Synthetic oil in small engines (1 Viewer)

[john_eckels]

My generator finally has a few hours of service on it and I am getting ready to change the oil. I would like to put synthetic in it since it may sit of a year or more before it is used again. I am not sure if it has enough hours on it in order to be properly broken in. If I switch too early, will there be a problem with breaking in the engine?

 

[WarDamnEagle]

I don't profess to be an expert on the subject but I don't think there is any problem with running synthetic from day one.

 

[D'Animal]

What type of engine is on the Generator?

 

[john_eckels]

The engine is a Lifan. I am pretty sure it's a clone of a Honda.

 

[D'Animal]

Many new engines come with synthetic from the manufacturer. I cannot see a problem with switching to synthetic on your engine.

The theory of breaking in an engine is more critical on the old cast iron engines than the newer ones built in the last 20 years.

 

[dohcdelsol93]

even in new engines many engine/piston/ring manufaturers recomend you break the engine in with dyno oil.

The cylinder walls are honed, basicly they rough them up. That rough cross hatching is what seats the rings.

You don't want to break in with full synthetic oil because it's to slick! It's lubricatoin properties are much more efficient than that of dyno oil. You only have a short time to break these engines in and once those rough edges are gone if the rings are not broken in you will need to pul apart and re-hone!

After the first 5 hours your due for an oil change, by that point your rings are already seated and your ready to go.

being its a china knock of honda i'm sure you can run your favorite HD 10w30. I cant remember if I've seen full synthetic sae HD 30

 

[nickdj101]

I have a Honda HS55 snowblower I bought new. I change the oil every other season. When I first bought it I ran it for 2 oil changes then switched over to Amsoil and haven't had any problems with it ever. I live in central MN and use it a few times a season. When I change the oil it still looks pretty clean. I'm thinking of going every 3 seasons on an oil change once and see what it looks like then.

I also swear by using SeaFoam in the gas too. I've never had a bad gas problem using it.

 

[LAMBCRUSHER]

I service home standby gensets. Typically, they have an organic break in oil which would be changed after the loaded break in period(they say 4 hours). Some brands have been thru this before they get shipped. I am not familiar w/ this brand in question, but I would imagine that there would be something in the owners paperwork or on line in regards to this. We use full synthetic oil for all of our generators, after the initial run in. For the smaller air cooled units, we use a 5-30., and 15-50 on the big liquid cooled units. We service every year- most units call for every 50 to 100 hours. HTH