Older Craftman 5500 watt generator

[jbutch]

So, I scored an almost never used (10 hours) older Craftman 5500 Watt generator with a Generac GN360 engine.

I do not know much about the OPE, is it a good generator or engine?

No manual, of course, after some googling it says 10w-30 for summer or 5w-30 in winter, but NO 10w-40.

Any oil reccomandation?

Thanks guys

 

[Whimsey]

For some years now Briggs and Stratton has been recommending using synthetic 5W-30 for year round. Being in Canada that should work well for you. I have a B&S 5500 watt generator and have been running the synthetic 5W-30 all year round here in northern NJ and it's been fine.

Whimsey

 

[bubbatime]

My thought process on generators is that the budget ones are so cheap, you can sell your older one, buy a new one, and always have a new generator, ready to go in the garage, that works, and doesn't need repairs or maintenance parts.

Sell your old generator every 3-4 years for $400, replace it with a $400-$500 generator. Repeat.

This only applies at the budget end of the spectrum.

If you have a high dollar unit, then yeah, maintain it and keep it working long term.

 

[another Todd]

I have a Generac 4000xl that I believe is the same as yours. I bought it about 25 years ago at Costco/Price club. It's been great. I saw other models of this generator with an oil filter, and mine had a block off plate, so I called to company and ordered the filter adapter and added it and a filter to mine. Only three problems were the oil pressure switch failed and shut down the generator (replaced), fuel valve leaked (replaced), and it stopped generating at one time and I found a burned female spade connector in the panel which I cut off and crimped a new one on and it was good to go. Louder than inverter generators, but quieter than the old Briggs and Stratton generators. Starts easy, fairly fuel efficient.

 

[jbutch]

Thanks guys for the input

 

[jbutch]

Originally Posted by bubbatime
My thought process on generators is that the budget ones are so cheap, you can sell your older one, buy a new one, and always have a new generator, ready to go in the garage, that works, and doesn't need repairs or maintenance parts.

Sell your old generator every 3-4 years for $400, replace it with a $400-$500 generator. Repeat.

This only applies at the budget end of the spectrum.

If you have a high dollar unit, then yeah, maintain it and keep it working long term.


Mine doesn't qualify as high dollar unit, however it seems to be well built and solid, the newer budget seems to be so cheaply made....

 

[Astro_Guy]

I use synthetic 5w-40 Rotella T6 in my open frame generator. It allows for easy pull starts in the winter and better protection in the summer. Assuming that this is an emergency backup unit, you don't want to be bothered with different oils for different seasons. I've had the same oil in my generator for two years now, but do plan to replace it with some fresh T6 soon.

 

[Bonnelvr92]

I would recommend 10w30 in the summer and 5w30 in the winter too. 10w40 is too thick of an oil to run in that generator. Though I recommend 10w30 in the summer because an engine burns less gas in the summer than the winter so a thicker oil would protect the engine more. In the winter an engine burns more fuel so to get better gas mileage you get a lighter weight oil. If you want to (I wouldn't recommend it but I am anyway). You could keep the same exact oil so you do not need to buy new oil as much.

 

[Kamele0N]

Originally Posted by Bonnelvr92
10w40 is too thick of an oil to run in that generator.


Wuuut? LoL....

Being an air cooled OPE....wich is runing mostly under WOT....I would pay attention that high HTHS oil is used....

So forget those ILSAC/API ones...and get something with euro specs (or a HDEO....like T6)

 

[bubbatime]

Originally Posted by Bonnelvr92
I would recommend 10w30 in the summer and 5w30 in the winter too. 10w40 is too thick of an oil to run in that generator.


A swing and a miss. Your info is flat wrong. Says that guy that has done thousands of small engine oil changes. And, its gets just as hot or hotter in Ohio than it does down here in south Florida in the summer, so you can definitely, positively, without fail, use a 10W40, 15W40 or 20W50 in a generator. These thicker oils are actually ideal in an engine that is ran at 3600 rpm, full load, for hours or days on end. Briggs and Stratton even recommends their synthetic 15W50 for generators, right on their website. (Generac is now made/owned by Briggs and Stratton)

Too thick... LMAO.

 

[jbutch]

Since I live in Canada and the generator is only for emergencies, Rotella 5w-30 or 5w-40 could be good choices.

Thanks guys

 

[FastLane]

I have a Homelite 5500 watt generator and I use M1 10W30. Next oil change i might use 5W30. In winter its hard to pull it over. Without a primer its also harder tostart when its cold out. I use starter spray to give it some help in the cold starting.

 

[Kamele0N]

Set its valves instead...

 

[jbutch]

Do you guys know what oil filter those GN360 engine uses?

 

[Astro_Guy]

Originally Posted by jbutch
Do you guys know what oil filter those GN360 engine uses?
Could you look at what's on there now and cross reference?

 

[jbutch]

Originally Posted by Astro_Guy
Originally Posted by jbutch
Do you guys know what oil filter those GN360 engine uses?
Could you look at what's on there now and cross reference?


After some googling, I found it is the same filter as a corolla. So an XG4967 will be going on that generator.

 

[Astro_Guy]

Originally Posted by jbutch
After some googling, I found it is the same filter as a corolla. So an XG4967 will be going on that generator.
I've never seen an oil filter on an engine that size; it sounds like a keeper!

 

[jbutch]

Originally Posted by Astro_Guy
Originally Posted by jbutch
After some googling, I found it is the same filter as a corolla. So an XG4967 will be going on that generator.
I've never seen an oil filter on an engine that size; it sounds like a keeper!


Definetly seems built to last.

It is the same as a Generac 5500xl, however my Sears unit has a GN360 instead of the GN320 of the Genrerac unit even if they are rated for the same wattage. I wonder why

 

[mk378]

I'm guessing they later found they could take some cc out of the engine and still get acceptable performance. Also possibly the efficiency of the generator section is better, producing more watts per hp.

 

[jbutch]

Today, I showed this generator some love and change the oil to Rotella Multi Vehicle 5w-30 and a Fram XG4967.

With a starting TBN of 11, I feel that the oil should last long as the generator is only used in case of emergency. I chose the Fram Ultra as it has a synthetic media and also feels it will last longer.

Probably overkill but I like the best for my equipment.