Generac Oil

A-37 · Oct 15, 2020

I have a year old Generac 22K. Oil change specs:

1. Change after first 25 hours of operation. (11 hours on it now)

2. Use Generac 5W-30 oil (Service class SJ and SL or better).

Mobil 1 5W-30 is SL, SM, SN. Cost of a 5 qt jug is $26. One qt of Generac oil is $14(!). Both oils are full synthetic.

My concern is voiding the 5-year warranty if I use the wrong oil.

Comments?

NYlakesider · Oct 15, 2020

A-37 said:
I have a year old Generac 22K. Oil change specs:

1. Change after first 25 hours of operation. (11 hours on it now)

2. Use Generac 5W-30 oil (Service class SJ and SL or better).

Mobil 1 5W-30 is SL, SM, SN. Cost of a 5 qt jug is $26. One qt of Generac oil is $14(!). Both oils are full synthetic.

My concern is voiding the 5-year warranty if I use the wrong oil.

Comments?

Possibly if they were qualified enough to know. If I had to guess no, the subject would not come up!

I have a whole house standby Generac for over 6 years now and I use Mobile 1 in it (and ever other 4 stroke engine I own.)

Edit Mob1 is a approved oil in my area. Its very common for companies to say that you must use their product to keep warranty so they make more money!. In most cases any premium oil that meats the specifications is also accepted.

wheelgun28 · Oct 15, 2020

I don't know honestly, but if it were me...

I'd spend a few extra dollars and buy the oil they specify. If anything goes awry, they have no out.

CAJUNLAWYER · Oct 15, 2020

you're supposed to change oil in those

Hell, learned something today......My old Generac(bought at LOWES about 20 years ago) got it's first oil change this past spring when I took it to the guy around the corner who works on small engines. Paid $80 to get all the rotted lines changed out, new carb and new oil put in.
Pretty much good to go for the next 20 years

As far as warranty-I think it is out by a few months

double-dipper · Oct 15, 2020

I have a Generac 5K. Got it when the Y2K thing was suppose to shut everything down 21 years ago. Its had a steady diet of synthetic oil its entire life. It still starts on the first pull.

armorer951 · Oct 15, 2020

How could they (the manufacturer) possibly know what oil brand you used, or even if the oil was changed as specified in the manual? I would just use whatever brand of synthetic I could find at the weight they recommend, and change at the interval that is listed in the manual.

ggibson511960 · Oct 15, 2020

I purchased a Generac 22 kW generator this year. It has no such requirement to use Generac's oil. Generac specifies full synthetic API SJ, SL or better, SAE 5W-30 for all temperature ranges. They require first change at 25 hours, then every 2 years or 200 hours thereafter. They offer a Generac convenience oil change kit, but my warranty doesn't say it's use is mandatory. The engine is a 999 cc air cooled v-twin, probably good for 30 horsepower, pretty low intensity for a 61 cubic inch engine, especially one that self exercises weekly. Full synthetic makes total sense for an engine that sits around doing nothing. The real worry with these machines is the cheap foreign made electrical and electronic junk they hang on the engine and transfer switch. I've had five load control contactors (relays) and a control power transformer go bad in the space of six months. The engine just keeps purring away loudly, once a week.

A-37 · Oct 15, 2020

armorer951 said:
How could they (the manufacturer) possibly know what oil brand you used, or even if the oil was changed as specified in the manual? I would just use whatever brand of synthetic I could find at the weight they recommend, and change at the interval that is listed in the manual.

They might ask to see the receipts for the oil and filters. Also, there's a maintenance log in the manual that should be kept current. You could fake that, of course.

Walter Rego · Oct 15, 2020

I have a Generac 16kw generator hard wired into the main panel on my house. The house is now 2 years old and I don't believe the oil has ever been changed so I plan on doing it myself before the first snowfall. I bought a few of their brand oil filters and a jug of Castrol Edge full synthetic 5W-30 oil which should be good for a couple of changes. I think the oil was about $26 for 5 qts. It should meet or exceed anything that Generac sells.

CAJUNLAWYER · Oct 15, 2020

A-37 said:
They might ask to see the receipts for the oil and filters. Also, there's a maintenance log in the manual that should be kept current. You could fake that, of course.

I fake it on the helicopter, faking it for the Generac should be a piece of cake

LVSteve · Oct 15, 2020

If you want to get properly confused over oil, own a diesel SUV from Germany.

Maddog 521 · Oct 15, 2020

Research

Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act

It will answer your question about which oil to use.

BillBond · Oct 15, 2020

I use Mobil 1 in my Generac, my car, my trucks and my boat.

Who knows, maybe Mobil 1 makes oil for Generac ?

Frank46 · Oct 16, 2020

Have Generac 22KV That was installed late last year. Outside of the weekly test hasn't run long enough to matter. Then came hurricane Delta. From 4am Saturday morning till 8pm Sunday night it never shut off. I'll be calling Generac in the am and order some extra filters. Right now I topped off the generator oil with Castrol 5w-30w full synthetic. Same stuff my truck has been using. House is starting to look like a gas station. Oil for the riding mower, oil for the kubota diesel tractor, oil to be mixed with gas for power tools, like chain saw,weed whacker,blower, tiller. Frank

chief38 · Oct 16, 2020

I use Amsoil and an Amsoil filter in mine.

raisedin99 · Oct 16, 2020

CAJUNLAWYER said:
I fake it on the helicopter, faking it for the Generac should be a piece of cake

Gary,

About that free helicopter ride that you offered to give me, I'll be busy that day.

terry

raisedin99 · Oct 16, 2020

A-37

Glad to see that you have made this posting, just last week we had a 22KW
Generac installed along with their transfer switch.

So your oil / filter questions along with comments that are showing up are
picking my interest.

terry

GaryS · Oct 16, 2020

Note to self, no thanks to Cajunlawyer if he offers me helicopter ride!

CAJUNLAWYER said:
I fake it on the helicopter, faking it for the Generac should be a piece of cake

Jack Flash · Oct 16, 2020

I bought a quart of Generac 5w30 full synthetic at my lawn mower / small engine repair place (they are a Generac dealer) for 5 or 6 bucks.

LCC · Oct 16, 2020

maintain a service log book specifying when and what service was performed, including test runs. As long as it meets the required technical requirements to support the warranty , good to go.

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