How long until first oil change on new generator?
- Thread starter cwilliamsws6
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IMO it depends on the engine, it's use, and if it has an oil filter or not. On brand new engines that are splash lubed, I usually tell customers to run 5-10 hours on the first change. With an oil filter it's more like 20-30 hours.
In something like a new generator I wouldn't use a high dollar boutique synthetic like Amsoil for the first couple changes. The first few changes should just be with any cheap oil that meets spec and changed out early. I've seen some engines that are still shedding break-in metal by the third or fourth oil change. It would be a waste to change Amsoil, Redline, Mobil 1, etc after only a few hours, and you aren't gaining anything using it over a cheap dino oil in those short intervals.
In something like a new generator I wouldn't use a high dollar boutique synthetic like Amsoil for the first couple changes. The first few changes should just be with any cheap oil that meets spec and changed out early. I've seen some engines that are still shedding break-in metal by the third or fourth oil change. It would be a waste to change Amsoil, Redline, Mobil 1, etc after only a few hours, and you aren't gaining anything using it over a cheap dino oil in those short intervals.
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Congrats on the new equipment!!!
I would run no more than 10 hrs initially. Drain, refill & run an additional 15 hrs.. that’ll give you 25 hrs. Try to keep at half power consumption for the 1st 25 hrs. Run for an additional 25 hrs, repeat drain and refill. From there on follow a regular 50 hrs oci. Use good fuel with stabil check your plug & filter every 50 hrs. I always ran 10w30 synthetic blend or full synthetic in my champion and it has been running for years trouble free. 👍 my 2cents.
Five hours seems to be the norm for the first oil change on small OPE with or without oil filters. Change it at five hours, then go by the engine manufacture's recommendations after that.
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Seems about rightI used Amsoil synthetic. Now it won't shut off. That oil is so slick........ And it lasts 20,000 miles so that is several million residential yards worth.
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Looks milky.
That's just the way the camera flash is reflecting off the metal flakes in the oil.
Definitely glad I didn't run that crap for the full first 25 hours like the owners manual suggested..yikes
I have an 8500-watt Westinghouse. I changed it at 5 hours and then I change it once per year but it gets minimal action - once per month I start it for 20 mins and put a load on it. I bought it 4 years ago and previous to that had several episodes of no power for >5 days. Since buying it it has worked for about 3-4 hours per year due to power outages. The oil comes out looking brand new.
Does yours have the electric start and if yes I have a question. Does the electric starter on yours take multiple tries to start the engine? My Westinghouse cycles the starter 4 or 5 times before it actually runs. On the other hand, the recoil starter turns it over first try every time.
Yes, it does. With the choke on it takes 3-5 seconds of cranking but then starts right up.
It's funny (not funny) because this thread reminded me to go start it and it won't start. It appears a rodent has been chewing on wires - especially the sparkplug wire...sigh....
Mice, squirrels, and chipmunks are the second main culprit for power equipment destruction in my experience, with operator negligence being the first.
I can't count the number of machines I've fixed with chewed wires, or blown head gaskets/dropped valve seats due to mouse nests and overheating. Usually when an engine comes in that is locked up solid, there is a good chance a mouse nest under the fan shroud caused it to overheat and burn up all of its oil. I have one customer that literally comes in every spring to have the mouse nests removed from his tractor engine. I'm not sure where he lives, but it must be in the middle of the woods because every year there is one jammed in there. Traps, dryer sheets, mint and pepper oil, etc, none of it seems to work. I've been telling him he needs to get some barn cats.
I conditioned myself to watch the engine on start up to see if crap blows out of it. If mickey got in there, then stuff will blow out of it, so it's shut it right down and clean it out.
I never thought of that possibly being an issue but now I will be sure to keep an eye out for any wire chewing because our garage does have mice.
Look at all that metal in the oil, wow.
I ran it for another hour and changed it again and what came out this time was about the same.
It will do that for a few oil changes. Then, all of a sudden, it will drain clean.
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