Oil Level on Briggs generator - no dipstick

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bloomi

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I have recently been given a Generac (briggs) ET-1500 generator which has a 3.0hp Briggs flathead engine on it. It has two oil fill caps, one on each side, however neither have a dipstick nor any marks on the filler kneck. The Briggs website says if no dipstick or marks just fill to the top of the filler tube, however that looks like quite a lot of oil and a lot more than is currently in there.

Can anyone either tell me how much oil it should take, where the fill mark is or point me in the direction of a manual as I can't find anything searching for it. Have also tried calling the number printed on it but that just says it is an invalid number.

Rating plate below if of any help:
IMG_20150717_205219_1.jpg

Model 09747 0
Series ET-1500
Serial 0000095

Thanks, Benjamin
 
On those old Briggs engines, there is usually a fill port near the bottom with a plastic cap- to the right of the square headed drain plug in your picture. Unscrew that and the oil level should be near the top of the threads.

The amount of oil added after a change should be a bit over a 1/2 a liter if I recall correctly.
 
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Can't say it better than this. Probably 16-20oz or as indicated a bit over 0.5L is the likely oil capacity.

I know yours is older, but it's probably not so different from these engines:

http://www4.briggsandstratton.com/miscPDFs/oil_capacity_chart.pdf


Originally Posted By: The_Eric
On those old Briggs engines, there is usually a fill port near the bottom with a plastic cap- to the right of the square headed drain plug in your picture. Unscrew that and the oil level should be near the top of the threads.

The amount of oil added after a change should be a bit over a 1/2 a liter if I recall correctly.
 
I did look for Generac ET-1500. Didn't find it, but found a youtube video of the snapon branded version of what is supposedly the same generator.

Looks like it has a series 86400 Briggs and Stratton engine. Oil capacity for that family is 20oz.

So if you are really worried, drain it, then add 20oz of SAE30 oil and call it a day.
 
You can probably find stamped digits in the top of the engine near where the spark plug wire pops out of its little burrow hole. This'll give you more "engine maker info", that label is from the generator people.

BTW I think it's cool how it has 220 volts at only 5.5 amps/ 3 hp, euro spec.
 
Originally Posted By: Blaze
I have the exact same generator....have always gone by the manual and filled to the top of filler tube. No problems.
DO you have the 50 cycle version?
 
Originally Posted By: eljefino
You can probably find stamped digits in the top of the engine near where the spark plug wire pops out of its little burrow hole. This'll give you more "engine maker info", that label is from the generator people.

BTW I think it's cool how it has 220 volts at only 5.5 amps/ 3 hp. There must be a switch to "join" both sides so you get more 110, right?
He's in the UK where 220 at 50 cycles is the standard residential supply.
 
Originally Posted By: HerrStig
DO you have the 50 cycle version?


It runs at 3000 RPM so looks likely. I bet to us yanks it would sound "wrong".
 
As others have said, fill to the top of the fill hole. The fact that is more than is in it now is because people just don't keep them full. Many have come into my shop with hardly any oil in it and the owner would say,"I could see oil, so I figured that was good" . On those engines if there is a thin layer of oil on the bottom of the crankcase, you can see oil, but it is empty!
 
Originally Posted By: old1
As others have said, fill to the top of the fill hole. The fact that is more than is in it now is because people just don't keep them full. Many have come into my shop with hardly any oil in it and the owner would say,"I could see oil, so I figured that was good" . On those engines if there is a thin layer of oil on the bottom of the crankcase, you can see oil, but it is empty!
It takes a while to fill it to the top of the threads once you start to see the oil. I expect it to overfill every time on my 5 KW with an L head. You can Google the Briggs engine number for info from Briggs. I'm sure the engine was used on US versions with the governor set for 60 cycles.
 
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Thanks for all the quick replies, I'll fill it to the top as suggested. I just found it a bit odd as every other Briggs engine I've come across has had a dipstick and the level is well below the top of the tube at the moment. Still, you learn something every day.
 
Originally Posted By: bloomi
Thanks for all the quick replies, I'll fill it to the top as suggested. I just found it a bit odd as every other Briggs engine I've come across has had a dipstick and the level is well below the top of the tube at the moment. Still, you learn something every day.


I have a Briggs & Stratton generator and it is a "fill till spill" also. I would recommend putting something under the generator to catch the possible oil overflow when filling. I speak from experience
33.gif
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Whimsey
 
It would be nice to see the actual oil fill hole, as a few did have an extension and were suppose to have a dipstick. If you were to fill that type to the top, it would be seriously overfull.
 
An old engine like that is likely to burn through some oil, definitely fill it to the top of the hole as that is how they were designed. You couldn't over fill them - genius.
 
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