Use synthetic lube in generators?

[Gary - K7GLD]

We have all been exposed to oil discussions related to liquid cooled engines, and the synthetics hold a pretty good edge in several key areas of performance. Anyone here use synthetic lube in their generators or other air-cooled small HP engines?



In my motorcycling days, Quaker State was well regarded in air-cooled engines, and I used it with no problems. After initial seating in on the new Honda EU2000, I'd like to put the best available in for the occasional and then long storage use common to generators.



Wayne, if you read this, does Amsoil have a lube specially formulated with air-cooled engines in mind?

 

[Gary - K7GLD]

JEEZE, this is unbelievable - I ask for oil opinions/recommendations, and NO ONE answers! :-laf



Gotta be a board FIRST! :-laf

 

[GaryCarter]

I use Mobil 1. Yeah, I read the same stuff you did about only single weight 30.



For some reason my generators seem more reliable and burn less fuel than my cheap neighbors...



Mike

 

[bombero]

I use Mobil 1 10/30 in my EU2000. . 42 qts every 100hrs I did break it in using reg oil

 

[nauidvr1]

Gary - K7GLD,

I have been a generator mechanic since I was 17 (started in the US Army). After my 10 years in the military I went to work for GENERAC gererator corp, then on to Cummins-Onan for a few years on there BIG gens.



After initial break in of the engine 8-16 hours on normal oil, GENERAC would reccommend Mobil 1 synthetic if a customer called and inquired about synthetic oil specifically. I use either Mobil 1 or Castrol full snythetic, sometimes in a pinch I use what ever I can get my hands on, as long as it is a full synthetic oil.



Having said that, my personal generators and all my family & friends generators run synthetic oil after break in. I use this type of oil in all my aircooled engines around the homestead (Lawn tractor, edgers, generators, etc... ). I reccommend this for two reasons.



1 - most people treat there generaters like mushrooms all year long (keep them in a dark shed, feed them BS and do NO maintenence) until they need them. Then when the power goes out they pull the gen set out, top off the tank that has last years fuel in it, with a little bit of fresh fuel, and fire it up with out checking the oil. They will run the crap out of it until the power outage passes and then shut it down and put in back in the shed, thinking that they will do maintenance on it "later", but it never happens.



I have read several of your posts over the years and I know that you are not like "most people".



2 - When they treat the generator like described above the engine has a much better chance of surviving with synthetic oil in it. Plus with sythetic oil you can run 200 hours before needing to change the oil.



I also recommed that they use "STA-BIL" a gas stabalizer. With syntheic oil you can run for extend periods and not have to shut down for a oil change every 50 hours. And if you do put the gen back in the shed a don't change the oil it will not start deteroiating after 90 days.



In September 2003 we had a hurricane pass thru our area and it had power down for 8 days in my area. My family, friends and I were able to run straight thru that entire time (hot refueling), only shuting down once per 24 hours for a quick oil check and top off if needed. All generators also had low pressure oil shut off switches for protection from a low oil condition. I know that this is not the recommened practice, but if you "know" your generator and its "habits" you can operate like this when needed. In our case due to some family members having special medical needs we had to run the generators like this.



NAUIdvr1

 

[Gary - K7GLD]

NAUIdvr1, Thanks for educated info from the "inside" of the business!



Yours, as well as the other similar recommendations further above reinforce my choice - full synthetic it will be after the first several tanks of fuel - and thanks to all who took time to respond.

 

[nauidvr1]

No Problem Gary - K7GLD. Glad I could throw my . 02 cents in for once.

 

[Bill Stockard]

Well, it looks like I'll be getting synthetic oil for both my Generac generators... one is LP fueled and one burns gasoline treated with Sta-bil.



BTW, I don't treat them like mushrooms and they give good service.



Bill

 

[Froadin]

I have ran synthetic oil in all my small engines. For what little money difference there is with that little oil, it only makes sense. Especially considering that these little engines usually don't live a 'loved' life like our Cummins do

You don't have to worry about the oil breaking down, that is about the best reason yet.



And yeah, sta-bil in the fuel will make it last a LONG time. Btw, it seems other 2 stroke oils in a SMALL amount will do the same thing. I know the Amsiol stuff lasts a long time even when used in small amounts.

 

[nauidvr1]

Hey all,

Someone PM'ed me a message and I thought I should share it with you and my response. I will not post his name because he PM'ed and must have wanted it private, but someone else may be wondering the same thing. His PM to me is in italics below.



His question - I read your post on using synthetic oil in generators today and i have a question? you state AFTER initial break in on normal oil you recommend using synthetic oil. WHY NOT USE SYNTHETIC OIL FOR INITIAL BREAK IN???



My reply - I am not a guru on oils, but from what I have been told, by GENERAC engineers and Cummins-Onan engineers, it is much better to break the engine in with normal oil, something in normal oil allows the rings to seat better and the break in process to happen quicker than with synthetic. The same is recommended for our trucks. The say to break in the truck for 15,000 - 20,000 miles before switching to synthetic oil.



Sorry that I can't give you a better explanation. It was once told to me in detail, years ago, and I adopted it as a rule, but really don't remember the specifics as to why.



NAUIdvr1

 

[opiefire]

nauldvr1,

WOW! What a great informative reply to Garys question. I recently bought a Honda EU3000 generator. When I bought the generator I purchased Honda oil for my oil changes. After reading this post I will be switching to Synthetic oil! Also congrats on the NEW PURCHASES. I just installed the Kilby Condenser Guard yesterday and it works great! Great questions great answers on the TDR! Good work! David

 

[Froadin]

New engines have a 'cross hatch' pattern scuffed into each cylinder. This is there so that new rings will have an evenly scuffed surface that will cause a certain amount of wear. This causes both the cylinder walls and the rings (mostly the rings) to be slightly worn down.

This is done so that the rings can PERFECTLY match the cylinder bore and give you the best compression.

Using synthetic oil for break in will cause the break in period to last a LOT longer. This is because synthetic will not allow the rings to wear down as easily as dino oil will. It will still break in with synthetic, but you really want your engine break in period to be shorter, and dino oil works great for this.

 

[nauidvr1]

dmbarker - thanks for the kind words, glad I could finally post something to help someone.



Froadin - Thats it! Thats what the engineers told me years ago - I'll have to remember the specifics going forward. Thanks



NAUIdvr1

 

[Sled Puller]

JEEZE, this is unbelievable - I ask for oil opinions/recommendations, and NO ONE answers! :-laf



Gotta be a board FIRST! :-laf

Well gosh Gary, I'm surprised you didn't put in the K-Mart special with some STP goo, and call it good!!!



My, how things have changed on here in 5 years!!

Shoot, I bet Cummins and other synthetics companies will be advertising extended drains, and Smelltella with be making a synthetic,next!! oops... too late...

I understand, Gary, not everyone can be forward thinkers, and hindsite is 20/20. But glad to have you onboard! :-laf

 

[Gary - K7GLD]

"I understand, Gary, not everyone can be forward thinkers, and hindsite is 20/20. But glad to have you onboard!"



WELL, Gene, it's like this - my wife and I are retired and living on our pitance of a monthly Social Security check, plus whatever the kindly and sympathetic neighbors drop off when they pass by... SO, with careful saving added to the random pop bottles and aluminum cans I can pick up alongside the road on the daily 5 mile walk to the post office and Salvation Army store where we do all our major shopping, I just MIGHT be able to afford a quart of that high price synthetic lube to power the generator we must use to power the drafty hovel we lovingly call home... .



:-laf :-laf :-laf

 

[Blu-meanie]

I'm sure glad I have my boots on, it's getting pretty deep.

 

[Todd T]

to answer your original question i use mobile 1 in all my small engines and have not had a oil related problem with one yet.



if you think about it, the benefits of synthetics are they handle extremes (heat and cold) better.



dont know about you, but i dont consider my generator compartment a comfortable place.

 

[Bluhaven]

On the point of not using synthetic oil until X amount of hours on the engine, I just picked up a 05 GTO and it comes with Mobil 1 in it from the factory, go figure?

 

[Gary - K7GLD]

Corvettes and Camaros also came with Mobil 1 from the factory...

 

[Froadin]

Yup, these cars do come with the synthetic stock. They also have some very tight tolerances that can only be maintained with synthetics (and still have the correct viscosity).

Trust me, they take the oil type into account when building these.

Also, are you sure the very first oil they use is synthetic? I often wondered that part.