[SMCARA] Field Day Follies

[Tom]

Well, Lads and Lassies, today was almost exciting!  I drove to the base 
and picked up the generator and brought it home for a test run.

After dusting off the cobwebs and critter deposits, I topped up the oil 
and filled the tank with fresh petrol. It had been drained after the 
last use which was 2-3 years ago. Sta-bil works great 1 Right?

A few quick pulls...and then some more.....and more.  DARN! (or words to 
that effect!). OK, we have gas, so lets see if we have spark.  A quick 
shot of ether (starting fluid) into the carb and she lit right off- for 
about 3 seconds! Spark is OK.

OK, lets trace it out; fuel in the tank-ok, fuel in the fuel line-ok, 
fuel in the carburetor bowl-ok. AHA! no fuel in the throat of the carb! 
Let's pull the carb and put it on the bench.

Long story, longer, after field stripping the carb and I discovered the 
main jet was clogged with gooey brown stuff! Now I know you folks who 
are clever with small engines are guffawing right now! 2-3 year old gas, 
not completely out of the carb = varnish clogged jets, what did you 
expect there W4OKW??

Put it all back together and it fired up with ONE pull of the starter!

Lessons Learned:
1.  Use STA-BIL, but don't expect it to work on really old gas.
2.  Before you put it up for the winter, drain the gas and run it until 
it dies of fuel starvation. That should get the gooey stuff out of the jets.
3.  Rebuilding/cleaning a card is dirty, stinky work.

Have a great time at FD2016!

73 Tom/W4OKW