How long until first oil change on new generator?

I have a 2500 watt generac head with honda 5 hp engine. It only gets run for emergencys. So i change out the oil after i run it. So it always is stored w clean oil. I pull the starter rope a few times every few months just to help keep some oil on the cylinder and valves.
 
I have purchased many small air cooled engines - lawn mowers, pressure washer, generators - never had one come with oil in it.

I recently broke in a small generator -

I used plain only10w30 conventional oil

Ran it for about an hour - warmed up no load - then kept adding load until it was close to max load -

then no load for a few minutes and them slowly added load until close to max

Changed the oil

Next oil change was at about 5 hours - I just ran it and used whatever load I needed -

IMHO running it at no load or only a light load for break in is the wrong way - load that bugger up and get it hot - all running with no load goes is burn gas -

Break it in like you plan to use it!!
 
I have a 2500 watt generac head with honda 5 hp engine. It only gets run for emergencys. So i change out the oil after i run it. So it always is stored w clean oil. I pull the starter rope a few times every few months just to help keep some oil on the cylinder and valves.

Good idea pulling the starter rope - but one additional thing

The last time you pull the rope - pull it slowly until you feel the compression build up and then stop

This state will have both the intake and exhaust valves closed - so cylinder sealed helping to keep moisture out of the cylinder.

Plus when the valves are in the closed position the valve springs will not be compressed -

Leaving a small engine unused for a while with one valve spring in the compressed state could cause a problem.

If the valve sticks in the open position and the spring is not strong enough to over come the stuck valve your engine will not start and will require it be taken apart to unstick the valve.

If the valve would stick in the closed position the force from the cam shaft will most likely be able to unstick the valve.
 
I fired my Westinghouse generator up for the first time today and I was running propane. So after I got done with my test run and went to shut it down, I turned off the propane tank but the generator just kept on running! I turned the tank valve on and off a few times plus I tapped on the valve a few times but it just kept on running. So I finally just hit the stop button and then I took the hose off the tank expecting it to be leaking but it was tighter than a drum. Any idea what the issue is here? Thanks

Mark
 
I bought a 9500 last year and changed the oil at 1 hour. Very glittery. Changed it at 3 hours, less glitter, but some. My neighbor bought a smaller version at the same time and I helped her get it up and running, and it hasn't been touched ever since. I changed the oil in it today for her because it's been sitting for a year, and the generator now has 11 minutes on it, after letting it run a portable AC unit today for about 5 minutes. Oil was very glittery. The big part of the break-in must happen during the first few minutes of running.
 
Many years ago, when I bought our Coleman Powermate 5000 Watt 6250 Watt peak with a Tecumseh 10 horsepower engine it took about four oil changes if I remember correctly before I got oil out of it that wasn't full of glitter.

I was surprised that the oil still came out with a lot of glitter in it after several changes.
 
Good idea pulling the starter rope - but one additional thing

The last time you pull the rope - pull it slowly until you feel the compression build up and then stop

This state will have both the intake and exhaust valves closed - so cylinder sealed helping to keep moisture out of the cylinder.

Plus when the valves are in the closed position the valve springs will not be compressed -

Leaving a small engine unused for a while with one valve spring in the compressed state could cause a problem.

If the valve sticks in the open position and the spring is not strong enough to over come the stuck valve your engine will not start and will require it be taken apart to unstick the valve.

If the valve would stick in the closed position the force from the cam shaft will most likely be able to unstick the valve.

This is good information. I do this all the time on all of my small 4-stroke engines.
 
Good idea pulling the starter rope - but one additional thing

The last time you pull the rope - pull it slowly until you feel the compression build up and then stop

This state will have both the intake and exhaust valves closed - so cylinder sealed helping to keep moisture out of the cylinder.

Plus when the valves are in the closed position the valve springs will not be compressed -

Leaving a small engine unused for a while with one valve spring in the compressed state could cause a problem.

If the valve sticks in the open position and the spring is not strong enough to over come the stuck valve your engine will not start and will require it be taken apart to unstick the valve.

If the valve would stick in the closed position the force from the cam shaft will most likely be able to unstick the valve.
I like this idea!
 
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