What type of oil do I use in my diesel generator?

[Oregonconversion]

I have a 4 stroke diesel geneset. It is a china brand (Matrix) and I can not find the manual anywhere online. What type of oil should I use in it? Just your basic 5W30?

[JohnEd]

I seriously doubt that 5W40 will do.  Their stuff is pretty old school.  You really need to get the straight skinney from the MFR. 

Have you run the genny?  How does it sound?  I have heard that they make a lot of noise but nobody ever mentioned "which" Chine brand they had had their hearing damaged by.   They make lots of brands. 

Good luck,

John

[Oregonconversion]

It sounds great! Like a normal diesel, not too loud either. Just a little low on oil. Anyone know?

[JohnEd]

There is a spec for the RPM of both the gen head and the D.  Cna yo tell me what those speeds are?  No rush....I'll be up for a couple of hours   Kidding!  No rush but give a holler when you find out.

If that is the engine  think it is it is a mech and will run on engine drain oil or WVO or a 50 50 mix with gasoline.  The catch is that you have to pull the head and decarbon every so many hundred hours////unless you heat the oil to 180 degrees and then no need to clean.  Visit the "blenders" in yahoo groups.  Odd bisquits but still....

John

[Oregonconversion]

I have no specs on this geni.

[JackConrad]

Just about every 4 stroke diesel engine I have seen, seems to run pretty good on 15W40 motor oil that is rated for diesel engines, unless you are operating in extreme temperatures.  That is the oil I use in all my 4 stroke diesel engines.  Jack

[buswarrior]

I'd go with Jack's idea of plain old 15W40 diesel engine oil.

In cooler places, there are 10W30 diesel engine oils available, lots of farm tractors call for that.

It would be best to not put gasoline engine oil in a diesel engine.

happy coaching!
buswarrior

[gus]

I'm with Jack, that's what I would use until I had better information. Don't see how it could possibly hurt anything unless it is a really strange kind of diesel engine.

[Utahclaimjumper]

I would use a 15W40 full synthetic >>>Dan