Outdoor Power Equipment and Small Engines - Synethic vs standard Motor Oil

Have a 10hp Briggs and Stratton generator and came with Synethic motor oil. Is it really necessary to use Synethic vs. standard motor oil as long the grade is the same? It cost a lot more. What is the advantage of using Synethic on a generator?

Being a small engine dealer as well as being involved in racing - sleds, motorcycles & modified cars - there is a hugh difference between petrolium based oils and synthetics. Synthetics work! The oil you got with your generator likely is 5W30 and can be used year-round - no need to change weights in different seasons. However, your first two tankfulls of gas, you will want to use petrolium based oil. Then you should change over to synthetic. Using petrolium based at initial break-in is vital and you will use either SAE30 or SAE 5W30 depending on the average ambient temperature during the break-in period. 30 weight at 40 degrees and above and 5W30 below 40 degrees.

Puey61 - thanks. Great info. Why would you recommend petrolium base for the first break in period vs synethic. I already have the synethic in. I ran it 10 minutes. Should I drain it? Also, how should i properly stored the generator when not in use. (empty gas tank or leave in with stabilizer??) Appreciate any further info. Thanks again

Synthetic oils can work too well during break-in. During the break-in period you want the parts of the engine to wear together knocking the microscopic high spots off the machinining. A good synthetic oil can lubricate too well and prevent or slow down the engine from breaking-in properly. So, break-in with a good "regular" oil and then use synthetic.

Some synthetics also have the added benefit of better corrosion protection. They contain addetives that prevent rust/corrosion which is good for an engine that may go a long time without being run.

synthetics do it for sure! and yes i myself would do the breakin on dino, but synthetic is fine. if you ran it ten minutes, that too short, follow the normal 5 hours or so breakin. then change. i use mobil one, though briggs does sell their own 5w-30 synthetic. as for a few things syns do, they don't break down as easy under high heat, which a air cooled engine runs hotter then a car. they don't hardly ever sludge either keeping the engine clean. they don't oxidize as easy either. when the generators not in use. after break in, change the oil to fresh, if its gonna be stored, leave the stabilized gas in it if you treat the gas, maybe run it twice or so a year, putting fresh treated gas in it, keeping it ready to go, if its not used but that much, oil doesn't have to be changed much, i do mine once a year, gets used maybe 2 or 3 times.... and just enough time to get it fully warmed up. conventional may have been better at rust and corrosion naturally, syns have over comed that. most cling better to the metal.

Explained well by Pilot and V8 only during storage periods, run it more often than twice. I highly recommend running for ten minutes every 3-4 weeks. Keep a full tank of gas in order to reduce any possibility of condensation and by all mean use stabilizer. I'd drain the synthetic oil and run petrolium based for break-in...syn is very very slippery and you won't get a good wedding of the internals.

Thank you all for the informative info. Didn't know have a generator requires that much knowledge. Have a wonderful and safe Holiday.

yeah i guess it depends on storage.... i usually use a dose of marvel mystery oil to the gas with the stabilized gas. store it in a dry place. i probablly run it odd numbers though, sometimes 15-20 minutes, sometimes 2 hours. sometimes 2, sometimes 5 times a year. never a problem with it, going on five years old. another thing though i forgot to add about a synthetic oil, its that, made in a lab, its free of pretty much all defects, contains no wax like conventional oils do. though some syns are group three syns, highly refined dewaxed conventional... briggs engines just love synthetics..... if you run a 5w-30 syn. you can use it all year round. its good in cold or hot weather. straight 30, if you've ever left a quart of that, with a quart of say 10w-30. in the 30's outside, the 30 wieght is molasses consistency. have a wonderful and safe one as well :thumbup: btw....synthetic 2 stroke oil in 2 cycles..... good stuff.