Generator Only Runs at Half Choke

[locke_n_load]

Bought a 3200/4000 Watt Generator from Harbor Freight in May, Item # 69728. I am still on the original tank of gas (which has fuel stabilizer in it) and I run it every 1-2 months for 30 minutes just to keep things clean. I also always turn the fuel to off and run it till it dies. I have not had a problem with it till yesterday - if I tried to move it from about half choke to run (no choke), it would start to sputter like it's running out of gas. I have a hard time believing that the carb could be dirty after using it for 7-8 months with stabilizer in it. What else could it be? I have contacted HF to see what I can try. Youtube video here: https://youtu.be/23MhHaX1gaA

Update:

So order of events:
Got it warmed up
Removed air filter
Shot carb cleaner in intake - no white smoke - gave it several good bursts just for good measure though
Ensured all accessible carb bolts were tight
Drained gas
Replaced with new gas
Ran again
Ran without gas cap
Removed spark plug - immaculate
Reinstalled plug
Ran again
adjusted idle screw
put idle screw back into original location

Nothin. Still only runs at half choke, and dies when I load it with the same tools (near max capacity) as when I first bought it. Would still probably work for my fridge and 6,000 btu a/c, but won't run full load, which really bothers me. I guess I could try some seafoam.
Or the only other thing would be to rebuild the carb, but with only 8-10 hours on it, gas always had stabilizer, gas always ran out of carb, I just find a dirty carb hard to be the culprit, but I can't imagine what else it would be.

ETA: no fuel filter, just a screen at the top of the gas tank.

[Pawpaw]

The gasoline you buy at the pump contains ethanol which is notorious for gumming up small engines when they sit.

Go buy some Sea Foam. Add it to the gas tank and let it run for a good long time.

Sea Foam contains acetone, so don't get it on any painted surface.

[E.Marquez]

carb pilot circuit is blocked...VERy common. Pump gas, stabilizer of not is good for about 3 months.
I run a fleet of 92 single cylinder motorcycles, used/stored/ used weekly (or not in slow season) plus 40 + years of small engine powered at the shop, home and Army..........
If you're not going to use the item monthly (better part of 1/2 tank of gas at least) your best bet is to drain the tank..fog the tank if it's steel...and keep gas fresh in a can....rotate the gas in the can to a car, motorcycle, lawn equipment once a month even if it's just to use it up and get 5 gal of fresh "stand by" gas

[rtschl]

Here are a couple of sites that show where you can buy ethanol free gasoline. Information is populated by user input:

http://www.pure-gas.org

http://www.buyrealgas.com

[Abraham]

I had the very same thing happen in my generator.

I ran fresh with Seafoam in it and after approximately 2/3 hours of running at half choke, I was able to run it with the choke pushed in all the way.

Seafoam as PawPaw noted is great stuff.

[Lynyrd]

I agree that ethanol is the problem. It's hard to find ethanol free fuel, so I only buy premium gas for my small engines. It still has some ethanol, but not as much.

[locke_n_load]

I had the very same thing happen in my generator.

I ran fresh with Seafoam in it and after approximately 2/3 hours of running at half choke, I was able to run it with the choke pushed in all the way.

Seafoam as PawPaw noted is great stuff.

Yeah I was going to try seafoam for a couple hours tonight, I have already drained gas and put a fresh half gallon in. Was thinking half can of seafoam with about 1 gallon of gas.
You run for two to three hours or 2/3 (40 minutes)?

I may just run it way more often to avoid buildup, HF's "3 months" may be a little long for today's crappy gasoline.

[Pawpaw]

I had the very same thing happen in my generator.

I ran fresh with Seafoam in it and after approximately 2/3 hours of running at half choke, I was able to run it with the choke pushed in all the way.

Seafoam as PawPaw noted is great stuff.

Yeah I was going to try seafoam for a couple hours tonight, I have already drained gas and put a fresh half gallon in. Was thinking half can of seafoam with about 1 gallon of gas.
You run for two to three hours or 2/3 (40 minutes)?

I may just run it way more often to avoid buildup, HF's "3 months" may be a little long for today's crappy gasoline.

Half a can to a half gallon is way too much and might destroy gaskets and seals.

Check out the FAQ here. I wouldn't start with more than 2oz. in 1/2 gallon.

[Abraham]

Run the recommended ratio of Seafoam and I ran mine for 2 maybe 3 hours before I was finally able to push the choke in.

I tried to very slowly push the choke in every 15 minutes of running until, voila, it was back to it's old self.

Good luck!

[locke_n_load]

I took the fuel bowl off and the main jet out, but it was clean.
Took out the pilot jet, cleaned that orifice (tiny hole!) and couldn't tell if it was blocked or not. Did notice that the o-ring on the lower part of the pilot jet housing was pretty much done, but I didn't have a replacement.
Put it all back together and ran like it should.

Guessing there was a tiny blockage in the pilot jet. Gonna run some seafoam through just for good measure, but everything looked pretty clean.

This helped a lot, as well as a video on youtube for my specific generator engine and enlarging the jets.

[Surgeon]

Just an FYI: Aviation fuel is (100 LL) is ethanol free. Its expensive compared to auto fuels. Upwards of $3.50/gal but since you're only buying a few gallons...what the heck?
Also its a handy little tip to know if you're ever strapped for fuel, like during a hurricane and live near a small community airport.

[rotor]

Just an FYI: Aviation fuel is (100 LL) is ethanol free. Its expensive compared to auto fuels. Upwards of $3.50/gal but since you're only buying a few gallons...what the heck?
Also its a handy little tip to know if you're ever strapped for fuel, like during a hurricane and live near a small community airport.

Do you think that running leaded gas can cause a problem?

[Surgeon]

I think its the ethanol additive. So, no. I ran leaded AV Gas in my generator after Hurricane Ike hit us. No catalytic converter so no problems. Even filled my truck up with.

[mojohn]

I always turn off the fuel supply and let 'er run out of gas. YMMV

[The Annoyed Man]

Just an FYI: Aviation fuel is (100 LL) is ethanol free. Its expensive compared to auto fuels. Upwards of $3.50/gal but since you're only buying a few gallons...what the heck?
Also its a handy little tip to know if you're ever strapped for fuel, like during a hurricane and live near a small community airport.

Do you think that running leaded gas can cause a problem?

Problems with the EPA maybe , but I don't think leaded fuel will hurt most engines. However, it WILL hurt a catalytic converter, so if your generator has one, then yes, leaded fuel should be avoided. (INFO) But I am completely unaware if most smaller engines, generators included, are designed with a catalytic converter in the exhaust system these days .....although I would suspect they aren't, because they are very expensive parts.

[sidebar]
I can't speak to motorcycle engines these days as I haven't had one for a couple of decades now, but bikes back in the 90s could easily run on leaded fuel if you could find it. In fact, they seemed to prefer it, as they tend to have higher compression ratios than 4 wheeled vehicles have. We frequently used leaded aviation gas when running races at Willow Springs, and we used NASCAR leaded gas when running races at Riverside Raceway. The two gas stations located at the foot of the Angeles Crest Highway in La Cañada California both sold leaded gas, the primary customers being motorcyclists who were headed up the Crest for a day's ride for years after unleaded fuels became mandated.
[/sidebar]

In any case, leaded gas, if you can find it, probably won't hurt any small, non-automotive, internal combustion engine. But all of that said, Leviathan is trying to control all of that too:

• http://bordercenter.org/chem/smallengines.htm
• EPA regs for small engines