ETQ Generator Leaking Fuel When Running - Bad Needle and Seat? 

Those are shipping brackets To keep it from moving around too much during shipping they are supposed to be removed before running the unit I mean the red bracket

The tank looks more original now, than the original did!

Back in the mid 60's I worked in an auto repair shop. The owner was a professional welder before he got the shop. We were the only one's around who would weld gas tanks. He said never put water in them as you can still have pockets of gas vapor. After pulling the gas tank off and dumping it out, he would run a hose from a vehicle tail pipe into the fill tube on the gas tank. He would take the gas gauge out of the tank so the exhaust would circulate. He let that run for about an hour which evaporated the gas that was left in the tank and filled the tank with carbon monoxide. He said that lowered the oxygen level so the gas fumes wouldn't ignite. We did this in a well ventilated area with fans running. Some times, in the winter, he would pull the hose and plug the two holes with wet rags to seal the carbon monoxide in. I was the one that got to hold the tank steady and wedged in place so it wouldn't move while he was welding. Just a touch nervous the first couple of times but probably helped him 8 or 10 times. He died of old age. Now the disclaimers...Don't do this if you don't know what you're doing. I do not recommend this operation. Don't use water!!

Like you said, "Not every generator has to be a basket-case." That tank definitely got by quality control. Another great job.

My Wen DF11000 Dual Fuel generator had those same brackets. They are just there for shipping, to hold the engine solid. My manual said to make sure that they were removed before use.

Looks like the AVR Is Weak good video and the motor sounds way healthier @James Condon

Thanks for getting me started buying dead generators and reselling them (working, tuned up, cleaned out and ready to go)! I have cycled through about 25, so far. All portable, gas powered 3200 to 8750 watts. Best deal ever: (And I'm keeping this one!) Got a call, Was I interested in a Generac Guardian 16kw for $225.00. Battery had exploded. (Common with these older 2007, units.) The hard part was cleaning up all the oil that spilled out because I had to bring it home upside down in the back of an SUV, Tried running it from a small BBQ propane tank an 11"WC BBQ regulator. (good for 60k BTU) Wouldn't stay running. Needs 245k BTUs. Hooked it up to Nat Gas and runs perfect! Also came with a 20 amp Transfer switch/Load Panel. Everything works!!! Problem is the permitting and required professional (licensed) installation. Green tag required to reinstall the meter. This is when installed as the primary disconnect from the utility service. The load panel has more circuits than my main panel! Solution: Install as a sub panel and move about 12 circuits to sub panel. Main panel now has 1 circuit: 2x100 amp double to "Sub-panel". Once installed, over $12,000 (installed) for $225 and about $500 in wires, gas lines and a battery! Thanks for doing what you do and getting me into it, also!

How about showing a DIY propane conversion sometime? Excellent series!

Glad to see it working.

Most likely the red brackets are shipping brackets, much like the freebie front-loading washing machine that I got years ago that "danced" across the floor when spinning. That machine lasted me many years following the removal of those shipping lugs!

I agree with you, I would guess the L brackets are there to protect the genset during shipping and should be removed before use. Great video as always!

Hi James, nice job

Nice to see something that is an easy fix. They don't all have to be complete tear downs.

Red tank matches the red lettering, no one will be the wiser till you disclose the change, nice work again.

Shipping brackets. When unboxing there's a yellow tag that tells you to remove them

The red L shaped brackets are installed in factory to prevent any possible damage to the engine mountings during shipping. New generators out of the box usually have sticker or multiple stickers mentioning clearly to remove those brackets before use. The first owner didn't pay attention or didn't have the capacity (tools) to remove those red L shaped brackets.

Jim all you need to do is solder the tank where it leaks just make sure its all clean around the weld I've done it and it still working to this day

Once again Pure genius 👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️✅✅✅✅✅

James, the ells were most likely attached for shipping to be removed by retail dealer. If this was sold in a big box outlet they gave it to the customer in the original container. My guess. Love your videos!

We used to do a lot of welding on gas, diesel and hydraulic tanks. Our preferred method was to pressure wash them with a hot water pressure washer with detergent but CO2 or nitrogen gas was an option. I have even used dry ice which is just frozen CO2 when I had to do one away from the shop. On those small removable tanks you could use dish washing detergent and water to clean the tank then use air for a while to vent out any fumes. I've seen people pipe exhaust from an engine into a tank too, using carbon monoxide to prevent ignition.

I agree with you James the brackets are put there for shipping purposes. Great video as always that was a very good find. ❤👍

A Great video, you got lucky on the Gen, it look's like brand new. not to bad of a problem, that was an pretty easy fix. great video, keep up the great work.

James: Hand me a screwdriver. Me: Philips or flat? James: Doesn't matter. I'm going to use it as a hammer! 😅😅😅 Great video!

My first job ever was helping my best friends dad rebuild Briggs in his basement. By the time I was 14 I could do everything on those engines and it started my love for all things Varoom! These videos bring back so many memories I appreciate it. I never know what to do with the old gas? Do you burn it in something ?

No surging 1st start and adjusts well to carring a load. Great save and find. As always your your work is very informative and helpful to those of us that do our own repairs.

My friend it’s always a pleasure watching you at work I wish I was half as good as you thank you

The red brackets were most likely to stop sear load on the isolators during shipping as you said. The isolators control downward load were in shipping they might be exposed to lateral loading causing a breakage issue. Also they are two types of needle & seats, one where the needle has a rubber tip into a brass seat or a solid needle with a rubber seat inserted in the fuel inlet tube. the one in this generator may be getting hard but since to tested it to 9 psi that most likely is good. Good video as always.

James you should do a youtube short with clips of various carbs in the ultrasonic overlaid with sad music and a memorial plaque at the end.

Nice work James .. I think the failure to remove those shipping brackets caused major vibration under load may have caused that tank weld to crack . Although it was a bad looking weld job !

Great video. I am always impressed with your knowledge but also your precise and careful hand moves. They are surgical. I know because I am one. Keep it up.

Based on the two (amazing) identical generators with the same failure mode, why didn't you clean the slip rings and as Preventative Maintenance replace the brushes (I agree they look nearly new)? Shimming them to the center of the slip rings was really smart! I keep watching because I keep learning. Thank you.

Those Red Brackets are for shipping only and when you unpack your new generator it has a unpacking sheet that says to remove those.

James you can repair the tank with JB weld, wire wheel it super clean down to bare metal and give it a try....

Hi James always like sitting in your class mate I agree with you the red brackets are for shipping and should have been removed As for the gene it looks little used easy jobs are always the best James

You can only do your best James. Thanks for sharing.

I have had great results using Por15 on carb bowls and tank leaks. You have to be patient. It takes a long time to dry and is runny at first. But it's worth the wait. It's absolutely impervious to fuel.

Awesome, thanks for sharing.

Those red brackets are shipping brackets to keep generator from moving during shipping. All the new generators that I have bought, mostly champion brand, come with them when shipped. The first instructions are to tilt the generator and remove brackets. Then oil and gas are added. Hope this helped.

I always love your videos! Informative, entertaining, and just awesome!

It look clean almost like new. I think you got a good deal for $150. With little bit of work.👍👍

You could try Hytek PU92 Fuel resistant adhesive/mastic. Flexible adhesive for bonding or gap filling. - Resistant to diesel, oils, petrol & water. Tack free in 40 to 60 minutes. Supplied in 300ml standard mastic cartridges.

Thanks for the vid James.

I have that same ultrasonic cleaner. My heating element works about 50% of the time, and it has done that since it was new. It seems to do better if I start with hot water.

Nice easy fix and cool tip on aligning the brushes on the slip rings. Very cool video transition fading IN the oil funnel in that shot. Thought I was seeing things for a second there! I'll have to see if Camtasia has that feature for videos that I do here and there for work.

An easy and simple fix on this generator, nice work as always James!

You can fix the fuel leak on the tank with JB wield or similar. No fire hazard.

Don’t blame you for replacing the tank. I would repair if I was keeping it , but I don’t like fuel leak “repairs” on things that I will sell. Too much liability!!!

I think by running the generator for an extended period of time with the red brackets attached, caused the crack in the fuel tank thru vibration. Nice buy Sir!

Running that machine with the transport locks in place may have lead to the fuel tank fracture. That shutoff valve is quite a lever against the thin walled tank.

Those are shipping brackets that are put on when the engine mounts just came off the manufacturing line and haven't cured yet. Them Chinese are so smart.

Your stash has come through again. I'm a Predator fanboy so nice seeing parts of a dead one live on. Good tip on the Brushes, I had not thought about the possibility of them being misaligned. But then Chineseium QC is not the best in the world.

Been watching your great repair videos for years now and just realized I hadn't subbed...doh!!! Well I'm subscribed now so thank you once again for these informative and very well documented videos James♥

red brackets are for shipping because of resonance from the ship engines must be removed on startup,same goes for big electrical motors etc to avoid false brinelling of bearing roller elements

Those Red brackets are shipping brackets to protect the motor mounts during shipping.. my WEN 8750 watt inverter generator came with them and they were in the manual to remove...

Definitely shipping/transit brackets. If it was sold from a shop or local distributor originally chances are they were supposed to remove the brackets before selling to a customer.

I agree with you James. I think those little red brackets are strictly for shipping. Don't know why they wouldn't have been marked "Remove Before Flight" though. LOL Nice video as always!!

If you run into problems with the gas tank like you did with this one there's a very easy and inexpensive fix. They sell at the automotive store a gas tank patch type of epoxy. It looks like JB weld but it's purpose is for gas tanks. You cut a piece of it off and use your fingers to mix it all together. It doesn't take long for it to set up and it last so far over 10 years on my pickup truck. I had all intention of replacing the tank when winter was over. Like most things other stuff was happening and the tank just was not leaking any longer. Even to this day 10 years later there is still no leaks.

Awesome as always! Question though and not arm chair quarterbacking you. Would JB weld work for that tank? Thanks!

Great video lots of good info thanks.

Can you make a video on generators (I prefer inverter generators) to stay away from? So many are rebadged and you have said that some are impossible to get parts of info on. Some are easy to tell, but it would be great to know which bad clones to stay away from. With your skill and knowledge, it would be a great video. Thanks.Craig

My 11,000 Watt WEN generator came with similar brackets, also RED ( so you would see them ) and my manual said they had to be removed before use.

In my world of industrial gas turbines, those red bits of metal are shipping braces. They keep the weebles from wobbling so they they won't fall down during shipping.

Those red things are the shipping brackets

Hello James this is Steve from the UK, just a thought, why don't you go to your nearest Vape Shop and purchase different gauges of coil making wire, it's very cheap, anyway just keep up with what you do, it's very informative, cheers Steve.

Regarding the gas tank leak. There is a product called J-B weld, it is supposed to be as strong as a real weld. You might know about it but I thought I'd mention it. I have used it and once it hardens, it is extremely hard.

Those red brackets are installed to protect insulators/"shock absorbers" during shipping. They need to be removed prior to use. Most Champion generators come with these with instructions to remove them after unpacking.

Good work as always......... "Good enough for government work" doesn't cut it in James' work shop.

I had a 49 cc engine ( bicycle kit) that purred at idle but fell on its face when revved. Went crazy trying to t/s carb. Valves were set way too tight. Quick adjustment and now problems solved.

For transportation to stop the motor from breaking the engin mounts

Thanks !

110-130v ac is considered normal range voltage by code from the utilities in most states...

Thanks for sharing your knowlege.

looks better with the red tank

Fix the weld on the tank. It will be fine! 🙂

Something I'd be interested in would be knowing how many generators have been saved by those blown up predator generators. It's got to be quite a few, those things are the gift that keeps on giving.

Hi James Greetings from New Zealand

Great price and easy fix.👍

Is it just me or were the red Bar stock was is the bottom of the engine block and power head mount locations chipped and broken away a bit @James Condon

Hi James, They look like transport brackets to me ! and as such, they need to be removed.

Excellent, what a find!!

I just had a problem on a snow blower I got for free. Would sit for hours than start to leak gas out carb inlet. Changed needle and seat no more leaking

11:09 Like everything HF you have to take some additional steps. Those ultrasonic cleaners must be sealed prior to use. Run a bead of silicone around the stainless tank and the plastic surround. This keeps moisture from creeping around the exterior of the tank making its way down to the heater and the transducer.

Jim, Rance here. Looks to me like a bracket used in shipping..as to a wooden type pallet.

Good content, as always

You have reached a stage of knowledge and experience with which you can address quality control issues as they come off the assembly line James. The brush misalignment is a quality control issue too.Thinking about the gas tank either repairing such a tank with spot welding or JB Weld provokes much debate on Facebook and You Tube. I will not try to teach my grandmother to suck eggs so I aint suggesting anything to you.

Nice to have an easy one for a change! I would’ve liked to have seen the weld on the replacement tank, did it look a little sketchy too or was it smooth? Great vid as usual, thank you sir!

Red brackets are for shipping, to be removed

hi like all of your videos you should get a harbor freight hydraulic table art

To solder aluminum wires use a high tin solder made for aluminum and not rosin flux solder.

Another good video James! 😊

Shipping brackets, painted red so they are visible to removal.

JB Weld will work on the tank.

I don't know what you do with old gas, but with winter coming, you might wanna buy a happybuy or similar air diesel heater, and use the old fuels and motor oil to heat your workshop.

16:44 I think it's time for JB Weld to the rescue. You could fix it right up like new.

You didn't check or clean the little catch bowl under the petcock. That usually catches the water and dirt that comes out the tank. I had one full of water and didn't realize that was the whole problem with the gen until I decided to check it.

Your guess that those brackets were for shipping purposes was what I was thinking as well. Made in China goods don't typically have very good literature.

I bet they are for shipping only so the rubber bumpers (mounts) dont tear loose during shipping

Just grind down the weld blobs with the edge of a cutting disc then gas braze with silver solder and flux. Could tig weld too.

I would have tried a bit of JB Weld to fix that leak...

Tanks A Lot ♻