Petrol and inverter generators · Serviced on site
Petrol Generator Servicing & Maintenance Across Gauteng
Petrol generator servicing comes to you: we service open-frame portables, inverter sets and electric-start petrol sets on site at homes and small businesses across Gauteng. Small engines with small sumps and fine carburettor jets suffer most from standing between outages, so a regular service is what keeps them starting. Visits are booked for a time that suits you, we tell you first whether a visit is worth it for your set, 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
- Oil, plug, filter and fuel
- Inverter and open-frame sets
- 1-year workmanship guarantee
- Onsite across Gauteng
Small engines, short intervals
What a petrol generator service covers, and why it is different
A petrol generator usually fails from neglect rather than wear. Petrol left in the tank and carburettor turns stale and leaves a varnish in the tiny jets, the sump holds only a small amount of oil, and the battery on an electric-start set drains while it waits. A service deals with all three before the next outage finds them.
Because the work on a small set is modest, we are open about the cost. The callout is R400 to R700 in business hours. The callout fee is only payable if you do not accept the quotation. If you accept the quotation, the callout fee is waived. As a guide, an oil and filter change is R600 to R1,400, a spark plug R200 to R500 and an air filter R250 to R700, and your quote lists only what your engine is due for.
Your set is serviced where it is kept, so you do not carry it to a workshop and wait for it to come back. All generator repairs and engine overhauls are carried out on site at your premises. You get a record of the visit: date, running hours where the set has a meter, work done, parts fitted, readings and findings.
Inverter sets get the same engine and fuel work as any petrol generator. The inverter module that cleans up the output is specific to each model, so we diagnose it with a meter rather than adjust it, and we tell you if a fault there is worth repairing.
Know your set
Open-frame, inverter and home standby petrol sets
Petrol generators come in three broad kinds, and each needs slightly different attention on a service. The panel on the side of most sets, like the one shown here, lists the spark plug and oil the engine takes.
Wherever your set stands, it runs outdoors only, clear of doors, windows and air vents, because the exhaust carries carbon monoxide. Never refuel it while it is running or still hot.
Open-frame portables
A steel frame, a recoil cord and often an AVR. We check the recoil, the engine speed and the output under a household load.
Inverter sets
Quieter and enclosed. The engine side is serviced through access panels; the inverter module is tested, never opened for adjustment.
Electric-start home sets
Key or button start, a battery and often a changeover box. We test the battery and the starter as well as the engine.
Dual-fuel sets
We service the engine and the petrol side. The gas supply and regulator stay with a registered gas practitioner.
On every visit
What a petrol generator service includes
The list is matched to your engine and its manual. Items it is not due for are left and noted on the record.
Engine oil
Drained and refilled to the grade on the engine. A small sump holds little oil, so the early changes on a new set matter most.
Spark plug
Removed, read for signs of a rich mixture or oil burning, then gapped or replaced so the engine fires on the first few pulls.
Air filter
Cleaned or replaced. A clogged element makes a petrol engine run rich, smoke and lose power, especially on a dusty property.
Fuel and carburettor bowl
Old petrol is drained, the bowl checked for varnish and water, and the fuel tap, lines and tank vent inspected for blockages and leaks.
Recoil, cables and battery
The recoil cord and spring are checked for wear, start and stop controls tested, and the battery on an electric-start set tested under load.
Output on a real load
The set is run on a household load such as a kettle or heater, with voltage and frequency recorded so you can see it carries a real load.
Warning signs
Signs a petrol generator is due
Any one of these means it is time to book. Do not open the carburettor or fuel lines yourself, and never refuel a hot or running set.
01
Many pulls to start
Hard starting after the set has stood for a while usually means stale fuel in the carburettor or a tired spark plug.
02
Surging at idle
An engine that hunts up and down with little load on it often has a partly blocked jet or a dirty air filter.
03
Dark oil or none on the dipstick
Black, gritty oil or a level below the mark means the engine is due, and running it low risks the bearings.
04
A dirty air filter
Dust and grass build up quickly on a set used outdoors. A dark, clogged element starves the engine of air.
05
A petrol smell or a wet bowl
Fuel weeping from the carburettor bowl or a strong smell of petrol needs attention before the set is used again.
06
Output sags under load
Lights that dip when the fridge or kettle starts suggest the engine cannot hold speed, often a fuel or air restriction.
07
A frayed recoil cord
A cord that is fraying or slow to rewind will snap at the worst moment. A new cord is a small job on a service visit.
08
Electric start only clicks
A click and nothing more on a key-start set is usually a flat or failing battery that has drained while standing.
09
Past the manual’s interval
More hours or months than the manual allows since the last service, or no record of one at all, is reason enough to book.
Common Questions
Questions about petrol generator servicing
What does a petrol generator service include?
An oil change, a spark plug check or replacement, the air filter, the fuel and carburettor bowl, the recoil, controls and battery where fitted, and a run on a household load with voltage and frequency recorded. Anything else is quoted before we do it.
How often should a petrol generator be serviced?
Follow the hours and months in your manual, whichever comes first, and book a service after the set has stood unused for months. Honda, for example, publishes an early first oil change and then a regular interval for its portables; our guide on how often a generator should be serviced gives the figures and their source. Your own engine’s manual gives the exact figure for your set.
Is it worth paying for a service on a small petrol generator?
It is worth it when you need the set to start in the next outage. The callout is R400 to R700 in business hours and is waived if you accept the quote; an oil and filter change is R600 to R1,400 and a spark plug R200 to R500. If the cost does not make sense for your set, we say so before any work.
Do you come to my house, or do I have to bring the generator in?
We come to you. The set is serviced where it is kept, at a time booked to suit you, so there is nothing to carry. All generator repairs and engine overhauls are carried out on site at your premises.
Why does my petrol generator struggle to start after months in the garage?
Petrol goes stale in storage and leaves gum in the carburettor jets, and the battery on an electric-start set slowly drains. Our guide to a generator not used for months covers recommissioning, and petrol generator repairs covers a set that will not start at all.
Do you service inverter generators?
Yes. We service the engine and fuel side of inverter generators and test the output. The inverter module is model-specific and is diagnosed rather than adjusted. Inverters in a solar or battery backup system are a different trade from generator servicing.
How much does a petrol generator service cost?
As a guide, an oil and filter change is R600 to R1,400, a spark plug R200 to R500 and an air filter R250 to R700. You get a written quote that lists only what your engine is due for before any work starts.
Which petrol generator brands do you service?
We service Ryobi, Honda, Gentech, Mac Afric, Turner Morris, Yamaha, Hyundai, Kipor, Rato, Lutian, Grip, Steco, PowerBoss, Casals, Red Rhino, Firman, Talon, Trade Professional, Bison and Supersonic petrol generators, and most other portable and inverter makes. ProService Generator Repairs is an independent generator service and repair company. A photo of the label tells us the model and the parts it takes.
Still unsure what the fault is? Call or WhatsApp 082 057 4605 for onsite diagnosis.
Related Pages
Petrol repairs, storage and servicing guides
- Petrol Generator Repairs Faults and breakdowns on petrol sets
- Residential Generator Repairs Generator help at your house
- Generator Not Used for Months Recommissioning a set that has stood
- Generator Servicing Servicing for every type of generator
- How Often to Service Published intervals with their sources
- Generator Not Starting No crank or no start
- Generator Surging Hunting and uneven engine speed
- Generator Service Checklist What a technician checks, item by item
- Petrol Generator Makes Each petrol make we work on, with its own page
- Bundu Power Generator Repairs Petrol, inverter and diesel Bundu Power sets
- Gas Generator Repairs Gas and dual-fuel sets
- Standby Generator Maintenance Electric-start sets on a changeover
- Generator Repair Cost Published price ranges and the callout
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 petrol generator service
Tell us your suburb, the make and model, whether it starts with a cord or a key, and how long it has stood since it last ran. A photo of the label on WhatsApp helps us bring the right plug and filter.
- 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.