Remove the gas cap and see what happens.

Did you remove the jet from inside the stem and clean? Or maybe have a Honda carb to try? Throttle plate open when it should be? It is a bit scary that this has never really run. If you are confident in the carb, the first thing to check would be the flywheel key, the second valve lash and timing. Hopefully it is similar enough to a GCV in design.

I took the jet out and it was open. I just got a second Generac, identical to the first and from the same source (a local electrical supply company). It has the same problem.

The boss called Generac and they said that sometimes they have had a problem where the governor lever nut comes loose and the lever doesn't function. I manually moved the throttle, but there was no response at all.

So still not sure what might cause the problem I've had. It's coming back tonight for a second look.

Update. The generator was just back in the shop. It started up on the first pull and ran perfectly for 5 minutes while I looked at the other one. I turned it off. One minute later, I tried to start the first generator, just to insure it would restart, and now we're back to the original problem. Starts on choke only and dies as soon as you open the choke.

Gas cap was vented. Governor lever is tight on the shaft, but anyway, it ran perfectly for 5 minutes. Plenty of gas in the tank and fuel bowl.

Looked at the second twin generator. Same problem. Won't even attempt to start. Valves visually seem to open and close at the right times. Top of piston looks like it wasn't machined after it came out of the foundary mold.

Spark looks good in the tester; fuel is clean, fresh. Doesn't respond to carb cleaner spray or manual opening of the throttle.

Could there be a leak between the carburetor and the engine? Perhaps they failed to install the gasket at assembly.

Do you think that this could be one of Generac's own engines? Do you have a Generac model #? Is there an oil shut off module? Honda's are kind of a rounded rectangular piece hooked into the kill wire. Or maybe a simple switch?
I have also seen small OHVs having issues w/ the valves sticking. They tend to do this due to the light valve springs and tighter tolerances from being new. Add a touch of varnish like deposits from the poorly treated factory fuel and there could be your variable. They sometimes won't run, or if they do- can't close the valve fast enough so it can't breath. Like a plugged muffler. The extra fuel and bursts of carb spray really can't burn off. I tend to try and work carb spray down along the stem, then Seafoam or marvel.

Finally, electricity and internet back up. Good job PP&L.

The twins use a UP170 model motor. It turned out that tomplum's thought on the low oil shut-off module was right. Unplugged the wire and both run perfectly. Faulty module.

Thanks for the help.

where would that low oil wire be located? my nighbor bouught a cenerac at lowes ran it one day next day was running & just stopped .GAS &oil okay valves moving .cant even locate plug.

You'll see the single wire coming out of the block, probably near the oil-fill plug. It's probably the only wire you'll see coming directly out of the sensor, screwed into the block.