synthetic oil help generator start better???

[MossRoad]

As you read in the link attached, dino oils need VI (viscosity improvement) additives to make, for example, a 10 oil into a 10W-30. With time, temperature, and pressure, these additives shear down and you can be left with the lower number oil all the time. Good quality synthetic oils do not need viscosity enhancers and therefore are not subject to shear down so a 5W-40 oil will remain 5W-40 after 500 hours just like it started out.

The debate has gone on Ad nauseam about how much longer synthetic oil will last vs dino oil. With regular, scheduled oil changes, the original poster will see no noticeable difference in how his engine starts in cold weather due to the thickness of the oil if he uses the same weight oil, synthetic or non-synthetic. His engine may last longer with synthetic, but that's not the subject of the discussion.

 

[RalphVa]

Synthetic will reduce the starting hydraulic "friction" and make starting a tad easier, particularly a 0wxx oil.

However, best thing would be to squirt some starting fluid (or just a little gasoline) into the air cleaner housing.

I would never have a pull start generator unless it somehow decouples the dynamo. Only one I've ever been able to pull start was a Honda generator.

Ralph

 

[DarkBlack]

With time, temperature, and pressure, these additives shear down and you can be left with the lower number oil all the time. Good quality synthetic oils do not need viscosity enhancers and therefore are not subject to shear down so a 5W-40 oil will remain 5W-40 after 500 hours just like it started out.

Exactly what kind of oil sheer breakdown... "time, temperature, and pressure" forces, does intermittent use of a little engine like OP's Champion generator impart on an oil?

 

[Garandman]

I hate to gore anyone's ox but we had two Honda Accord V6's at work, a 2003 and 2005. The 03 started on dino oil so we kept using it. The 05 we switched to Mobil One on the first change. Standard 7500 mile change.

The 03 has 188,000 miles on it and runs great. The 05 has 208,000 on it and runs great. MPG is about the same, oil analysis at 100K showed both engines in good shape.

So other than spending 1 1/2 ro 2x on oil changes, we found no discernible difference. Which is not surprising since both oils meet the same spec.

PS Our Kohler generator speced synthetic.

 

[DarkBlack]

I hate to gore anyone's ox but we had two Honda Accord V6's at work, a 2003 and 2005. The 03 started on dino oil so we kept using it. The 05 we switched to Mobil One on the first change. Standard 7500 mile change.

The 03 has 188,000 miles on it and runs great. The 05 has 208,000 on it and runs great. MPG is about the same, oil analysis at 100K showed both engines in good shape.

So other than spending 1 1/2 ro 2x on oil changes, we found no discernible difference. Which is not surprising since both oils meet the same spec.

PS Our Kohler generator speced synthetic.

Try not to confuse the discussion with simple facts like that

 

[aczlan]

I hate to gore anyone's ox but we had two Honda Accord V6's at work, a 2003 and 2005. The 03 started on dino oil so we kept using it. The 05 we switched to Mobil One on the first change. Standard 7500 mile change.
The 03 has 188,000 miles on it and runs great. The 05 has 208,000 on it and runs great. MPG is about the same, oil analysis at 100K showed both engines in good shape.
So other than spending 1 1/2 ro 2x on oil changes, we found no discernible difference. Which is not surprising since both oils meet the same spec.
PS Our Kohler generator speced synthetic.

Did your UOA show that you could have bumped the oil change out for synthetic? I do a yearly change on my car (~10k miles), but several companies advertise that their oil is good for 10k miles.

Aaron Z

 

[MossRoad]

Synthetic will reduce the starting hydraulic "friction" and make starting a tad easier, particularly a 0wxx oil.

However, best thing would be to squirt some starting fluid (or just a little gasoline) into the air cleaner housing.

I would never have a pull start generator unless it somehow decouples the dynamo. Only one I've ever been able to pull start was a Honda generator.

Ralph

I think if they are both 0 weight, there will be no discernible starting difference.

 

[RalphVa]

Hard or impossible to find a dino oil that's 0wxx. That's why our research people got really interesting in synthetics, because you could get 0w oils (for European specs at that time, about 20 years ago).

Ralph

 

[MossRoad]

Hard or impossible to find a dino oil that's 0wxx. That's why our research people got really interesting in synthetics, because you could get 0w oils (for European specs at that time, about 20 years ago).

Ralph

The more I read, the more I don't know! :laughing:

Here's a good read from Bob is the oil guy....
Motor Oil 103 - Bob is the Oil Guy - Bob is the Oil Guy

Good read! A quote "A synthetic oil that is labeled as 10W-30 is less honey like as a mineral based 10W-30 motor oil at startup."
Read the whole thing. I always thought 'same number means same thing'. Not so much anymore.

 

[MossRoad]

And a really good quote from the article:

To recap, synthetic oils have similar characteristics as mineral oils at operating temperatures. The synthetic oil will however be less honey – like at startup even though it has the same API / SAE rating. Yet the synthetic 10W-30 grade oil is based on a heavier 30 grade oil while the mineral based 10W-30 oil is based on a thinner 10 grade oil. They are both similar at operating temperatures yet the 30 grade based synthetic is actually less thick at startup and much less honey – like at low temperatures. This is the opposite of what common sense dictates.

This is worth repeating: The synthetic 10W-30 grade oil is based on a heavier 30 grade oil while the mineral based 10W-30 oil is based on a thinner 10 grade oil. They are both similar at operating temperatures yet the 30 grade based synthetic is actually less thick at startup and much less honey – like at low temperatures. This is the opposite of what common sense dictates.

As one can see this is no easy topic. Are you with me?