I was given it in about 2017. Got it working, but always had issues getting the rpm right at the 3600rpm listed on the spec panel at the front. But it powered an angle grinder, fan and sounded pretty good.
Think it is dated 2004. One of the first of them, they are the common 2 stroke 63cc yamaha knockoff genset sold under a million different names - tailgator, 909, millers falls, chicago electric, firman, mechpro, blackridge, etc
Anyway, put it away in about 2019 and haven’t looked at it since.
Got it out the other day – even though it was stored bone dry I had to clean the carby again. Runs good now.
Dry storage, no mice damage on anything.
The problem is when I got it out of the shed, it had no power. Tried reverse spinning a drill without success. Then it suddenly came slightly good, but very low voltage. Figured capacitor was shot but new one didn’t fix the problem later on
It was about this point I started thinking how can it spin at 3600rpm when every other regular non inverter genset runs 3000rpm (for 50hz).
Someone at GMC obviously forgot to change the label from 60hz USA in the early models.
With a kilowatt meter, I have 240v at 3000rpm, or 265ish at 3600rpm.
It will run a fan or lightbulb fine, but put a 350w jigsaw on it and it immediately drops voltage down to 115ish, then slowly back up to 210v, then begins dropping down to 120 and back and sometimes drops to practically nil.
It does surge when the power is put on (even though the carby is as clean as a whistle), but even holding it at 3000rpm with the jigsaw running does not yield a constant 240v. The jigsaw never sounds ‘right’ like plugging it into mains, and has very slow starting, even with new capacitor.
Has anyone pulled one of these apart?
My theory is it isn’t surging due to a carby issue, but a diode or something changing the load (and output voltage) and loading and unloading the motor and the governor cant keep up .
I've had this problem when I have cleaned the main jet but have not removed the emulsion tube and cleaned out all the tiny air bleed holes.
One quick way of testing this problem is to run the motor with the choke about 3/4 on. Another way is when the motor surges spray some starter fluid into the carby and see if it runs better with starter fluid.
If the motor runs better with the choke on ,or with starter fluid (doesn't try to stall under load and doesn't hunt) then you know you have a carby problem.
Sometimes you also need to clean the fuel tap out and the carby fuel intake port to the needle port.
Max, this one doesn't seem to have a removable emulsion tube - it is a pressed in design. I put the choke on to 3/4 yesterday and it made no difference to surging under load at 3600rpm. 3000rpm it was fine.
Also changed the fuel tap and new plugs
All irrelevant now as its stuffed. I pulled the generator apart and was shocked 2/3 mounting bolts were barely finger tight. everything checked out internally, so it went back together. I was tightening up the 3 mounting bolts when I heard a slight creak (barely more than finger tight) then the next one (admittedly tighter but I was not swinging off the ratchet) went bang and cracked the entire mounting. Turns out the 2 that were finger tight both cracked when tightened. so there obviously was micro fracturing.
it is basically pot metal - absolute chicken **** stuff.
I thought if I am going to bother welding or JB welding the cracks I am going to make sure it works. So using some spare nuts and wire, I utilised the head bolts to torque down the mounting screws. Back together and it did the same thing. Voltage drops, cuts in and out. No surging though at 3000rpm
They must be the cheapest made Generator Tyler ,I have 3 that I was given ,one looked brand new ,it was hard to start and the starter rope broke so was thrown out ,It's good for making toast in the morning if the power is out.
I remember shops selling them new for $40 to $50 other shops were about $100.
At Swap meets I'd see them second hand for $10 to $40.
Even Today you can still buy them new in China for about $50.
He also has a Homelite John Deere trimmer with a delivery docket dated 2001. Asked the guy how much it was, wouldn't come up on register, but eventually worked out it was in system for $279!
He said he would ring the boss, who said make an offer. I said since its been sitting in there for 20 years, will need fuel lines at minimum, possibly crank seals, I said I will match what a new homelite goes for - $89 (was feeling generous that day).
Nup, won't take under $129. Said see you in ten years.
After the storekeeper hung up he told me the last guy who asked 5 years ago was told by the boss the lowest price would be $219, and the customer told the boss to GGF'd haha
To be fair, they're no doubt better machines than the currentv equivalents and probably worth his asking price even with the new hoses required. They have a warranty as well.
Ahh, if only victa had kept producing the thumblatch catcher series, they would be in better shape today!
It was one of the John Deere ones MF, first of a long downhill spiral. It was the first of the ryobi shared engines. Previously, homelite used a motor shared with black and decker - the original 'whipper snipper'. good engine in all regards in my book
If it was a sx135 Bandit (the previous model) I would have paid the $129. I have both already - a basically NOS Sx135 Bandit from the mid 90s (still has the original $219 docket on it) and a 2002 model that is in good nick.
The 90s one is superior. As soon as ryobi got involved with model sharing, the motors went down hill in my opinion.
No warranty offered as too old and considered new old stock sold on clearance. Not sure what accc would think of that, nor the selling of the aforementioned illegal 2 stroke gen sets (don't meet emission standards)
