Every Guide
All Generator Repair Articles
The full library of step-by-step generator repair and troubleshooting guides, grouped by problem.
Browse everything below, or jump straight to Troubleshooting if you’re not sure what’s wrong yet. Each guide walks you through the likely causes by frequency, the cost to fix, and the steps to do it yourself.
Starting Problems
Generator Won’t Start: 9 Causes & How to Fix Each
Generator Starts Then Dies After a Few Seconds: The Carb Fix
Generator Low-Oil Shutoff Keeps Tripping With Oil Full: The Sensor or the Slope
Generator Starts Then Dies After a Few Seconds: The Carb Fix
Generator Low-Oil Shutoff Keeps Tripping With Oil Full: The Sensor or the Slope
Engine & Performance
Generator Surging? The Pilot Jet Fix (and the 60-Second Load Test)
Generator Smoking Black, White, or Blue: What Each Color Means
Generator Overheating and Shutting Off: The Cooling Airflow Fix
Generator Smoking Black, White, or Blue: What Each Color Means
Generator Overheating and Shutting Off: The Cooling Airflow Fix
Electrical & Power Output
Generator Runs But No Power at the Outlets: The 4 Culprits and the Free Fix
Generator Keeps Tripping the Breaker: Load, Short, or Bad Breaker?
Generator Keeps Tripping the Breaker: Load, Short, or Bad Breaker?
Maintenance & Setup
How to Clean a Generator Carburetor: Step-by-Step Walkthrough
What Size Generator Do I Need? Wattage Sizing Guide
What Size Generator Do I Need? Wattage Sizing Guide
Not sure where to start?
Run the Fix My Generator diagnostic, read the repair overview, or learn who writes these guides.