Adjusting Valve Clearance; General - Generac Power Systems 005714-0 Owner's Manual

• Inspect screen and replace if torn, perforated or otherwise
damaged. DO NOT USE a defective screen. If screen is not
damaged, clean it with commercial solvent.
• Replace the spark arrestor and muffler heat shield.
Figure 16 - Spark Arrestor
Heat Shield

3.6 ADJUSTING VALVE CLEARANCE

After the first 50 hours of operation, check the valve clearance
in the engine and adjust if necessary.
Important: If feeling uncomfortable about doing this procedure or
the proper tools are not available, please take the generator to the
nearest service center to have the valve clearance adjusted. This is
a very important step to insure longest life for the engine.
To check valve clearance:
• Make sure the engine is at ambient temperature (60° - 80° F).
• Make sure that the spark plug wire is removed from the spark
plug and out of the way. Remove spark plug.
• Remove the four screws attaching the valve cover.
• Make sure the piston is at Top Dead Center (TDC) of its
compression stroke (both valves closed). To get the piston
at TDC, remove the intake screen at the front of the engine to
gain access to the flywheel nut. Use a large socket and socket
wrench to rotate the nut and hence the engine in a clockwise
direction while watching the piston through the spark plug hole.
The piston should move up and down. The piston is at TDC
when it is up as high as it can go.
• Insert a 0.002 - 0.004 inch (0.05 - 0.1mm) feeler gauge
between the rocker arm and valve stem. Correct clearance is
when a slight drag is felt when sliding the gauge back and forth.
If the clearance is either excessively loose or tight the rocker
arms will need adjusting.
Spark Arrestor
To adjust valve clearance:
• Loosen the rocker jam nut (Figure 17). Use an 10mm allen
wrench to turn the pivot ball stud while checking clearance
between the rocker arm and the valve stem with a feeler gauge.
Correct clearance is 0.002-0.004 inch (0.05-0.1 mm).
The rocker arm jam nut must be held in place as the pivot ball
stud is turned.
Figure 17 - Valve Clearance Adjustment
When valve clearance is correct, hold the pivot ball stud in place
with the allen wrench and tighten the rocker arm jam nut. Tighten
the jam nut to 174 in/lbs. torque. After tightening the jam nut,
recheck valve clearance to make sure it did not change.
• Install new valve cover gasket.
• Re-attach the valve cover.
Start all four screws before tightening or it will not be possible
to get all the screws in place. Make sure the valve cover gasket
is in place. Replace spark plug.
• Re-attach the spark plug wire to the spark plug.

3.7 GENERAL

The generator should be started at least once every seven days
and be allowed to run at least 30 minutes. If this cannot be done
and the unit must be stored for more than 30 days, use the
following information as a guide to prepare it for storage.
NEVER store engine with fuel in tank indoors

or in enclosed, poorly ventilated areas where
fumes may reach an open flame, spark or pilot
light as on a furnace, water heater, clothes dryer
or other gas appliance.
Allow unit to cool entirely before storage.

Maintenance
NOTE:
NOTE:
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