Generator Oil Change Frequency

[bsheet2]

The gen set in my Thor Challenger is an Onan QG 5500 Gas. The RV manual says change the oil every 150 hours. That seems pretty frequent. If boon docking when it is hot we could do that many hours in a couple of weeks.

Any idea if this is correct?? Every 150 hours of run time??

[SidecarFlip]

I'm for 50 hours as well plus a new filter and the air cleaner element at least every other season. Oil is cheap, so are filters. An engine overhaul isn't.

[Wild_Bill_888]

For small generators with no oil filter I change frequently and dump the slightly used oil in the car or motorhome with high quality filters.

[Tom_Barb]

rk911 wrote:
sounds about right. my stand-by home genny specifies an oil change every 100-hrs or every 12-months whichever occurs first. i'd go by the mfgs specs.

we change oil every 50 hours on our diesel, or every spring, which ever occurs first

[gbopp]

I change the generator oil/filter at least every year. It's cheap insurance.
I change it even if it's less than 100 hours.

[Sam_Spade]

Yes. That is correct.
I use a good synthetic oil in mine, same as I put in the RV engine.
But even with that I try not to go over 200 hours.

[K_Charles]

What if you put your daily driver to the redline and left it there for 150 hr. Would you think it time to change to oil in it?

[Lwiddis]

If you know more than the manufacturer...

Compare my Silverado driving...50 miles per hour for 150 hours...7,500 miles. And 7,500 is the recommended oil change interval.

[rk911]

sounds about right. my stand-by home genny specifies an oil change every 100-hrs or every 12-months whichever occurs first. i'd go by the mfgs specs.