Generator - oil in the air filter

[heb1024]

I was very proud of myself for successfully changing the oil in my generator last weekend. I then ordered an air filter, it came in the next week, and I replaced it, but... the oil filter was full of oil. I Googled this, and Google told me that this could mean one of several things. I wonder if anyone here has experience with this problem, and what it most likely is. I would rather not bring it to an RV dealer at this point, and have to leave it for a month to get it repaired. Just wanted to know what to expect...

Thanks for any input,
Cindy Martin
Huntsville, AL

[Cover Dog]

Originally Posted by heb1024

but... the oil filter was full of oil.

Thanks for any input,
Cindy Martin
Huntsville, AL

I think that is a typo !

[Iwannacamp]

If you mean when you went to change the air filter it was full of oil? The first idea I have is overfilled. It can cause strange things. Float stuck and overfilled crankcase(assuming it's carbureted).

[aufinger]

Is it a foam air filter? Many reusable foam air filters are coated with oil. After it is cleaned and dried, you coat it with oil and then squeeze out the excess oil. That's how I clean the air filter on my Honda EU3000is. Larry G.

[heb1024]

no - it's a paper air filter (with a plastic casing)

[Flybob]

If it wasn't doing it before you changed the oil, you most likely overfilled it. If it was old oil from before the change, it could be a bad ring in one of the cylinders. I would start with overfilled.

[heb1024]

that's a thought... I did try really hard to make sure I put in the right amount of oil. The oil was very dirty when I changed it - and now unfortunately I can't remember how dirty the air filter was when I took out the old one. That would tell me if it was new or old oil on the filter. The answers Google came up with were primarily centered around a "blowby valve" problem, or dirty oil that has clogged the system. The dirty oil is a definite possibility. I have been using the generator a LOT lately, and didn't realize how many hours I had put on it since the last oil change.

[heb1024]

and yes, there was a typo in my original message - it should have said the air filter was full of oil.

[doc73]

Did you put the geni on its side or lean it severely? I had done this when working on a Briggs and Stratton geni. Leaned it up on a 45 to access the area. Oil leaked into the air filter and trashed the filter.

[heb1024]

no - it's an on-board generator :-)

[KyDan]

Follow up- since you said the oil was very dirty I wonder if it's a diesel??
Diesel oil looks dirty pretty quickly after a change.
If it's a diesel the air filter might have been full of fuel not oil??

Check the oil- I assume you have a dip stick??
Make sure it's not over full as many have mentioned.

Then run it!

Give it a good test run. Put it under load- run the AC .
Is it blowing smoke?
After a good warm up - shut it down and check the air filter.

What does it look like?

Since you don't mention the type or even if it's gas or diesel we can't be
more specific.

It might well have been a fluke and is self corrected.

[Dastagg]

Oil overfill most likely. Will do it every time.

[Palinduff]

I had a lawn mower with a Honda motor and paper filter that was overfilled and the air filter got soaked with oil. Did you get all the oil out when you drained it. I've seen motors with two drain plugs.

[Wolverine 1945]

As others have said my guess would be OVERFILLED !!!
If you do need to take it for service may I suggest you skip the RV dealer and find a good Generator service center !!! If it is an ONAN you can Google them !!!

[heb1024]

so here's a really dumb question - if I did overfill it, is there a way to let a little bit of the oil out without having to change it all again? Or is it just smarter to let it all run out again and add new oil again? Not sure how I would be able to just let a little bit run out - when you pull that plug, it pretty much just gushes out.

As for the dirty oil, I had just changed the oil, and the old oil was very dirty. The air filter was not completely black, which makes me wonder if the overfill might be the answer - I hope that's all it is! It is a gas generator, not diesel. I'm starting to get the hang of all of these things I need to maintain with my Lexi (that I LOVE and have put 30,000 miles on in just a little over 2.5 years!) I travel primarily to dog competitions in it, and spend many nights on the way to and from these competitions in Wal Mart parking lots running my generator for AC.

[heb1024]

Finally just went and checked the dipstick and I am pretty sure that it is overfull. Unless you guys can tell me how to let just a little bit of oil out, I will just change the oil again tomorrow, and check it along the way with the dipstick so I don't overfill it again. I already have another new air filter on order, as I have run the generator a little since I discovered the problem (a couple of hours yesterday and about 30 min today) and there is a little bit of oil already on the new filter.

[Iwannacamp]

IMO(in my opinion) oil is cheap. Just dump it and start over. No need for new oil filter...just remember to subtract the oil filter quantity from the new change.

They make a drill operated pump that goes in the dipstick tube..$5-10 just about anywhere. You can siphon off some and recheck.

Let's pretend it holds 2-3 quarts....how much did you put in? If it holds 2 and you put in 3..there you have it. If it holds 1.8q and you put in 2...I don't see the problem. I would think of that.

Does it smell like gas? Float may have stuck or something.

Main thing is to proceed as planned it could cause a hydraulic lock if it's way overfilled.

[doc73]

You can often buy large syringes at auto part stores and or even Walmart. Then use a short piece of hose you can get in the kit or from home depot that will fit over the tip of the syringe. Then suck out through the dip stick.

[heb1024]

It's supposed to hold 1.6 and I tried to measure it out exactly (or as close as I could). But I wonder, as someone mentioned above, if I drained all of the old oil out. I left it for about 20 min and nothing was coming out when I came back... but I've never changed the oil in anything before, so I wonder if that may have been my mistake.

BTW, this is an Onan 4k onboard generator - no oil filter.

[Iwannacamp]

Not calling you wrong, but make sure it doesn't have an oil filter.

I guessed at the model and it does...

http://www.wixfilters.com/Lookup/App...aspx?Section=4