How Often Do You Need To Change The Oil In Your Generator?

Although it can be easy to forget about your generator until you need it, keeping up with routine maintenance helps to ensure that it operates as it should during a surprise power outage or that long awaited camping trip. Failure to properly maintain your engine oil, even in relatively simple engines such as those found powering generators, is one of the leading causes of engine sludge.

Extreme cases of sludge buildup can starve critical engine components of lubrication. This can lead to symptoms such as low oil pressure, overheating, and, in some cases, complete engine failure, including valve train destruction, seized bearings, and thrown connecting rods. Generators are typically tasked with running for long periods, unattended, in adverse environmental conditions. So, it's imperative that the oil is changed.

The recommended oil change interval varies among generator brands. Honda recommends performing the first oil change for new Honda generators during the first month or at 20 hours of run time and every six months or 100 hours after that. Cummins generators, such as those installed in RVs under the Onan brand, require an oil change after the first 20 hours and annually or every 250 hours, with notes to perform service more often in hot or dusty conditions. Generac recommends the first oil change occur before 30 hours and then annually or every 100 hours. Of course, these general guidelines are often overridden by your model's service manual.

Depending on the brand and model of generator you have, it may be equipped with an oil filter. If so, you'll need to change it when changing the oil. However, even before changing the oil, one of the simplest DIY engine maintenance tasks involves checking the engine oil before each use and periodically while it's in use. Of course, you'll want to shut the engine off before checking the oil.

Other common generator engine maintenance tasks include checking and cleaning (or replacing) the air filter. The interval for this service can vary wildly depending on the type of air filtration system employed by your generator. Foam air filters might need to be cleaned and re-oiled in as little as 50 hours, while filters used in advanced filtration systems could last up to 500 hours. However, generators used in dusty conditions will require more frequent air filter service in nearly every case.

Some tasks, such as cleaning the spark plug, spark arrestor, and fuel system, should be done every six months according to Honda. Other maintenance items generally require annual attention. When preparing for a season of use, it's a good time to change the oil and service the air filter if they weren't done recently. It's also a good time to replace the spark plug and check valve clearances if required.