honda EB 4000 generator problem

[plotthound]

ive been off work do to health trouble so I needed a project. my old eb4000 geny was getting a bit tired,blowing oil out the breather loose valve guides and no power.i took it to the machine shop and had new guides and seals pressed in and the cylinder deglazed.reassembled it with new rings,valves,valve lifters.got everything back together and damn I could hardly pull it over,when it did fire it nearly tore my arm off.i figured damn,i must of put it together with the timing marks off.pulled it all apart again and it looked like I was 180 deg out with my marks.put the piston at TDC on the compression stroke(I hope I'm right)then aligned the 2 marks.put everything back together and pulled on the cord.same crap,unbeleivable amount of compression with kickback when it fires.figure I had better ask for help before I rip it apart again,what did I do wrong?

thanks

[bgsengine]

hows it roll with the plug out? pop housing off and watch where flywheel magnets line up with the coil legs and see if you are at about TDC ? could be a compression release not working, valve clearances? Check flywheel key? roll engine my hand and watch for the valves to overlap at TDC on one of the strokes INtake should start to open just as exhaust is closing while piston is at TDC if it does you got valve timing right so it would have to be compression release (feel for a valve bump after the above timing test on the next TDC ) if that checks out too, then look at where your magnets are at when that valve bump happens ,they should be lining up fairly close to the coil legs?

[plotthound]

thanks for the reply bgsengine,this old sucker has no compression release and the coil and points are inside the flywheel.the fly wheel key is also in place.will pull the plug later and see how it spins.will also take the crankcase cover off and see what the valves are doing,valves are in block.

cheers

[bgsengine]

and the coil and points are inside the flywheel

points? check point gap which can affect ignition timing too. while flywheel is off, roll engine until the points JUST open , then lightly install flywheel (with key) in place and make a reference mark on the block and the flywheel that lineup so you know exactly where points open, then you can roll engine over to exact TDC and make a TDC mark on the block that lines up with the line on flywheel , measure the degree angle you get as a result (referenced from the crank center) and you know what your timing is set to.

.the fly wheel key is also in place.will pull the plug later and see how it spins.will also take the crankcase cover off and see what the valves are doing,valves are in block.

cheers

Doesnt it have a valve cover? or pop the head off and just watch the valve action? (where you adjust valve clearance)

[KE4AVB]

Just a passing couple comments.

1> Being a single cylinder when even you align the timing marks it can appear to be 180 out of at times a the crankshaft makes two rev per cam rev. Unlike a multi cylinder engines like v-twins being what you called 180 out doesn't matter.
2> Instead pulling the head off and risk damaging the head gasket, access the valves by pulling the breather/lifter galley to watch the movements. This also where you check the valve clearances anyways on a L-head. Now if the clearance are out spec then the head needs to come off.

Now for the points.
For the older Honda EB4000 model, a special tool is needed to properly set the points gap; it's called the "F" mark guide, Honda special tool part number 07974-889001. Properly set, the ignition timing is 22.5 degrees BTDC. The special tool is available from a Honda dealer only. Your local shop may be able to loan you one or help you get one...

[plotthound]

thanks guys,im dreading pulling this sucker apart again.but sitting here thinking about it,i think I ground the valves to the wrong clearance.dohhhhhhh will check the valve clearance 1st.

will pull it down again tomorrow

[plotthound]

so if being 180 deg out makes no difference I'm a happy camper.i popped the breather plate off and checked the valves and sure enough I ground them to the wrong specs.engine rolls over just fine with the plug out.i rolled the engine over to where my "f" mark lines up with the mark on the cylinder,then removed the flywheel to look at the points.points were about 1/2 open.im thinking that according to the manual they should be closed at that point.without the special "f" tool I might have to figure out how to measure degrees like bgsengine suggested.unless I just close them in the position I'm at now??????/

thanks again

[plotthound]

finally got the new intake valve,ground it to proper spec and installed it.still waiting on the exhaust rotater to arrive.cant wait to get it buttoned back up and see if it runs.

[plotthound]

my new exhaust rotater arrived today so I was able to put the genny back together.sucker started up on the second pull,nice and easy like its supposed to be.so u guys were right about the decompression lobe,thanks again.now I just gotta get the idle and govoner set up properly.

[plotthound]

took the carb apart and it was spotless,cleaned it anyway.put it back together and it still hunts unless I partially choke it.threw the meter on it and adjusted the govoner till I got 115 volts,put it under load with my big worm drive saw and it remained at 115 volts.checked the cycle with the hertz setting and I'm only getting 42 when it should be 60.42 remained constant even under load.

please help