# Yamaha EF2000IS Generator - No Start



## Rod M (10 mo ago)

Hey all, new here, hoping for some advice on what my issue and solution maybe.

I purchased a Yamaha ef2000is generator from an estate sale for a good price but there was no fuel in it for testing, so I took a chance, which could turn out to be a bad choice but maybe not.

I got some fresh gas (tank read empty), cleaned the air filter, checked the oil (clean and at the correct level) and tried to fire it up. No joy!

I made sure all switches and knobs were in their appropriate positions. Tried and tried with no success.

So then I proceeded to drain the carb bowl and a bit of old looking honey color gas came out. Smelled pretty bad as well.

Tried again to fire her up with no luck. I tried to drain the carb bowl again and no fuel was present even after trying to start it several times.

I am going to pull the plug tomorrow but have a feeling that won't be the issue.

Do any of you think the carb could be clogged or the jets etc? I assume that the nasty old gas in the carb bowl points to that being an issue.

I was thinking of bringing it to a local small engine shop that is highly rated in our area but don't want to get taken for a huge bill if it could be something simple.

I could try and clean the carb myself but don't want to take a chance ruining something.

If I need to take it to a shop, anyone have an idea of what a fair cost would be to get her running if the carb just needs to be cleaned. I would rather have some point of reference so I can't be mislead and ripped off

Thanks


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## Dutchy491 (Sep 18, 2019)

Welcome. It’s going to be a carburetor issue. The key to prevent this is only using non-ethanol gas and a good gas stabilizer. Some one will respond with their experience, but usually a complete new carburetor is the best solution, for not too much money. Check with your local Yamaha dealer for availability. I’d try to purchase a rebuild kit at least and attempt to service it yourself but it’s going to need an ultrasonic cleaning to do it thoroughly. Others familiar with Yamaha will chime in shortly…


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## Rod M (10 mo ago)

Dutchy491 said:


> Welcome. It’s going to be a carburetor issue. The key to prevent this is only using non-ethanol gas and a good gas stabilizer. Some one will respond with their experience, but usually a complete new carburetor is the best solution, for not too much money. Check with your local Yamaha dealer for availability. I’d try to purchase a rebuild kit at least and attempt to service it yourself but it’s going to need an ultrasonic cleaning to do it thoroughly. Others familiar with Yamaha will chime in shortly…


Thanks for the reply. I have a feeling it's going to be a carb issue as well. I watched videos on cleaning this particular carb, does not look to bad but most of the videos are not 100% specific on steps etc. Most of those videos point to the jets needing to be cleaned. Let's see what other come back with and if a the shop asks for to much, I might just have to dive in and try it myself. Would love to get this running as rather it not become a paper weight hahaha.


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## Dutchy491 (Sep 18, 2019)

Well if it looks good and you get it running without too much cost, it’s worth between 600-800 bucks. Priceless during an emergency….😉


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## OrlyP (Oct 19, 2021)

It can be as simple as a stuck float valve but it still warrants the carb to be removed and cleaned thoroughly.

What's the condition of the tank, fuel lines, and the petcock? I've seen varnish build up on the lines and petcock, if not inside the tank (along with rust if it's metal). 

I am trying to work on an old gen and this is what I have to deal with. The petcock is totally plugged up and the fuel lines are petrified.


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## Rod M (10 mo ago)

OrlyP said:


> It can be as simple as a stuck float valve but it still warrants the carb to be removed and cleaned thoroughly.
> 
> What's the condition of the tank, fuel lines, and the petcock? I've seen varnish build up on the lines and petcock, if not inside the tank (along with rust if it's metal).
> 
> ...


Well I am a generator noob so I assume the petcock is the round knob that opens and closes the fuel flow. The fuel tank is plastic. The fuel lines, I think there is only one from the tank to the carb, maybe 1/4" dia rubber hose. If so haven't inspected that.. Not sure how to even inspect the petcock. The gen has a front and back panel that are easily removed and most things should be visible. The back panel is already off where the carb is located along with the air cleaner and access to the plug. I can take some pics if you think that would help a little. Thanks. On your photos, not sure what I am looking at but does not look fun, hope you get her cleaned and fired up.


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## OrlyP (Oct 19, 2021)

Yup. The fuel petcock is like a valve you open to let fuel flow from the tank to the carb. With the valve still closed, remove the hose at the carb end and put the end of the hose inside a cup or container. Open the valve and see if fuel can flow freely into the container. If so, the problem will likely be isolated in the carb.


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## Dutchy491 (Sep 18, 2019)

Yep, if it flows fuel continue to drain all the old gas out. Maybe rinse it with some fresh gas and drain that too. Keep us posted with your progress…😉


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## GenKnot (Dec 20, 2021)

I'd just buy a new carb off of eBay (search for "EF2000is carburetor" and find a match to yours). Much cheaper than taking it to a shop. Post some photos of your carb if you are not sure.

Put an inline fuel filter on the unit if it does not have one. If it already has one, make sure it is clean.

You can download a manual for it here: YAMAHA Owner's Manual Library (ymcapps.net)

Check the spark plug too. Buy an NGK if it needs one. The standard copper plug replacement would be NGK BPR6HS 7022. The upgrade to Iridium would be NGK BPR6HIX 4085. A higher upgrade would be NGK FR6BHX-S 95159 Ruthenium. Re-gap the plugs if necessary per the manual.


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## Dutchy491 (Sep 18, 2019)

I hate eBay or Amazon except when there’s no other option. Too many chances for knock-off items. If you’re going to a Yamaha dealer for a spark plug get a quote on a genuine carburetor and then decide your next move. At the least they will verify the correct carburetor part number. My opinion….


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## sdowney717 (12 mo ago)

Dutchy491 said:


> I hate eBay or Amazon except when there’s no other option. Too many chances for knock-off items. If you’re going to a Yamaha dealer for a spark plug get a quote on a genuine carburetor and then decide your next move. At the least they will verify the correct carburetor part number. My opinion….


I have bought 2 chinese carbs for lawnmowers, and both were cheap and better equipment. Specifically, the knock off LawnBoy carb does not seem to corrode over the winter. The OEM was making a lot of nasty corrosion. It might be something to do with the metalurgy . I bought them from amazon.


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## Rod M (10 mo ago)

Thanks everyone. Raining today but next dry day I will check flow from the petcock. Check the plug etc. I have done some research on a new carb and they range from $40 plus all the way up to $100 plus. At the same time, I'll call a shop to get info on what it might cost to get running again. I would love to fix this myself and might go that route and just take the plunge. I think an OEM new carb will be cost prohibitive but I can make a call and check etc.

I will also post some photos shortly once the weather clears.

Oh there are several manuals available on the link posted above, how do I know what year this generator was produced?

Thanks


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## OrlyP (Oct 19, 2021)

Granted, chinese clones can be hit or miss sometimes but because they're cheap anyways, they're more often than not, worth it.


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## Rod M (10 mo ago)

There is a guy on ebay that sells replacements, I think $40ish and he allows you to send the serial number to ensure you get the correct replacement. Going to do that along with everything else and see if he has the exact replacement. I believe his replacements come with the motor control unit as well.


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## GenKnot (Dec 20, 2021)

sdowney717 said:


> were cheap and better equipment


I have found that to be true too. For one thing, the OEM carbs generally do not have idle A/F adjustment whereas the aftermarket carbs usually do. The OEM carb must comply with the CARB emission requirements for their equipment.

I have bought many carbs and other engine parts from eBay and Amazon for various things down thru the years and have never had an issue.


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## GenKnot (Dec 20, 2021)

Rod M said:


> how do I know what year this generator was produced?


Hopefully you can find a tag somewhere on the unit. If you can't, there are probably only minor differences/changes made with the various year models anyway.


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## Dutchy491 (Sep 18, 2019)

Found this. Not sure of authenticity…. 
*How do you tell the year from a Yamaha Vin?*
Look for the 10th character of your Yamaha VIN for finding the year of the model. If it lies between J to Y, the year would be 1998 to 2000 respectively. If it’s a digit, for instance, 2 will stand for the year 2002, 5 will stand for the year 2005, and so on.


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## GenKnot (Dec 20, 2021)

I noticed in the Yamaha manual that a 40W oil is an option. A lot of these small, air-cooled engines benefit from a 40W oil because they can run quite hot. The suitcase type enclosed generators such as the EF2000IS often run hotter than their open frame cousins.

I am changing my gen oil over from 10W-30 to Mobil 1 FS 0W-40. I think it is a better choice given my hot Texas summers even though it is open frame. Here is a link to that oil...








Mobil 1™ FS 0W-40| Mobil™


Mobil 1™ FS 0W-40 motor oil is the result of decades of collaborative development with major car manufacturers and the application of the latest lubrication technology. It helps provide unsurpassed performance under very demanding driving conditions.




www.mobil.com





On that page, you will find a link to the Product Guide that shows the various zinc and phosphorus levels in Mobil 1 oils. The zinc and phosphorus levels are important because these engines will usually last a little longer with the higher levels. Zinc and phosphorus levels (often referred to as ZDP or ZDDP) have been greatly reduced in modern car oils mostly because of the catalytic converter. The Mobil 1 FS 0W-40 is readily available at my local Walmart in 5-quart jugs and is not expensive. Yay!

Your manual also recommends JASO MA or MB oils. These are commonly used in motorcycles (especially wet clutch) because they have higher levels of zinc and phosphorus too. The Mobil 1 Racing 4T 10W-40 oil meets that requirement and (as shown on the Product Guide) its zinc and phosphorus levels are a little higher than the Mobil 1 FS. However, so is its price!


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## Rod M (10 mo ago)

Guys, I decided for NOW to have a local place diagnose it for $50. I would tackle this job myself in the future if need be but need to get it up and running. I checked online for replacement carbs but this particular model takes a carb that is not the same as other models in the family line and is more expensive. I will report back on what they find and if the repair is more than I am comfy with, I will just have to try it myself and clean the carb on their now. Thanks.

The serial ends in a 9 so I assume it's a 2009 model.


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## Rod M (10 mo ago)

Okay so go the generator back. She is purring like a kitten. The carb was all fouled up due to old fuel being left in it and probably plain gas. Time was the concern so it was easier to get it services that for me to fiddle around with the carb.

I will only be using ethanol free fuel in her from now.

Question. The manual says to use 10w40 oil. The oil in the generator is clean but don't know how old it is so probably best to change it. Thoughts? Should I stick with the 10w40 or go with 10w30? Can I use regular 10w30 oil from walmart or is there something more preferable? I will be using this for all 4 seasons so hopefully that will help with your answer.

Thanks

ps - anyone use synthetic oil?


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## sdowney717 (12 mo ago)

Rod M said:


> Okay so go the generator back. She is purring like a kitten. The carb was all fouled up due to old fuel being left in it and probably plain gas. Time was the concern so it was easier to get it services that for me to fiddle around with the carb.
> 
> I will only be using ethanol free fuel in her from now.
> 
> ...


I think 10w-30 full synthetic is a go.

Looking up says here,





What kind of oil does a Yamaha generator take? - SupportMyMoto


What kind of oil does a Yamaha generator take? Click on to see full reply SupportMyMoto




supportmymoto.com


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## Rod M (10 mo ago)

Thanks, will 10w30 be sufficient for evenings in the 20's when I am upstate NY?


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## sdowney717 (12 mo ago)

Rod M said:


> Thanks, will 10w30 be sufficient for evenings in the 20's when I am upstate NY?


Well real cold weather, the lower number does make it flow better with a cold engine, you could use 5w-30 full synth.


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## GenKnot (Dec 20, 2021)

Rod M said:


> Question. The manual says to use 10w40 oil. The oil in the generator is clean but don't know how old it is so probably best to change it. Thoughts? Should I stick with the 10w40 or go with 10w30? Can I use regular 10w30 oil from walmart or is there something more preferable? I will be using this for all 4 seasons so hopefully that will help with your answer.
> 
> Thanks
> 
> ps - anyone use synthetic oil?


You will never get many to agree as to what oil to use. There are many "favorites" mentioned on this forum and other forums, so it boils down to (as far as I am concerned) how much you want to pay and still get a quality oil. I would go with what I said in post #18. I am switching from full synthetic 10W-30 to the Mobil 1 FS 0W-40 mainly because I recently started using natural gas to run my gen and so I have about a 50-60°F hotter engine. My gen does not have the 40W option in the manual, but then it didn't come from the factory set up to run NG either. The 0W-40 should work fine as a 4-season oil for you (IMHO).

Are there better oil options out there? Most likely, but the key is frequent oil changes using quality oil.


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## Dutchy491 (Sep 18, 2019)

Glad you got it working. You could read the current thread What Is The Best Oil For My New Generator?. I like running Amsoil Synthetic Small Engine Oil. Purpose made. 😉


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## iowagold (Jan 22, 2020)

yes on the 5-30 syn unless your temps are over 100 deg f.
then switch to 10-30 or 
just 30 syn if the temps are above 70 deg f at night.

we like 5-30 here in iowa.
works well for us!


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