Adding separate fuel tank for onan microlite genrator

[completelyhis]

I believe that the carburetor went bad on my generator and I blame ethanol in the gas. If this is true, my solution to keep this from happening again is to install a separate gas tank (currently integrated into primary gas tank, and can’t afford to run zero ethanol for van engine). Two questions:

1. Opinions on my theory/solution?
2. How big of a gas tank should I get? (Suggestions/links appreciated).

Thanks!


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[highdesertranger]

ethanol does NOT ruin the carb. it might plug it up and you might have to pull it off to clean it but it will not ruin it.

do you leave it sit for long periods without running it? this is a sure fire way to plug up the carb. I run Sea Foam in my small engines that don't get run often. it has worked so far.

gas goes bed if it has ethanol in it or not. your best bet is to exercise the generator for at least a couple hours a month.

highdesertranger

 

[user 2252]

Yup, the thing to remember is that Ethanol contains alcohol, and when rubber parts soak in the alcohol for long periods of time, the integrity of the rubber part becomes compromised and can't do its job. That's not the only material that's affected by alcohol but I'm not an expert in ethanol, straight up for me, but hard to find throughout the USA. That's not to say you can't burn it as you travel from point to point because you are using it up and it doesn't stay in the tank very long. Havasu City (I love that place!) has non-ethanol fuel in town by the water. It can be quite frustrating chasing down good fuel. Don't let it eat you. there are additives to offset the alcohol if you want, just be aware gas line antifreeze contains alcohol.

 

[Trebor English]

There are countless threads and posts about carrying propane in, on, under, and behind a van.  Gasoline containers are not pressurized so they must be vented to the atmosphere.  As bad as sealed propane is, open vented gasoline must cause much more fear.  

Adding a second tank is definitely possible.  Having that capacity available to the generator and the van as well as separate would be handy.  

Tanks aside, you can set up the generator for storage and not use it.  Then when you need it, turn on a fuel valve and use it normally.  Then when you aren't running it at least weekly, put it back in a mothball mode.  Turn off the gasoline supply.  Drain the fuel lines and carburetor.  Change the oil and filter if needed.  This is is necessary for ethanol free gasoline as well as gasoline with ethanol.  

Sta-bil and SeaFoam can extend the unused time.  Draining the fuel system actually removes the problem.  The problem is that the hydrocarbons that the gasoline is made of react with oxygen.  The result is like what you get when varnish dries.  They even call it varnish.  The float and float valve get glued in place.