Motorhome service intervals: Oil change, generator service?

[jefflbi]

I've used my Motorhome 4 times so far this year, I rarely use my generator though. I'm just wondering if there is mileage number that I need to keep track of?? Like cars are every 8k-10k miles between oil changes........
TIA

[JLUSoCal]

I put on so few hours on the generator and engine that I do it once a year. I would do it every 5k miles for the engine (it's worked hard (V10)) and follow the recommendation of the generator manufacturer.

I don't want oil sitting longer than a year.

[jefflbi]

I probably should have stated that my engine is a diesel...........

[Lv2Roam2]

The general recommendations on diesel engines is one year or 20K miles - few of us do 20K each year so many go with the one year. And yes - some stretch it out to 18 months. And yes - there are some who haven't changed the oil in years.

Generators are usually done based on running hours - your manual should have recommendations.

On both engines and generators I'm a big advocate of exercising them if parked for months on end. That means taking the coach for a drive that gets the temp up and the engine under a load. The generator can be exercised in place by running with a load such as A/Cs - we do it once a month.

[steffanfay]

Originally Posted by jefflbi

I probably should have stated that my engine is a diesel...........

The diesel on our sailboat gets about 100 hrs per year and has a 250 hr service interval. Different animal I know (its a 23 hp 3 cylinder ). But I do oil and filter on that at fall decommissioning.

I just do everything annually if it hasn't hit the mileage or runtime interval. You should be able to find a manual for your generator online if you don't have the paperwork.

[neub]

I change our journey's engine (cat c7) oil 5000 miles or annually whichever comes first and the diesel generator annually as well (we don't use it a lot) or at the recommended oil change hours

[creativepart]

Originally Posted by jefflbi

I probably should have stated that my engine is a diesel...........

Actually...
https://www.winnieowners.com/forums/...ml#post3944936

[AlanO]

From the beginning I send an oil sample to a lab for analysis with each oil change. The lab supplies a free sample kit to collect an oil sample and mail in pouch. Within 10 days or so I get a complete print out of the condition of the sample with an explanation of the health of the engine. It also provides a measure of the remaining health of the oil life which is useful to determine when to change the oil.
The lab is: Blackstone Laboratories
http://blackstone-labs.com/
For under $30 it is well worth investment

[bigb]

Originally Posted by AlanO

From the beginning I send an oil sample to a lab for analysis with each oil change. The lab supplies a free sample kit to collect an oil sample and mail in pouch. Within 10 days or so I get a complete print out of the condition of the sample with an explanation of the health of the engine. It also provides a measure of the remaining health of the oil life which is useful to determine when to change the oil.
The lab is: Blackstone Laboratories
http://blackstone-labs.com/
For under $30 it is well worth investment

I've used Blackstone for many years, lately though their turnaround has been over 2 weeks. Not a big deal in most cases but caused some anxiety when I was waiting for reports on an engine that I had replaced a cylinder head on and was waiting on anti freeze contamination levels.
If you ever want next day results you can send it USPS next day for about $30 and Blackstone will automatically get the results to you the same day they receive the sample, you don't need to pay them any extra or notify them, they automatically do it when they receive an overnight delivery. I did this for the first run on the new head.

[deckape]

Change mine before the summer trip . Put on miles and gen hours and then change before next summer trip . May or may not be at the right miles or hours ,but feel that that will keep both within the time frame that is recommended by both Cummings and Ohan .

[bigb]

Generator exercise recommendations are not exactly tailored for every condition. For instance, climate can make a big difference. Living in a dry desert climate and storing my MH indoors I am not worried about exercising mine every month. If I lived in Maine then maybe yes. The Cummins/Onan Quiet series generators are also inverter generators so no slip rings to worry about rusting. (at least my QD 3200 is inverter based, YMMV)