Oil for single cylinder air cooled diesel gen set?

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Picked up a used 6.7kw, 3600 rpm, air cooled diesel generator with 24 hrs on the clock, which happens to be the time for the first oil change after break in period. The engine is a Chinese LD186FAG 418cc single cylinder air cooled diesel. I have some Chevron Delo 400 CJ4 15W40 Engine Oil on the shelf, says it rated for diesel. Is it OK to use? Or would you recommend something else?

Thanks!

Gilbert
 
Delo 400 is not OK to use... it's fantastic! Do they have any more generators where you bought yours? I hope you didn't get treated badly by Irene.
 
I picked it up off of Craigs List. Like new. Darn good deal for 700. Irene just gave us some much needed rain. The power never went out!
 
Is it pull rope start, or does it have an electric starter?

If it is pull rope, in the winter in central NY it will start easier with an oil with a 0 or 5 for the first number, like M1 0W-40, GC, or T6.

I would save the 15W-40 for summer use.
 
It's electric start with remote. Ok, I'll look for some 5w-40. Anything at wallyworld or Advance Auto you or anyone could recommend? Stupid question...GC and T6, is the rating? I'm not an engineer, nor do I play one on TV, so...in a nut shell what do these ratings represent?

Thanks!

Gilbert
 
For the Diesel engine, you want to find "C" rated oil. For example, suppose and oil says it is rated CJ-4, CI-4+, CI-4/SM. This means it will be good for 4-stroke diesel engines from the mid-90's up to today's engines; and will be good for gasoline engines that need an SM rated oil in that viscosity. If an oil, like Mobil 1 5W-30, only had "S" ratings; it is ONLY meant for gasoline engines. Running it in a diesel will seriously shorten the engine life.
 
I have that exact same engine, which will be going into a riding mower over the winter. It'll get broken in with the very oil you chose, and then switched to T6, same as my diesel genny and converted snowblower. If you prefer the delo brand, I would look for the mythical delo synthetic for winter use. IIRC, your engine calls for a minimum rating of CF. Some gas engine oils meet this rating, and some don't. I'd just go with any of the above mentioned diesel oils and be done with it.
 
Use any decent 15W40 HDEO and change it as per engine manual instructions.

Being air cooled, ventilation is very critical. Poor ventilation will shorten engine life. I had a neighbour at camp who bought an air cooled Chinese diesel generator and killed it in less than two years because the shed he kept it in was insufficiently ventilated. I have a liquid cooled Kubota diesel engine on my 6 kw generator. It's 28 years old with close to 6000 hours on it and hasn't missed a beat in all those years.

I use any brand of 15W40 HDEO that's selling for the best price and change it every 125 to 150 hours or annually, which ever is less. Mostly Shell Rotella but recently I scored five gallons of Tech 2000 15W40 for $20.00 so I'll be using that for a few years.
 
yep just about any diesel rated oil will do. personally I would go for a 5w-40 so it is ready to rock n rock year round. Two common 5w-40 diesel oils are Shell Rotella T6 and Mobil TDT (turbo diesel truck) @ walmart.
 
your delo 400 will work great. It'll probably outlast you, if you can deal with the noise those things make. insanely loud.
 
OP or others with the same--could you post the brand name of the gen set?
I'd like to know more about it-sounds like a great find
 
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