TOPIC: 1992 Kawasaki GE4500AS Generator

1992 Kawasaki GE4500AS generator

Generator fuel use before mods:
3 Hours per Gallon with ONE, 100watt bulb test load (obviously not a real world load test, just for reference)
Generator ran 1hr 25 min on about 60oz gas
60oz gas in 85 min
60/85=.70588 OZ per min.
One Gal= 128 OZ
128 x .70588=
128 OZ x 1.416666min=181 minutes per Gal
181 minutes per Gal= 3 hours per GALLON

Exhaust temp 660-680 deg F
Pre groove exhaust temp measurement= jumps around, approximately 675 deg F (laser thermometer)
Increased spark plug gap from .027inch (factory) to .050 with Ron's method of 20% increases
***********DONE: went from .027inch gap to .050
Re-gaping plug made no difference in exhaust temperature

Made first groove 3/16/13
Had to groove the plastic spacer next to carb, throttle plate extends past end of carb.
Cut groove for generator. Filled gouges from bit shaft in with JB Weld, and smoothed out.
Definitely not perfect.
Intake diameter: 1 inch & 30 thousandths. or: 26mm.
Plastic piece is 5/16" thick
Not happy with it, far from perfect, probably need to re-do it.

**************After 3/16 mod:
60 oz of gas again
1hr 35min. Gain of only 10 min

********** IMPROVEMENT: GAIN OF 34 MINUTES PER GALLON
202.6666624 min per gal /60= 3.3777 hrs per gal (about 3hr 34min per gallon)

********** IMPROVEMENT: after groove: Exhaust Temp is 560-600 deg, about a 80 deg drop in temp.
Exhaust still has some gas smell to it, but smell is greatly reduced from before.
I will need to re-cut groove, did not cut following throttle plate, made it perpendicular to direction of airflow.
I cut it wrong, and still got some positive result. Expect better after I re-cut it.

This looks very much like two grooves, Ken (is that you, Ken? Please sign your posts until we change your username.)

The effect of putting two grooves in is the second groove will cut the wave in half, further reducing the gains.

Fill, and recut following the instructions in the Training Manual from March 2013. If you do not have that one, ask through email to Admin at Gadgetman Groove.com and we'll send you one.

Once The Groove is in place, you will be delighted. Just ask Karl Fortner (Gadgetman Tacoma) for any advice. He's done more gensets than anyone in the network.

Great job on the documentation! If more follow your lead, these forums would be MUCH more productive!

Thank you, thank you, THANK YOU!

Ron

i'll toss in 2 cents re: spark plug.

On my gas Craftsman lawnmower w/ a Tecumseh (I think) engine, I replaced the spark plug w/ an E3 plug. This was several yrs ago, before I met Ron and got Groovy.

the E3 plug cured the hard starting on this mower.

I am using Torquemaster non-resistor plugs from Extreme Spark in my Subaru now, and that motor just loves 'em!

Hate to sound like an endorser--but has anyone tried either of these 2 plugs on a small engine?

Tracy G

Sorry Ron,
I am Joe Bryant. I know I'm supposed to sign the posts, but I'm working nights this week, and running on empty. The picture is very poor, sorry for that as well. I need to get more light for pictures.
It is only one groove, it's just hard to see. When I cut it, the spacer was separated from the carb. When I cut it again, I will bolt them together, so I can do it the correct way. I messed this one up like I did on my 04 Corolla (posted in the Personal License Pilot Program section)
I will get it right sooner or later, I still have 2 more cars, and my Harley, to go, after I get these right.

Thanks,
Joe BRYant
K4BRY (my geeky amatuer radio callsign)
Pembroke Pines, FL

Thanks Tracy.
Probably a good idea, but I have never done anything with the spark plug until I just re-gapped it. Never thought about it before, because this thing has always started easily on the first crank. (well, except the two or three times I let the carb get gummed up with ancient gasoline, but that wasn't a plug problem.) I have had this generator since Hurricane Andrew in 1992. Electric start, buy the way.

Joe Bryant