@@nv1493 Yes. For sure. One thing with doing videos you can easily see how to do a better job. It’s the simple things that make a big difference. Thanks for watching and posting. Roger

kzfaq.info/get/bejne/frmBfs2o2p27nGg.htmlsi=3vQlwLhr7r1rTfIO Here’s a video I did on checking compression and replacing the spark plugs on a generator. Thanks. Roger

@@repairitdontwreckit4257 Thanks man! It was easy.

I’m glad it worked out. You’re correct that it’s not a difficult job. Some basic tools with most of the information in the owners manual. Thanks. Roger

Hi @erocdrah. Thanks for the favourable response. I’m glad to see the video was of use to you. These rules are based the Canadian National Plumbing Code. The theory is the same for all codes but there are slight differences between pipe sizes and distance from the trap and vent connections. It was a quick video without a lot of production into it. I wanted to present it in a way that a new plumbing apprentice would hopefully understand some basic rules. Thanks again. Roger

kzfaq.info/get/bejne/frmBfs2o2p27nGg.htmlsi=5KL2aWRiXmEog2mP Thanks for checking out the video and posting. Here’s a link for a video I did on doing a compression test and replacing the spark plugs. Thanks. Roger

@@edd3686 Thanks for viewing and commenting. I hope everything worked out for you. Roger

@@repairitdontwreckit4257 Thanks Roger I hope you all the best

Thanks

Ha ha. I usually wear work boots. Since I was in the garage without the mower running it felt safe. Maybe New Balance will make a steel toed model down the road. I hope the video helped you out. It seems a few viewers didn’t know there was a grease / zerk fitting on the rear drive wheels. Apparently the name “zerk” was the inventors last name. Thanks. Roger

timdenton I’m looking at the part number for the piston you have. It doesn’t look complete. For example the piston number for my mower is 13101-Z8A-900. The rings that I used were 13010-ZOL-014. These are Honda part numbers based on the serial number on the engine. The Honda website for parts was not to bad to use once you got the hang of it. If the piston is a Honda part I seen no reason you can’t find the rings for it. With parts it’s all about the numbers. From my experience a lot of the parts were the same for different years and models but the engine size was always the same such as the GVC160. You still need to check the numbers as there’s a ton of parts out there and there can be subtle differences that are not noticeable to a visual examination. Thanks for posting your question. Roger

Don't know age or model number. The number was on top of the piston. Call US HONDA?

@@timdenton2067 I think calling Honda is the way to go.

Hi there wendellsmith1964. I really can’t remember. I have a few sets and they are all different. The brands are Lisle, Powerbuilt and General. It really doesn’t matter though. All of the parts stores carry them. Just make sure before you buy the sizes you need are included. There should be a list of the sizes on the front or back of the packaging. I hope this helps. Good luck with your project. Roger

Thanks Roger.

oatnoid . Thanks for watching and commenting. Yea, I’m sure you’re not the only one to miss the fitting’s . The gear set on the back wheels are robust. They can take a fair bit of abuse. I like this mower and want to keep it going for as long as I can. I re ringed the engine about a year ago. Not to difficult. Roger

Thanks for this. I too was unaware of zerks for the back wheels. Will investigate mine as its been acting up. Cheers

@@als3960 Thanks for looking at the video and posting a comment. I still have the manual for mine. I was curious if it was documented. It’s shown in the maintenance section where they are. The recommended grease interval is 25 hours and 2-3 pumps of #2 lithium based grease. There’s not much to the gear set. I felt they were decent quality. Hopefully when you clean it up you’ll find the problem. I was doing some reading and some models had plastic gears. I really don’t know anything about them but it could be the problem. Check the belt also. Mines over 10 years old with the original belt. There probably is some adjustment available as it engages from the Personal Pace bar being pushed forward. Good luck. Roger

@@repairitdontwreckit4257 thanks! The gear on mine are metal too but it doesnt have the plastic shroud. Ill check it out and grease them up good if there is some. Cheers

@@als3960 Those plastic covers are available everywhere and priced reasonably. Running between 5-8 dollars.

Hi mattwaters. Thanks for taking a look at the video. I hope that you get your patio heater going again. Most of them seem to have a very simple fix. Once you understand how they work it’s not that hard to figure out what the problem is. Just take your time and use the right size tools as a lot of the parts are made out of soft brass. It’s easy to round off the corners on some of the nuts. Thanks for taking the time towatch and post. Good luck. Roger.

Thanks. Roger

Victorbellman1860 Thanks for checking out the video. I can’t help you with the Generac page. I’ve never looked at it. The are other videos similar to mine that are well done. Worth a look as everyone has their own techniques and tips. Roger

Hi johnnymckerr. I’m glad it was of use to you. It was more of a straight forward presentation. A class room style lecture. There are many more aspects to the subject. I wanted to keep it simple and direct to what I feel most people struggle with understanding trap to vent rules. On paper every thing is drawn without obstacles. The trick is to apply the rules to what you are faced with on site. However a solid foundation on the rules and definitions is where all us plumbers started. Roger

Hi Pipeit1234. Thanks for looking at the video and posting. Every jurisdiction has its own set of rules. Before starting any plumbing job as you know it’s important to find out what they are. Division B Section 2.2.4.2. (1) in the National Plumbing Code of Canada clearly states a single sanitary T fitting (TY) on its back is acceptable for a vent pipe connection. Also Part 7 of the Ontario Building Code has the same rule in Table 7.2.4.5. Roger

gentexelite2021. I hope it helped you out. Thanks for viewing and posting. Roger

Hi Nan_cc. Here are a couple of links to Home Depot. You can use the regular joint compound to pre fill. In the video I used a fast setting product called Durabond 45. The 45 is how long it takes to dry. Which is 45 minutes. It is only sold in larger quantities. It’s good for pre filling larger gaps. However if you are doing a small repair use the regular joint compound and put it on in several layers as required. Remember to smooth out each layer of compound. Not too thick and don’t overwork it. It can take 3-4 layers to get it smooth, depending on the condition of the patch. Take your time. Roger www.homedepot.com/p/USG-Sheetrock-Brand-3-5-qt-Dust-Control-Ready-Mixed-Joint-Compound-384014/206075509

‪‬‪‬‪‬‪‬‪‬‪‬‪‬gentekpower.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=6&t=3. Hi Ed. Here is a link to a fantastic web site. It is worth a look as there are other reasons for the RPM loss message. Roger

@@repairitdontwreckit4257 Thanks for the link. I am wondering if this is my issue: . The ignition coils have a problem. This could be that they are bad, have contacted the flywheel, etc. The 18 wire sends the RPM signal to the Evolution from the ignition coils. I know I have a good battery since it starts my car with ease. My generac start some of the time usually after multiple attempts. I had it running the other day, but on a manual start....

@@edbrandt8972 This web site also sells parts. It might be worth downloading a repair manual for your unit. I have one for my model. They are well put together. Check out the forum also. I’m confident you will be able diagnose your problem. Roger

@@repairitdontwreckit4257 My educated guess is a bad coil or control board. It looks like I can disconnect wire #18 and see if the starter engages. Then I can test that wire for continuity and test the wire to ground to make sure it is not shorted.

@@edbrandt8972 I would check wire #14. It supplies power to fuel solenoid to open. In the manual it’s test #51. You should have 12 volts when cranking. Wire number #18 grounds the coils to shut down ignition and provides rpm information to controller. On this wire if there is rub thru on the wire it would be grounded. There is a test #59 for this. Another check is a spark plug tester to see if you have spark when cranking. Simple test that gives you some direction. Make sure connections to controller are clean and have not come loose. There are two things that need checking are spark and fuel. Also you need air so a blocked or dirty air filter or a choke plate sticking could cause a problem. An organized approach will save you time. Unless you can confirm a part is defective resist the temptation to throw parts at it. Roger

I’m glad it worked out for you. Thanks for posting and viewing. Roger

De nada. Roger

Hi jatimmonsjr. Thanks for checking out the video. I am not sure of your question. I’m going to try to answer what I think it is. When both valves are on the compression stroke and are closed. that’s a good spot to adjust the valves. When facing the fan from the muffler end , and then looking towards the air filter turn it counter clockwise. This is the direction you should be rotating the crankshaft according to the manual that Generac produces. There are other ways to set the valves but I find this the easiest way to demonstrate so people don’t get confused. In reality, you can adjust either the intake or the exhaust valve when they are fully closed. As long as the valve is not on the lobe on the camshaft, it can be adjusted. Some people don’t quite understand how this all works. I try to keep it simple. I hope this answers your question, if not send me another comment and perhaps reword your question. Thanks for watching.Roger

@@repairitdontwreckit4257 that answers it perfectly. Thanks again for the great video and for your reply. I can’t wait for the weather to warm up so I can get out and tackle this job.

Hi brasha78. Thanks for checking out the video. These old craftsman snowblowers are really built well. The metal is very thick. You can easily grind the rust off and still have plenty of metal left over. You’re right. They’re a rust magnet. The main reason is there isn’t any plastic parts on it. The only thing that’s plastic from memory is the gas tank and the shroud that covers the belts. It’s one of those pieces of equipment that you have to lubricate at least once or twice a year. If you manage the rust these things will go for a very long time. I have ordered replacement carburetters from Amazon and they have worked very well. I still kept the old carburetor. It is made heavy duty. The kits for the factory carbs are quite expensive and they don’t always work. Still in my opinion they are great machines. I’m glad you enjoyed the video.Thanks for watching and posting comments. Roger.

Hi sweetlou. Yes a lot of things you can’t get into or take apart. It seems a shame that we have to throw out of things these days when the fix is quite simple for a small amount of money. I find it very satisfying to repair stuff that usually gets tossed . Thanks for watching and posting comments . Roger.

Hi p51mustang31. It depends on the rules in your area. Where I practiced it was a requirement. It’s there to catch any debris. The gas regulators that service the appliance can easily be damaged from contamination. For smaller diameters it was required to be a minimum of 3” inches long and the same size as the pipe it served. From memory 1/2”- 2” required the same size drip leg as the pipe that serviced the equipment. Some people don’t like to use them outside where there is winter conditions. They seem to think that the drip leg could fill with water from condensation and freeze. I’ve never seen it happen. To be honest if the drip is cleaned out a short while after the initial installation it never needs it again. Usually you find some cutting oil or metal shavings from cutting threads if you have steel black pipe. Perhaps years ago the gas network of piping wasn’t as clean as today dictating the need for drip legs. I think it’s a good idea to install. Thanks for watching and posting. Roger

Well done. You sound like a plumber I’m guessing…is that right?

@tcudahey9550 Yes I am. I didn’t know I had the plumbers accent. I love the trade. However, all of the trades are my favourite. Thanks for looking at the video and taking the time to post a comment. Much appreciated. Roger

Hey user. Ha. I wish it was magic. It’s been a while. From memory the camera person that was helping me was turning the fan. It is located under the panels covering the muffler. This fan is easy to turn by hand and is attached to the crankshaft. I found this a good spot to rotate the crankshaft to manipulate the piston to the position that I needed for setting the valve lash. As far as your other concerns it is beyond my level of knowledge. Depending on how handy you are there is a service manual for your generator available from Generac and other sellers. I have downloaded one for my generator. It is very well put together. It details the steps to doing electrical diagnostics. You would need to be reasonably proficient at using a multimeter to get the fuel benefit of this purchase. While it is well written it is intended to be understood by an experienced service person. You may want to check out gentekpower.com A generator site. I have visited this site many times. Most of the people there are professionals and post frequently on the forum. They sell parts and the online service manual. I’ve found their stuff generally less expensive than other sites including Generac. The benefit here is the moderator will support the parts he sells. I hope this helps. Thanks for watching and posting. Roger

I had to fix my Honeywell/Generac myself others I called were clueless so I had to figure it out myself. The problem for me is my generator is now and odd non-standard Hybrid of older and newer non-standard parts. Thanks I was puzzled how you were turning the motor. Sounds like an easy helpful trick. Unfortunately nobody had the older original control panel. It seems after 10 years Generac stops making replacement parts.@@repairitdontwreckit4257

Hi gguezille. I’m glad the video helped to solve your problem. It seems a common problem for many of these units. Good part there are no parts required. Seems a shame that some units were probably thrown for the same issue. Thanks for watching and posting. Roger

Hi lucerosells. I think it’s a good idea to check the fuel pressure at the gas meter as a start. From there you can check it at the generator. If you can see the most of the piping you could double check the size of the gas piping compared to the appliances that it is serving. While it’s not hard to do there is a procedure that needs to be followed to correctly size the piping. Probably someone on utube or on the web has posted how to do it. Make sure any shutoff valves in the system are fully open. Since you have no history of the system this is the way I would start tracking down the problem. On the fuel regulator in the generator you can also check the gas pressure when the unit is running and off. The owners manual I believe has the location of the test ports. Also the repair manual for your unit can be ordered on line. I’ve ordered one for my generator. It is pretty good and has a ton of information. I thought was well put together. You need some basic tools including a multimeter and a manometer. Next you should check the valve lash. This seems to be a maintenance item that is usually neglected. Make sure the spark plugs are the correct part number and gapped to specifications. Look at the air filter. Remove it to see if there is anything downstream blocking the air flow. Have a close look at the wiring. Double check all the connectors. Some can come loose or maybe another person messed around and didn’t put things back together properly. Is there a lot of rust around the fuel regulator? On some models this can be an issue, besides being dangerous. Your symptoms can be caused by an electric problem This is where the manual is necessary as it gives you different values that are to be expected when testing. To this point the only money you have spent is on some tools and repair manual. If you can’t confirm something is defective don’t replace it. Things like spark plugs, air filters, oil filters, batteries are maintenance and part of owning a generator. While most of this is not hard to do it takes time and some knowledge of how these things work. There’s a lot you can do without getting into trouble. The gas pressure testing requires taking stuff apart. If you never done before it could be tricky. Only you know what your comfort level is. There’s an excellent website gentekpower.com. The forum is excellent. There’s many post with people having the same issues as you.

Hi lucerosells. Looks like I touched the wrong button. For the symptoms you are have there’s a lot of things that can cause it. That’s why you need to work through in a logical way in your testing. Confirming good or bad results. I hope this helps. Thanks for watching and posting comments. Roger

Hi Phillip. Thanks for checking out the video and posting comments. There’s definitely more than one way to keep the valves in place. Not everyone has a compressor. For me it was a little scary thinking what next if the valve dropped. At the end of the day I ending up taking the thing apart. It was a good experience. Every time you do something like the rings you always learn and build your confidence. Roger

Hi there cma8165. I purchased the Flex Hone tool on Amazon. I used the silicone carbide , 240 grit brush. I would go to the Flex Hone website to determine the correct diameter you would need. It’s been a while since I posted the video so I’m not sure of the diameter that I used. However the website is excellent for any information you would need. One advantage of going to the Amazon listing is you can read the reviews to get a good idea of what people think of the tool. I took a quick look. It had a lot of 5 star ratings. It’s was easy to use with excellent results. Here’s the link. a.co/d/6muBBKx Good luck with your project. Thanks for watching and posting. Roger

Hi camilo8cheryl. Hopefully the pressures work out for you. It sounds like you have a handle on the situation. Are there any other appliances that use gas such as a stove or bbq that should be included in your testing? I know chances that not everything will be on at the same time but it’s possible. You want to size for the worst case scenario. The size of the pipe to the manifold is critical on how things will go. Once you have pressures and distances it should give you a good idea of the best way to pipe up the generator. Check your local rules on using the csst as it can vary quite a bit from what I have read on some of the forums. Thanks for posting and watching the video. Roger

Hi davidmorales. Is the pilot strong enough to light the main burner.

@@repairitdontwreckit4257 Yes it stays on , just a high flame but it’s not strong like it’s suppose to be Everything works from it starting up It’s just not burning the way it should , it mainly just regular fire And I don’t get that rich burn my other heaters give out The flame is just weak

@@davidmorales3454 If your confident nothing is blocked I would try a different regulator. Its easy to remove yours from the heater and attatched a known good. If you have a gas bbq that uses propane you may be able to use it for testing. If that solves the problem great. If not then the main valve on the heater could be the problem. Double check to make sure no spiders have not made a web in a hidden area in the gas supply tubes and pipes. The webs can easily block the tubes especially if there are internal screens. Take as much apart as you can to inspect. If the pilot and main flame are not strong it seems like a gas supply problem or a slight blockage in the system that serves both flames. Carb cleaner under pressure in a can seems to work pretty good.

@@repairitdontwreckit4257 thank you so much … I will do that and get back to you .. once again thanks for your help

Jessebunker. Very good point. This was my first time doing this. It’s always good to hear from viewers with suggestions on how to do things better. Thanks for watching and posting. Roger

Hey ratbrain7743. I’m glad you liked the video. Hopefully if you we’re adjusting your valves it all worked out. Thanks for viewing and posting. Roger

Hey garysisti2463. I’m happy that the video was helpful. Gas pressure for these generators is an important test. They are designed to operate at a specific pressure.I hope it all works out for you. It’s a good basic test to see what’s going on. Thanks for watching and posting. Roger

Hi mchristopher. I’m glad that the video was helpful for you. Oil changes on these air cooled engines is critical to avoid oil related problems. If your not sure exactly when to change the oil its better to do it sooner than later. Material wise we’re not talking a large amount of money. It’s the labour is where the savings is. Plus you don’t have to rely or wait around for someone to show up. Thanks for watching and posting. Roger

@@repairitdontwreckit4257 agree 100%. I’m sure is would have been several hundred dollars for a service call for oil and filter change. My air filter was perfectly clean so I didnt change it. Now that I’m using Mobil 1 full synthetic vs conventional oil, how often do you recommend changing the oil assuming a 10 min timed weekly run and maybe 1 or 2 incidental short term power failures of less than an hour per year. I’m in the northeast climate. Thanks again.

@@mchristopher Hi there. Where I live it sounds similar to your climatic conditions. Power outages are almost nonexistent. I have a weekly 10 minute weekly exercise. I’ve been changing it once a year and the oil comes out extremely clean. Its replaced once a year regardless of how little time has been put on. Occasionally I will test the system and run it for 30 minutes. There’s no set schedule for this. There’s many different opinions on how often it should be done. Running the engine for 10 minutes does not get hot enough to remove all of the moisture especially in the winter. Removing the valve covers and inspecting for any signs of sludge is worth while as it is fairly easy to do. I’ve been doing this for more than 12 years with zero oil related issues. It’s not a lot of money for such an expensive piece of equipment. I tend to over maintain. Be sure to check around the battery for any rust. This is the only area so far that I found needed to be cleaned up and spot repaired. Thanks again. Roger

Hi chuckb2175. Wow. I guess the question is why the rocker arm broke off. Do you think the nut came loose? Definitely you want to find the reason before running the engine. Roger

Hi billsblots. I’m glad the video helped you out. As you know changing the oil on these generators is not that difficult. Access to the filter and drain tube is pretty good. When replacing the battery check the paint underneath and the area round it. I found on mine the original paint is starting to bubble. There is some rust appearing. This spring I’m going to clean it up and touch up the paint. If you keep up the maintenance and stay on top of other items you can get a long life out of these machines. Since we don’t have many outages I tend to forget about checking some of the other things the generator may need. Good luck, take your time and have fun. Thanks. Roger

Hi billskalicky5400. Good advice. I didn’t mention it. Thanks for watching and posting a comment. Roger

Hey brianallison1913. Anything is possible. There’s always a chance to repurpose these heaters if you can’t get them to work as intended. I hope the video was helpful for you. Thanks for watching and posting. Roger

@@repairitdontwreckit4257 lol it helped very much as a friend/neighbor of mine has one she wants me to look at tomorrow because it isn't working quite right. With your video I know what the layout will be and what to check out and diagnose. Thanks again for the video and the info it contains.

Hi brianallison. Good luck with your repair. Take your time. Don’t force anything. These things are not built heavy duty. Their is a lot of sharp edges so be careful. Let me know how you make out. Thanks. Roger

Hi there. From what I read 1/2” is 12.7 mm. So they are very close. Could be a few factors. The nut may be 13 mm or the wrench may be off a hair. Most of us working on equipment have both metric and imperial sized tools. You never know what your going to run into. Improper valve clearance can cause problems as you know. It’s a good place to start when doing diagnostics. I’m glad it solved your problem. Thanks watching and posting. Roger.

Hi Joelmb. You got me thinking. It’s been a while since I did the video. I went back to the engine parts list. It shows one seal on the intake valve. Just to be safe if your doing work on your engine double check your set up. I’m thinking a seal on the exhaust valve wouldn’t last long. Also, on the intake, oil is drawn into the combustion chamber as there is vacuum. That’s why they have a seal there to control the amount of oil on the the valve stem. On the exhaust you need lubrication also. From what I’ve read there’s a little bit of pressure so it’s not a problem with oil getting into the combustion chamber on the exhaust side. I pretty sure the engines have to meet emissions standards at the time of manufacture. The engine has been designed to pass emissions without a seal on the exhaust side. Whew. It’s a topic in itself. Thanks for watching and posting. Roger

If you install old seal on exhaust you must remove the rubber seal and it’s ok then to keep guide from moving up

@e.tylerwright3483. Sounds like you enjoyed the video. I hope it was helpful. Thanks for such a positive post. Roger

Hi 5145. It’s been a while since I did the video. When I watch it I’m pretty sure the engine was cold or hadn’t been run. My arm is very close to the exhaust manifold. If it was hot I would been much farther away. Also when removing the spark plugs I am handling them without gloves so they were cool to the touch also. I don’t think it matters if it is hot or cold if you are doing a basic maintenance check. If you are having problems I would do both hot and cold to help narrow down a problem. If you check the compression and keep notes it would make sense to always check under the same conditions so the multiple results would indicate any changes. If your having trouble starting a cold engine then it would makes sense to check the compression when it’s cold. Hopefully this helps. Thanks for watching and posting. Roger

Hi @oodeeps. I just lapped them. They were in good condition. Thanks for posting. Roger

Hi @menortheledge. Originally the plan was to video replacing the valve stem seals the solve the smoking problem. When doing that didn’t fix the problem I started looking at other utube videos to learn how to do the ring replacement. There is a lot of good videos out there already. I felt that I couldn’t do a better video. I’m not a professional engine rebuilder and didn’t want to give bad advice by accident. However what I did was to take some video on what I was comfortable talking about. I hope this answers your question. Thanks for watching and posting. Roger

Hi RussellBooth. Sounds like you have done a thorough job. Once you open up the engine it makes sense to replace the additional parts that are ready to be swapped out. The nice thing about these engines is they are easy to work on. They seem to have fewer parts and a simple design which has been around for a while. I have the same size engine in my pressure washer. I bet your Dad is happy to have the repair done so he doesn’t have to go and get a new mower. I hope the video gave you some direction and confidence to tackle the repair. I can see you did your homework regarding parts and specifications. Nice job. Thanks for checking out the video and posting. Roger