Valvoline Restore Onan / Cummins 7500 Generator

[Metric_Twins]

I recently purchased a used specialty trailer w/ an Onan / Cummins 7500 generator (diesel). The generator is in good shape & the service records are logged from the original date of purchase (2001), w/ only a diet of Rotella 15w-40 and Fram PH3593A changed every 100 hours. The generator has 2156 hours on it total. My question is w/ this number of hours is, what is everyone's thoughts about running a OCI using Valvoline Restore? and if so what hour interval should the oil filter be changed due to the high cleaning effect of the Restore? No physical room for a larger volume filter so I was thinking during the proposed "Restore OCI" maybe a new filter every 10 hours? or? Anyway thank you everyone & I look forward to this discussion.

PS: No issues w/ the generator & runs like a top for the short time I have had it, just thinking about OCI w/ Restore as a preventive maintenance. Generator sees use almost exclusively in West Texas and Southern AZ so heat is an issue and Restore is a 10w-30 weight oil so I do have a question about high summer heat (112F+) out here. Can push to the winter mons if need.

Thank again!

 

[UncleDave]

With 100 intervals and that low hours I think it'd be a waste of money.

These last 6-10K hours with basic maintenance.

That genset is rated to run at 120 ambient and Ive seen them stop running when parked over black asphalt

UD

 

[Linctex]

I know of a 6.5Kw genset (at an extremely remote location) with a Kubota D905 3-cylinder diesel.
24 hours a day, 365 days a year on the cheapest 15W-40 your government taxpayer contract bids will buy....
It had over 24,000 hours on it the last time I saw it a few years ago.

So....... At around 2,000 hours with a steady 100 hr OCI, I'd say you really haven't used up not even 10% of it's life yet.

When was the coolant changed last?

 

[UncleDave]

Originally Posted by Linctex
I know of a 6.5Kw genset (at an extremely remote location) with a Kubota D905 3-cylinder diesel.
24 hours a day, 365 days a year on the cheapest 15W-40 your government taxpayer contract bids will buy....
It had over 24,000 hours on it the last time I saw it a few years ago.

So....... At around 2,000 hours with a steady 100 hr OCI, I'd say you really haven't used up not even 10% of it's life yet.

When was the coolant changed last?


I wouldn't get the OP's hopes up that high.

Single speed air cooled gas units aren't remotely comparable in lifespan to the Kubotas

UD

 

[Metric_Twins]

Originally Posted by UncleDave
With 100 intervals and that low hours I think it'd be a waste of money.

These last 6-10K hours with basic maintenance.

That genset is rated to run at 120 ambient and Ive seen them stop running when parked over black asphalt



UD


Thank you, I am a bit new to these generators, but not to diesels. Solid & sound input Uncle Dave. I will run normal 100 hour OCI's. My thought is during the summer to run Mystik 15w-50 since we have it by the 55gal drum & then 15w-40 during the winter mons.



Originally Posted by Linctex
I know of a 6.5Kw genset (at an extremely remote location) with a Kubota D905 3-cylinder diesel.
24 hours a day, 365 days a year on the cheapest 15W-40 your government taxpayer contract bids will buy....
It had over 24,000 hours on it the last time I saw it a few years ago.

So....... At around 2,000 hours with a steady 100 hr OCI, I'd say you really haven't used up not even 10% of it's life yet.

When was the coolant changed last?


Records indicate fall of 2017. I just picked up new air filter, oil filter, fuel filter (all Fleetguard), Cummins thermostat and Peak Final Charge coolant at my Cummins dealer today. So all will be serviced shortly. Even w/ all the great record keeping I am going to assume its been a while since the thermostat and radiator cap have been changed, if at all. worth the few extra dollars for proper maintenance.


Originally Posted by UncleDave
Originally Posted by Linctex
I know of a 6.5Kw genset (at an extremely remote location) with a Kubota D905 3-cylinder diesel.
24 hours a day, 365 days a year on the cheapest 15W-40 your government taxpayer contract bids will buy....
It had over 24,000 hours on it the last time I saw it a few years ago.

So....... At around 2,000 hours with a steady 100 hr OCI, I'd say you really haven't used up not even 10% of it's life yet.

When was the coolant changed last?


I wouldn't get the OP's hopes up that high.

Single speed air cooled gas units aren't remotely comparable in lifespan to the Kubotas

UD



UD I am a little confused by your response to Linctex as the Engine is a 3 cylinder Kubota diesel model D722-E. Did i miss something?


Thanks guys this is just the type of info I was looking for and is invaluable!

 

[UncleDave]

AHHH ! - I missed the (diesel) in your original post! (I was using a pad yesterday and scrolling everywhere) I was bouncing back and forth between the pet grooming forums talking about air cooled 7K's and thoroughly mixed teh two.


I retract my lifespan claim and align with linctex - that genset will run in the 10's of thousands of hours -

You will lose the electrical end before the engine wears out.

Im down to one Onan 8000 now (almost the same unit) now as I just sold a van with one.

I have UOA's Ill dig up running 0-W40 and based on feedback here and from Blackstone - I could take it out to 300 hours with nearly no discernible wear.

Happy generating power a long time with that.

UD

 

[UncleDave]

The d722 is an awesome little powerplant.

 

[UncleDave]

Found a follow on at 5K running 238 hours on sump - almost no wear at all.

This was commercial use in the blazing so cal heat which is a bit like Texas but a bit drier - you wont have any heat problem as long as it can breathe.

(The air cooled units will however)

Dont bother with the Valvoline restore - your genset is barely even broken in at 2K.

 

[Metric_Twins]

Originally Posted by UncleDave
AHHH ! - I missed the (diesel) in your original post! (I was using a pad yesterday and scrolling everywhere) I was bouncing back and forth between the pet grooming forums talking about air cooled 7K's and thoroughly mixed teh two.


I retract my lifespan claim and align with linctex - that genset will run in the 10's of thousands of hours -

You will lose the electrical end before the engine wears out.

Im down to one Onan 8000 now (almost the same unit) now as I just sold a van with one.

I have UOA's Ill dig up running 0-W40 and based on feedback here and from Blackstone - I could take it out to 300 hours with nearly no discernible wear.

Happy generating power a long time with that.

UD





UD, THANK YOU! Those UOAs are stellar & confirm you knowledge. Great, great info. One question, I am curious why you ran a non HEDO w/ the Mobil 1 0w-40? The UOA is awesome so obviously no issue, just a curiosity really.

Thanks again!

 

[UncleDave]

Why not an HDEO engine oil- a fair and good question.

The spec on the genset was I believe the very minimal API SN - not even synth.
A D722 isn't a particularly high output engine, its not turbocharged, It has no after treatment to push fuel and soot into the sump,
So anything I ran better in grade or slightly above would likely be fine, but how much better was the question.

Why 0W-40
I always have it around.

My Ilmor V10 has 0w-40 specced and it needs a change of about 17 Quarts every 20 hours,
0W40 falls in spec for my diesel MOtorhome which needs 24 quarts
0W-40 falls in spec for my cat genset in the moho
0W40 works well in my Titan which shears it down to a 30 something for the majority of time in the sump.

Why spend the money on eth UOAS at all?

Because the genset oil change is a messy dirty job and with commercial use, one gets to the 150-hour point pretty quickly in the summer when a van needs AC full time for the workspace vs an occasional run for a dryer. Finding a way to reduce overall maintenance hours directly correlate to a lower ownership cost and if you do the work yourself - more free time to whatever else you wish.

Kubota has since given the greenlight for 500 hour changes in certain conditions on these mills.

To praise a little kubota like it deserves is a brutal blow to the heart of my psyche having grown up in peoria (pekin) Il - home to multiple cat factories I bleed cat yellow when cut.

All that said the D722 is s near perfect genset engine. A double belt pulley would be a step up as the factory interval becomes low in commercial use, but that about it.

UD

 

[Metric_Twins]

Originally Posted by UncleDave


Why not an HDEO engine oil- a fair and good question.

The spec on the genset was I believe the very minimal API SN - not even synth.
A D722 isn't a particularly high output engine, its not turbocharged, It has no after treatment to push fuel and soot into the sump,
So anything I ran better in grade or slightly above would likely be fine, but how much better was the question.

Why 0W-40
I always have it around.

My Ilmor V10 has 0w-40 specced and it needs a change of about 17 Quarts every 20 hours,
0W40 falls in spec for my diesel MOtorhome which needs 24 quarts
0W-40 falls in spec for my cat genset in the moho
0W40 works well in my Titan which shears it down to a 30 something for the majority of time in the sump.

Why spend the money on eth UOAS at all?

Because the genset oil change is a messy dirty job and with commercial use, one gets to the 150-hour point pretty quickly in the summer when a van needs AC full time for the workspace vs an occasional run for a dryer. Finding a way to reduce overall maintenance hours directly correlate to a lower ownership cost and if you do the work yourself - more free time to whatever else you wish.

Kubota has since given the greenlight for 500 hour changes in certain conditions on these mills.

To praise a little kubota like it deserves is a brutal blow to the heart of my psyche having grown up in peoria (pekin) Il - home to multiple cat factories I bleed cat yellow when cut.

All that said the D722 is s near perfect genset engine. A double belt pulley would be a step up as the factory interval becomes low in commercial use, but that about it.

UD



All good reasons UD & thanks for answering the question. Same boat a bit here except we have quite a bit of Mystik 15w-50 on hand. Not to derail from my original subject, but interesting your Titan sheers oil. I have the new Titan XD w/ a Cummins 5.0L. LOVE LOVE LOVE the truck (and i have two other Cummins 5.9L & 6.7L) and its my favorite by a Texas mile. Have not done a UOA yet, but I only run 15w-40 Rotella T5 & now T6 for the last two OCI's. I need to get one done when I am at the end of the current OCI. Thanks again for all the info regarding my little Onan. Really glad I have this thing now & it is fun to learn more & more about them.

 

[Linctex]

Originally Posted by UncleDave

Kubota has since given the greenlight for 500 hour changes in certain conditions on these mills.


Easily.

When being run 24/7/365 (the one I mentioned earlier) I'm certain I saw maintenance dates of every 90 days - that's 2,000 hour of running on one oil change.

There was a small system that could meter oil from a 5-gallon container into the sump if needed.
I didn't get a close look to see how oil level was measured, but there was some circuit box that sensed it somehow. It was inside a weatherproof enclosure so I didn't get to see any nameplate or name. We talked a little bit about how it really seldom needs any added... I think after a year there was still quite a bit of oil left in that "make-up" container.

Yes.... these little 3-cyl Kubotas (in various sizes) are really phenomenal pieces of engineering masterpiece.

 

[UncleDave]

The Cummins titan is on my short list when my current one goes.
I would say my titan has been a bit expensive to own, but performs extremely well.

The VK 56DE has many feet of chains and multitudes of sprockets.
Take that then add long periods of WOT traversing the desert hills in scorching heat and you get a machine that chews oil up like a puppy goes after the morning newspaper.

Its likely the Rotella or the Mystik will return similar performance on the genset. I think you are good for a lone oil source.

I chopped off the last comments but here they are.

(fwiw - Nathalie is Mrs. Uncle Dave - it was the genset in her sprinter grooming van)

UD