Small Engine issue.

[Mark42]

My Coleman generator is 5000 watt (6250 max), with a 10 hp B&S Powermate motor. It looks like the typical generator in a square tube frame with 5 gallon flat fuel tank on top and two wheels on the bottom.

It also had a "quiet" muffler. This is a muffler that is slightly larger than the hockey puck sized muffler used on 3 hp motors. Far from quiet.

So I replaced it with a B&S Industrial muffler. Its about 10" long in the muffler body, by 4-5" in diameter. With the end pipe threads, its about 14" long overall. This is a great muffler, and really cut the exhaust sound.

Anyway, the sound is not the issue.

The issue is that after installing the big muffler, it ends up about 2 inches away from and in parallel to the fuel line. After 12 years of use, the fuel hose has hardened and cracked. and gas poured all over the garage floor. Not good. The crack was right near a fitting, so about 1" was cut off the hose and that fixed the problem for the time being.

I came up with these long term solutions; 1) replace most of the rubber hose with copper fuel line. It will never have a heat issue. 2) replace the rubber hose with fresh rubber hose and put a length of aluminum flashing between the muffler and hose to act as a heat shield. 3) replace the hose with new hose and worry about it again in 12 years.

Of course, I am not 100% sure the heat caused the hose to harden and crack. The hose could have hardened just from age. Don't know.

Just replace the hose and let it last another 12 years, or upgrade to copper or fabricate a heat shield and hope I die of old age before it needs maintenance again? What do you think?

 

[Bondo]

Re: Small Engine issue.

Ayuh,... I think I'd go with new rubber hose, 'n heatshield,...
A copper line could overheat the fuel, causing vapor locking...

 

[robert graham]

Re: Small Engine issue.

My 2nd on new rubber hose and a metal heatshield sorta like the ones on your car's mufflers and catalytic converters. A section of 1/8" aluminum plate could be cut and bent into position, use some stainless steel tie-wraps to hold it in place. Not good to operate that engine in any kind of enclosed garage area, gasoline fumes and carbon monoxide! Good Luck!

 

[MTboatguy]

Re: Small Engine issue.

I would replace it with braided fuel line, the kind covered with steel braid, I have used that in the past on cars and it worked out quite well.

 

[Mark42]

Re: Small Engine issue.

My 2nd on new rubber hose and a metal heatshield sorta like the ones on your car's mufflers and catalytic converters. A section of 1/8" aluminum plate could be cut and bent into position, use some stainless steel tie-wraps to hold it in place. Not good to operate that engine in any kind of enclosed garage area, gasoline fumes and carbon monoxide! Good Luck!

It looks like it would easy to fit a piece of flashing between the muffler and hose and attach with a few sheet metal screws to frame above. Will probably be fine like that.

BTW, The generator is not run in the garage, other to get started. Then its wheeled outside and the garage door closed.

The steel braided hose sounds nice. I wonder if its available in 1/4" at the auto parts store by the foot?

 

[Tim Frank]

Re: Small Engine issue.

http://www.jegs.com/c/Fuel-Carbs-Intakes_Fuel-Fittings-Hose-Fuel-Lines/10019/10002/-1

 

[dingbat]

Re: Small Engine issue.

Fuel lines are only guaranteed by the manufacturer for 3 years and have a useful life expectancy of 6-7 years. Change them are regular intervals and don't look back.

Fuel hoses are typically rated 250 - 300 degrees F. With fuel running thru them, your hoses didn't get anywhere close to that temperature.

 

[Lone Duck]

Re: Small Engine issue.

ayuh,... I think i'd go with new rubber hose, 'n heatshield,...
A copper line could overheat the fuel, causing vapor locking...

yup !!

 

[j_martin]

Re: Small Engine issue.

I'd just replace the rubber line, and wrap some tin-foil around it. That'll reflect most of the radiant heat off the muffler that might be a problem.

If it needs fastening, duct tape of course.

 

[Lone Duck]

Re: Small Engine issue.

I'd just replace the rubber line, and wrap some tin-foil around it. That'll reflect most of the radiant heat off the muffler that might be a problem.

If it needs fastening, duct tape of course.

NO!!! Not duct tape. Use the silver sticky tape they use on furnace ducts. The grey tape they call duct tape is not proper, it will dry out and burn.

 

[MTboatguy]

Re: Small Engine issue.

Big difference between "Duck" Tape and "Duct" Tape..

 

[j_martin]

Re: Small Engine issue.

I was kidding

The tin foil will stay put by itself.

 

[i386]

Re: Small Engine issue.

I think you can get silicone fuel line now which should also be heat resistant since they make oven ware, pot holders, oven mits, etc... out of the stuff.

 

[generator12]

Re: Small Engine issue.

I agree with the suggestions to replace the line with something flexible and shield it from the heat. I don't like copper or any other rigid tubing on vibrating machinery, where it can work-harden and crack, or leak at the fittings.

 

[bowman316]

Re: Small Engine issue.

do you use the generator a lot?
is it like a generator you use on a construction site?
or just one for power outages?

 

[Mark42]

Re: Small Engine issue.

do you use the generator a lot?
is it like a generator you use on a construction site?
or just one for power outages?

Its used for power outages at my home. It gets used a few times through the year, usually in crappy weather for 3-20 hours straight, depending on the severity of the storm.

It's wired in to run the entire house. That means turning off lights and appliances when leaving a room. 5000 watts will run the oil furnace, the refrigerator, deep freeze, well, and a few lights, clothes washer (but not dryer), TV, pc's, flood lights, etc. If cooking needs the electric stove, usually one or two small burners can be run if enough other things are shut off.

Seeing as almost all the indoor and outdoor lighting has been switched over to CFL's, it has freed up quite a few watts for other applications, like micro wave and the like.

The convenience of having the whole house on is great. The draw back is I have to check periodically to see if the power has been restored. The generator is tied in via a 240 breaker in the main circuit panel. Have to turn off the mains, then turn on the 240 breaker (and also another 240 switch in the garage as an extra safety). A bit of a manual process, but it works for me. One of these days I'm going to pull the power meter and install a buzzer between it and the main panel so I know when the power comes on.

 

[MTboatguy]

Re: Small Engine issue.

Mark,

I spent a few bucks and installed an automatic switch over system that i can plug the generator into that will run key areas of the house during a power outage, but will not feed back into the lines while they are working on getting the power restored, works out great, during the winter, I keep the generator in an enclosed area with it plugged in, so when the power goes out, all I have to do is start it and we are up and running again.

Here in MT, if you don't have a feedback system, they can put your rear in Jail for exposing the workmen to electrical hazards..

 

[speedwrench]

Re: Small Engine issue.

May not be all heat related. The ethanol in the gas now attacks some of the older rubber parts.

Needs to be away from the heat in any case. Replace the lines and reroute away from the heat or fab a heat shield

Dave