Champion Generator

• Every Honda generator is test-run at the factory; power output levels, engine speed, circuit breakers, Eco-Throttle, etc. are all evaluated. The oil is then extracted from the engine, but a tiny amount usually remains in the crankcase.

• The owner's manual has a maintenance schedule and it says to check the oil level before each use, and to change the oil after 1 month or 20 hours of use. Afterword, change it every 6 months or 100 hours of use. Many models incorporate a sequence of blinking LEDs to indicate the hours of use that have accumulated.

• Honda recommends using a petroleum-based oil (SAE 10W-30) but synthetic is acceptable. The only reason Honda recommends a petroleum-based oil is because that's the type of oil used when the emissions system is certified.

• Engineers have told me the key getting the most life out of any small gasoline engine is to (a) change the oil per the schedule. (b) Use a good quality SAE 10W30 oil.

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I work for Honda, but the preceding is my opinion alone.
Robert@Honda

skipro3 wrote:
The oil flush is good for any engine I would presume. However, Honda does it for you. At least with the inverter series. I've bought a few and every one has the case drained of oil, not virgin. I believe they run their motors as a quality control test.
My Yamaha 2400 didn't have traces of oil in it's filler area though. Looked with a flashlight, it was dry. The Hondas all were wet with fresh oil.

It's coming today I will see if it had oil in it and give an update.

TurnThePage wrote:

skipro3 wrote:
Still missing the point. The point is that there could be foreign objects in the system that could cause damage when it was built. By flushing the oil after a few minutes of running, the oil picks up and suspends those objects so they will be removed when the oil is changed.
Then refill and run for the 5 hour break in. Break in does contaminate oil as well, but with minute particles from wearing in, not the 'big' stuff from manufacturing.

I think those venerable red engines are built in China too. When I did my break in on my Champ, the oil did not have any filings in it. Change is happening in the generator world. Red and Blue better be ready.

They yellow gets great reviews so why spend a $1000 more than red or blue!

The loud Red owners keep referring to the Champions as "those Chinese generators". Champions are sourced and built in Indonesia. Funny thing is, Honda lists Indonesia as one of the places theirs are built, plus CHINA, India, and several places that I don't even want to visit. The Hondas certainly are not built in Japan anymore. So when they refer to "those Chinese generators", what color are they talking about?

Honda and Yamaha have numerous deals with China for having their designs built there. In part because the Chinese would just buy one of whatever engine, disassemble and then build castings of all the parts. With or without the authorization to build the clones. So the Japanese companies took what deals they could to get something for their old designs. The newest Westinghouse 2500 watt units use a copy of the same Honda engine design from the 2000i. A 98 cc horizontal shaft engine from 30+ years ago.
China's materials, read that as base metals are still lacking, just as Japans were in the 1970' and 80's. The Chinese still cut some corners on QC to get production up and going, but they are improving the same way the Japanese did 50 years ago.
Currently China builds huge numbers of motor scooters and small motorcycles, based on licensed Honda and Yamaha clones. The quality is only lacking in that they cut a few corners on cleaning and occasionally on materials. Materials are improving, as the idea of doing an oil change yourself, to save $400 or more sinks in, in American and European heads, the number of Chinese company cloned products will gain more acceptance in our markets.

RSD559 wrote:
The Hondas certainly are not built in Japan anymore.

"Certainly" incorrect. robert_at_honda could clarify but as I recall from one of his earlier posts the Honda EU3000iS is built in Japan, the EU2000i is now manufactured in Thailand. Honda obviously builds a wide range of generators of all types and in different parts of the world but he would be the best source of correct information as to which model is built where. ;)

I got the generator and it does show that it had oil in it, can't tell if it had gas. Yes it was made in China.

Colo Native wrote:
I got the generator and it does show that it had oil in it, can't tell if it had gas. Yes it was made in China.

Colo Native,

I suspect that we can assume it never had gasoline in its tank because once it has been fueled, it will come up against a whole new requirement as far as shipping - at least in the USA. Draining it after fueling is no more effective in removing this prohibition than trying to Un-ring the proverbial bell.

No such prohibition exists for engine oil.

When I got my home generator, I ran it on gasoline with a gas can as a source of gasoline. I then installed my propane conversion kit. The gas tank has never had gasoline in it - not for a second.

Thanks for following up.

SoundGuy wrote:

RSD559 wrote:
The Hondas certainly are not built in Japan anymore.

"Certainly" incorrect. robert_at_honda could clarify but as I recall from one of his earlier posts the Honda EU3000iS is built in Japan, the EU2000i is now manufactured in Thailand. Honda obviously builds a wide range of generators of all types and in different parts of the world but he would be the best source of correct information as to which model is built where. ;)

Honda is very good at hiding information about "made in" specifics. That's suspicious in itself. Made in Japan is no longer negative. It was when I was a kid. If they were made in Japan, I would think they would boldly advertise it. I did find that a lot of Honda gas engines are made and assembled in Thailand. And the rest is even more vague. I did find a reference to a post by someone who purchased a large open frame Honda that had Made in China printed on the box. I did see the post you referred to a few years ago. Who knows if it is still true. I think most mechanical stuff comes from all over the far east anymore.

Robert_at_Honda posted earlier on this post. I didn't know he was still around.
He would know. Are Honda inverter generators made in Japan anymore? I really couldn't find anything substantial to say yes or no on the net. Please clear this up. Thanks.