Diesel generators · Servicing and maintenance
Diesel Generator Servicing & Maintenance Across Gauteng
ProService Generator Repairs carries out diesel generator servicing and maintenance on site across Gauteng, for canopied standby sets at homes and estates, automatic sets at offices and complexes, three-phase diesels in workshops and small silent air-cooled sets. A diesel ages on the calendar as much as on the hour meter, so a set that seldom runs still needs its visit. We are open 24/7, each service is booked for a time that suits you, and you get a free written quote before any work.
Callout fee waived when you accept our written quote. 1-year workmanship guarantee. See prices
- Fuel, filters and coolant matched to the engine
- Standby and prime diesels
- 1-year workmanship guarantee
- Onsite across Gauteng
Between outages
What a diesel generator needs between outages
Most of the wear a diesel service deals with builds up while the set stands still. Condensation leaves water at the bottom of a part-full tank, and that water feeds diesel bug, a microbial slime that closes up fuel filters. The starting battery drains on standing, and a weak battery or tired glow plugs show first on a cold Highveld morning. Water-cooled sets rely on sound coolant and a clean radiator; air-cooled silent diesels rely on clear cooling fins and free airflow through the canopy.
Booking starts with the data plate, the hour reading, the date of the last service and how we reach the set. A standby diesel cannot cover an outage while it is opened up, so the visit goes into a window when the site can manage without backup. The hours around a published outage or load-reduction schedule, a quiet trading period or a weekend usually work best.
All generator repairs and engine overhauls are carried out on site at your premises. Diesel servicing happens at the generator as well, so nothing is loaded onto a truck. You keep a record of the visit: date, running hours, work done, parts fitted, readings and findings.
If you would rather not track service dates, the visits can be booked for you. Customised maintenance contracts and SLAs are quoted for diesel sets after we have seen the generator and how hard it works.
On the service
What a diesel generator service includes
The work follows the engine maker’s schedule for your set and the point it has reached in that schedule.
Oil and oil filter to the engine’s grade
The sump is drained and refilled with the grade and quantity the engine manual calls for, and a matching oil filter goes on.
Fuel filters and the water separator
Water is let off from the separator bowl, and the primary and secondary fuel filters are renewed when due, before dirt reaches the injection pump.
Air element, judged by the site
The air filter is checked and replaced when due. Building sites, gravel yards and farm sheds clog it long before the hour figure.
Coolant, radiator or cooling fins
Water-cooled sets get coolant strength, hoses, the radiator core and canopy airflow checked. Air-cooled silent diesels get their fins and ducts cleared.
Starting battery, charger and belts
We put the battery under load, measure what the mains charger delivers and look at the fan and charge-alternator belts for wear and tension.
Controller, changeover and a recorded run
Alarms and hours are read and the changeover checked as a controlled test, with a building transfer only if the site agrees. The run logs voltage, frequency, oil pressure and temperature.
When to book
Signs a diesel generator is due
Spot these from outside the canopy. Opening panels, the fuel system or a hot radiator is a job for the technician.
01
An alarm that keeps coming back
A warning cleared on the controller that returns on the next run points to a cause nobody has found yet.
02
It takes the load, then cuts out
A diesel that runs for a few minutes on load and stalls is often pulling water or sludge into a filter that is closing up.
03
Black smoke or a wet exhaust
Long runs on a light load leave unburnt fuel in the exhaust. Oily streaks at the outlet are worth a look.
04
Slow to start on cold mornings
Long cranking before it fires suggests a weak battery or glow plugs that are no longer heating properly.
05
Battery or charger trouble
A dim charger light, or a set that labours to turn over after standing, means the starting circuit needs testing.
06
Past the interval
The hour meter or the months since the last visit have gone beyond what the manual for your engine allows.
07
A doubtful fuel delivery
Diesel from a new supplier, an old drum or a tank left open may have brought water or dirt in with it.
08
A leak, a noise or vibration
Fresh drips under the set, a new knock or a shake that was not there before should be checked before the next outage.
Servicing rhythm by duty
The engine maker publishes the interval, and the way the set is used decides which limit arrives first. Perkins, for example, publishes a minor service every 500 hours, set out in the full diesel maintenance checklist. Your own engine’s manual gives the exact figure for your set.
| Set | What sets the interval | Read more |
|---|---|---|
| Canopied standby set at a home or estate | The calendar: at least once a year, and sooner when long outages add running hours | How often to service |
| Automatic set at an office or complex | The calendar, plus the hours that pile up during long outages | Service intervals by duty |
| Prime or high-hour set | Running hours, often every few hundred, shortened by heavy load and dust | Reading running hours |
| Small air-cooled silent diesel | Hours, and the state of the fuel in a small tank that often sits part-full | Diesel maintenance checklist |
The callout fee is only payable if you do not accept the quotation. If you accept the quotation, the callout fee is waived. A basic service (inspection and fluids) is typically R900 to R1,800; larger diesels take more oil and dearer filters, and the generator repair cost guide lists the other ranges. The schedule follows your engine maker’s manual whatever the make; see the brands we work on, or read how maintenance contracts book the visits for you.
Common Questions
Questions about diesel generator servicing
What does a diesel generator service include?
Whatever has fallen due on your engine at that point in its schedule: oil and the oil filter, the fuel filters and water separator, the air element, coolant or cooling fins, the battery, charger and belts, and the controller. It ends with a run during which we log the electrical and engine readings.
How often should a diesel generator be serviced?
A standby diesel needs a service at least once a year, and sooner when long outages add hours. A prime or high-hour set is serviced on running hours instead. The manual for your engine has the exact figure, and Perkins, for one, publishes a 500-hour minor service.
How much does a diesel generator service cost?
A basic service (inspection and fluids) is typically R900 to R1,800, and an oil and filter change on its own R600 to R1,400. A bigger diesel takes more oil and larger filters, so the written quote confirms the figure for your set before work starts.
Do you service small silent diesel generators as well as large canopied sets?
Yes. We service small air-cooled silent diesels, home and office standby sets and three-phase diesels. An air-cooled set needs its fins and ducts kept clear, while a water-cooled set needs its coolant and radiator looked after.
What is the difference between a diesel generator service and a maintenance contract?
A service is one booked visit for the work your engine needs now. A contract books the visits for you to a schedule agreed for your set, and each one is recorded. Customised maintenance contracts and SLAs are quoted once we have assessed the set; our maintenance contracts page explains how.
Do you check for water and diesel bug in the fuel during a service?
Yes. We drain the separator, look at what comes out and check the tank where it can be reached. Fuel that needs cleaning is quoted separately: fuel system cleaning and polishing is typically R1,500 to R3,500 on our cost guide.
Can you service my diesel generator at home or at our premises?
Yes. All generator repairs and engine overhauls are carried out on site at your premises. The service is done where the set stands too, beside a house, in a complex yard or inside a workshop.
What should I keep an eye on between services?
With the set stopped and cool, check the oil on the dipstick and the fuel gauge, look for the charger’s indicator light where there is one, and make sure the controller is left in Auto with nothing on the alarm screen. Photograph any alarm and send it to us before it is reset.
Still unsure what the fault is? Call or WhatsApp 082 057 4605 for onsite diagnosis.
Related Pages
Diesel repairs, intervals and fuel
- Diesel Generator Repairs Faults and breakdowns on diesel sets
- Generator Servicing Servicing for every fuel type
- Maintenance Contracts & SLAs Visits booked and recorded for you
- Diesel Maintenance Checklist Daily, weekly and 500-hour work
- Service Intervals Hours, calendar time and duty
- Contaminated Diesel Water, diesel bug and dirty fuel
- Diesel Injector Service When smoke or rough running persists
- Coolant Leak Repairs A leak found on the service
- Industrial Servicing & Maintenance Large plant, shifts and shutdowns
- Standby Generator Maintenance Backup sets kept ready to start
- Generator Brands The makes we service and repair
- Load Bank Testing Prove a diesel on a known load
Service Areas
Servicing & maintenance across Gauteng
Servicing and maintenance visits are booked for a time that suits you. Choose your area for the suburbs, site types and plans we cover there.
- Generator servicing & maintenance in Johannesburg
- Generator servicing & maintenance in Sandton
- Generator servicing & maintenance in Randburg
- Generator servicing & maintenance in Midrand
- Generator servicing & maintenance in Roodepoort
- Generator servicing & maintenance in Pretoria
- Generator servicing & maintenance in Centurion
- Generator servicing & maintenance on the East Rand
- Generator servicing & maintenance in Kempton Park
- Generator servicing & maintenance on the West Rand
What to send before we attend
These details help us plan the visit and bring the right parts. Send what you can on WhatsApp; if you can’t find the model number, we still book the visit.
- Location
- The suburb or site, so the visit can be booked in the right area.
- Make and model
- The generator brand and model, if they are known.
- kVA
- The size printed on the data plate.
- Fuel type
- Diesel, petrol, LPG, natural gas, or dual-fuel.
- Controller model
- The module name on the panel, when it is visible.
- Fault or alarm
- What the set does, and any text on the screen.
- Photos
- The generator, the data plate, and the controller or alarm. Send these on WhatsApp.
Book a Visit
Book a diesel generator service
Send your suburb, the make and kVA, the hour reading and when the set was last serviced, and tell us how we reach it. A data plate photo on WhatsApp helps us bring the right filters.
- Call
- 082 057 4605
- Message us on WhatsApp
What happens next
- We reply with questions about the generator, or to book a visit.
- A technician comes to you at the booked time.
- The fault is diagnosed on site and you get a written quote. No work starts until you accept it.
Charlie, lead technician: Degree in Mechanical Engineering, Degree in Electrical Engineering, Diesel Plant Fitter. Generator specialists since 2000.