All that glitters

[WyrTwister]

Saw a youtube video a while back . Guy had a new Chi-Com gasoline generator . He ran it a few hours on the oil that was shipped with it and dumped the oil .

He said it was common for Chi-Com generators to have metallic glitters in the oil , first few oil dumps . He showed the oil on the video & he was not disappointed . Quite a few glitters .

After 1 or 2 more dumps , the oil cleared up . The engine ran fine . But no way to tell how many hours of service he would get from the engine .

All in all , I found this interesting , and a little scary , if I was in the market for a generator .

Any one know if this is SOP for non Chi-Com generators ?

Thanks ,

 

[gathermewool]

I was expecting the same from my WEN inverter-generator, but was pleased to see regular, dark-looking oil come out after the first interval.

I've since added a magnetic drain plug, and will be curious to see what it picks up after being in there for a while (I haven't checked it since install). I also purchased the new dipstick, because the new one has a nice knurled head; it also seals a lot better than the original, which leaked.

 

[jeepman3071]

Normal for a new engine. I've seen glitter like this from brand new Kohlers, Briggs, Kawasaki, Honda, etc. It's the reason most manufacturers specify changing the oil after 5 hours of initial use. Some engines have more metal than others.

 

[Schmoe]

Normal.

 

[Kamele0N]

Originally Posted by gathermewool


I've since added a magnetic drain plug, and will be curious to see what it picks up after being in there for a while (I haven't checked it since install)...


And what do you intend to pick up? Aluminium glitters?

 

[StevieC]

My 30 year old snowblower still had this glitter in the oil every 2 years I change the oil. Has ever since I have owned it.

 

[andyd]

There were traces of some goop ( assembly lube?) when I filled the new Predator for the first time . The first drain had no sparkle. Wonder if the engine was test run.? 5 yrs down the driveway, I grin every time I start it Should it ever give me any grief, I'm just gonna get another one.

 

[dakota99]

On my champion inverter I did notice a slight silver sheen to the oil when I changed it the other day. This was after a five hour break in. The flecks were just barely big enough to even see.

I believe most engines use a cast iron liner.

 

[gathermewool]

Originally Posted by Kamele0N
Originally Posted by gathermewool


I've since added a magnetic drain plug, and will be curious to see what it picks up after being in there for a while (I haven't checked it since install)...


And what do you intend to pick up? Aluminium glitters?

I always assumed these things had a cast iron cylinder or liner. You're telling me the piston and cylinder are both Al?

 

[Kamele0N]

Maybe some "top of the line" professional OPE engines build for a commercial use have those liners....maybe

I havent seen one in B&S 3.5HP engine.....nor in Tecumseh HMSK100......I am 105% confident that my C-Honda knockOFF inverter doesnt have one....it was too cheap

Had one ancient Tecumseh 3.5Hp Vanguard engine....just for parts...but I didnt bother to dismantle it enough to see...

Everything theese days is Nicasil treated Aluminium

 

[asiancivicmaniac]

Just bought a new Toro Recycler with a Briggs & Stratton engine that only needs topping off. I'm not doing that. I ran the first fill for about 30 mins and dumped it out. It looked like metallic gunmetal paint coming out (I don't remember the Honda GCV on the old mower having that much). Will probably dump the next two fills after mowing until it comes out amber. I don't know how long these engines will last if people just top them off like Briggs advertises. Probably just long enough to go past the 3 year engine warranty ?

 

[xxch4osxx]

Originally Posted by Kamele0N
Maybe some "top of the line" professional OPE engines build for a commercial use have those liners....maybe

I havent seen one in B&S 3.5HP engine.....nor in Tecumseh HMSK100......I am 105% confident that my C-Honda knockOFF inverter doesnt have one....it was too cheap

Had one ancient Tecumseh 3.5Hp Vanguard engine....just for parts...but I didnt bother to dismantle it enough to see...

Everything theese days is Nicasil treated Aluminium


The old 2-stroke Lawn-Boy engines had cast liners

 

[cronk]

Any of the china made honda clones I have seen have a cast iron sleeve.

 

[jeepman3071]

Originally Posted by andyd
There were traces of some goop ( assembly lube?) when I filled the new Predator for the first time . The first drain had no sparkle. Wonder if the engine was test run.? 5 yrs down the driveway, I grin every time I start it Should it ever give me any grief, I'm just gonna get another one.

Yup, assembly lube. I tore down a brand new Predator to put in some performance parts (springs, cam, billet rod) for a customer's go-kart and it had the same stuff inside it.

 

[Whimsey]

My 2010 Briggs & Stratton 5500W gen with the 342 cc engine had "glittery" oil at it's first oc at ~2-3 hours. Changed it again 10 hours later and much less "glitter". Changed it again at ~25 hours and almost no "glitter". It's a Brigs & Stratton's "Kool Bore" aluminum engine. I've not had to add any top off oil, I've been using B&S 5W-30 synthetic oil, got the oil cheap

. My Troy-Bilt snow blower has a Powermore 179 cc engine, a "Chonda" engine with a piston liner. It had very little glitter on the first ~2 hour oc and non on the following oc's. It also doesn't use oil. I've been using Rotella T 10W-30. Both are kept in a "heated" garage. Unfiltered engines will have some "glitter", especially with their first oil change. That why unfiltered engines require 50 hour oc's vs 100 hour oc's for filtered engines.

Whimsey

 

[DejaVue]

Originally Posted by asiancivicmaniac
Just bought a new Toro Recycler with a Briggs & Stratton engine that only needs topping off. I'm not doing that. I ran the first fill for about 30 mins and dumped it out. It looked like metallic gunmetal paint coming out (I don't remember the Honda GCV on the old mower having that much). Will probably dump the next two fills after mowing until it comes out amber. I don't know how long these engines will last if people just top them off like Briggs advertises. Probably just long enough to go past the 3 year engine warranty ?

Ran an MTD snowblower with Chinese Powermore engine for 7 or so years on the original fill it came with. It was getting hard to start last year. The oil came out gunmetal paint gray. Put in 5w30 synth. Now it's back to starting on the first pull. And sounds better too.

In my defense, the oil looked much worse draining out than it looked on the dipstick. Reality is more obvious when looking at a full quart of oil that looks like it belongs in a paint can. haha

New Honda GCV mower last summer. Used my oil since it didn't come with any. Drained the first fill after an hour. Glittery.
Changed it again after another 5 or so hours. Very little glitter.

Changed the oil on a mower with B&S engine last summer. Must be around 7 years old. I don't recall how not-pretty it must have been. I think it was black more than anything. Was getting ready to throw the mower away since other things that aren't the engine were breaking on it, but I rigged those up enough so kept it.

I've always been careful with car oil changes, but not with small-engine oil changes in the past. The engines only getting used part-time due to weather seasons etc probably has something to do with that. And it's hard to remember, ever, seeing a small engine with an oil problem. Something else not worth repairing on the machine would always break first. Most of that is from non-commercial use. More heavy-duty commercial use might have been different experiences.

 

[andyd]

Cleaned 4" powder off the driveway with it this morning. Started on 2nd pull. I'm still smiling. This is the 3rd season at least on ? 5w30 conv. My fleet of mowers is pretty ramshackle, but all engines have iron liners. I wouldn't want an aluminum bore in anything I paid money for..

 

[RF Overlord]

Did the first OC on my Subaru-Robin 4300W inverter at 7.5 hours. No glitter. It does have a cast-iron cylinder liner.