Generator oil?

[Rust_Belt_Pete]

I bought a predator 5000 generator that uses some kind of really common small engine. Any suggestions for a generator oil.
99% likelihood of this being run in the fall or winter. Will be running off propane.

 

[oldcodger]

Amsoil small engine oil in the weight required by the owners manual.

 

[ripcord]

Just use your favorite brand of xW-30 or xW-40 oil and change it every 100 hours. 0w-30, 5w-30, 10w-30, 0w-40, 5w-40, 10w-40 or 15w-40 will all be fine if you keep it topped up and clean. The manual calls for 10w-30.

Just as important, or even more important than changing the oil regularly, is keeping the air filter maintained. Clean or change it every 50 hours.

https://manuals.harborfreight.com/manuals/70000-70999/70143-193175490544.pdf

 

[spasm3]

Manual calls for 10w30, I'd consider amsoil small engine. Being in Buffalo NY I might go with amsoil small engine 5w-30 for easier starting, but the 10w-30 should be fine.

I'd run a bottle of 10w30 name brand oil from walmart for break-in, then switch to amsoil.

 

[Chris142]

There is a Taco truck not far from me that runs one of those generators. They run super tech 10w-30 in it..I don't know how often they change the oil but that thing ran all summer in 110+ heat 4 days a week from 11a to 9p.

I would not worry too much about oil in yours but I would upgrade the spark plugs.

 

[Dave Sherman]

Didn't know Predator made a 5000. I've been running Rotella 10W-30 in my 4000. There are magnetic dipsticks available, added one to mine and it tends to pick up a film of stuff between oil changes.

 

[billt460]

Didn't know Predator made a 5000................

They also make a 9500.

https://www.harborfreight.com/9500-...ator-with-co-secure-technology-epa-71365.html

 

[repairman54]

In Buffalo 5-30w oil so you can spin it over fast enough to start in the cold. Up here in the ADK I had to use 0-30w to get my BS gen. to spin over fast enough to start at 0f.

 

[billt460]

In Buffalo 5-30w oil so you can spin it over fast enough to start in the cold. Up here in the ADK I had to use 0-30w to get my BS gen. to spin over fast enough to start at 0f.

That's usually the downside to generators in very cold climates. You have to sacrifice viscosity to get the thing started in frigid weather.

 

[JavierH19]

Any euro 30/40 will be great. If you want it to start the easiest in the winter m1 esp 0w-30 can't be beat for what one can get off the walmart shelf or online. It running off lpg/ng means oil should last longer, less combustion byproducts.

 

[SwampSurvivor]

I have the predator 9000 and another similarly engined powermate generator.

15w40 in the summer and 10w30 in the winter in mine so far. The powermate never starts ... ever ... without a toot of starting fluid. I may consider something like a synthetic 0w-40 in the predator to help with the electric start. There's the possibility of an extended power outage but it'll be cold out so I won't have to worry too much.

I do wish it had an oil filter.

 

[nomas]

I've seen generators that were used on jobsites that were lucky if anybody even checked the oil . Oil changes ? Never . If they did top it up it was with whatever they could find . Oil is oil , right ?

 

[Ride_Red]

What does it say in the owner's manual?

10w-30 is usually a good place to start for general use, and is what I run in my generators and lawn mower.
Cold winters may require a 0W-30 or 5W-30. My 4000W/8HP generator was a bear to pull over in the winter with 10W-30.
Hot summers in the south bump up to a 40.

You could split the difference with a 5W-40.

 

[eljefino]

That's usually the downside to generators in very cold climates. You have to sacrifice viscosity to get the thing started in frigid weather.

Gen should have a compression release and turn over okay. Once it kicks off though I'd want a low winter rating as it rockets up to 3600 RPM, and will probably be loaded doing work within seconds.

 

[repairman54]

No comp. release on the 2 BS powered 10hp 5600w units I've owned. I could lift them off the ground with the recoil at 0f with 5-30w in them and never get them to spin over fast enough to start. 0w bottom number oil and good to go winter starting.

 

[brandon9715]

+1 Amsoil ASE (10w30). Great oil that doesn’t shear. You realistically could use the cheapest oil that you could find off the shelf and likely be fine. I choose not to because I count on my equipment for hundreds of dollars of meat, sump pump, well pump, etc.

 

[factorytuned2012]

I bought a predator 5000 generator that uses some kind of really common small engine. Any suggestions for a generator oil.
99% likelihood of this being run in the fall or winter. Will be running off propane.

Winter months in buffalo NY you’ll want a 5w30 summer a 10w30 is fine I would use a full synthetic. Just follow the break-in procedure and recommended oil change interval

 

[Dutchy491]

Amsoil Synthetic Small Engine Oil 10w30 has a pour point of-40 and an HTHS of 3.3. The 10w40 has a pour point -39 and HTHS of 4.4.
Use either as Buffalo shouldn’t get that cold
I use the 10w40 in my Honda EM6500 year round in eastern Ontario.

 

[billt460]

Just remember "pour points" mean little to a splash oil system. When oil pours like molasses, it's not going to "splash" anywhere until it warms up. In the meantime it's chugging away at 3,600 RPM without much oil getting to where it needs to be.

 

[#18FAN]

Have been running this for years in my 12.5hp snowblower never an issue pulling over highly recommended.
Amsoil formula 4 stroke.
https://amsoilcontent.com/ams/lit/databulletins/g1713.pdf