Generac 6500 1988 in R.V.Southwind Two things, both only occur in the morning or when cold (I am in So Cal so not that cold). First, when starting the generator from the dash board starter button the light flashes and the generator fires but not continue to run after the button is released. 2nd issue is in the moring when cold it starts then stalls out several times and then back fires when I try to restart. Usually after several attempts it will fire up and run but only after several loud backfires and again several attempts.

Could be the fuel tank is not venting properly. When it fails, remove fuel cap and try starting. If it runs replace fuel cap wuth new.

not sure what unit you have or if electric start...but elce start then disconnect the battery for 10 minutes and re-connect. Clears the code on generac and some other manufacturers.
former generac rep.
Hope this helps.

There are several Generac forums available:

generac forum Bing

Check your oil. It is possible that your car has a low oil pressure shutoff and when cresting the top of the hill, the oil goes to the back of the oil pan, telling the sensor it has no oil and shutting down the car before any damage occurs.

Leigh,
See my 5/22/12 comments on my "overspeed fault" problem resolution [Generac 43903 standby Generator overspeed indicator on starting] . If it only runs for a few seconds and then quits, you may have a similar condition to the one my unit had. A good technician should be able to diagnose the problem and determine if you have a similar failure to the one I had, or one of the other causes suggested by RSG000.

Check, your local Car parts store, for a "cold start" fluid, or spray, and ask them for their expert thought.

Most Generac generators have a lever for the choke that pulls out. So if the generator is being started for the first use or cold you should choke when starting . Let it run for 30-45 sec. then push it in . Once the engine has been run or warm you dont need to choke every time when starting .

Friend, you've changed everything but the right thing. The temperature sending unit. It tells the computer to go into cold start mode to start the engine by putting more fuel into the engine. If this sensor is erratic, sometimes don't work, it will cause a hard start situation if not in cold start mode. Dealer cant find this because it's a manual thing and may not be showing up on his tester.

sounds like the battery has a dead cell in it. i would get a new battery.

Typically caused by the fuel line (LP or Natural Gas) having a lot of air in it. Was your generator just installed, or was there any work done to the gas line of the building / generator? Consult local gas contractor / propane dealer / gas company for assistance in purging the fuel line.

A low battery can also cause this as well as the generator is not able to come up to starting speed quick enough. Try placing a stand alone battery charger on the generator and charge the battery. Also check the air filter as well.

OverCrank condition occurs when generator tries to start itself, or be manually started, and the starter spends too much time turning.

This can also indicate failure of the control board. This will need the expertise of generac technician. Call 1-888-GENERAC (1-888-436-3722)
M-F 7am-6pm Central