Oil is one of the most important components of any engine, without exception.
The most popular questions that generator owners ask are related to the choice of oil for the generator. For example: "What kind of oil to fill in the gas generator?", "How often to change the oil in the generator?" , "What kind of oil to fill in the engine of a gas generator?". All these questions can be answered by reading this article.
The question of choosing oil for the generator should be approached with all seriousness, since not right choice often leads to malfunctions of the generator and to rapid engine wear.
Oil types
To begin with, it is worth understanding what types of oil exist.
To work properly, two types of oil are used: engine oil and grease (which is for lubrication).
Engine oil necessary to work between rotating and rubbing parts of the engines, while the grease is designed to support the operation of plain and rolling bearings.
Oil grade
The product you choose plays an important role. It is worth paying due attention to the oil manufacturer if you prefer quality product, and not a fake, it is necessary to choose oil well-known manufacturer. Most famous brands such as: Honda, Esso, Oregon, Craftmsman, GT OIL, Briggs&Stratton and many more.
If you give your preference to one manufacturer, then you should stick to it throughout the time, you should not change the brand too often.
It is advisable to make a purchase only in large specialized stores with a decent reputation.
What to do if you still use a low-quality product?
It is necessary to flush the engine system and fill it with good quality oil.
Remember! Pledge of stable and durable work your generator is quality oil.
Classification (labeling) of oils
API– the system is designed so that thanks to it you have the opportunity to select the appropriate product required type engine and service life.
S mark(first letter) - designed for oil on a gasoline engine.
The second letter characterizes the level of quality (the farther the letter is from the beginning of the alphabet, the higher the quality of the oil).
To date, the highest quality oil is considered to be marked with the SN mark.
It is advisable to use engine oils that comply with the SL class according to API, which have the appropriate marking on the package.
SAE marking indicates the viscosity and fluidity of the oil.
The following SAE groups can be distinguished:
- winter(0W, 5W, 10W, 15W, 20W, and 25W), where the number is at what temperature the oil can be used, naturally with a minus sign.
- summer(20W, 30W, 40W and 50W), this oil can be applied at temperatures above zero degrees.
- marking of universal oil- 5W-30, 5W-40, 10W-50 for operation at any temperature.
It is also important that for each engine, individually, depending on the manufacturer, power, etc. - all the oil cannot come at once. Therefore, the temperature table (listed below) of a particular product can help you in choosing.
For gasoline generators use high quality oils for 4-stroke engines that meet the requirements of car manufacturers for service class not lower than SG.
Oil viscosity
As practice shows, it is not worth pouring synthetics. It is most likely to use semi-synthetics, which have the properties of synthetic and mineral oils
So, the answer to the question is……..
How often to change the oil in the generator?
For each manufacturer, the question of changing the oil is individual. It is recommended to drain the break-in oil, and this must necessarily occur after 30-50 hours or 6 months. This should be done, even if they write that it is not necessary to do this.
It should be remembered!
Changing the oil in a gas generator is not all procedures for maintenance your gas generator.
Depending on the operating time, you need to carry out
timely procedures TO-0, TO-1, TO-2, TO-3, TO-4.
Works that includes maintenance:
1. Oil change
2. Cleaning or replacement of filters: fuel, oil and air.
3. Cleaning the fuel cock.
4. Cleaning and setting up the carburetor.
5. Valve setting.
6. Replacing or cleaning the spark plug
7. Checking the battery, also checking charger battery
9. Diagnostics of all units of the electrical unit for external noise.
10. Checking the protection system low level oils
11. Frequency and voltage setting.
12. Cleaning the fuel tank.
13.Checking and replacing the fuel hose,
14.Diagnosis and ignition adjustment
15. Checking the piston group
16.External cleaning of dirt
A simple oil change does not give any guarantee that your gas generator will continue to operate smoothly.
If the list is not followed maintenance work generator can:
1.Stop starting
2.Light up
3. Jam
4. Burn the load.
Need a 100% quality oil change or service?
Our experienced specialists will be able to quickly and efficiently, with the help of special equipment and tools to carry out any maintenance at affordable prices. Call by phones: 063 202-90-70 or 097 023-42-42.
rubbing and rotating parts of the engine, and grease oils(lubricants) support the operation of rolling and sliding bearings. The quality of engine oils is especially important for four-stroke generator drive engines. Reviews of experts in this part are very contradictory.Engine oil for gas generator
IN the technical world There are several classifications of motor oils. But there are two main ones. One API (American Petroleum Institute) is based on the classification of generalized performance properties of oils, the other SAE (short for the Society of Automotive Engineers) separates oils by viscosity.By API oil For carburetor engine is marked with the letter "S", for example SG, SL, SH. The second letter means the combination of oil quality in ascending order. Oil for a gas generator must be marked at least SL, unless otherwise recommended in the passport. Oils marked SG, SJ, SH are designed for operation of engines manufactured before 2000. Advances in technology require higher quality lubricants.
Viscosity SAE classification divided by temperature regime use. Viscosity refers to the combination of fluidity and ability to adhere to the surface of metal parts. Based on temperature, oils are divided into summer, winter and all-weather oils. All motorists are well aware of this, the principle is the same. All required parameters oil viscosities are indicated on its label.
- Summer lubricants are marked with a number characterizing SAE viscosity 15, SAE 25…
- In marking winter oils letter "W" is added, SAE 15W, SAE 25W…
- Marking of all-season oils includes both characteristics 5W20, 5W30 ...
Generator lubrication
This includes the lubrication of bearings with special liquid and grease formulations. The topic of lubrication of rolling bearings is very extensive and relevant. The need to relubricate the bearings, except for the frequency, arises with each replacement of the bearings. The use of old grease when replacing is not allowed. Usually, old grease has iron impurities, which reduces operational anti-friction properties. Bearing gasoline generator lubrication designed to reduce sliding and rolling friction. Sliding friction in ball bearings occurs due to elastic deformations from a radial load. Another purpose of the lubricant is to protect working surfaces from corrosion and remove heat from rubbing parts. Grease requirements:- high plasticity, for resistance to centrifugal forces;
- no tendency to delamination and oxidation;
- no tendency to change properties with temperature.
The use of liquid mineral oils for generators is less common, mainly in forced systems aggregate lubrication high power when lubrication is carried out under constant pressure using a pump or gravity tank (tank).
Gasoline power plants, depending on the type installed motor, require oil with certain properties and characteristics for operation. When choosing fuel and lubricants, first of all, pay attention to the manufacturer's recommendations. The technical documentation for each model says which oil needs to be filled in to ensure optimal conditions for engine operation. The instructions also indicate how many fuels and lubricants of each type and how often it needs to be changed. For station owners who, for some reason, are forced to choose lubricants themselves, it will be useful general recommendations presented below.
Type of oil depending on the type of engine
Gasoline power plants can be equipped with two-stroke or four-stroke engines. feature two-stroke motor is that its design does not provide for a separate crankcase into which oil must be poured. Engine of this type consumes a mixture of gasoline and oil previously prepared in certain proportions. This type of generator requires oil that will quickly and completely dissolve in gasoline. It should also burn out completely, leaving no marks on the motor valves. Especially for two-stroke engines, a series of oils of the T2 standard is produced.
But in this case, you need to be careful. This series of oils for two-stroke engines also includes the TC-W3 fuel and lubricant type. But they cannot be used in generator motors. This is a series of engine oils motor boats and jet skis in constant contact with water.
Gasoline power plants equipped with four-stroke engines have a wide range of engine oils. This somewhat complicates the choice of fuel and lubricants if the technical documentation for the generator is lost. Oil for four-stroke engines is evaluated according to two main criteria:
- Viscosity (SAE);
- Performance properties (API).
Viscosity indicates to us the air temperature at which the use of oil of this variety will be most effective and beneficial to the engine. There are lubricants for winter and summer periods operation. By choosing the appropriate type of oil, you ensure better lubrication each part of the motor, which means you prolong its motor resource. Depending on the outside air temperature, you need to use oil of the following viscosity grades:
- At +4 °C and above: 10W30, 10W40, 15W30, 15W40, 20W30, 20W40, SAE 30.
- At temperatures from -20 °C to +4 °C: 0W40, 0W50, 5W30, 5W40, 5W50, 10W30, 10W40.
In summer the best choice 10W30 oil may become, in the off-season it is better to give preference to 0W40, 0W50 samples (but preferably those that are labeled according to API SJ or SL). This marking indicates that these fuels and lubricants belong to the category of high-tech, in terms of their properties and characteristics, they perfectly meet the requirements of four-stroke gasoline engines.
The generator will work for a long time and flawlessly if you adhere to the following simple rules during its operation:
- Maintain the "break-in" mode of the new motor. Usually this is the first 20 hours of operation. After that, it is advisable to change the oil.
- Observe service intervals recommended by the manufacturer. Change after 50-100 hours of operation, depending on the type of oil used (mineral or synthetic).
- Before draining the old and filling in new oil, it is advisable to warm up the generator motor and carry out this procedure when it is operating temperature.
- Before each start of the engine, check the oil level using a special dipstick. If necessary, add to the minimum value.
- Immediately after starting the generator, let it run for a couple of minutes on Idling, and only after warming up the motor, connect the load.
- If the unit is to be operated continuously for several hours, periodically check the oil level.
- Regardless of whether you start the station or not, the oil must be changed in autumn and spring (according to the season of operation).
- Keep in mind that gasoline generator cannot run continuously, it periodically needs to be turned off to cool the engine.
And most importantly - do not save on the quality of fuel and lubricants and the frequency of oil changes. Depending on what kind of oil you pour into the crankcase, the generator will work reliably and for a long time, or it may constantly break down and “act up”. It is important not only to change the oil on time, but also to fill it in accordance with the operating season. One of the most common reasons why a generator can fail is a lack of lubrication in its crankcase.
To make the right choice and for sure decide which oil is best fit the engine your generator, contact our consultants for help. Using a Form feedback ask your question, and at the very soon you will be provided with a qualified recommendation.
Text prepared by: Alexey Lukin Petrol generators various manufacturers and models are equipped with engines with certain requirements for the properties and characteristics of fuels and lubricants. When choosing which oil to fill in your model, you need to be guided by the manufacturer's recommendations. Each gasoline generator is equipped with an instruction that contains relevant information - how much and what fuels and lubricants are required for normal operation motor. If for certain reasons you have to make a choice yourself, then we will give general recommendations based on which you can choose which oil can be poured into the engine of your generator. The generator can be two-stroke or four-stroke gasoline engine. Modification two-stroke engine does not provide for a separate crankcase for oil. In this design, the motor uses a pre-mixed mixture of gasoline and oil. For this reason, the choice lubricants for such a generator puts forward special requirements. The oil should be easily soluble in gasoline, in addition, it should burn completely. For two-stroke engines with air-cooled there are a number of special oils 2T standard. When buying, please note that TC-W3 oils, also intended for a two-stroke engine, cannot be poured into the generator. This oil can be used on engines with a water cooling system (installed on jet skis and motor boats). A much wider choice of oil for four-stroke engines. If your generator is equipped with such a motor, then you need to understand a little about the types and classifications of fuels and lubricants. Engine oil for engines of this type is classified according to the following indicators: The SAE parameter tells the user at what temperature environment this oil will work most efficiently in the motor, providing the best possible lubrication of all its parts and assemblies. In accordance with this standard, there are winter, summer and multigrade oils. Gasoline generator sets can be filled with the following types of oils: During the warm season the best choice could be 10W30 oil. If the autumn-winter period of operation begins, then you need to choose from the bottom of the table, first of all, giving preference to the type of lubricant marked SJ or SL according to API. This modern oil, which in its own way quality characteristics And operational properties best suited for gasoline engine. It is this marking that you should pay attention to when choosing oil for a generator according to API (performance properties). In order for the gasoline generator to maintain its performance and its characteristics for as long as possible, it is important to adhere to several rules. Remember that the quality and characteristics of the oil you use in your generator largely determine how it will work. Lack of sufficient lubrication of engine parts can lead to engine premature exit out of service. It is very important to remember that the oil must be selected according to the season, as well as the need for regular monitoring of the sufficiency of its level in the crankcase. Our experienced managers will help you to make the choice easier. Use the feedback form on the site and get expert advice on choosing fuel and lubricants, as well as recommendations for the maintenance and operation of your generator.
Varieties of gasoline engines
