Why generators show "engine stops unexpectedly": 43 documented causes and brand-specific fixes, compiled across 11 manufacturers.
Fuel pump failure
6 brands- Continental: Repair or replace.
- Cummins/Onan: Repair or replace; Repair or replace.
- Doosan: Repair or replace
- Garretson: Repair or replace.
- Guan: Repair or replace
- NEC: Repair or replace.
Fuel tank empty
6 brands- Continental: Refill.
- Cummins/Onan: Fill with fresh fuel; Fill with fresh fuel.
- Doosan: Refill
- Guan: Refill
- War Department: Fill tank
- generatorpartspro: Refill
Defective ignition
5 brands- Continental: Check the ignition system. Repair or replace parts necessary.
- Cummins/Onan: Check and service ignition system; Check ignition system
- Doosan: Check the ignition system. Repair or replace parts necessary
- Guan: Check the ignition system. Repair or replace parts necessary
- Hol-Gar: See Trouble-Shooting Chart 3
Empty fuel tank
4 brands- Cummins/Onan: Fill; Refill
- Ernest: Refill
- Garretson: Refill.
- NEC: Refill.
Defective ignition system
4 brands- Cummins/Onan: Check ignition system and repair or replace as needed; Check the ignition system. Repair or replace as needed. See that the STOP button lead is not grounded
- Ernest: Check the ignition system; repair or replace as needed; see that the STOP button lead is not grounded
- Garretson: Check the ignition system. Repair or replace as needed. See that the STOP button lead is not grounded.
- NEC: Check the ignition system. Repair or replace as needed. See that the STOP button lead is not grounded.
High water temperature
4 brands- Continental: See symptoms for engine overheating.
- Cummins/Onan: See symptoms for engine overheating; See symptoms for engine overheating.
- Doosan: See symptoms for engine overheating
- Guan: See symptoms for engine overheating
Lack of fuel
2 brands- Cummins/Onan: Refill tank.
- Hol-Gar: Refill tank
Internal seizure
2 brands- Cummins/Onan: To test, crank by hand; disassemble and repair.
- Hol-Gar: To test, crank by hand. Disassemble and repair
Excessive crankcase pressure, caused by clogged breather
2 brands- Cummins/Onan: Remove and clean breather.
- Hol-Gar: Remove and clean breather
Fuel line obstructed
1 brand- War Department: Clean fuel line and drain and refill fuel tank. Clean fuel strainer
Engine overheated
1 brand- War Department: Locate and correct cause
Broken ignition wire
1 brand- War Department: Inspect ignition wiring. Correct fault
Lack of oil
1 brand- War Department: Check oil. Refill crankcase
Circuit breaker open
1 brand- War Department: Close circuit breaker
Engine overheating. High water temp. cut out stops engine
1 brand