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Honda EU7000is Rust Issue

3876 Views 85 Replies 17 Participants Last post by  Colt Carson
As a matter of background, I had my previous EU7000 for about 3 1/2 years and decided to sell it to upgrade to the current version with Bluetooth, etc. My previous unit was in pristine shape and no rust whatsoever and always kept in garage. I've had my current unit for just over 7 months. My neighbor also has the newer version, same unit but purchased about 1 year ago. When my neighbor asked for help with her unit, I also helped fill the gas tank. When removing the gas cap, there was a lot of rust on the fuel tank's rim where the cap connects. I thought that was very unusual for a relatively new unit and one kept in her garage. Also disappointed as I recommended the Honda unit to her. Then due to the recent storm, I too added a few ounces of fuel to the top-off level recommended in manual and noted the beginning of pitting (the beginning of rust) in the identical location of my neighbor's unit - the pitting/rust is under where the gas cap gasket seats to the fuel tank. Cap appears to seat firmly and snug in place so I don't think it's a bad gasket. My unit is also stored in the garage and partially air conditioned from house. I am totally perplexed as my previous unit didn't have any rust at all, was stored in identical location and have always used the suggested E0 fuel. Are there others that have the new version Honda EU7000is for over 7 months that have the same rust problem beginning? I'll get a photo of my neighbor's unit that will show terrible rust while mine appears to just be starting. I did coat the area with motor oil to hopefully slow down the rust.

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You just have to ask yourself if the cost savings of ethanol gas is worth the risk of having a problem when you need it. Seems like it doesn’t take much for a carburetor to fail you. Also consider this… non-ethanol gas has more BTU energy than ethanol gas. So technically your generator engine (running non-ethanol gas) would produce maximum power with better fuel economy.
True enough. My Harley gets a few more miles per gallon when running non-E gas…👍
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it takes 2x the fuel when on full moonshine.

if the purity was at 100% on the ethanol it would be good for fuel...
the ppm sulfuric acid left over from the mash in prosses is the issue..
nasty stuff.
hard to distill it all out in one shot of distillation.
I am going back to the original question concerning the rust on the newest purchased Honda. It shouldn’t happen or be a problem with a high end generator like his new Honda or his neighbors Honda. If his older Honda didn’t have the rust problem after 3 1/2 years of use, the new one shouldn’t rust either. It looks like Honda has made some manufacturing decisions that have affected their overall quality. My older Honda generators show no rust in the fuel cap area, and I live where everything rusts from the high humidity.
EBJ, I agree with you and staying on subject. All storage factors of the previous generator used for 3 1/2 years and the new gen for 7 months were the same; location, E0 fuel, etc. So I can't logically determine the source of the issue except the metal used in the unit vs the older unit. I continue to believe the metal, especially after viewing my neighbor's new unit of 16 months (picture below). I wonder what the cost would be to replace tank if the problem gets to the point of my neighbor's rusty fuel neck that I believe is gross for a Honda, no less the EU7000is.
There are a number of them, using YT search box, easy to find and concatenate the phrase .... taryl fixes all

The key finding was that ethanol free fuel works, all by itself. Here is the bowl drop of sta-bil with corrosion/gel

I did see Taryl's 13 month test and I believe it says it all; none of those additives (snake oil) worked better than just E10 regular gas. And I just purchased 4 large bottles of Sta-Bil that I'll use up instead of throwing away and never use any more additives in the future. I think Pipe mentioned YamaLube and that may be something to look at - getting confused with all the posts and nobody else having the rust issue.
Taryl tested "everything", including "Mechanic in a Bottle", all produced varying levels of corrosion after months of storage and E87 vs E93 showed "regular E87" worked just fine. The key to E0 (VP Racing Fuel) was that although there was significant evaporation, the bowl and the main jet, emulsion tube had no corrosion, no impurities, remained clean.

Reason I use "Yamaha ACC-FSTAB-PL-32 Fuel Stabilizer & Conditioner" --- which BTW, is not quite same as "Yamalube Fuel Conditioner" --- is the direct exposure of marine engines to ocean water plus I buy it in bulk so not very expensive.

E0 fuel is used in our generators, chippers, lawn mowers, chain saws, concrete cutters, trimmers and also in 2 cycle engines which have a 40:1 or 50:1 fuel:eek:il mix. Have had several warehoused Echo and Stihl arborist saws which started up fine after 2 years -- also stored in high humidity.

For Yamaha ACC-FSTAB-PL-32 -- 1 ounce treats 3 gallons for short storage or using right away, otherwise use 1 ounce per gal if storing fuel for 6-8 weeks or greater. So ratio of mix is either 1:3 or 1:1
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Honda's part site shows a new tank at $65 if you decide to replace it. PartsPak lists it for $42. Not too bad for a new fuel tank, but I think you are approaching it the best way for now using Honda's warranty. It should not be rusting.

Taryl tested "everything", including "Mechanic in a Bottle", all produced varying levels of corrosion after months of storage and E87 vs E93 showed "regular E87" worked just fine. The key to E0 (VP Racing Fuel) was that although there was significant evaporation, the bowl and the main jet, emulsion tube had no corrosion, no impurities, remained clean.

Reason I use "Yamaha ACC-FSTAB-PL-32 Fuel Stabilizer & Conditioner" --- which BTW, is not quite same as "Yamalube Fuel Conditioner" --- is the direct exposure of marine engines to ocean water plus I buy it in bulk so not very expensive.

E0 fuel is used in our generators, chippers, lawn mowers, chain saws, concrete cutters, trimmers and also in 2 cycle engines which have a 40:1 or 50:1 fuel:eek:il mix. Have had several warehoused Echo and Stihl arborist saws which started up fine after 2 years -- also stored in high humidity.

For Yamaha ACC-FSTAB-PL-32 -- 1 ounce treats 3 gallons for short storage or using right away, otherwise use 1 ounce per gal if storing fuel for 6-8 weeks or greater. So ratio of mix is either 1:3 or 1:1
Was somewhat disappointed that the additives Taryl tested proved useless but good I don't need to purchase more of that snake oil. :) Did Taryl test the Yamaha product mentioned above as I didn't see it? Because of Taryl's tests and all of them worthless, is there a test done somewhere that shows the effectiveness of the Yamaha item? And thanks for all that info, very informing and not wasting money on worthless products. I thought that Taryl's testing was quite thorough and not biased.
Honda's part site shows a new tank at $65 if you decide to replace it. PartsPak lists it for $42. Not too bad for a new fuel tank, but I think you are approaching it the best way for now using Honda's warranty. It should not be rusting.

The problem is that Honda is already referring me to the dealer. And the dealer doesn't seem inclined to believe something other than humidity is the problem; they just don't get it. My neighbor has to bring her unit in for repair as the first time we started it, the oil light was blinking to check oil, even though the oil level is fine. So the dealer will be able to see the rust first hand other than pictures. Based on the cost of the tank, I would prefer just replacing the tank if the rust problem gets worse - will be taking a wait and see approach before contacting Honda again.
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Was somewhat disappointed that the additives Taryl tested proved useless but good I don't need to purchase more of that snake oil. :) Did Taryl test the Yamaha product mentioned above as I didn't see it? Because of Taryl's tests and all of them worthless, is there a test done somewhere that shows the effectiveness of the Yamaha item? And thanks for all that info, very informing and not wasting money on worthless products. I thought that Taryl's testing was quite thorough and not biased.
My takeaway there is that using fuel stabilizers with E10 is practically ineffective at controlling water intrusion, phase separation and the subsequent gelling and corrosion on fuel systems. Once you've poured in E10 gas, you'll need to either use it all up or drain it out before storage.

But adding stabilizers to E0 fuel, there's probably still something in like, Stabil to slow down the gas from going stale and really see it lasting the promised "up to 2 years". With E0, you're only worrying about preserving the gasoline and its combustibility. On its own, gasoline has built-in corrosion inhibitors so that should keep everything it coats from rusting.
I don’t want to sound like a know-it-all, I’ve got plenty to learn. But concerning these fuel stabilizers and ethanol gas… I worked in a refinery tank field for 29 years. We blended gasoline pretty much 24/7 at over 400,000 gallons per hour. We had a 400 gallon plastic tote with an injection pump that dispensed a small amount of chemical into the running gasoline blend. I’m not very knowledgeable of the chemical, as a contractor was hired to manage the chemicals. We just had to make sure the injection pump was running when the gas blend was running. I know it was an antioxidant/corrosion inhibitor fuel preservative. But remember, the refinery was adding an appropriate amount of chemical for the intended life of the fuel. From our tanks, to the barge/ship or tank truck, to the gas station, to your car and burned. They don’t really intend for people to store this stuff for a year or more. From when it’s blended to when you purchase it might be a couple weeks or a couple months. So I believe the additional fuel preservative added when storing gasoline long term is good insurance. Can I prove it is working? No. But I’ve had no problems while using it either. Now, concerning ethanol… keep that stuff away from your small engines.
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Ive done the magnet test and it sticks to the tank, but I cannot see any rust on or in the tank after 3yrs of using E5/E10 fuel.. Heres some pics of the rim of the filler hole and the rim is not perfect but not in bad condition considering its outside 24/7. Also here's are pics of the fuel cap opener I made... Im quite impressed with my gen as its a fraction of the price of a honda and its holding up well so far,. Famous last words.. LOL

Automotive tire Material property Red Gas Rim


Motor vehicle Gas Machine Automotive wheel system Auto part


Pink Material property Font Magenta Ribbon
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I did some research concerning the magnet test with the gas tank…
Austenitic stainless steels are the more common types of stainless (200 and 300 series). These grades have higher chromium and nickel content. The higher nickel content makes austenitic grades non-magnetic.
Ferritic stainless steels (400 series) have reduced corrosion resistance due to lower nickel and chromium content. This makes ferritic stainless steel magnetic. It is less expensive than austenitic, and typically used for automotive and truck exhaust systems, catalytic converters, kitchen equipment, and roofing just to name a few.
watch the silicone as the honda eu7000is gen has a cat.
they now make drying socks for fuel cans.
wix makes them
pm if you need links.
darn fuel has water in it these days...
even at e-0...
i just checked clients Seperator filters for water on the e-0 tank...
one was full of water the other was 1/2 full.

i think it has to do with the moisture in the air getting sucked in with heating and cooling.

nitrogen gas blanket for the tanks?? just a thought...
Iowa Gold, I don't understand. What is wrong with silicone grease under fuel cap?
What is wrong with silicone grease under fuel cap?
It can get into the fuel. Some newer gens (like the EU7000is) have catalytic converters to help lower harmful emissions. Silicone and cat converters don't play well together. Silicone can make its way to the cat by other means too, such as some gasket sealants.

7. Being damaged by silicone contamination from chemical additives or sealants leaked into the exhaust
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It can get into the fuel. Some newer gens (like the EU7000is) have catalytic converters to help lower harmful emissions. Silicone and cat converters don't play well together. Silicone can make its way to the cat by other means too, such as some gasket sealants.

7. Being damaged by silicone contamination from chemical additives or sealants leaked into the exhaust
Then what can I use to coat the metal and gasket without doing harm? I coated the metal with motor oil but thinking I should you auto grease on the metal but afraid it will affect the gasket. What do you think?
The motor oil should work fine. I use motor oil on a lot of things to help prevent/reduce rusting. I put used motor oil on some of my tools and garden equipment. I wouldn't recommend used oil for your fuel cap though.
The motor oil should work fine. I use motor oil on a lot of things to help prevent/reduce rusting. I put used motor oil on some of my tools and garden equipment. I wouldn't recommend used oil for your fuel cap though.
Well I just use new oil if that makes any difference. Any suggestion for the cap gasket?
suggestion for the cap gasket?
Motor oil should work okay.
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