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Generator Runs for Minutes & Stops- Reason and Solution

by JEREMY HIPA 06 Aug 2022 0 Comments

In order to keep the power supply under a power outage, generators have been an essential item in our household. But sometimes generators run just for a few minutes and then stop. That is a big problem during storm season. Here is a step-by-step instruction for saving your household power.

Gas Flow Test

Here is a simple test for checking the reason, named the gas flow test:
1.Take out the drain bolt from the carburetor, check if there is gas flowing out, and then stop.
2.Put the bolt back on and wait a few minutes, the same thing may come out when you take off the bolt again--the gas would flow out and stop then.
3. The fuel flow--this is why the generator is running for a few minutes, dying, and then running again and dying.

Solution

1.Disconnect the fuel hose on the fuel valve to isolate the valve.
2.Turn on the fuel valve.
3.If you see barely lots of fuel coming out, we can know it is the fuel valve problem, not the carburetor.
4.Take the valve off. There is usually a filter screen at the end of the valve inserted into the tank.
5.Take the cover off the valve.
6.Get out the small rubber O-ring if there is one, and you may see some dirt inside the filter.
7.Clean the filter screen and the valve or straightly replace it with a new one.
8.Put everything back on and do the flow test again. If the gas is barely dripping, there will be no issues now.
9.Put the fuel line on.
10.Try the flow test from the drain bolt again. If it is flowing well and steadily, the generator could run perfectly.
Small tips: There can be filter screens inside the plastic cap or on the top of the valve. And on the top of generator fuel valves, there is usually a filter sticking into the fuel tank, preventing the valves from getting clogged.
You can replace the old valve with a new one with a filter or add an extra filter between the carburetor and the valve. The valve needs to be cleaned periodically.

Please let us know if this works and if you have any suggestions or comments. Or you can join us to feature your passion for repair projects, share your stories with the Hipa family, and get help from Hipa.

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