Cranks fast but wont start

if it is the float bowl drain leaking, close the drain. If it is the vent, clean float bowl and needle and check level. Next time, drain the fuel out of float bowl after you run it if not planning to run it for 30+ days. That is why they put drains on generator carbs. Modern ethanol turns to gum real quick. Tell you congressman you think ethanol sucks and the new 15% ethanol the farm lobby is trying foist off on us is going to be a disaster for small engine owners.

The float is stuck on the carb flooding the engine and leaking gas out of air filter. Remove the float bowl after the gas is turned of or drained. Thoroughly clean carb And bowl with carb cleaner. Reove the float {very carefully} if it is copper, shake it. If you here fuel in it then it is no good. If not then clean everything and reassemble. If it needs to be replaced, most small engine repair shops will have your parts.

Start by draining the fuel and cleaning the carb. Modern gas goes stale pretty fast and any gas over 90 days old is risky if you don't add a fuel stabilizer. You can remove the air filter and spray carb cleaner into the carb then try and start it. If it starts and runs for a second then the carb is dirty/plugged.

Clean the carb, paying attention to the small holes on the float bowl screw. Good Luck..

Use fresh gas! Dont just pour some on top of the old...Change it out.

Drain the carb bowl (Honda carbs have a drain screw slightly off-center of the bowl bottom).

The Honda EU3000is uses a vaccuum-operated fuel pump and old gas will ruin it also.

Take the fuel supply line off the carb inlet, direct it in a container and spin the engine over. It should pump a stream that is FULL LINE DIAMETER.

If still no start, take it to an AUTHORIZED Honda Power Equipment Dealership.
Find one here.

Hope this helps.

You cleaned the fuel bowl? Was there any dirt, etc, in it? How does the fuel line look? How about the bottom of the fuel tank? How old is the fuel?

From your description, it 'sounds' like a fuel system problem. If it's a Honda EU3000is, it has Electronic Ignition, and electronic ignition usually just goes out all the way, not slowly.

The fuel line is small, and easily obstructed. Does fuel flow when the fuel line is removed from the carburetor? After the generator starts, runs, then dies, remove the float bowl. How much gas is present?

Observe the float. See if it's in good repair.
Check the float needle. See if the rubber (Neoprene) tip is squished, or is still in good shape.
Could be that when gas fills the float bowl, the float raises, then gets stuck in the up position, cutting off the gas flow.

If the fuel filter is good and lines are good then it sounds like the fuel is making its way to the carb built trash is stopping the fuel from getting into the engine in order to run. Clean out the carb bowl and clean out the valve stem. I know on the Honda unit the valve stem is removed with the carb bowl then then with a striaght screw driver you can remove the Body once you drop the bowl down with the stem so to clean out the cyclinderical body. Good luck

Hi,
If this generator has been stored for any length of time with fuel in the carb you probably have a plugged main jet in the carb. As joboo1 says there are a few other things that could cause this behavior, but most often I see dirty carbs, water in the fuel, and plugged/dirty air filters. Get a flashlight and look into the fuel tank thru the filler hole, if you see anything floating in there you've got water in the fuel. Look at the ari cleaner, oil and fuel on the element indicate a dirty carb. Of course check the oil level. Lastly, take the bowl off the bottom of the carb (shut off the fuel valve first), if you see debris in there the carb needs a good cleaning.

Regards,
Carl

You have a simple problem and it has nothing to do with the octane, honda's love better gas, thats all I use in all my equipment and even my 4000 psi pressure washer runs better and cooler with higher more efficient octane, Your problem is in the carb, clean and service it, make sure the air breather is clean (soap and water only if it is a foam unit and do not spray it with any oil) then check for water in the gas by draining the tank into a large clear glass container 1/2 gal at a time. and after all this is done and needs to be done anyway, change the spark plug run the unit and make sure the throttle up solenoid is adjusted properly or even working if this unit is equipped with one. good luck