Purchased a Generac generator with a Briggs and Stratton engine. Owners manual says to use break in oil. No break in oil was provided. Unit was sold "reconditioned", however it did not look as to be used at all. Looked brand new n box. So what do I do ? Do I need to run the "break in" oil, and where would I find it ? Is this nothing but non-detergent oil ??? Is break in oil a thing of the past ???????
TIA
Break in oil is what we used to use to get through those security bars on the neighbors windows!
(had to rub a lot behind the ears.....)
Use regular 10-30 before switching to synthetic, my generac doesnt say use break in oil , but a factory rep said not to use synthetic before apx 5-10 hrs and regular oil was ok either way. With a good synthetic it will last longer but initialy rings seat better on normal oil.
This is Turtle.
Break in Oil is the cheapest oil sold at walmarts or borrow some already used motor oil out of your auto that has 4,000 miles on it. The Very poorest oil will be a good break in oil. Run it with the cheap stuff to wear the parts some to get everything wore out some and then after 10 hours of operation put the good clean oil in it.
Now most people just put Castrol 20-W-40 oil in it and change it every 100 hours of operation or every year. Just let it break in about 2 or 3 years from now when it wants too. If it never breaks in , it will run for ever.
TURTLE
Did you check the oil to see if it was already full? Usually the break-in oil is already in the engine. If there is no oil in the engine check with your local Generac dealer and see if they have any in stock.
"This unique oil is formulated with special additives to allow the power cylinder components (pistons and liners) to "wear-in" while protecting other engine components (valve train and gears) from abnormal wear. These additives control piston and liner seating without scuffing. This oil also provides excellent piston deposit control. As a result, piston rings and liners establish a good wear pattern for maximum performance and extended engine life. "
*borrowed from the John Deere websiteSteve B.
Sure hope that generac fixed the lubing problem on their engines. I had 6 of them on a construction site. The lubing tang on the bottom of the crank kept breaking. The only week that I had all of the running was the first week. I wanted Honda or Yamaha's but the boss settled on generac. Oh well I got paid to pick up the generator and drop them off.
Generac can use Briggs and Stratton or Tecumseh. Troy built also uses Briggs and Stratton. What kind of engine are you refering to with the lube problem ? By sayiong Generac, it is not specific enough.
I called B&S and they said they ship with straight 30W oil, not multi viscosity 10W-30. They said I could use synthetic after 5 hours of use.
break in oil is regular oil.. you just drain it from the engine and replace the oil..... its not that its different oil, its that it should not be left in the engine after breaking in the engine..... you want to get rid of any trash, metal chips, filings that you get from a new engine... hope this helps.
My Generac took about 28 ounces of oil. In any case, the book said. I think the one time I changed the oil, it was 28 or so ounces.
I'd pour in some good name brand oil, such as Penzoil, or Quaker State, or Halvoline. After about five hours of run time (or what the book says) pull the drain plug, and change it again.
Change the oil every year after that. I've never heard of "break in" oil.
The one I had, I traded to my parents. One year it wouldn't start. So my parents neighbor screwed the spark plug out, and sprayed ether into the spark hole. Dried out the cylinder, and it threw a rod.
You can spray ether onto the air filter, though. That feeds vapor into the cylinder, and won't kill the machine.
My $500 generator sold for about $75 on Ebay account of that squirt of ether.
I think it's like a "pull up resistor". It's not a special resistor (or oil), just how it's used.
When I break in a new bike or car engine, taht first 600 miles is when all the bits get introduced and you have the microscopic metal shavings and a cylinder works it's fit around a piston.
You change the oil after a short time. During the break in period. After that, you go to a regular schedule.
Worst case? Call briggs and stratton.
There is no " Break In " oil for Generac as My manual says change it after 5-10 hrs , before is better to rid the motor of BITS of metal , Then go Synthetic.
I'd recommend against Quaker state, its a parafin (read wax) based oil and at cooler temperatures there will be build up around various parts eventually leading to failure. I saw an engine from a Chevy Nova with only 30k miles on it that had so much build up around the rocker arms and valve stems it took a screw driver to pry out the crap. The engine was in bad shape. The owner had changed his oil on the required schedule and always used Quaker state. Stick with true petroleum based oils like Penzoil or Havoline etc. or synthetics like Mobile 1, you'll be glad you did in the long run. Eric
Eric posted for all of us....
Geez how old is this info. That hasn't been true for decades. In fact Pennzoil owns Quaker State.
This is Turtle
Quaker State and Penzoil come out of the same refinery , Same Tanker truck, and same bottle but has different writting on the bottle.
Quaker State oil , Penzoil, Circle K, [ Walmart Oil / Super Tech ], and Canal oil are all the same stuff. If you want to gum up a engine. Here is the oil to use. It can be produced cheaper if you don't get all the Sulfur / wax out of the oil. It lubercates just as good but it will leave the Sulfur / wax in your engine to make big balls of gum to deal with.
I had a friend of mine that used this stuff for 75K miles and the oil lite would come on when he got over 60 miles per hour. Then when he would slow down to 45 the light would go out. He pulled the valve covers to see what was wrong and he could not see the rocker arms for the big balls of gum. It had the return ports for the oil to return plugged up. He had to take a steam cleaner to the rocker arms and return ports for the oil. he pulled the pan and steamed cleaned it and put it back together and put Castor 20-W-40 oil in it and has run it now another
100k and with no build up in the rocker arm area. And yes he changed his oil and filter every 3,000 miles. Castor 10-W-30 for the first 100K miles then Castor 20-W-40 After 100k miles.That Quaker State and Penzoil is some good stuff.
TURTLE
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