24 Hour run on Natural Gas Generator - Change oil or no?

[SupremePossum]

I have a Generac RG027 Generator. It runs a 2.4L Naturally Aspirated Mitsubishi I4 engine. Its 1800 RPM and liquid cooled.

I posted my last UOA here - https://bobistheoilguy.com/forums/threads/2021-generac-rg027-generator-48-hours-total-5w30.374090/

We just had some crazy storms in Houston, and I was on generator power for 24 hours and 17 mins, in one long run. The oil was fresh in it before this, and the OCI is 125 hours per the book. After this outage, I have 92 hours left.

Would you change the oil? Part of me thinks I should just leave it until 92 hours, but part of me also thinks I should swap it while leaving the filter in place, just so that next time, I'm also starting from fresh.

The oil was at the full level when I changed it last, and its still at the full mark now. Oil was so clean I could hardly see it on the dip stick

Where do you stand?

 

[JavierH19]

I'd keep it in.

 

[short]

agree

 

[BHopkins]

I'd leave it. Most power outages, that I have been through anyway, fit within that four days that are left on the oil. And even if a power outage went over 4 days, you could shut off the generator, change oil, and start it back up within short enough of a time that everything would be ok. Just have an oil change on hand, so you could do that if you ever needed to.

 

[Trav]

I wouldn't even think about it till it has 200 hrs on the oil. NG does not pollute the oil like gas or diesel.

 

[92saturnsl2]

Don't worry about it until you're > 125 hours. If a long duration outage puts you past that, so be it.

 

[Oliveoil2]

Run it.

 

[BrianF]

Assuming the break in period is done and the majority of that oil and material is gone, keep the oil in her and wait until you get to the stipulated hours. Changing it does nothing but create waste.

 

[ZZman]

NG burns cleaner so just keep using it.

 

[atikovi]

The oil was fresh in it before this, and the OCI is 125 hours per the book.

That converts to about a 7,500 OCI for a car. Since it runs on NG, that's a conservative amount, so nothing wrong with waiting for the recommended interval. Running 24 hours straight isn't a problem for a generator.

 

[ElectroMechanoMan]

I agree with leaving it. NG engines run clean, so do LP.

 

[walterjay]

No need to change it. NG is easy on oil.

 

[Fordiesel69]

When you have a generac generator with a non generac engine be it ford, GM, cummins, mitsubishi, etc, the engine will be the last part to wear out. The rotor will short, or the fields, or the controller will become obsolete long before that little mitsu engine wears out.

 

[UncleDave]

Id keep it in.

She's a beaut!

 

[dfarr67]

Hmmm- what does the man manual say?

 

[SupremePossum]

I forgot all about this thread

Looking back, I wish I had changed it. Power went out at 2:34am on Monday July 8th for Hurricane Beryl, and never came back up until Sunday the 14th of July at 9:12AM, so 6 days and 6 hours on generator

I did shut down the day before the power came back on and change the oil despite being well over the 125 hour OCI, I was actually at 162 hours. Having an extra 24 hour buffer would have been nice! I would not have shut down and changed had I known the power was going to come back the next day, but the utility website updated and indicated I may have to wait another week for power...

Of course now I'm back to square one with 24 hours on the oil since it ran for another day.

I sent the sample in to Blackstone, will of course post the results. Any bets on if they think I can go longer, or if they will say its borderline?

 

[brandon9715]

I forgot all about this thread

Looking back, I wish I had changed it. Power went out at 2:34am on Monday July 8th for Hurricane Beryl, and never came back up until Sunday the 14th of July at 9:12AM, so 6 days and 6 hours on generator

I did shut down the day before the power came back on and change the oil despite being well over the 125 hour OCI, I was actually at 162 hours. Having an extra 24 hour buffer would have been nice! I would not have shut down and changed had I known the power was going to come back the next day, but the utility website updated and indicated I may have to wait another week for power...

Of course now I'm back to square one with 24 hours on the oil since it ran for another day.

I sent the sample in to Blackstone, will of course post the results. Any bets on if they think I can go longer, or if they will say its borderline?

I’m willing to bet you could go longer.

 

[nomas]

Sleep well . You're fine .

 

[eljefino]

You just described the "fog of war" of a power outage. One doesn't know who to believe, even if they see a lineman physically working on their service drop.

 

[SupremePossum]

You just described the "fog of war" of a power outage. One doesn't know who to believe, even if they see a lineman physically working on their service drop.

The people across the street got the power back after 2 days, only to lose it for another 3! That might be worse than not having it for 6 days in a row