5 Top Ways to Fix a Generator Blowing Black Smoke

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You start your generator, and after a while of working, you notice your surroundings are filled with black smoke while your generator is still working.  

You loaded your appliances, but it wasn’t functioning properly as it was supposed to. This means there’s something wrong somewhere, or there’s something you have done wrong, making your generator5 Top Ways to Fix a Generator Blowing Black Smoke blow black smoke.

If you noticed the same with your generator, I guessed that’s the reason why you are reading this blog post. Although, with this happening, I know how it feels when experiencing a power outage and your generator is developing faults. It’s frustrating and can also drive you insane, especially when you have an important thing to do with electricity.

Regardless, it’s not advisable leaving your generator working if it blows black smoke. In this article, you will get to know the cause of black smoke from your generator, what will it result if you don’t fix the problem in time, and how to fix it.

Why is Your Generator Blows Black Smoke

If you want to know the reasons behind these red flags, here are some of the causes of black smoke from your generator.

1. Carburetor

One of the major causes of why your generator is emulating black smoke is the carburetor. When your carburetor is dirty or requires services or needs changes, it will result in your generator blowing black smoke.

2. Close Choke

Whenever you want to start your generator, it’s instructed you to close the choke. And after starting, you should return it open. But in cases where you leave the choke closed and didn’t return it whenever your generator starts might result in it emulating black smoke.

3. Bad Fuel

Bad fuel can damage your generator, and it can as well cause your generator to smoke. When your generator fuel is bad, especially if it’s dirty, it passes through the generator pipe into the carburetor. And later affects the generator’s carburetor and makes it blow black smoke.

4. Limited Fuel

If you don’t have bad fuel in your generator’s tank, then there might be limited fuel in your generator’s tank, which might also cause your generator to smoke black.

5. Bad Filter Or Dirty Filter

All generators have a filter. The filters are there to filter the air passing through the carburetor. And if the filter is bad or has caused dirt, it might result in your generator removing black smoke.

So, whenever you notice that your generator is blowing up black smoke, this is why it is doing so. After knowing the causes, let’s look at what will result if you don’t solve the problem fast before talking about how you fix it.

Also Read:

Reasons Generator is Emulating White Smoke

How to Fix Generator AC Socket

How to Fix Generator That Won’t Start

What Will it Results in if You Don’t Fix Your Generator in Time

Do you know that when you notice any issues with your generator, you should fix them in time? And if you don’t fix it in time, do you know it can also transfer to another problem more than the normal issue you are experiencing?

However, whenever your generator is blowing out black smoke through its exhaust, and you do not fix it in time, it will result in your generator not working effectively. For instance, it will make your plug not function again and not make your generator start.

Your generator can also start developing a fault of not powering all your appliances as it is supposed to power the appliances. 

So whenever your generator starts developing a fault like black smoke, you should endeavor to fix it in time by contacting a generator mechanic.

How to Fix a Generator Blowing Black Smoke

After knowing the causes of generator black smoke and what will result if you don’t fix it in time, here’s a guide on how to fix your generator whenever it blows out black smoke through its exhaust.

1. Check Your Generator Air Filter

If you want to fix your generator whenever it’s blowing out smoke that is black through its carburetor, the first thing that you need to do is to check its air filter, whether it is dirty, bad, or needs changes.

If you check and it is dirty, you wash it thoroughly using good fuel. And if it’s bad, you change it or don’t use it anymore.

2. Clean Your Spark Plug or Fix a New One

When you removed the plug, you noticed it was black. Then you clean it, fix the air filters, and start your generator.

After minutes, turn off the generator—remove the plug—check if it’s still black.

Suppose it is(go to the next step). But if it isn’t black, your carburetor has stopped blowing out black smoke.

3. Check your fuel tank if You Have Bad Fuel or Limited Fuel

If you have cleaned your air filter and it’s still removing black smoke, you must check your tank for any bad fuel. If you notice your generator is bad or dirty, you should change it with new and good fuel.

Also, if you checked and there’s limited fuel in your generator tank, you should add more fuel.

4. Service Your Generator Carburetor

The next thing you should do after trying all recommended methods and it still doesn’t stop is to service the carburetor. Besides, as a generator novice, you won’t know how to service a carburetor. So, it will be best if you contact your generator mechanic. 

Sometimes, before your generator Ir can stop this issue, it will be okay if you change the carburetor and fix a new one. But that will be after your generator mechanic has detected that your carburetor won’t work anymore and needs to be changed.

5. Open Your Generator Choke When Working

Lastly, if you have done all the listed methods, you should open your generator’s choke when working. This doesn’t mean that it should be left open if you want to start your generator because it won’t start.

Conclusion

If you start your generator and you noticed the problem still persist, then the carburetor has developed a fault, and you should consider changing it. However, you can get another quality carburetor from Amazon or any other online marketplace.

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