Un-playafy your Honda generator

[Admiral Fukkit]

I was going to publish a detailed video on how to completely un-playafy a Honda EU2000. I've done it this way for over a dozen years and it works extremely well... however, I've decided not to publish it, because usually, water gets in somewhere and it can take me several hours to troubleshoot and get one running again. If someone who doesn't really know their way around a service manual and a DVM tries this, they may never get it running again without paying a shop.
But for those of you who aren't afraid to risk doing a little troubleshooting in exchange for a like-new inside and out Honda, here's the gist of it:
Remove the four philips screws (a big No. 3 size screwdriver is ideal) on each grey end cap, the two philips screws in the handle and the two 10mm bolts at the bottom edge of the red case, on the side away from the starter cord and access hatch. To access the 10mm bolts you first remove the grey plastic trim piece at the lower edge of the unit, by pulling it downward. On the starter cord side, there is a self-tapping philips screw in the recessed area where the starter handle is that also needs to be removed. When you remove the red plastic case half on the starter side, the starter handle will fit through the hole in the case if you turn the handle sideways.
So... with all the plastic off, just spritz the holy hell out of every bit of the generator insides, every possible place, with Simple Green. Lots of it. Then hose it out thoroughly, and after that, blast it thoroughly with a compressed air blowgun.
Do the same with all the plastic case parts. Wash and blow off all the screws too; they will eventually start rusting from playa dirt.
There are little foam gaskets that will probably come out of the perimeter of some of the plastic case parts. No problem, just dunk them in a bucket of soapy water and wring those out too. They will expand and seem too big and long to go back in... just get each end in, then start at the middle and shove them back in. They will compress enough to go back in, just do it evenly.

Before reassembling the plastic case parts, try starting the generator. If it runs, great, put the plastic on and your generator will be fresh as if it had never been to BRC, inside and out!

If it won't start, there's water in somewhere. Take the blow gun and blow out the spark plug area, pull the spark plug wire and blow out the terminal. Blow out every wire connector you see in the unit. Blow the hell out of everything.
If it still won't start, remove the four self-tapping philips screws from the generator front control panel. There is an ignition control module on the back of it, with a rectangular white multi-pin connector. Unplug it and blow it out with the compressed air.
It'll probably run now. if not, there's moisture somewhere, you'll have to find it. But in all likelihood, the places I've described will be the solution.

[Shoeshine]

nice Capt, or should I say Admiral.

Last year I took mine to be serviced by the Honda motorsports shop, but I paid $70 for the privilege. Ill pull my own this year, but might have a few questions.

[GreyCoyote]

My EU2000 just hit the 1000 hour mark, much of which has been logged going to/from, and actually at, BM. Mine runs from the moment we leave Texas, until we return again 17 days later. And then there are the regional burns... These are VERY durable machines if properly maintained, and Da Admiral's cleaning protocol is basically the same one I have always used.

As an aside, I use this disassembly opportunity to inspect and replace the fuel and vent lines. The playa dust and vibration are hard on these. The hose is available by the foot from any lawnmower shop and is cheap. This is also a good time to drain the oil completely, invert the unit, and rinse-out the inevitable fuel tank gunk. (Playa dust forms an amazingly sticky sludge with gasoline). And the sparkplug is a snap to replace at this point too. The whole process takes less than an hour.

[Captain Goddammit]

Actually, while you have it all apart, the fuel tank comes right out.
Its held by a black metal support on each side. They go from the chassis plate to the top where they meet in the middle.
Two screws identical to the case screws remove the starter cord side, allowing better access to clean with the Simple Green and blow all the water out, and the fuel tank then comes right out too.

This clean out will leave your Honda looking like it never went to BRC. Inside your generator is no place to be sentimental about keeping playa dust!
If you haven't got an air compressor, perhaps you should buy one. Bigger is better, but $100-$150 will get you one good enough to do the job, and it really needs to be done.
Compressed air does wonders on playa dust in clothes, tents, couches, everything else too. I bring a compressor to the playa - that's how the Land Yacht always seems relatively clean and the red velour couch is always nice!
Blow guns go through a lot of air. $300 will get you a compressor that spends a lot less time building air pressure back up when you use it a lot.

[tamarakay]

Thank you for this.