I usually use strait 30 yellow bottle pennzoil in all my small engines what is everyones opinion... I have my 5 H.P. generator and am putting in pyb strait 30 tomorrow unless someone has a better idea..
Oil For Old Briggs+Stratton 5 H.P. Generator
- Thread starter crazyoildude
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Rotella 30WT or PYB 30, whatever cheaper
JHZR2
Staff member
I run amsoil ACD as it flows like a 10w-30 but is just a straight 30wt.
I've had 5w30 and 10w30, both conventional and synthetic and 15w40 in my little Coleman Powermate 1850. It must be about a 5hp Briggs flat-head on it (buried under the covers). No noticeable difference in starting between the oils given the times I've needed to start it.
It's a nice running, fuel sipping little bugger. Vibrates itself to pieces though.
Joel
It's a nice running, fuel sipping little bugger. Vibrates itself to pieces though.
Joel
I am very strict at using sae30 conventional oil in my OPE, but when it comes to a piece that I run in the winter, I do use 10w-30 (conventional).
Be carefull on gen. It can simply evaporate the oil due to high governor loading. On a tractor for example, the gov opens up when you turn the mower on and when you hit high grass, the rest of the time it is at 1/4-1/2 position.
On a gen, once the governor opens, it must stay there to maintain 60Hz. This will cause the engine to use oil.
5w-30 / 10w-30 is not a good choice. A robust 15w-40, 5w-40 syn diesel oil would be better. Or if you must a 10w-30 diesel oil like rotella.
On a gen, once the governor opens, it must stay there to maintain 60Hz. This will cause the engine to use oil.
5w-30 / 10w-30 is not a good choice. A robust 15w-40, 5w-40 syn diesel oil would be better. Or if you must a 10w-30 diesel oil like rotella.
Originally Posted By: Fordiesel69
Be carefull on gen. It can simply evaporate the oil due to high governor loading. On a tractor for example, the gov opens up when you turn the mower on and when you hit high grass, the rest of the time it is at 1/4-1/2 position.
On a gen, once the governor opens, it must stay there to maintain 60Hz. This will cause the engine to use oil.
5w-30 / 10w-30 is not a good choice. A robust 15w-40, 5w-40 syn diesel oil would be better. Or if you must a 10w-30 diesel oil like rotella.
a generator is going to fluxuate as well, ie running a refigerator, the butterfly/govenor is going to open up when it kicks on (much like turning on a mower deck mowing) and when it kicks off, the load will be much less. Also, assuming this is a lose built briggs L head, I cant see how using synthetic of any weight would be a good idea? Assuming this question is about a generator being used today in the USA (not even Nov yet), the best bet would be sae 30, imho
Be carefull on gen. It can simply evaporate the oil due to high governor loading. On a tractor for example, the gov opens up when you turn the mower on and when you hit high grass, the rest of the time it is at 1/4-1/2 position.
On a gen, once the governor opens, it must stay there to maintain 60Hz. This will cause the engine to use oil.
5w-30 / 10w-30 is not a good choice. A robust 15w-40, 5w-40 syn diesel oil would be better. Or if you must a 10w-30 diesel oil like rotella.
a generator is going to fluxuate as well, ie running a refigerator, the butterfly/govenor is going to open up when it kicks on (much like turning on a mower deck mowing) and when it kicks off, the load will be much less. Also, assuming this is a lose built briggs L head, I cant see how using synthetic of any weight would be a good idea? Assuming this question is about a generator being used today in the USA (not even Nov yet), the best bet would be sae 30, imho
Originally Posted By: clarklawnscape
Originally Posted By: Fordiesel69
Be carefull on gen. It can simply evaporate the oil due to high governor loading. On a tractor for example, the gov opens up when you turn the mower on and when you hit high grass, the rest of the time it is at 1/4-1/2 position.
On a gen, once the governor opens, it must stay there to maintain 60Hz. This will cause the engine to use oil.
5w-30 / 10w-30 is not a good choice. A robust 15w-40, 5w-40 syn diesel oil would be better. Or if you must a 10w-30 diesel oil like rotella.
a generator is going to fluxuate as well, ie running a refigerator, the butterfly/govenor is going to open up when it kicks on (much like turning on a mower deck mowing) and when it kicks off, the load will be much less. Also, assuming this is a lose built briggs L head, I cant see how using synthetic of any weight would be a good idea? Assuming this question is about a generator being used today in the USA (not even Nov yet), the best bet would be sae 30, imho
But you will be using other things, so total load will probably be more than a mower for example. At least mine is.
Originally Posted By: Fordiesel69
Be carefull on gen. It can simply evaporate the oil due to high governor loading. On a tractor for example, the gov opens up when you turn the mower on and when you hit high grass, the rest of the time it is at 1/4-1/2 position.
On a gen, once the governor opens, it must stay there to maintain 60Hz. This will cause the engine to use oil.
5w-30 / 10w-30 is not a good choice. A robust 15w-40, 5w-40 syn diesel oil would be better. Or if you must a 10w-30 diesel oil like rotella.
a generator is going to fluxuate as well, ie running a refigerator, the butterfly/govenor is going to open up when it kicks on (much like turning on a mower deck mowing) and when it kicks off, the load will be much less. Also, assuming this is a lose built briggs L head, I cant see how using synthetic of any weight would be a good idea? Assuming this question is about a generator being used today in the USA (not even Nov yet), the best bet would be sae 30, imho
But you will be using other things, so total load will probably be more than a mower for example. At least mine is.
Originally Posted By: Fordiesel69
Originally Posted By: clarklawnscape
Originally Posted By: Fordiesel69
Be carefull on gen. It can simply evaporate the oil due to high governor loading. On a tractor for example, the gov opens up when you turn the mower on and when you hit high grass, the rest of the time it is at 1/4-1/2 position.
On a gen, once the governor opens, it must stay there to maintain 60Hz. This will cause the engine to use oil.
5w-30 / 10w-30 is not a good choice. A robust 15w-40, 5w-40 syn diesel oil would be better. Or if you must a 10w-30 diesel oil like rotella.
a generator is going to fluxuate as well, ie running a refigerator, the butterfly/govenor is going to open up when it kicks on (much like turning on a mower deck mowing) and when it kicks off, the load will be much less. Also, assuming this is a lose built briggs L head, I cant see how using synthetic of any weight would be a good idea? Assuming this question is about a generator being used today in the USA (not even Nov yet), the best bet would be sae 30, imho
But you will be using other things, so total load will probably be more than a mower for example. At least mine is.
Good point, I wasnt considering much other than a fridge, as I havent been w/o power for much more than 1 day in a long time. Back to oil, if the OP decides to use syn (I certainly wouldnt) in an older briggs be sure you check it, and check it often regardless of weight.
Originally Posted By: clarklawnscape
Originally Posted By: Fordiesel69
Be carefull on gen. It can simply evaporate the oil due to high governor loading. On a tractor for example, the gov opens up when you turn the mower on and when you hit high grass, the rest of the time it is at 1/4-1/2 position.
On a gen, once the governor opens, it must stay there to maintain 60Hz. This will cause the engine to use oil.
5w-30 / 10w-30 is not a good choice. A robust 15w-40, 5w-40 syn diesel oil would be better. Or if you must a 10w-30 diesel oil like rotella.
a generator is going to fluxuate as well, ie running a refigerator, the butterfly/govenor is going to open up when it kicks on (much like turning on a mower deck mowing) and when it kicks off, the load will be much less. Also, assuming this is a lose built briggs L head, I cant see how using synthetic of any weight would be a good idea? Assuming this question is about a generator being used today in the USA (not even Nov yet), the best bet would be sae 30, imho
But you will be using other things, so total load will probably be more than a mower for example. At least mine is.
Good point, I wasnt considering much other than a fridge, as I havent been w/o power for much more than 1 day in a long time. Back to oil, if the OP decides to use syn (I certainly wouldnt) in an older briggs be sure you check it, and check it often regardless of weight.
im using pyb 30w
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