Pre 2011 Honda GX390 Electric Starter Install-Read Description 

Haha! I'm glad it helped. I'm too lazy to make full blown videos. I figure with pictures you can pause the video where you want and get all the info you need. Anything else that I can think of that might help, I usually type into the video description. Good luck with your project.

Hey, no problem, you're welcome. Hope the video helps. If you run into any snags, feel free to give me another shout. The only thing I thought would be a head scratcher when I was almost done was the wiring because of the mismatched color codes the kit manufacturers use. I took the switch housing apart and traced the wires and through the process of elimination, my ohm meter and the fact that the male and female connectors only allow certain combinations I lucked out and got it right the first time. Enjoy your project. My Dad just had open heart surgery so he was having trouble pull starting his. He loves how easy it is to start now.

Haha! Glad the video helped. I wish I could be of more assistance with the wiring. Back when I did this install I couldn't find a video so I just went for it and hoped for the best. The wiring was almost a crap shoot. If you read the description that goes with this video, it explains that there was nothing to go by and every kit seems to have a different color code. Through the process of elimination and a multi meter to see what the key functions in the control panel were was the only way I figured it out. I haven't seen this generator in years. My Dad used it for a year or so and then I installed a Generac standby generator at his house. He sold this generator to a friend of his. As far as I know the electric start still works fine.

I hate to admit but I honestly can't remember how I mounted the tray to the frame. It's been a few years since I installed this kit on my Dad's portable generator. About a year later I installed a 10KW Generac standby generator at his home. He has since sold this portable generator to a friend of his. I haven't seen it in at least two years. I believe I drilled two holes in the frame and the tray and secured it to the frame with two countersunk head bolts that were probably 5/16" in diameter. That's just a guess though. Seems like I went with the simplest idea I could come up with.

@@KX220R I’m probably going to do something like that too. thanks for the reply.

Not necessarily easy, but you should be able to cut a key slot on the kit flywheel, to match the location of the original. The key isn't very large so if you have patience, you can probably cut a new slot with a file or maybe start with a hacksaw cut and clean up with a file. Where that key slot is will determine when the engine fires. It's going to determine where the magnet is under the coil, in relation to the crankshaft. It will take a little time to cut the new slot, but if you're good with hand tools, it should be doable. I wouldn't worry about the original slot now being empty. The taper is what really creates the holding force, the key just orients the alignment. They could pretty easily upgrade these kits to fit either, just by adding the additional key slot to the flywheel

@Mark Hueffman Yeah, that will work if the old flywheel is already machined for the ring gear. Don't know if the original has the magnets inside for the charge coil, but the kits are kind of a hokey set up for charging without a rectifier or voltage regulator. A small maintenance charger is probably a better way to go. I actually considered getting just the ring and doing what you described, but mine is a knock off 390. The old flywheel is not machined for the ring. Theoretically, could have machined it on the lathe and re-balanced the flywheel, but seemed like more work than it was worth. My knock off is pre-2011 design so the flywheel in the kit worked just fine. Don't know if there are newer knockoff engines using the post 2011 design or what other differences are in that 2011 redesign. These are great engines and the knockoffs I've seen are virtual exact copies of the Honda. As far as I know, all original parts are interchangeable. I did look at the old flywheel/doorstop after writing this and I'm convinced that filing a new key slot would be pretty easy. Shrink fit should probably be fine but with one of the parts being non-OEM, I think I'd be tempted to make a few tack welds, just to be sure the gear ring never comes off. For a good shrink fit, a couple thousandths could possibly make a difference. BTW, I'm generally not a fan of buying knock-offs, but will if I've researched it well and it's for something I'm not using every day. However it's getting to be that Chinese knock-offs are becoming the only thing available for a lot of items. i hate that the growth of the Chinese economy has largely been exporting labor and avoiding regulations. And it's hit and miss, with some items being well designed and implemented and some other stuff is just junk. In this case, it's an "American company", designed and specified here, but built in China. That may be the best case compromise available for some stuff these days. A few US employees prepping and re-boxing and maybe some minor assembly, but with a US customer service. Parts for these engines are readily available, both OEM or knock-off. Sad that we shipped off all the manufacturing, So many factories and good jobs shipped off in the last two decades. New employees with low pay, no benefits and little if any safety or environmental regulation. It's really a step backwards.

Just bought a kit that is pre and post, meaning two key slot on the flywheel on ebay, will put in in this weekend, see if I can get it to work

Hello, I'm familiar with carburetors with the automatic fuel shut off solenoid on them but the engine I installed this starter kit on didn't have one. This is the only starter kit I've ever installed so I can't tell you how to connect yours. I can't even say for sure this kit would even work on the engine you're trying to install it on. The kit I installed was designed specifically for for the GX390 engine built before the year 2011. The wires you are talking about must have power to one side and ground on the other in order for the solenoid to open and let fuel flow through the carb. That's about all I can tell you. Good luck with your project.

@@KX220R teşekkür ederim kardeşim türkeyeden selamlar sevgiler.🙂

hello again kevin I have one more question, although I have made all the connections, the engine does not stop, which part may be defective?

@@muratturant.a.6.s.m.t866 Hello Murat, the wiring in these kits is a bit of a mystery because they don't provide instructions or a diagram. I'm also at a bit of a disadvantage because I'm not familiar with your exact engine. Small engines like this typically either open the circuit to the ignition coil (magneto) or provide a ground to ground it out when shutting the ignition off. You'll need to locate the wire that originally went to your original ignition switch from the magneto coil and see if it's connected to your new ignition switch properly. Since there's no wiring diagram to follow, you'll need to check the new ignition switch with an ohm meter and find the connection that opens and closes the circuit through the switch when turned off and on. I'm only guessing but if there is no connection that opens when the switch is off then there may be a problem with the switch itself. I would check the wiring first. The maker of the kit didn't make it easy to figure out. I'm sorry Murat, I just now remembered that you have a fuel shut off solenoid wired to your carb. I didn't have that. You need to find a way to disconnect power from that fuel shut off solenoid when you want it to shut down. If there is no power to the solenoid then the valve is stuck open. If you find the solenoid doesn't close completely and shut off the supply of fuel when power is removed you'll need a new fuel shut off solenoid. You may also find there's a piece of grit stuck in the valve preventing it from closing all the way. Let me know how you make out with it.

@@KX220R öncelikle vakit ayırıp bunca yazı için teşekkür ederim. sorunu çözdüm motor içinden statörden gelen elektriğe eksi şase vererek stop ediyor. tekrar teşekkürler.

Hi Master of none, All I know about this issue is what I've read online and seen on other RU-vid videos about this particular starter kit. I saw where one guy on RU-vid tried this kit on a post 2011 and it didn't work. The key way in the flywheel in the post 2011 is at a different clock angle which would throw the ignition timing off if this replacement flywheel were installed. There may be a starter kit out there somewhere that will work on a post 2011 but not this particular one. I have an idea the reason this Chinese knock off kit will work on a pre 2011 Honda is because the Chinese made a knock off engine of the pre 2011 entire engine. Let me know if you find a kit for the post 2011 engines. I'm sure there's plenty of folks out there that would like to have one.

Hey you just have to advance the key way slot on the flywheel 30 degrees and it'll work on newer gx390s

@@AmericanArtifacts yes the magnet on the post 2011 sits at 2 o-clock from the key way and the post 2011 sits at 1 o-clock

That's what the charging coil is for that I installed under the flywheel. It comes in the kit.

@@KX220R neat job!!

Could you provide a link for that kit? Thanks!

@@garretstern4441 Thanks for the positive comments. This is the one I used but there were several available from different sources when I purchased this one. www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07NPGXXV6/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Hi Ron, That's a good question. Wish I had a good answer. If you can find the serial number you might try calling the Honda customer service number and see if they can help you. I just copied and pasted it below from the Honda website, if you'd like to give them a shot. If you have trouble finding the serial number on your engine the Honda website can help you with that as well. Honda Engines Group 4900 Marconi Dr. Alpharetta, GA 30005-2519 Customer Relations (U.S. Only) Tel: 770-497-6400 Fax: 678-339-2519 Monday - Friday 8.30am to 6pm EST

This is the one I used but there were several available from different sources when I purchased this one. www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07NPGXXV6/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1