Small Engines (Lawn Mowers, etc.): 10 hp Tecumseh engine on a coleman generator, volt outlets, coleman generator

Question
My generator is only 4 years old and I use it very little.  The first two years the generator ran flawlessly.  The last two years, the engine has not been running very smoothly.  I have to put the chock on half way for the engine to run fairly smooth.  If the choke is wide open, it will sputter and spit fire about 6" to 8" out of the muffler.  We use the generator to run the lights on out barn because we have no electric at that location.  We are nervous about having the flame thrower around the hay.  Any suggestions?


Model from Internet site -

Coleman - Maxa 5000 ER+ W/ Portability Kit


Control panel with four 120 volt outlets, one 120/240 volt twistlock outlet
• Cast iron sleeve on engine provides extra protection
• Patented CordKeeper™ keeps cord plugged into outlet
• Comes complete with wheel and handle kit
 
 U.S. MODEL NO. PM0525312.17   
 CANADIAN MODEL NO. Not Available   
 MEXICAN MODEL NO. MPM0525312.17   
 MAX WATTS 6250   
 RUN WATTS 5000   
 VOLTAGE 120 / 240   
 FREQUENCY 60 Hertz   
 ENGINE 10-HP Tecumseh   
 FUEL TANK 5 Gallons   
 RUN TIME @ 50% LOAD 6 Hours   
 PORTABILITY KIT Included   
 SPARK ARRESTOR PA0659342  

 ELECTRIC START No   
 IDLE CONTROL No   
 AUTO VOLTAGE REGULATION No   
 LOW OIL ALERT Yes  
 WEIGHT 147 lbs.   
 LIMITED WARRANTY 1 Year  

Answer
Tecumseh carburetors are very sensitive; they either run great or run very poorly.

Most likely, as with almost all Tecumseh carbs, there is some small debris in the carburetor affecting it's operation.

You can try removing the float bowl nut on the bottom of the carb and cleaning/drainging the carb float bowl.  The nut will have a hole or two in it, make sure they are clean.

Generators in general have even more sensitive carbs since they need to run at 3600 rpm to maintain the correct power frequency.  If draining/cleaning the float bowl does not correct the problem then the next step is to remove, disassemble and clean the carb.

It's also important to check the engine RPM with an accurate tachometer to ensure the governor is set at 3600 RPM.  If the engine speed is not properly set the engine will run unevenly.

Try draining/cleaning the bowl nut and let me know if the engine runs any better.
Eric