Re: Generator: Genarac GP 5500 Fuel Leak Fixed
I have solved my fuel leak problem. I own a two year old Generac GP 5500 (model 005623-1) that had this problem. It only has about 20 hours run time, but I keep fuel in it year round. I start and run for 30 minutes every 14 days.
Carburetor leaks are caused by a float stuck in the lower position. This can be caused by dirty/old fuel, or Ethanol and water mixing in the fuel. Temporary repairs can be made by lightly taping the carburetor, or by removing and shaking it to free up the float.
Inspection of my float needle showed it to be made of bright aluminum, with a synthetic tip. This needle had corrosion and pitting on it's body, while the synthetic tip had minor wear. It did not have an anodized coating for protection from corrosion. I believe this to be an engineering problem.
Mine has a Huayi Standard of Japan carburetor. Huayi Model #: P27-1, P23 and or P20-1. Not sure which model.
Internal carburetor parts are not available from Huayi or the generator manufacturers. The Huayi design is a clone of certain Honda carburetors, used on some models of GX-240, GX-340 & GX-390 engines. Honda parts or generic equivalents can be used for repairs. See Honda parts manuals for detailed drawings.
I recommend to use Honda Part #16011-ZA0-931 Float Valve, or equivalent, for all repairs to these carburetors. The Honda part is made of synthetic material. The generic parts appear to be made of Aluminum or Zinc with a dull finish. This finish may or may not resist corrosion. All examples came with a spring.
Here is a list of part numbers that are generic equivalents to the Honda part.
Prime Line:7-02343, Rotary:22-10475, Stens:525-554, Oregon:49-997.
I installed the Rotary part in August of 2012, and will keep an eye on it to see if it holds up to the 10% Ethanol fuel. Cannot get pure gas in my area.
I replaced the Solenoid Fuel Valve mounting screws. They were Philips head and I stripped them out. Used hex bolt in 5mm x 12mm, 0.80 thread pitch, grade 8.8. Had to use a thinwall socket to put them in but it works great.
Generator starts with one or two pulls and runs great with the Rotary part.
Found generic air filter that fits. Try Oregon 30-963 Pre-Oiled Foam Air Filter. This replaced the two piece foam filter that came with the generator.
My generator came with a fuel filter. It not listed in the Generac parts list, so I have been testing a KOHLER 25 050 07-S Engine Fuel Filter, 75 Micron. It fits 3/16 and 1/4 ID fuel line.
One last thing, always check back with the Generac website to see if they have revised the parts list or owners manual for your model. When I checked, the parts list went from Revision B (when I purchased it) to Revision D this August. More parts are now available for this 389cc engine.
And yes, this fuel leak problem should be solved by Generac. It's an engineering problem.