6.5 Harbour freight engine

rlp in Co. · Nov 16, 2021

This is a new engine that I welded up the crankshaft and turned a taper to fit a generator. So, I filled it with oil and gas and it should run, right? Wrong. I got it to run only by shooting gas in the carb. It ran enough to tell that the generator works. I found that there is a air leak designed in the manifold and carb! Why? I plugged up the air hole in the carb and drilled out the main jet. It will now run with the choke closed but it hunts really bad. I guess I'll drill out the main jet some more but I've already went 5 drills larger. I checked the valve clearances and they are good. It's crazy! I can't take it back either!

timcasbolt · Nov 16, 2021

(quoted from post at 17:38:56 11/16/21) This is a new engine that I welded up the crankshaft and turned a taper to fit a generator. So, I filled it with oil and gas and it should run, right? Wrong. I got it to run only by shooting gas in the carb. It ran enough to tell that the generator works. I found that there is a air leak designed in the manifold and carb! Why? I plugged up the air hole in the carb and drilled out the main jet. It will now run with the choke closed but it hunts really bad. I guess I'll drill out the main jet some more but I've already went 5 drills larger. I checked the valve clearances and they are good. It's crazy! I can't take it back either!

he go-kart guys love that engine. Bolt on and go.

jimg.allentown · Nov 16, 2021

Aww, gee. i was thinking of buying one of those to put on a walk behind garden tractor. Now, I am a bit concerned that it might not be such a good idea.

rlp in Co. · Nov 16, 2021

I have a 2.5 HP that ran well for a couple of years But the electronic ignition went bad but a new coil was very cheap from China. only $3! I have a generator with the same engine and the coil went bad on it too, but they stopped selling them from the manufacturer and I had to buy the coil from the internet and it was $18! Both has been running good for many hours on the new coil. I suspect that they made the coils better. I have another 6.5hp on my garden tractor and it was good for a couple of years till last spring when I started it and the engine started hunting really bad. I cleaned the carb but it did no good. I drilled out the main jet one drill size and it ran all last summer but the engine still hunted a little bit but I just put up with it! I think the HP actually closer to 7hp.
If you buy a new engine you can take it back if it doesn't run. I can't take this one back because I modified it, and I wouldn't ask them too either.

Janicholson · Nov 16, 2021

No air leak should be present. If the leaks are built in and obviously intended as connections, they could be for other fittings. plug both and see what happens. Jim

Geo-TH,In · Nov 16, 2021

Check Amazon and Ebay.
I bought an aftermarket carb for
generator $15 and it has a fuel mix screen

Billy Shafer · Nov 16, 2021

Those OSHA EPA carbs. Have caused more problems than anything. I refuse to waste my time on them.

jm. · Nov 16, 2021

Man wish I had known I have a real like new B&S from as generator that has the long tapered shaft. Would have been cheap. Located in Tennessee

Geo-TH,In · Nov 16, 2021

Jerry,
If I ever need anything I think I'll call you. It seems you collect more things than I do.
Hard to believe. Have a great day.

Steve@Advance · Nov 16, 2021

Tell me more about the air leak. That doesn't sound right to have an intentional vacuum leak.

I have had to drill out the main jet to get rid of surging, but not 5 sizes.

Sounds like either there is still a vacuum leak, or at some point there was gas left in the carb and it clogged (even though it was new, it was probably test run, or someone returned it and carefully repacked everything), or the carb is defective.

Have you looked into an Ebay replacement carb?

Being a new engine, look for the unexpected, defects you would normally not see on a proven running engine.

Have you double checked the valve timing?

SVcummins · Nov 16, 2021

Im going to buy one to put on my welder . Im going to modify the coupler instead of the crankshaft. Now I dont know

marloweg · Nov 16, 2021

i have 8 of them engines and all run great

wpc45 · Nov 16, 2021

I assume you removed the emulsion tube and cleaned it as well?

wore out · Nov 16, 2021

I recently looked at some HF engines, and some models have a little miniature charcoal gas vapor emission control canister (like has been used on autos for many years).

Perhaps some parts are somehow missing on yours that vent that system into the engine when it's running?

rlp in Co. · Nov 16, 2021

Hi Steve. Yes I took the engine back apart to see if I goofed on the timing but it's pretty simple; just put the two dots on the cam together with the dots on the crank. Like I said, I checked the valve clearances and they are correct. Intake was 4 thousands and exhaust was 5 thousands which is what I found to be close enough to 4 thousands recommended on the internet. I took the carb back off again for the umteenth time and cleaned it again. I found a little piece of trash in the plastic idle plug so maybe that will fix it . I'm embarrassed that I didn't catch it before. I will try again tomorrow!

rlp in Co. · Nov 16, 2021

I think they are good engines. I think I just got one bad one. They are good at replace ing stuff or giving your money back. I can't take this one back because I modified it.

rlp in Co. · Nov 16, 2021

It was pretty easy to weld about a half inch to the crank and put it into my lathe and turn a 5 degree taper. I think the crank is steel, not cast iron. Getting the length right was the hard part because the old engine was a Briggs and it was a little confusing getting the length so I had to cut a little at a time and then fit it.

rlp in Co. · Nov 17, 2021

I don't think this carb has a remove able emulsion tube. It does have a plastic idle circuit fitting which I found a little dirt in. Maybe I found the problem. We'll see tomorrow.

rlp in Co. · Nov 17, 2021

Thanks. That would have been a lot easier!

SVcummins · Nov 17, 2021

Im thinking of making a new coupler with a smaller bore or making a bushing to weld into the coupler that Will mate with the shaft on the engine. Im looking at the biggest model engine they have. Hopefully you can figure out whats going on with your engine and keep us posted . So its a brand new engine you just modified the crankshaft output?

rlp in Co. · Nov 17, 2021

I might have to buy another carb if I can't figure this one out.

rlp in Co. · Nov 17, 2021

The 13 hp one on my big generator runs good too., but all the circuit breakers went bad, one at a time!

SVcummins · Nov 17, 2021

Thats the only reason why I want to modify the drive coupler or make a new one. Is the 13 horsepower there biggest one ? And the circuit breakers on the generator went bad ?

Geo-TH,In · Nov 17, 2021

Just my experience. California carbs don't have a fuel mix screw.
They are next to impossible to get a small grain of dirt out of jet.
Ones with adj screw, remove screw and puff of air and all is good.
Let us know what you find.

hurleyjd · Nov 17, 2021

You might look into these engines. Looks reasonable to me/
welder engines

timcasbolt · Nov 17, 2021

(quoted from post at 02:19:08 11/17/21) Thats the only reason why I want to modify the drive coupler or make a new one. Is the 13 horsepower there biggest one ? And the circuit breakers on the generator went bad ?

The 13 hp is the second largest one. There is also a 22 hp.

rlp in Co. · Nov 17, 2021

All the breakers went bad, one by one in my harbour freight generator. I replaced two of them with circuit breakers from a truck that I scrapped. I wondered if 12V breakers would work, but they do.
Harbour Freight also has a Vtwin motor. Is that big enough for your welder? Why won't the coupler fit the Vtwin cylinder engine?

rlp in Co. · Nov 17, 2021

That sounds like a good plan. Some couplers can be fit with different size bore between the input and the output. Look at the Surplus Center catolog. You can probably just buy a different half. It might be a little difficult to get the engine mounted at the correct height if It Is different from the original engine.

SVcummins · Nov 18, 2021

I see done pretty bad reviews ? But some people shouldnt
own power tools .

6.5 Harbour freight engine

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