# honda eb4000x surging



## kipsy (Dec 12, 2019)

I have a 7-year-old EB 4000 Honda generator, this fall it has surged. I started yesterday and needed choke to start, the auto choke wasn’t helping. I found that if I remove the air filter it would no longer surge or very little if any. I did connect a circular saw to test And found that it did not consistently stay at the same RPM and could tell that the saw speed was changing a very little not sure if this is normal.Can anyone give me any advice as to what to check next. I changed spark plug to ngk 6es as the parts manual says to use the 6es and the owners manual says to use the 5es.


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## drmerdp (Apr 10, 2018)

Interesting, it smooths out with filter removed. Was it dirty or wet from oil? Did you blow it out or change the air filter while you had it out? 

Are you running on Old stored fuel? If you apply a small amount of choke does it smooth out? 

Most paths lead to a carb cleaning.


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## kipsy (Dec 12, 2019)

Yes, if I move choke a bit it smooths out. I washed and dried the filter and have to test. Fresh fuel, no ethanol.


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## drmerdp (Apr 10, 2018)

If adding choke smooths it out, then your next move is to thoroughly clean the carb. If possible replace gasket smith new, last thing you need is a air leak to simulate another fuel issue. 

The pilot jet and it’s associated passages are typically the culprit.


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## kipsy (Dec 12, 2019)

should I buy a new honda oem carb ($81) OR pay more to have it cleaned - at least 1 hour to clean at 90 per hour. I haven't done one before and wondering which is best.


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## tabora (Sep 6, 2018)

kipsy said:


> should I buy a new honda oem carb ($81) OR pay more to have it cleaned - at least 1 hour to clean at 90 per hour. I haven't done one before and wondering which is best.


 Everyone has do their first one sometime... It's really pretty easy; you don't NEED the ultrasonic cleaner, but it does do a thorough job:


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## iowagold (Jan 22, 2020)

*we have been doing carbs for 30 plus shipping*



kipsy said:


> should I buy a new honda oem carb ($81) OR pay more to have it cleaned - at least 1 hour to clean at 90 per hour. I haven't done one before and wondering which is best.


we have been doing carb clean on the honda forum for 30 plus shipping
and works out to 60.00 with 15 bucks each way on shipping.

I see for 100.00 you can get the whole assy carb new from parts fish just be sure to use the coupon codes
on the honda group site. for 10% off 100 buck orders. filters and spark plugs and gaskets fill up orders!
poust usa

CARBURETOR ASSY. (BE97A A)
16100-Z1D-D24
https://www.partsfish.com/oemparts/p/honda_power_equipment/16100-z1d-d24/carburetor-assy-be97a-b

my experience here is the high power comercial ultrasonic clean is they way to go...
unless it is simple stuff like plastic in the jets.. or air bleed jets.
we use 3 solvents in our clean systems here.

as long as the inside of the carb is not corroded.
it does a good job.
some where I have pix of real bad carbs!! pm me for those pix!

if the bottom of the fuel bowl has rust in it....
replace the carb!
you cannot fix un stabile plated metal.. it will just corrode again..

our final step cleaner is a made for aluminum special stuff.
99% perfect every time on good carbs!

the 30 bucks helps on the cost of the dips.:tango_face_grin:


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## kipsy (Dec 12, 2019)

I cannot get the screw out of the bottom hole where the bolt holds the bowl onto the carb. New oem carb for 81 being shipped tomorrow.


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## ToolLover (Jan 13, 2020)

A local repair man advised me not to use ethanol gasoline in small engines that have plastic parts in the carburetor.
That was after I screwed up a Cub Cadet lawnmower by failing to use the right gas which he repaired.
Now that brings up the question...How does one know the carburetor has plastic parts?
The answer:
Just don't use ethanol gas in engines that have carburetors.
Ethanol works well in engines that have injectors.


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## kipsy (Dec 12, 2019)

installed new carb today, all is well again. noticed on old carb the choke lever was no longer moving the face plate. I will now be able to get at the bottom jet on the old to see if it was issue also. 

only install issue was getting the black plastic connectors off the black top case. don't know the trick or process but they did come off with a little plastic breakage.


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## speedy2019 (Jan 29, 2019)

Question guys,, It sounds like surging is quite a common problem mainly down to faulty AVR's... So if a generator surges while its in use, will destroy whatever is plugged into it?


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## kipsy (Dec 12, 2019)

kipsy said:


> installed new carb today, all is well again. noticed on old carb the choke lever was no longer moving the face plate. I will now be able to get at the bottom jet on the old to see if it was issue also.
> 
> only install issue was getting the black plastic connectors off the black top case. don't know the trick or process but they did come off with a little plastic breakage.


 fast forward to today, march 2021 ( no more than 2 test hours since feb 2020 carb install, and carb is surging again, runs fine on choke. drained gas, add fresh, drained bowl. what does the black box on top of carb exactly do ? wires connect to it from the panel. fed up with this generator.


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## iowagold (Jan 22, 2020)

did you have staibil in the fuel??
did you drain the carb last use?

junked up carb jets again!
gasoline setting in a carb is a bad thing...


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## Airstreamer67 (Oct 3, 2020)

Ever since my Honda EX4500S wouldn't start a few years ago and it cost me a hundred bucks or so to get the carb cleaned of old gas, I stopped storing it with gasoline and so began leaving it dry. I store it that way for years in a row until I need it.

When my diesel genset started giving me trouble in one of the two hurricanes that hit us in 2020, I filled the Honda's fuel tank with fresh gasoline, hit the start button and she fired up and ran until the utility service power was resumed a few days later.

Needless to say, I don't store gas in gas gensets anymore.


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## Airstreamer67 (Oct 3, 2020)

speedy2019 said:


> Question guys,, It sounds like surging is quite a common problem mainly down to faulty AVR's... So if a generator surges while its in use, will destroy whatever is plugged into it?


When the genset is surging, take a look at the voltage and Hertz: up-down, up-down. That's got to be the epitome of bad THD. Bad juju.

I don't know: will an inverter genset smooth out the surges and produce good power?


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## iowagold (Jan 22, 2020)

yup the inverter helps to a point...
that is why so many of us have gone to the better inverter gens.


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