Oil suggestions for Yamaha portable generator?
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Amsoil 4-Stroke. I use it in all 4 cycle OPE.
Both the 1000 and 2000 yamaha use a conventional camshaft and lifters. ZDDP is important and with such long lived products, I'd choose the very best oil I could. A synthetic with plenty of ZDDP.
By the way, I tried a Yamaha 1000. It would surge and the rpm was not steady. Returned it for a Honda 1000. The yam 1000 is known for this.
However I like the Yamaha 2000 very much, and Does not surge
By the way, I tried a Yamaha 1000. It would surge and the rpm was not steady. Returned it for a Honda 1000. The yam 1000 is known for this.
However I like the Yamaha 2000 very much, and Does not surge
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I have a yamaha 3k inverter, low hours. used a 5-30 PP for the first 5 hours and it probably has another 5 on PU or syntec. it's quiet, the oil comes out clean, with fewer sparkles than the hondas I've had.
I had a honda EU2K and it was a fantastic genset, and they are coming down in price. I was told the honda carbs are less finicky than the yamahas, by a dealer that sold both. The honda was faster to correct voltage sag during surge loads than the yamaha. both are good.
I would run syn-- since they can run cool at light load during winter use.
I would NOT bother with a 1k genset. You may find it handy enough that you'll wish you had the 2k, which can run a space heater during a winter emergency, or a small window A/C or fridge during the summer.
M
I had a honda EU2K and it was a fantastic genset, and they are coming down in price. I was told the honda carbs are less finicky than the yamahas, by a dealer that sold both. The honda was faster to correct voltage sag during surge loads than the yamaha. both are good.
I would run syn-- since they can run cool at light load during winter use.
I would NOT bother with a 1k genset. You may find it handy enough that you'll wish you had the 2k, which can run a space heater during a winter emergency, or a small window A/C or fridge during the summer.
M
Thanks everyone for your input, I decided on the 2k generator. Now on to the oil and please forgive me this technology and terms are new to me. I have been doing a ton of reading to get familiar but it is quite overwhelming. Going to look today for some oil. The generator calls out for a range of oils, 10w-40 the first recommendation.
What Ive gathered is something HD with ZDDP. Does that mean diesel grade oils?
Would a Rotella T6 5w-40 be ok?
I looked at the Amsoil 10w-40 stuff, and saw 2 different 4 cycle synthetics. One for motorcycle and one for marine. Edit: Just noticed the 10w-30 Formula 4 stroke as well.
Im looking for something that I can find easily and hopefully not have to order online. Maybe Walmart, Autozone, etc.
Thanks again
What Ive gathered is something HD with ZDDP. Does that mean diesel grade oils?
Would a Rotella T6 5w-40 be ok?
I looked at the Amsoil 10w-40 stuff, and saw 2 different 4 cycle synthetics. One for motorcycle and one for marine. Edit: Just noticed the 10w-30 Formula 4 stroke as well.
Im looking for something that I can find easily and hopefully not have to order online. Maybe Walmart, Autozone, etc.
Thanks again
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Originally Posted By: Bored
Would a Rotella T6 5w-40 be ok?
Excellent choice.
I use Mobil 1 15w-50 because we don't get low temps here in sauna central.
We are planning a move to New England in a year or two and I think that the Rotella T6 will flow better at start up in cold temps.
Would a Rotella T6 5w-40 be ok?
Excellent choice.
I use Mobil 1 15w-50 because we don't get low temps here in sauna central.
We are planning a move to New England in a year or two and I think that the Rotella T6 will flow better at start up in cold temps.
did you go with the honda or yamaha? I do recall my yamaha ok'ing a 10-40 wt, while the honda called for 5-30.
if it's the yami, I'd likely side with the rotella 5-40, or a heavier good 10-30 such as syntec or Penzoil. I am one of the few folks here who has had some unhappy OPE with mobil synthetics, and it was in a honda that was run hard... so i shy away from M1.
the honda will REV... under load it will throttle up to 4400 rpm sustained IIRC. don't run a 40 wt in that. Use a quality oil that can flow and not bog it down or stress the splash pin.
The yami revs to 3600 IIRC, so it relies on more torque for a given output... hence the thicker oil. It also has a heavier gen head, so the combustion impulses hit the bearing surfaces harder.
i wouldn't worry too much over zddp. all the quality oils out there are good. And if you do an anual or 50 hour oci, whichever comes first, you should be fine with about anything.
More important-- due a couple of short OCI's when it's new, on regular dino to break it in and flush out any manufacturing debris. Run different loads on it. It can take them a while to break in--- I'd consider the first 40-50 hours on some of these engines to get nicely settled, but the first couple of changes are critical for getting out the small metal sparkles.
if it's the yami, I'd likely side with the rotella 5-40, or a heavier good 10-30 such as syntec or Penzoil. I am one of the few folks here who has had some unhappy OPE with mobil synthetics, and it was in a honda that was run hard... so i shy away from M1.
the honda will REV... under load it will throttle up to 4400 rpm sustained IIRC. don't run a 40 wt in that. Use a quality oil that can flow and not bog it down or stress the splash pin.
The yami revs to 3600 IIRC, so it relies on more torque for a given output... hence the thicker oil. It also has a heavier gen head, so the combustion impulses hit the bearing surfaces harder.
i wouldn't worry too much over zddp. all the quality oils out there are good. And if you do an anual or 50 hour oci, whichever comes first, you should be fine with about anything.
More important-- due a couple of short OCI's when it's new, on regular dino to break it in and flush out any manufacturing debris. Run different loads on it. It can take them a while to break in--- I'd consider the first 40-50 hours on some of these engines to get nicely settled, but the first couple of changes are critical for getting out the small metal sparkles.
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Thank you everyone for your input! Ended up with the Yamaha 2000.
Meep, thank you for the info about the break in, that was going to be my next question
Reading through the manual it states the first change at 1 month or 20 hours, is that sufficient or should I use a different plan? After that it states 6 months or 100 hours.
An hour meter would be nice, going to do some research on those if any are small enough for the generator.
Meep, thank you for the info about the break in, that was going to be my next question
An hour meter would be nice, going to do some research on those if any are small enough for the generator.
Originally Posted By: meep
did you go with the honda or yamaha? I do recall my yamaha ok'ing a 10-40 wt, while the honda called for 5-30.
if it's the yami, I'd likely side with the rotella 5-40, or a heavier good 10-30 such as syntec or Penzoil. I am one of the few folks here who has had some unhappy OPE with mobil synthetics, and it was in a honda that was run hard... so i shy away from M1.
the honda will REV... under load it will throttle up to 4400 rpm sustained IIRC. don't run a 40 wt in that. Use a quality oil that can flow and not bog it down or stress the splash pin.
The yami revs to 3600 IIRC, so it relies on more torque for a given output... hence the thicker oil. It also has a heavier gen head, so the combustion impulses hit the bearing surfaces harder.
i wouldn't worry too much over zddp. all the quality oils out there are good. And if you do an anual or 50 hour oci, whichever comes first, you should be fine with about anything.
More important-- due a couple of short OCI's when it's new, on regular dino to break it in and flush out any manufacturing debris. Run different loads on it. It can take them a while to break in--- I'd consider the first 40-50 hours on some of these engines to get nicely settled, but the first couple of changes are critical for getting out the small metal sparkles.
Almost all generators run at exactly 3600 RPM, unless they have a "no load idle option". Whether you run a light bulb or a toaster the generator runs at the same RPM, it has to to provide the proper voltage at 60 Hz. Now when its loaded up, the governor works to keep it at 3600 but the engine will be putting out a lot more HP and you can hear it. So the engine does not REV up to 3600 RPM, it always run at that RPM.
Its possible some run at 4400 RPM, but again, it would then always run at that RPM regardless of the load.
did you go with the honda or yamaha? I do recall my yamaha ok'ing a 10-40 wt, while the honda called for 5-30.
if it's the yami, I'd likely side with the rotella 5-40, or a heavier good 10-30 such as syntec or Penzoil. I am one of the few folks here who has had some unhappy OPE with mobil synthetics, and it was in a honda that was run hard... so i shy away from M1.
the honda will REV... under load it will throttle up to 4400 rpm sustained IIRC. don't run a 40 wt in that. Use a quality oil that can flow and not bog it down or stress the splash pin.
The yami revs to 3600 IIRC, so it relies on more torque for a given output... hence the thicker oil. It also has a heavier gen head, so the combustion impulses hit the bearing surfaces harder.
i wouldn't worry too much over zddp. all the quality oils out there are good. And if you do an anual or 50 hour oci, whichever comes first, you should be fine with about anything.
More important-- due a couple of short OCI's when it's new, on regular dino to break it in and flush out any manufacturing debris. Run different loads on it. It can take them a while to break in--- I'd consider the first 40-50 hours on some of these engines to get nicely settled, but the first couple of changes are critical for getting out the small metal sparkles.
Almost all generators run at exactly 3600 RPM, unless they have a "no load idle option". Whether you run a light bulb or a toaster the generator runs at the same RPM, it has to to provide the proper voltage at 60 Hz. Now when its loaded up, the governor works to keep it at 3600 but the engine will be putting out a lot more HP and you can hear it. So the engine does not REV up to 3600 RPM, it always run at that RPM.
Its possible some run at 4400 RPM, but again, it would then always run at that RPM regardless of the load.
Both the Honda and Yamaha 2000 inverter generators will rev to at least 5200RPM at full load. The engines are so small, that is a very low stress on the internals.
^^^correct^^^
inverter gensets have variable rpms since the output frequency is based on electronics and not gen-head rotation. the hondas tut-tut at around 2200 and go up from there IIRC.
OP- I would think that manual is sufficient. I changed my first one at 3 hours and there were very few sparkles. 2nd change is already past 5 hours-- probably 20 then I'll stick with annual or something over 50.
M
inverter gensets have variable rpms since the output frequency is based on electronics and not gen-head rotation. the hondas tut-tut at around 2200 and go up from there IIRC.
OP- I would think that manual is sufficient. I changed my first one at 3 hours and there were very few sparkles. 2nd change is already past 5 hours-- probably 20 then I'll stick with annual or something over 50.
M
put some hours on an older 5kw portable generator that has a tecumseh 12hp. It was down in florida this summer in 90+ heat and ran for 8 hours a day for a week and used some oil, it had 15w40. Got used again last week after our snowstorm for 3-4 days almost straight and did not use any oil, difference being it was 50F or colder out.
So I would choose an oil based on operating temp, for average temps a 15w40, if it's real cold then 5w30/10w30, otherwise if any kind of hot then consider a 20w50 a straight 50. purpose being you don't want a lighter viscosity oil burning off and having the gen shut down by low oil switch or otherwise.
the pics of the yamaha2000 looks like that thing is going to cook in any kind of ambient heat, I hope they got the air-cooled part figured out.
So I would choose an oil based on operating temp, for average temps a 15w40, if it's real cold then 5w30/10w30, otherwise if any kind of hot then consider a 20w50 a straight 50. purpose being you don't want a lighter viscosity oil burning off and having the gen shut down by low oil switch or otherwise.
the pics of the yamaha2000 looks like that thing is going to cook in any kind of ambient heat, I hope they got the air-cooled part figured out.
We had a Honda EU20i and found that it would run the airconditioner (Coleman RV) OK if the weather wasn't too hot. But when the outside temperature was in the high 40's the generator would come to a sputtering stop after about 15 minutes. We had this happen a number of times. A Honda dealer checked the genset over and tested it under load; all fine. But in high heat it just could not cope with the load of the aircon. The handbook says it will not run in ambient temperatures above 40 something degrees.
After hearing others speak of the same experience, we literally gave the Honda away (simply left it in our previous van when we sold it) and bought the Yamaha. Yes the Yamaha is bigger and heavier but it is not significantly louder. And it copes with the load where the Honda would not.
So I would suggest that if you will be travelling in really hot climes, you might consider the Yamaha. Otherwise the Honda will be fine.
After hearing others speak of the same experience, we literally gave the Honda away (simply left it in our previous van when we sold it) and bought the Yamaha. Yes the Yamaha is bigger and heavier but it is not significantly louder. And it copes with the load where the Honda would not.
So I would suggest that if you will be travelling in really hot climes, you might consider the Yamaha. Otherwise the Honda will be fine.
I'm running pennzoil platinum with a dash of liquimoly in my yam 2000. It gets almost no use, except for a yearly test run, and I change the oil yearly.
If you *use* it for real, stick with 20 hour changes or so. It's cheap insurance for something your family may depend on in a weather emergency, etc.
I have mine set up to a 6-circuit manual transfer switch.
1-Sump pump (exclusive load)
2-furnace (exclusive load)
3-bath rooms (these 4 can all run, together)
4-living room
5-fridge and stove
6-PC equip room
If you *use* it for real, stick with 20 hour changes or so. It's cheap insurance for something your family may depend on in a weather emergency, etc.
I have mine set up to a 6-circuit manual transfer switch.
1-Sump pump (exclusive load)
2-furnace (exclusive load)
3-bath rooms (these 4 can all run, together)
4-living room
5-fridge and stove
6-PC equip room
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