Outdoor Power Equipment and Small Engines - honda eb5000x starting problem

Will not start today, have had for backup 8 yrs and always crank it quarterly, never a prob until today. when I store it I always turn the fuel off and let it run out, so none left in carb. and then I use sta-bill in fuel tank.
Oil level is full, switch is on, I sprayed carb cleaner in carb, fuel is getting to carb.
I can put gas in foam breather and crank it, it will run as long as I drip gas on the foam breather, but as soon as I quit dripping gas on breather , it will quit and I can not crank.
Help appreciated.

Sounds like the carb is clogged, not letting fuel through a jet. I suggest taking the bowl off and clean it out and spray cleaner through all orifices.

I pulled the bowl off and sprayed all I could get to, ever time I have taken a carb off, I usually screw up something.
What does the switch do on bottom of the bowl, is it somekind of switch that controls gas flow to carb?

That valve could be the problem. It serves two purposes, it shuts the fuel off as soon as the ignition is shut off to prevent backfiring on shutdown. It also prevents the engine from flooding while the unit is being transported. If it is not receiving power with the switch on, the engine will not start.

That valve could be the problem. It serves two purposes, it shuts the fuel off as soon as the ignition is shut off to prevent backfiring on shutdown. It also prevents the engine from flooding while the unit is being transported. If it is not receiving power with the switch on, the engine will not start.
when you say that valve, do you mean the switch attached to the bottom of the carb bowl???

Yes, he's talking about the carb solenoid. If it's not working it will not allow fuel to enter the throat of the carb.

I checked the fuel solenoid, it is good ( put it on another generator and it worked)
I cleaned the carb as best I knew how with carb cleaner.
still will not crank unless I put fuel in air breather sponge and I can continue to run it, as long as I add fuel to the air breather.
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Questions- does the low oil switch control the firing or the fuel supply?-----------
after I crank it by putting fuel in the air breather, it will crank again by the fumes for just a second or to. I turned the switch off and it will not do that , so I have elim the on/off switch, and the fuel solenoid.
May still be the carb, I just dont know much about carb , I blew some compressed air in the fuel intake and also used carb cleaner in every hole I could see.

Make sure your choke is closing all the way/functioning properly.

I checked the fuel solenoid, it is good ( put it on another generator and it worked)
I cleaned the carb as best I knew how with carb cleaner.
still will not crank unless I put fuel in air breather sponge and I can continue to run it, as long as I add fuel to the air breather.
---------
Questions- does the low oil switch control the firing or the fuel supply?-----------
after I crank it by putting fuel in the air breather, it will crank again by the fumes for just a second or to. I turned the switch off and it will not do that , so I have elim the on/off switch, and the fuel solenoid.
May still be the carb, I just dont know much about carb , I blew some compressed air in the fuel intake and also used carb cleaner in every hole I could see.

choke is good,
still looking for answer on Low Oil Switch

choke is good,
still looking for answer on Low Oil Switch

should cut out ignition to the engine

OK , so it back to the fuel supply, will take carb off again and see if I can finds whats got it blocked
Thanks everyone.

Look at the top of the carb for a black plastic part under the idle speed adjustment screw. Remove the adjustment screw and pull the plastic piece out. It has tiny holes in it that often get clogged. The tiny one in the end particularly.

I know it in the carb somewhere, I swapped carb's with my son in laws and now mine fixed!!!!! He has problems now, LOL>
anyway,
I took the black plastic piece out, under the idle adjustment screw , I could not see thru the hole in the end, should I be able to? The other holes were clear. I sprayed carb cleaner in it, and I see it has a small rubber o ring at bottom.

Any other carb ideas!!!! I have sprayed in every hole it has.
Maybe I should swap out the float assemblies??
what do ya think.

thanks,

That's the whole thing... the hole in the end is clogged if you can't see it. It is a tiny hole.

Cheese, I thought I had it whipped, I took a needle and cleaned out the hole, Small hole is an understatement, it is tiny, tiny, tiny. But, it still will NOT Crank. I have worn the o rings out taken it apart so much, got to replace the little o ring at bottom of this plastic part and also the one one bottom of bowl. I sprayed it down with carb cleaner tonight and will get new o rings tomorrow.
Any other suggestions, besides a trip to HONDA!!!!!!

Are there any other tiny holes in the black plastic part besides in the bottom?
What job does the part that fits down it it play, the thing that pulls out when you remove the idle screw?

That's the only tiny hole in the black part. It is a jet...mainly used int he idle circuit if I recall correctly.

anybody got any other suggestions on what part is stopped up?

I'd soak the carb in a bath type cleaner that will reach the interior cavities and passages, or buy another carb.

Fixed it!!!!!!!!!!just dont know which or what was stopped up, re cleaned it, use carb cleaner again ( 5th time) and it works.
Thanks to all who helped , especially the one who sent me a carb diagram and repair manual.
Thanks again to all.