If you are searching for petrol generator repairs near me, chances are your portable generator sat unused between rounds of load-shedding and now will not start. Petrol sets are simple machines, and most faults are quick to fix. Describe the generator and the symptoms in one free request, and we send it on to independent small engine workshops and petrol generator mechanics near you, who quote you directly. We do not run a workshop ourselves. Typical jobs include carburettor repair, pull start rope and recoil repairs, spark plugs, servicing and no power output.
Stale petrol and the gummed carburettor
Petrol starts to go stale within a month or two, and blends with ethanol absorb water. Left in the float bowl, it evaporates into a varnish that blocks the tiny jets, so the generator will not start, starts only on choke or surges at idle. A generator carburettor repair means stripping, cleaning in an ultrasonic bath and fitting new gaskets, or replacing the carburettor if it is cheaper. To prevent it, use fresh fuel, add a stabiliser, and run the carburettor dry before storing.
Other petrol generator faults
- Low oil shutdown: many portables will not start, or cut out after seconds, if the oil is low or the generator stands on a slope
- Spark and ignition: a fouled plug or failed ignition coil
- Pull start: snapped ropes and broken recoil springs
- No power output: engine runs but sockets are dead, often a tripped breaker, worn brushes or a failed AVR (see alternator repairs)
- Fuel leaks: perished fuel lines, a stuck float or a cracked tank
Petrol generator servicing
Petrol generator servicing is cheap and avoids most repairs: an oil change every 50 to 100 hours, a clean air filter (more often in dusty conditions), a new spark plug yearly and a carburettor check. See generator service for full details. Always run a petrol generator outdoors, well away from windows and doors. Carbon monoxide from a generator in a garage or on an enclosed stoep can kill within minutes.
Prices and when to replace
A workshop check costs about R250 to R500. A carburettor clean is roughly R450 to R900 including labour, a pull start repair R250 to R600 and a full service R450 to R950. Turnaround is usually one to three working days. If a cheap 2 kVA unit needs a new engine or alternator, it may be better to look at inverter generators or other generators for sale.
What to include in your request
- Give the kVA and roughly how old the generator is
- Say how long it stood before the fault
- Describe whether it starts on choke or not at all
- Mention if you can drop it off at a workshop
- Add a photo of the generator and its rating plate
Petrol Generator Repairs for different sites
- Homes: an open-frame portable that stood in the garage and now won't start on load-shedding night
- Estates and complexes: a small portable for a unit owner or the guardhouse that surges or has no power
- Farms and smallholdings: a petrol generator for tools and fencing that needs a carburettor and a pull start
- Shops, offices and restaurants: a portable backup for a small shop that keeps cutting out on low oil
- Factories, mines and sites: site generators for power tools with broken recoils, dusty filters and worn plugs
- Lodges, venues and events: portable sets for markets, events and film shoots needing a quick service before a booking
- Clinics, schools and towers: a church, school or clinic portable that has not run since the last outage
Frequently asked questions
Who actually repairs my petrol generator?
Why does my generator only run with the choke on?
Can I run a petrol generator in the garage with the door open?
How should I store a petrol generator between outages?
Petrol Generator Repairs by province and city
- Johannesburg
- Pretoria
- Centurion
- Midrand
- Sandton
- Randburg
- Roodepoort
- Krugersdorp
- Randfontein
- Germiston
- Boksburg
- Benoni
- Kempton Park
- Alberton
- Vanderbijlpark
- Vereeniging
- eMalahleni (Witbank)
- Middelburg
- Secunda
- Mbombela (Nelspruit)
- Rustenburg
- Brits
- Klerksdorp
- Potchefstroom
- Mahikeng
- Polokwane
- Tzaneen
- Kimberley
- Upington
- Bloemfontein
- Welkom
- Sasolburg
- Durban
- Pinetown
- Pietermaritzburg
- Richards Bay
- Newcastle
- Ladysmith
- Gqeberha (Port Elizabeth)
- East London
- Kariega (Uitenhage)
- Mthatha
- Cape Town
- Bellville
- Paarl
- Stellenbosch
- George
- Worcester