I bought a generator a year ago. I have not had to use it since. Good
hing!!! Anyway, I have taken it out of the box but have never started it or
enen put the oil in it. Does it do any damage to the generator just sitting
in the garage with no oil, no gas not being used? basically, it is as it
came in the box. Any comments would be appreciated.

Thanks, John

John W wrote:
I bought a generator a year ago. I have not had to use it since. Good
hing!!! Anyway, I have taken it out of the box but have never started
it or enen put the oil in it. Does it do any damage to the generator
just sitting in the garage with no oil, no gas not being used?
basically, it is as it came in the box. Any comments would be
appreciated.

Think of it as a standard motor. Does it have fuel? Does it have ignition?

What would you do if your lawnmower didn't start?

It might be nice to actually KNOW it works before it's 400 below zero and
the power goes out.

--
Steve Barker




"John W" wrote in message
...
I bought a generator a year ago. I have not had to use it since. Good
hing!!! Anyway, I have taken it out of the box but have never started it or
enen put the oil in it. Does it do any damage to the generator just sitting
in the garage with no oil, no gas not being used? basically, it is as it
came in the box. Any comments would be appreciated.

Thanks, John

On Mar 3, 9:15 am, "John W" wrote:
I bought a generator a year ago. I have not had to use it since. Good
hing!!! Anyway, I have taken it out of the box but have never started it or
enen put the oil in it. Does it do any damage to the generator just sitting
in the garage with no oil, no gas not being used? basically, it is as it
came in the box. Any comments would be appreciated.

Thanks, John

The manufacturers store it that way in storage for years and so can
you. One problem I have seen with engines that just sit is rodents.
One more than one occasion mice have moved inside a small motor that
was in long term storage. That's the only problem I know of.

However, I agree with that other guy. It would be nice to know it
will run in advance of an actual emergency. An additive can be added
to the gas if long term storage is expected.

The manufacturers store it that way in storage for years and so can
you.

I don't see a problem with long-term storage like this, unless it's
humid and the rings rust in the bore (the bearings should have been
factory-installed with a grease-like lubricant). You can help protect
the rings by removing the spark plug and spraying some WD-40 in there
every year. Then with the spark plug still out, bump the starter for
half a second or give the cord one pull.

But, I'd rather run it and know that it works. I highly recommend the
use of Sta-Bil. There are two schools of thought for small engine
storage: let it run out of gas, or, keep the tank topped off. The guys
who recommend leaving it topped off do it so moisture can't condense
in the fuel tank. The guys who recommend running it dry do it so that
there's no fuel to evaporate and turn to sludge. Shouldn't really
matter much if you use Sta-Bil.

On Mar 3, 10:57 am, "Lawrence" wrote:
One problem I have seen with engines that just sit is rodents.
On more than one occasion mice have moved inside a small motor
that was in long term storage. That's the only problem I know of.

I started mine up after it sat for 3 months. Blew a big snake skin
out the bottom. Guess it was after the rodents, huh?

Should be just fine. Might need some oil in the cylinder, though.

--

Christopher A. Young
You can't shout down a troll.
You have to starve them.
..

"John W" wrote in message
...
: I bought a generator a year ago. I have not had to use it
since. Good
: hing!!! Anyway, I have taken it out of the box but have never
started it or
: enen put the oil in it. Does it do any damage to the generator
just sitting
: in the garage with no oil, no gas not being used? basically, it
is as it
: came in the box. Any comments would be appreciated.
:
: Thanks, John
:
:

He didn't say if it started or not, just asked if it was damaged.

--

Christopher A. Young
You can't shout down a troll.
You have to starve them.
..

"HeyBub" wrote in message
...
: John W wrote:
: I bought a generator a year ago. I have not had to use it
since. Good
: hing!!! Anyway, I have taken it out of the box but have never
started
: it or enen put the oil in it. Does it do any damage to the
generator
: just sitting in the garage with no oil, no gas not being
used?
: basically, it is as it came in the box. Any comments would be
: appreciated.
:
: Think of it as a standard motor. Does it have fuel? Does it
have ignition?
:
: What would you do if your lawnmower didn't start?
:
:

Stormin Mormon wrote:
He didn't say if it started or not, just asked if it was damaged.


You're right. My bad.

Get with it, man! This is Usenet! No one apologizes, here! I'll
supply some sample text so you can do better.

Incidentally, you're one of the few people who can puctuate that
word correctly. Not many pe'ple c'n use an ap'stroph' corr'ctly.

--

Christopher A. Young
You can't shout down a troll.
You have to starve them.
..

"HeyBub" wrote in message
...
: Stormin Mormon wrote:
: He didn't say if it started or not, just asked if it was
damaged.
:
:
: You're right. My bad.
[blow it out your ear, you top posting friek!]
:
:

On Mar 3, 8:15 am, "John W" wrote:
I bought a generator a year ago. I have not had to use it since. Good
hing!!! Anyway, I have taken it out of the box but have never started it or
enen put the oil in it. Does it do any damage to the generator just sitting
in the garage with no oil, no gas not being used? basically, it is as it
came in the box. Any comments would be appreciated.

Thanks, John

You didn't say whether you want to start it up or continue storing
it.

If you want to continue storing it, I would put it back in the box and
buy some of those Silica Gel Desiccant Storage Packs and put in there
too for the moisture. I bought some on eBay awhile back. I also, put a
box of fabric softener sheets in, in what might be a feeble attempt to
keep away the mice. Mice can be a big problem if they eat the motor
windings, etc. I have heard something about generators becoming
demagnetized over long periods of time, but I doubt if that's a
serious problem.

Once you put oil and gas in the generator, you're permanently married
to it. That means that you will have to follow certain proceedures for
storage and keeping the gas fresh, etc.