Generator oil change

[ducksface]

On the 'why not' scale;

Why not change oil monthly?
Sounds ridiculous doesn't it?
At what calendar interval doesn't it sound ridiculous?

[Pete'sMH]

Originally Posted by ducksface

On the 'why not' scale;

Why not change oil monthly?
Sounds ridiculous doesn't it?
At what calendar interval doesn't it sound ridiculous?

For my Chevrolet Volt the engine oil change interval was 2 years or some amount of use that the computer algorithm felt justified it sooner. For me annual feels about right for most everything. If it could go longer that’s fine with me. The per year cost is not a lot.

I know people that change oil every 1500 miles or 3 months. Have no problems with that if it makes them feel good.

If all else fails just follow the manufacturers recommendation

[paulwadley]

It all depends on how much use it gets and how comfortable you are with the interval that is recommended.


Paul

[Bobdole]

I ended up changing my break in oil around 15-16 hours. The generator would throttle up and down and eventually shut off. After the change, thing is humming along nicely. I’m not sure what was up with that break in oil.

[Hooligan2]

Onan 4000 oil capacity is a quart and a half. Mfgr says change at 20 hours and then every 150 hrs or 1 year.
It has no filter. Changing oil is only way to remove contaminates. Your generator , your choice.

[kwplot34]

The quart and a half of oil is cheap, and changing the oil is simple. Change the oil at manufactures hour usage or yearly which ever comes first. Its simple and cheap insurance. Use the viscosity recommended by the manufacture, as far as brand of oil, use your favorite brand, my favorite brand is Valvoline.

[ducksface]

My rv will be parked for 13 months.
Do I change oil before parking and change it while sitting with zero miles added?
If it has to sit for 26 months do I do three oil changes with zero miles added?
Should I do the same with the vehicle engine if the recommendation is also 12 month intervals?

[kwplot34]

Originally Posted by ducksface

My rv will be parked for 13 months.
Do I change oil before parking and change it while sitting with zero miles added?
If it has to sit for 26 months do I do three oil changes with zero miles added?
Should I do the same with the vehicle engine if the recommendation is also 12 month intervals?

You do what ever makes you happy.

[taylorbob1]

Originally Posted by ducksface

My rv will be parked for 13 months.
Do I change oil before parking and change it while sitting with zero miles added?
If it has to sit for 26 months do I do three oil changes with zero miles added?
Should I do the same with the vehicle engine if the recommendation is also 12 month intervals?

Sounds like you can just treat it like a Classic Car that either sits or is driven under 250 miles/yr.

Please tell us...
Are you planning on leaving the country for 26 months on Wednesday when the new administration is inaugurated?

[ducksface]

I don't have a political bone in my entire body.

I still don't know who's blue and who's red.

(I didn't know it was this week. I knew the date because everyone over 10 years old has been told to rememeber it, but it doesn't register as a calendar marker for me)

p.s.
I haven't put 10 miles in 10 years on my turd 'garage art' car.
I haven't changed the oil in 15 years.
I could send it in for analysis, but the rigid amongst us would deny reality even when lab proofed..
(Turd=The Unneeded, Rarely Driven)

[kwplot34]

Originally Posted by ducksface

I don't have a political bone in my entire body.

I still don't know who's blue and who's red.

(I didn't know it was this week. I knew the date because everyone over 10 years old has been told to rememeber it, but it doesn't register as a calendar marker for me)

p.s.
I haven't put 10 miles in 10 years on my turd 'garage art' car.
I haven't changed the oil in 15 years.
I could send it in for analysis, but the rigid amongst us would deny reality even when lab proofed..
(Turd=The Unneeded, Rarely Driven)

You just do what ever makes you happy.

[Gobears]

Originally Posted by ducksface

My rv will be parked for 13 months.
Do I change oil before parking and change it while sitting with zero miles added?
If it has to sit for 26 months do I do three oil changes with zero miles added?
Should I do the same with the vehicle engine if the recommendation is also 12 month intervals?

Sell it, put the money in BITCOIN, sell BITCOIN after 13 months and pay cash for a new 2022 NEWELL.

[Muggs]

Time vs run hours/milage always been a question.

I live in florida (a swamp) moisture gets absorbed in oil so use/time based seems logical. I usually start everything we have once every two weeks and let get up to temp. Even racar which usually does not sit more than a few weeks gets fired weekly. Open exhaust/crankcase absorbs moisture much faster. From a scientific standpoint, doubt the oil really degrades much but the look of the oil is odd. The commuter car is always off miles driven and the oil in that looks much different than RV/racecar/SUV when they are time based.

Oil changes are cheap and easy. Do whatever you are comfortable with. Never seen an oil related failure in anything going back many, many years.

[z28]

A little story about changing the oil in the 4000. I was up at CW having a small issue with my ACE being taken care of. I figured I would have it on record that the generator was being serviced , so I authorized them to change the oil . BIG MISTAKE, when I got the coach back and started using the generator it would belch black smoke from the tailpipe and would run a couple of hours and then stall out. It would always restart but always continued to smoke from the tailpipe. I found that the tech at CW had overfilled the crankcase by about a half a quart. I drained out all the oil and refilled it to exactly a quart and a half and the condition has now been eliminated. so be careful when when changing your oil.

[taylorbob1]

Originally Posted by z28

A little story about changing the oil in the 4000. I was up at CW having a small issue with my ACE being taken care of. I figured I would have it on record that the generator was being serviced , so I authorized them to change the oil . BIG MISTAKE, when I got the coach back and started using the generator it would belch black smoke from the tailpipe and would run a couple of hours and then stall out. It would always restart but always continued to smoke from the tailpipe. I found that the tech at CW had overfilled the crankcase by about a half a quart. I drained out all the oil and refilled it to exactly a quart and a half and the condition has now been eliminated. so be careful when when changing your oil.

Good thing CW started and then checked level before releasing to you. NOT!

[RV Pirate]

I changed our oil the first time at about 100 hrs. At 20 hrs, I don't think I'd worry about it for a while, unless it makes you feel better to change it.

FWIW, I went with 10w-30 Mobil 1 full synthetic. We mostly run the generator for the ac units while traveling..
I now have about 200 hrs on the generator and will probably go at least another 100 hrs before changing. [emoji879]

[Bob Denman]

Originally Posted by MJC62

Couple quarts of premium synthetic oil is cheap. I change mine frequently.

Yup! OIl is pretty cheap; when you compare it to fixing stuff!

[Bob Denman]

Originally Posted by Gobears

Sell it, put the money in BITCOIN, sell BITCOIN after 13 months and pay cash for a new 2022 NEWELL.

I like the way that you think...
But why not hold out for a Foretravel?
(The one with the sauna in the bathroom! )

[Jimenez61]

Thanks for info

[Jimenez61]

RV Pirate good to know. Thanks for the info