as far as I could see how. I took the main jet out of the throttle body along with the main nozzle and cleaned it with gum out carb cleaner along with the rest of the carb body which looked pretty clean anyway. I did this exact same thing last spring and it didn't seem to make much difference. I also replaced the spark plug since I had a new one on the shelf.

I ran it under load today for 30 minutes without it shutting down on me. When I went to shut it off I turned the key and the engine began to shut down. Soon as it was almost stopped it would kick back in and rev to full rpm, then repeat. I couldn't shut it off with the switch/key so I left the switch in the off position and choked the engine. This caused it to rev one more time and then it shut off.

I did notice that everything seems to work fine when it's cold or when I first start it up. No stalling or anything funny. Soon as the engine runs (reaches operating temperature) is when things start to happen. If I leave the auto switch in the auto position it idles right down nice. Soon as I switch the auto switch to OFF it starts spitting and sputtering trying to quit. If I pull the choke while this is going on it'll kick into high rpm like normal.

Not being able to shut it off with the ignition switch is something I hadn't noticed before. It doesn't matter which position I have the Auto/Off switch in. Turning the key off doesn't always stop the engine and when it does the engine is coughing like it doesn't want to stop.

I'm happy to have the shop manual. I've been thumbing through it looking for any clue that might solve this for me. I sure appreciate the help fellas!

Bob

[bgsengine]

OK you have 2 separate problems . The lack of shut down and the lean fuel mixture. I would fix the first item first, which might resolve the second.

Your switch is also a fuel shut off control I believe and if your switch is failing to make contact it will stay running but fuel supply is "shut off" partially, resulting in a lean mixture causing your issues.. - Sounds like your switch is bad, fix the switch and it may fix the other problems. Plan on getting a new switch and I bet you will find it runs fine.

[KE4AVB]

And you decide which parts use this ipl as are least 12 versions of this generator.
http://www.jackssmallengines.com/Jacks-Parts-Lookup/Model-Diagram-List/honda/4196

[Bstout]

I'm going to take the old switch out first before ordering the new one. There may be a number or something that will help identify it as being the correct one.

Bob

[KE4AVB]

Ouch...Expensive little buggers to say the least.