Generator Oil?

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Hey everyone!

Finally got some internet time to catch up with all the happenings at POG. Exciting stuff! Spearfish looked amazing, and that Liberty for sale on eBay has my mouth watering. Can’t wait to hear more about it since it’s now a POG bus—do we all get to take it for a spin?

Quick question about generator oil changes…

We’re deep into our tour and using the generator a lot—easily hitting 100 hours a month, sometimes more. I’ve got Pensoil 10W-40 in my Powertech generator (Kubota motor, 20KW marathon end). I recently changed the oil at Walmart, and they were great about taking the old stuff.

Powertech recommends changing the oil every 100 hours and the filter every 200. The issue is, I’m tossing out oil that still looks pretty clean—just a bit darkened but mostly fresh.

I’m all for keeping the generator in top shape, so I’ll stick to changing it every 100 hours if that’s best. But it feels wasteful when the oil looks almost new. Given my usage (running it for 4-6 hours at a time without frequent starts and stops), it seems like I’m being pretty easy on it.

Also, does anyone know the FRAM fuel filter number for a Powertech generator?

Thanks!

Adam

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Hi Adam,

Changing the oil every 100 hours does seem a bit frequent. I’d recommend checking with the manufacturer to see if that’s really necessary. For filters, I usually go to Napa; they can help cross-reference based on the number from your current filter.

Hope that helps!

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Adam,

If you want to pinpoint the best oil change interval, consider using oil analysis. It can give you a clear picture of when the oil really needs to be changed.

I recommend Blackstone Labs; they have a great reputation. They’ll send you a kit and instructions for collecting the oil. Their reports can help you spot trends over time. Personally, I do 100-hour changes for my cars since my average speeds hover around 40 MPH, which aligns with about 4,000 miles for oil changes.

For my plane, I change the oil every 35 to 40 hours since that engine works much harder.

Hope this helps!

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Hey Adam, We have a 20KW Kohler genset with a Yanmar turbocharged 4-cylinder, and they recommend changing the oil every 150 hours. I’ve heard that one hour on the genset is roughly equivalent to 45 driving miles, which means that’s about 6,750 driving miles! As Jon mentioned, if you’re unsure, an oil analysis is a smart move. Best, Jim and Chris 2001 Featherlite Vogue XLV (2 slides with rivets) Previous 22 years with various Prevost shells, except for an H3-40.

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Oil is cheap, a new motor or break down is not! When in doubt, change it.

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Thanks, everyone! I think I’ll stick with changing the oil every 100 hours and also get the analysis done.

Kevin, I noticed your non-slide bunk coach—what’s it like? This tour has been going really well, and we’ve been asked to do another national tour in 2010-11. The catch is, my kids will be older and will need their own sleeping space. Right now, they’re cozy in the full-sized bed in the carousel closet, but they won’t fit together like that for long!

I’m committed to Prevost and love my Marathon, but I’m considering a layout with a queen bed in the back and three bunks in the hall since we might be adding a third child. I’d like to avoid an entertainer coach, as I’ve been spoiled by the quality of my Marathon conversion. Do you have any pictures of your rig? By the next tour, I could definitely justify a custom unit from Marathon. Who knows, maybe I can get my kids to do the driving one day!

Thanks again, everyone!

Adam

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If you’re changing oil every three weeks, it might be time to consider switching to synthetic oil. You can usually go three times longer between changes with synthetic, which could really save you time and effort.

Taking Colorado’s advice to stretch it to about 150 hours would put you at a month on regular oil. If you switch to synthetic, you could reasonably extend that to two or even three months between changes. If your current oil looks fairly clean, that’s a good sign you might be able to push it a bit longer.

Also, as a musician, I’d be cautious about any maintenance tasks that could risk your hands or fingers—safety first! Switching to synthetic and then sending in a sample for analysis could give you a clearer picture. I bet you’ll find you can go even longer than expected!

Stay safe!

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Adam,

We’ve noticed that low sulfur diesel seems to produce less grit and soot, which might explain why your oil is staying cleaner for longer. Just a thought!

When I back ours into the barn, I always have Chris keeping a close eye on where I’m aiming the rear—hopefully not into the wall!

Jim and Chris
2001 Featherlite Vogue XLV (2 slides with Rivets)
Current coach, 1999 shell
Previous 22 years: we’ve owned every kind of Prevost shell except for an H3-40.

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Adam,

We absolutely love our bunk Marathon! It’s our second one; after enjoying our first so much, I started looking for a bunk model. The build quality of Marathon is top-notch, and it took us a year to find the right one. We just got back from a 6,000-mile trip in 3.5 weeks, and it was problem-free!

I’ll try to send you some pictures next week when I’m in the shop.

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I’d recommend aiming for every 150-175 hours. In my farming area, where many diesel engines are in use, I know farmers who change their oil weekly when they’re running 24/7 during the summer. It’s all about keeping those engines in top shape!

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Years ago, we were in an RV park and met the owners of a remote fishing lodge in Ontario, only reachable by seaplane. They used a pair of Kubota generators similar to the ones found in RVs, but with a unique twist: the generators ran 24/7 throughout their six-month season without ever needing an oil change. Instead of a traditional crankcase, they connected the oil supply to a 55-gallon drum, essentially turning it into an oversized oil sump.

For the full 180 days—around 4,300 hours—the generators ran continuously, and at the end of the season, the drum was swapped for a fresh one. Remarkably, these engines had logged 28,000 hours and were still going strong.

Their only special maintenance routine involved loading the generators with about 14,000 watts (using two massive electric heaters) once a week to ensure they worked hard enough to burn off any carbon buildup from light loads. They believed that running the generators on light loads consistently was detrimental to the engines’ performance and longevity.

This approach showed how, with some clever engineering and strategic use, they were able to keep their equipment running reliably in such a remote setting.

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My Power Tech generator comes with a recommendation to change the oil every 100 hours and the oil filter every 200 hours. However, I typically stretch it out a bit and change both the oil and the filter every 150 hours, while also adding a quart of Lucas additive. I’ve always found it odd that the suggestion is to add fresh oil while leaving a dirty filter in place. It just didn’t sit right with me, so I’ve always opted to change both at the same time. It seems more logical to give the generator a fresh start with clean oil and a new filter together.

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The Kohler 20 kW generator, powered by a Yanmar 2-liter diesel engine, has a recommended maintenance schedule that calls for oil changes every 150 hours and filter changes every 300 hours. This staggered approach between oil and filter changes seems fairly standard for diesel engines of this type. However, keeping both oil and filter in sync, or even changing the filter more frequently, could be beneficial for those looking to maintain optimal engine performance over the long term.

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My Power Tech generator has a sticker recommending an oil change every 100 hours and an oil filter change every 200 hours, but I do things a bit differently. I typically change both the oil and the filter at around 150 hours, adding a quart of Lucas additive for extra protection. I’ve always found it odd to add fresh oil while keeping a dirty filter in place, so it just makes sense to me to swap both at the same time, ensuring everything stays cleaner and runs smoother.

Denny, you hit the nail on the head! I’ve been thinking the same thing while reading this thread—why would anyone change the oil without changing the filter? It just doesn’t make sense. You’re still running the engine through a dirty filter, which defeats the purpose of putting in fresh oil. It’s even surprising that companies would recommend this approach, especially since it’s in their best interest to promote filter changes at every oil change. Keeping the engine fully refreshed with clean oil and a new filter seems like the more logical way to go.

 

 

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I totally agree—I never change the oil without also changing the filter. It just feels like common sense. However, it’s interesting that both generator manufacturers seem to think it’s fine to stagger oil and filter changes.

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