Generac portable generator oil?

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Ok my turn! Great advice on the honda generator earlier. Looking for recommendations on my brand new Generac. Portable unit. 8000 watts. Looks like they recommend 30 wt. Or 10/30 in lower temps. Here in Florida in summer means hot. Should have the machine up and running Friday and going to change factory fill at 5 hours. I was kinda thinking a multi grade 10/30 or 15/40 rotella. What ya think and wish us luck from irma!
 
Either 30 wt or 10w30. Probably the latter since a little easier to find. Stay safe down there man. Prayers are with you brother.
 
With the warranty, I'd use what the OM says. Does anyone still make a gas rated 30w HDEO?

M1 10w30 HM gets my vote here.. or some gas rated T5 if you can find it.
 
Our service guy performs a yearly change with M1 10w30. Comes out so clean it seems like a waste. He said he uses 10w30 because its not so thick it robs power and hard to start. I'm sure you could use thicker or thinner if you wanted. Mine has a delay in ignition where the starter turns the engine over for approx 15 secs, enough to get oil on parts before it actually starts for its weekly auto test.
 
Originally Posted By: LeakySeals
Comes out so clean it seems like a waste.


I know many that would use it in one of their cars like your Maxima.
 
A friend was a Gererac tech for several years. In the Generac school his instructors rec. M1 5-10-30. I use M1 10-30 in my Subaru powered 5 KW gen. It actually is hotter here in Illinois than Florida in the summer.
 
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Former small engine tech here.

Do you remember the 2004 FL hurricane season? 4 storms back to back. Millions without power for 30-40 days. It was miserable.

And people were slap blowing up their free FEMA generators within DAYS!! (yes the govt bought you a generator, for free, if you asked for one)

You REALLY need to stay on top of the oil level. You have to check it AT EVERY FILL UP. You also need to change the oil every two days. Its a severe duty cycle, and these small engines will burn through oil at a very rapid pace, ESPECIALLY the conventional multi-weights.

After two days of continuous use, the oil gets really fuel diluted, thins some more, which causes consumption, and before you know it you are dangerously low or blowing up your engine.

30 weight oils are MARGINAL, in a generator, in Florida. Period. If you are the less than 10% of folks that will religiously check your oil level, and religiously change your oil every 2 days, then yes, 30 weight will be fine for you.

My standard recommendation for this scenario is 15W40 minimum. 20W50 also a very appropriate and excellent recommendation, contrary to what the northerns and Canadians on this board would tell you. SAE40 is also IDEAL. Autozone and Advance usually carry it in a store brand.

Just look at Briggs & Stratton oil recommendations for severe duty (your engine is made by Briggs and Stratton). They recommend 20W50 in severe duty applications, when for years they never did, only recommending 30 weight. Wonder why? Too many warranty claims and blown engines.

A thicker oil in this application gives you a lot more margin for error should you get lazy and not keep your oil level up.


Briggs oil chart
Oil_rec_chart.jpg


And from their website:
-For continuous-use, such as commercial lawn cutting or pressure washing, use Vanguard 15W-50 Oil (temperatures from 20°F to 130°F).
 
Originally Posted By: bubbatime

My standard recommendation for this scenario is 15W-40 minimum.


Same here. I have over 20 pieces of air-cooled OPE, and run 15W-40 in all of it. Some gets worked so hard, the exhaust system is a nice red glow at night. Run 15W-40 and your engine will be protected.

Ehhh... I don't check the oil EVERY fill-up
 
Originally Posted By: Linctex
Ehhh... I don't check the oil EVERY fill-up


Go sit in timeout and think about what you just said.
 
I have to agree with using a thick oil like 20w50 or at least a HD oil like 15w40.
My son had my Honda industrial generator for Hurricane Mathew. It never used oil when we took it camping, running all night with 10w30 but when you start running them 24 hours for 5-7 days they use the oil. When I went to change it, it was tar black and had about 6 ounces of oil in it.
Apparently the low oil sensor wasn't working. So lesson learned, check oil, don't be surprised if it didn't use oil but now does running that many hours non- stop. Didn't lose the engine but probably didn't do it any favors.
 
Originally Posted By: Panzerman
I have to agree with using a thick oil like 20w50 or at least a HD oil like 15w40.
My son had my Honda industrial generator for Hurricane Mathew. It never used oil when we took it camping, running all night with 10w30 but when you start running them 24 hours for 5-7 days they use the oil. When I went to change it, it was tar black and had about 6 ounces of oil in it.
Apparently the low oil sensor wasn't working. So lesson learned, check oil, don't be surprised if it didn't use oil but now does running that many hours non- stop. Didn't lose the engine but probably didn't do it any favors.



What 10-30 did you use. Also when run for days on in, the oil level should be checked every 6-8 hours, and changed every 50 hrs. Never go 5-7 days. Poor maintenance.
 
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Look in the "Product Rebates, Sales and Promotions" section.
https://bobistheoilguy.com/forums/ubbthreads.php/forums/33/1/Product_Rebates,_Sales_and_Pro

Any full synthetic 10W-30 will work.

I see -
O'Reilly Auto, Havoline DS,
Advanced Auto Parts, Quaker State Ultra Deluxe,
Rural King full Synthetic,
And a few jugs may still be around, the 2.5 gallons Shell Rotella T5,
 
I assume your Generac has a Generac engine. As an owner of the twin cylinder Generac GT-990 motor on a 16kw standby unit for the past 11 years, I can talk from my experience only. Nix on the 30w or any conventional multigrade. Mine calls for 5w-30 and I run QS Ultimate synthetic. I change mine at 25-30 hour intervals. The used oil always looks clean and clear, but the engines can be hard on oil, especially if run in a hot climate, as previous poster said. Just don't make the mistake of using a conventional oil.
 
Originally Posted By: NormanBuntz
Just don't make the mistake of using a conventional oil.


Conventional SAE30, SAE40, 15W40, and 20W50 are fine, and likely better, then run of the mill synthetic 5W30 in this case.

Its the conventional 5W30 or conventional 10W30 that WILL consume like crazy in this climate.
 
Get your gasoline storage game on, sir. Two gallons of any HDEO 15w40 will more than suit ya.

You want enough (for your car) to leave the state if zombies make it unreal in a week from Sunday.
 
[/quote]

What 10-30 did you use. Also when run for days on in, the oil level should be checked every 6-8 hours, and changed every 50 hrs. Never go 5-7 days. Poor maintenance.
[/quote]


I think it was Quaker State 10w30 Full Synthetic but I can't say for sure. I used Rotella 15w40 this last time since I figure the diesel oil may be a little more stout
Yes it was poor maintenance.
Like I said it never used oil and I thought it had a low sensor so I really didn't harp on my son but he got a good chewing out and it looks like he will be using it again so I hope he checks the oil this time. As far as changing the oil every 25-30 hours, that's insane. It's changing your oil every day and a half. That's not happening. How many lawnmowers run life to death without a oil change. That's just crazy.
 
For what it is worth, I run 5w40 synthetic in my generator way up north in Pennsylvania. You should be fine with any synthetic xw40 or conventional 15w40 in your climate. Be sure to check the oil level at every refueling, and change it at the recommended 50 hour intervals. Run it only when needed, and stay safe my friend.
 
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