Portable Generator Oil Recommendation

[MajMac392]

Interesting posts on this subject. I changed the oil to Mobil 1, this is actually the first change since it was new. It is a Honda EB 3500 (I think was the model) Generator w/8 HP Honda motor on it that I bought after an ice storm we had in 1998. It probably doesn't have 35 hours on it since new. I keep stablizer in the gas and if I haven't used it in a while, I crank it up and run it every six months or so. If I haven't used it much, I siphon the gas out and put fresh in about once a year. Thanks for the opinions on Mobil 1. The amount I use it it could be in there a few years before it is changed again. This is the first thing I have ever used Synthetic in so it will be interesting how I like it.

 

[EastTexFrank]

I'm with you on this one, use a good quality synthetic. All the discussion about synthetics in vehicles leaves me a little cold but a generator would seem to be an ideal application. It'll give the best protection to a high rev engine, a little oil burning won't hurt the pocket too bad, easier starting depending on the viscosity used and if it's running during an outage you can extend the change interval a little without too much harm being done.

Seems to be the way to go to me.

 

[slowrev]

I agree fully with Frank. I use synthetics in all my small air cooled engines with good results and not much cash impact.
Ben

 

[Z71]

I had a Honda gen at work. Got it new around 1998.

When I got it, the dealer gave us a qt of 5W-30 Mobil 1 and said use this as you guys are never going to change oil anyway. When I retired in 2002 the oil had neve been changed. I put about about 500 hrs on it a year.

We used it to power survey equipment in remote areas. Our last generator, an Onan lasted over 20 yrs on very little maintanence, 10 yrs longer than we hoped for and it sat ourside all the time and rarely covered. The engine ran fine but the fuel system was all scewed up and they told us it was going to cost about $500 to repair, about $499 more then it was worth.

 

[Highbeam]

I use mobile 1 20-50 in my 6850 watt, 11 HP, Tecumseh, OHV, Coleman generator. Starts easily and doesn't consume oil. Since new I have gotten a puff of smoke at initial startup and then it purrs along at 3600 rpm without a hiccup. I also use the 20-50 in my air cooled honda motorcycle.

The mobile 1 is from walmart at less than 20$ for 5 quarts. The generator uses less than 1 quart.

The biggest killer of generators is lack of use followed by lack of oil. The lack of use will cause corrosion of the generator head, varnishing of fuel in the carb, and inernal corrosion of engine bearings from the acid/water mix suspended in the oil.

Use it or loose it. My generator gets run once a month under load and all the fuel that goes into it, the lawnmower, dirtbike, or any other small engine is super unleaded with the full dose of fuel stabilizer. Even the 2 stroke engines get the same fuel as the base for premix.

 

[GerardC]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( The biggest killer of generators is lack of use....
Use it or loose it. My generator gets run once a month under load....with the full dose of fuel stabilizer.)</font>

I've read from once a week to once a month under load. I exercise mine every 2-4 weeks under load for about 20 minutes. I also bought a Tiny-Tach to monitor the RPM's and hours. Gerard