Oil for the Onan

[trdutch]

I really don't feel like driving to the dealer for Onan OmniMax oil if it is safe to use any other quality motor oil
Sugestions
Synthetic? Blend or just good old Penzoil?
Thanks


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[trdutch]

I want to change it today and the Onan oil is all the way at the dealer.(35 min drive)
Autozone&Walmart are 3 miles away
Synthetic?
Blend?
Dino?



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[grumpy0374]

I use 10 w 40 Penzoil Platinum full synthetic. But then again, I use synthetic in every piece of equipment that has an engine, and all my vehicles.
Grumpy

[VinceU]

Originally Posted by trdutch

I want to change it today and the Onan oil is all the way at the dealer.(35 min drive)
Autozone&Walmart are 3 miles away
Synthetic?
Blend?
Dino?



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Check your book, don't they call for straight 30 weight oil? Can be modified for harsh climates. Any certified oil will work (mfg's)

[BBQGUY]

10-40 synthetic.
Do a yearly pm.
Oil, oil filter, plugs, air filter, fuel filter, clean slip rings if accessible. Always add fuel stabilizer and if you have access use gas without ethanol.

[BBQGUY]

10-40 synthetic.
Do a yearly pm.
Oil, oil filter, plugs, air filter, fuel filter, clean slip rings if accessible. Always add fuel stabilizer and if you have access use gas without ethanol.

[trdutch]

I have read that synthetic in an air cooled engine is not preferred but I run Harley Syn 3 in the air cooled Harley
Would this be a safe option?
There is no way on earth that Genset is working harder than the Bike especially in Southern heat.
But there is obviously a big difference in these two engines
I just don't want to screw something up and then hear,"You should have used Onan OmniMax oil like the manufacturer suggests and now you voided your warranty


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[Filthy Beast]

You asked the same question in another post also 6 minutes before this one. I think that would be double posting!

[wmtire]

Similar posts merged into this one and moved to electrical, charging systems, and solar subforum so the OP may hopefully get their question satisfactorily answered.

[jaherbst]

Originally Posted by Filthy Beast

You asked the same question in another post also 6 minutes before this one. I think that would be double posting!

You have a keen eye for the obvious!

Jack

[grumpy0374]

Originally Posted by trdutch

I have read that synthetic in an air cooled engine is not preferred but I run Harley Syn 3 in the air cooled Harley
Would this be a safe option?
There is no way on earth that Genset is working harder than the Bike especially in Southern heat.
But there is obviously a big difference in these two engines
I just don't want to screw something up and then hear,"You should have used Onan OmniMax oil like the manufacturer suggests and now you voided your warranty


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Don't know where you read that info.
Been using synthetic oil in my home generator, lawn tractor, mower, weed eater, snow thrower, pressure washer, for going on 20 years. Never had any engine go south because of "using synthetic oil"
Used it in my previously owned Harley, Honda, Kawi, with never a problem.
And, if you think about it, your genny is working harder than your Harley. Your Harley is getting air flow across it when you ride, even in hot temps, while your genny is just sitting there, chugging away, no airflow other than the internal fan.
Grumpy

[compman69]

You can always order the Onan Oil from AMAZON. I get most of my Onan parts on there.
They are pretty good price and the fact that I have prime and most things are free shipping is sauce for the goose.

[NMWildcat]

I have used full synthetic in my honda gennies for 10 years. Also my lawn mower, also my trucks, also........

[ddbck]

Any oil will do just fine. I usually just use what I have laying around to top off my genny, Castrol,Penzoil, it really doest matter. Far worse to let it get low or run out.

[RudysWorld]

At the Cummins seminar at the Goshen Rally the Rep. said use what you use for everything else. Should operate well on whatever. I think think my manual says 10w-30 conventional oil.

[trdutch]

What I read was from a guy that repairs gensets and small engines for a living and he basically is making a living from people using the wrong oil
There are additives and detergents in basic Dino oil that the unit needs to pull out dirt and impurities because units like mine don't have a filter.
In his words the oil & changing that oil often IS the filter.Modern Synthetics either don't have the additives or they are phasing them out
So to answer my own question I used Penzoil 30 weight
Oh and I double posted to get two different perspectives
The all units crowd and the Sunseeker group
I will refrain from doing that in the future and thank you all for your replies


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[KatanaPilot]

There are several brands of synthetic oils specifically made for small air-cooled engines. Although I don't want to get into the synthetic vs. dino oil discussion (there are plenty of those on this forum), synthetics almost universally provide better protection for longer times/mileage and under more severe conditions allowable than their dino oil counterparts. Only time I'm aware of that full synthetics are inferior is in air-cooled airplane engines that use leaded fuels. The synthetics cannot scavenge the lead properly.

Like many posters here, I use synthetic oils and lubricants on all of my internal combustion engines and motorized vehicles.

[Steveboe]

Mobile one makes a air cooled motorcycle oil, or use the regular Mobile One, multi viscosity.

[trdutch]

I guess What I was trying to find out but was looking in the wrong place was what oil and why:
What I found out by research
I run the genset year round (excersise in winter) so I need a multi viscosity.
When it is used for long periods (Summer season in the south,while driving for Air) the straight 30 weight is "OK" but I really need the multi before it gets cold outside and I want to run it while stored.
Why I didn't think to call Cummings Onan is beyond me but the tech told me it's OK to run the 30 (that I already put in) this summer,and change to
15-40 and then stay with that.
Change it often cause the oil change is my filter so Syn is expensive to change often and you will never harm this generator by using Regular 15-40 and changing it often (once a year or 100 hours) or more often in dusty dirty conditions
So the new or still learning understand oil,the 15-40 acts like thin 15 for cold starting and the acts like thick 40weight when up to temp and running
30 weight is 30 so it's kinda thick for that critical cold start period
I only write this cause I know there are those that aren't sure what multi viscosity is all about
For you oil experts out there that are going "Duh everyone knows that"
next time,please say
Run regular 15-40 or Synthetic and have a nice day
Oh,I posted this on the Sunseeker forum because our Gens are similar and I know the A's have completely different setups



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[VinceU]

Originally Posted by trdutch

I guess What I was trying to find out but was looking in the wrong place was what oil and why:
What I found out by research
I run the genset year round (excersise in winter) so I need a multi viscosity.
When it is used for long periods (Summer season in the south,while driving for Air) the straight 30 weight is "OK" but I really need the multi before it gets cold outside and I want to run it while stored.
Why I didn't think to call Cummings Onan is beyond me but the tech told me it's OK to run the 30 (that I already put in) this summer,and change to
15-40 and then stay with that.
Change it often cause the oil change is my filter so Syn is expensive to change often and you will never harm this generator by using Regular 15-40 and changing it often (once a year or 100 hours) or more often in dusty dirty conditions
So the new or still learning understand oil,the 15-40 acts like thin 15 for cold starting and the acts like thick 40weight when up to temp and running
30 weight is 30 so it's kinda thick for that critical cold start period
I only write this cause I know there are those that aren't sure what multi viscosity is all about
For you oil experts out there that are going "Duh everyone knows that"
next time,please say
Run regular 15-40 or Synthetic and have a nice day
Oh,I posted this on the Sunseeker forum because our Gens are similar and I know the A's have completely different setups



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ENGINE OIL RECOMMENDATIONS
Use API (American Petroleum Institute) performance Class SJ, SH or SG engine oil, which may be in combination with performance Class CH-4, CG-4 or CF-4 (for example: SJ/CH-4). Also look for the SAE (Society of Automotive Engineers) viscosity grade. Referring to Table 1, choose the viscosity grade appropriate for the ambient temperatures expected until the next scheduled oil change.
😉Single-grade SAE 30 oil is preferable when temper- atures are consistently above freezing. Multigrade oils are better when wide temperature variations are expected.

Here's what I was talkin about. Quote from 5.5 KW
Onan genset IB. Didn't note your low temp spec.
I think 30 wt is not thick, but it is very stable thus Onan's preferred.


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