Update July 2013: This unit is tick-tocking along after 7 years. I had to replace the starter in May because it was dragging and a hot battery would not turn it over. The part was cheap on ebay and fit easily through the rear access panel. I have this connected to my workshop which does not have main electricity and it powers everything in the building including a 12x18 room with a refrigerator and 120v/15amp window a/c unit. I've been burning old transmission fluid and motor oil in it mixed with diesel about 60/40 (60%diesel). The trans fluid seems to keep the injector clean with all the detergent. I filter it with coffee filters (Brass fine screen type) in a funnel. It takes a long time to strain, but it seems to work well and I get free fuel. I have read on Practical Machinist.com about someone with 3000 hours on a unit like this. I hope mine goes that long. I'm shocked mine is till running and I got my $$ worth.
Update October 2014: eight years and still running and making electricity. I finally decided to clean the inside of the cabinet and engine surfaces inside the enclosure. To change the oil you pull the drain bolt and let the old oil spill into the cabinet and then it runs out a drain hole in the cabinet. Inelegant at the least, and pretty messy inside the box. My hour meter broke and I replaced it with a new meter that displays volts, cycles, and hours. I've logged 30 hours since installing it. The Hz fluctuates from 59-62 depending on load. I'm still burning used motor oil and trans fluid mixed 50/50 with diesel. I have recently hooked up utility power so I don't use the generator anymore for primary power. It just sits there in the corner... waiting. I start it every month for 30 minute exercise run to keep it ready. I would guess I have logged 1800 hours total. Its hard to tell after the meter broke. The new one works, but I ran it for months without the meter.
Update July 2015: Well, I messed up and got my garage power disconnected due to code issues. They decided they want my power lines in conduit instead of romex. This is too expensive for me, so I'm returning to my silent diesel genset for power. I forgot how heavy this thing is. I serviced it real good due to its age and number of hours. No debris or metal in the oil filter, and fresh 15w-40 Dino oil. Also a clean fuel filter from Napa. I keep blowing out the prefilter and paper air filter and they still look good. I replaced both once with parts from an eBay seller, but that was long ago. I don't see the need to replace them again yet. This generator just keeps going, and I have been happy, and pleased to keep updating my review as time goes on. Most of these generators are pretty generic and are made from the same generic parts. I don't think one brand is better than the others. The important thing is to break it in and change oil properly, use it regularly, load it up often with 60% load or greater, and fix things that need repair. Preventative maintenance is king. I have taken the case apart to get to the injector 3-4 times and have the injector pattern checked and the nozzle cleaned at the tractor injection pump store. I run ATF in my fuel and they tell me that has kept my injection pump and injector in great shape. The price on these has doubled since I bought mine in 2006. I couldn't afford a better one back then. I see a bunch of Kohler and Onan gensets of the same vintage with great engines, but with burned out computer boards that are unavailable. No board, no power. I hate that I have a Chinese generator, but with care and servicing, it has been good.
I must have a good one, and I take good care of it. It has chugged along with very little trouble for eight years. No indication it will stop either. I certainly got my money's worth when I bought this unit.
Update October 2015: I knew today would come. My diesel generator stopped working. It shut down suddenly due to loss of compression. I haven't tried to determine the cause yet, but I fear it may be fatal. The motor turns over with the starter and doesn't make any weirdnoises other than spinning with no compression. Puffs of white unburned diesel out the exhaust as it spins. Unless the decompression is to blame, it has to be a piston failure or something not worth repairing. I'll update if I check it out further.
