How to keep a brand new portable generator?

[Robert1998]

Hi everyone. I got a portable generator gasoline generator. It works with API SJ 10W30 oil. But as I got it, I knew I won´t use for a long time, months or maybe years. I´m going to keep it inside home. The question is if is better to fill with oil, gasoline, run it for a few minutes and drain oil and gasoline (I mean, to lubrivate it inside) or is better to keep it as it arrive.

Thank you.

Best regards

 

[Memmeddu]

Oil depends only in part from the manufacturer.
I use 10W40 on my engine driven welder as in my car.
But just because there's only a very small percentage of going subzero temperatures over here , and it's much probable to go way over 40°C ambient temperature.
I believe you're in England ,I'd rather use a good 5W30 oil.
About storing
I do this way I run it with the fuel cut off valve till it dies.
Then pull the chock and do again.
I turn the engine till it's on compression stroke (so the cylinder is closed up )
Chock closed , exhaust closed with a cap.
Fuel tank filled up , using little bit of fuel stabilizer, because when you'll need it , you'll probably won't to get it fuel up.
Check the oil.
Clean the air filter.
Check the spark plug.
Put on a dry area with something like a cover over it.
I personally run mine once a month or two to keep it ready.

Yours is new I would break-in prior to store it .
10 hours in total half power , divided in 1 or 2 hours a day ,till you feel the compression increase (check the manual there's said something for sure,If not search the engine manual)
Then change the oil.

 

[Wildefalcon]

Use the expensive petrol, it's got less ethanol. That stuff is not good for storage.

 

[Keith 66]

I wouldnt leave petrol in anything in long term storage, Just stripped a Johnson outboard that hadnt been used for 18 months, carb bowl & jets were garmed up with sticky varnish & it took ages to clean it, had to replace all the fuel pipes as they had gone hard & were cracking up. When you need it fill it with petrol there & then.

 

[willie.macleod]

A lot of small engine petrol equipment is coming with carbs that have a drain screw in them. Just remove the screw, drain the petrol from the tank/carb and then run the carb dry.

 

[Wildefalcon]

It's my job for Friday. Drain all the small engines, except for the chainsaw. I'll bung the old petrol in the Landrover, stop the diesel waxing up. It doesn't keep.

 

[8ob]

Chain/lock it to the floor.

Bob

 

[CompoSimmonite]

If you are keeping inside your home then I definitely wouldn't have any petrol / gasoline in the tank.

 

[voipio]

Some of these have been mentioned already, but a few things recommended for longer term storage is, empty the tank completely, drain the carb, disconnect spark plug and, with fuel valve on, pull the starter handle a few times to empty the fuel pump, refit carb drain screw, remove the spark plug and put a teaspoon of oil through the spark plug hole and slowly crank the engine a few times to distribute the oil. Replace the spark plug and pull the starter cord until resistance is felt. At this point, both intake and exhaust valves are closed, protecting the engine from internal corrosion.

 

[Arc Tourist]

In our travel trailer overseas I always disconnected the fuel line from the generator and let the engine run dry, then drain the fuel tank as we were done for the season. Gasoline (petrol) left standing in the carborator would evaporate over time and leave a gummy shellac type deposit fouling it up.

 

[DAPPH]

I've put Briggs & Stratton fuel saver in the petrol of my Honda suitcase genny and also in the three jerry cans of refilling fuel . I have set up a small note book with this spread across both pages on show giving ..... date , time run , total hours run and description of the event . I run it most months for 1/2 an hour and always top the fuel up before putting it away . The fuel cock is turned off so the genny runs dry then the ignition is turned off & gently pull the engine up to compression so the valves are closed on their seats . Buy the fuel saver in litre bottles or bigger not the silly 100 cc bottles as the bigger bottles work out far cheaper .


I leave the battery connected as it is an emergency use genny but have cleaned the terminals with a Scotchbrite pad and covered the exposed bits with Vaseline once th battery was reconnected.

Out of 20 mm construction ply I've made a big dog kennel on lockable castors that's a good six inches bigger all round , that also has a floor and opening hinged doors on all sides as well as a removable lid ( lid is covered in 30yr warranted pond liner that over hangs all sides by several inches to shed off any moisture .) so I can access all sides when needed . It lives outside under a veranda roof . The oil is replaced after an half housr on load run every two years or 25 hrs. runtime according to the makers hand book .

 

[tom2207]

my little honda sits full of aspen , fuel tap on , oil to the correct level , choke on and ignition switch in the on position ,,, all i have to do is pull the string if i need it ,,, its not really in long term storage more just sitting ready to go .
I have an old emergency exit sign sitting with a two foot lead plugged into a socket in the garage too all the signage taken off so its just a clear bulkhead fitting that runs from its onboard battery ,,, so power goes off ,,, exit sign lights from its battery un plug it and take it to where its needed , pull the string on the genny and away it goes , either plug in what I want , or back feed the house after turning off the incoming mains .
I run the gen set once every couple of months for ten mins , and it seems to work ok for me . But its a genuine Honda engine built in the days when they actually were great .
If I was storing it for years and knowing I wouldnt use it , then it would be no fuel in it at all ,, oil in to the correct level , and take the plug out and throw some two stroke oil into the bore just a wee bit and give it a couple of pulls to coat the bore and put the plug back in .

 

[DAPPH]

For long term lay up
Run to heat the engine oil drain the carb by running it out of fuel , drain the fuel tank and purge the sump & cylinder & tank with nitrogen to exclude air & moisture , pulling the piston to compression , put the engine in a strong poly bag then flood the bag with nitrogen and seal it up . When bring such a a laid up engine back into use give the inside of the cylinder a 1/4 teaspoon of engine oil & a spray of WD 40 then gently pull it over four or five times without the plug in so you get a coating of lube on the cylinder walls just before you restart .
In my plant hire days that form of cylinder wall lubrication was also done to all equipment not run / hired out for 6 months ...diesels included .

 

[bricol]

With my 50 quid Nuttool/Wolf/Machine Mart generic genny, I turn the fuel tap off, let it stall, let it cool, drain the tank, shove in shed.

10 yrs later, pulled it out, tipped some fuel in it, pulled the cord, plugged the TV in, watched the grandprix, do the above . . .

Its been at least another decade, but I expect to follow the same procedure, with the same result, next time I need it.

 

[Robert1998]

Thanks for your answers. It´s my first generator and I didn´t have any idea