# Generac GN 190 starts and dies



## asmohr (Jan 3, 2008)

Hi folks,

I have a Generac GN 190 on my Craftsman generator. It starts normally but only runs for about 30 seconds and dies. Over and over.

I first thought it was a fuel flow issue. I had a car with a clogged fuel filter that behaved that way. But there's no filter and I get good flow from the tank, the line is clear, and I disassembled the carb to check the float valve and all of that looks OK. The sparkplug is thinly coated with black that wipes off easily -- I presume from it dying all the time. The air filter is a little dirty but not bad -- nothing like some I've seen on engines that still run.

I'm stumped and we have a storm moving in so I'd really like to get this beast running.

Searching on "Generac GN 190" got me to this forum and to a PDF of a parts explosion at <http://www.dixiesales.com/ipl/228/GN190-220.pdf>
but the drawings don't show the inside of the carburetor. (I theoretically could have the float in upsidedown at this point, but I don't think so. The wrong way (as I presume) just looks *wrong* and doesn't move freely.)

After checking everything and reassembling it, now it doesn't start at all.

Anyone got any suggestions?

Thanks,
August


----------



## asmohr (Jan 3, 2008)

More information! I found a full service manual at:
<http://www.guardiangenerators.com/PublicPDFs/C1103_smallframe.pdf>
but it looks like even a simple tune up is a huge amount of trouble involving adjusting parts while the engine is running that can only be reached with the fuel tank removed.

I'm still stumped.


----------



## Powertoolman (Dec 22, 2007)

This might be a stretch, but some of the older, smaller Caterpillar gen sets were built by Generac, and they would do the same thing. It has been too many years so I don't recall exactly, but fully cycle the controls. One of the safeties may have tripped, such as overspeed, and the engine will run only long enough while the start-cycle override is active, and then shut down. Cycling the controls (turning everything off) will reset the problem.

It's a shot in the dark, but would it be great if this was all that was wrong?


----------



## Restrorob (Dec 23, 2007)

Sounds like you need to go back into the carb, Spray ALL ports/passages and jets out using carb & choke cleaner with the little straw making sure ALL are open.


----------



## Rpeters123 (Oct 19, 2005)

*low oil shut off switch bad?*

Do you have a low oil shut off sensor that is bad? Try disconnecting and then jumping the wires on any saftey switches.


----------

