This is a case where the opinions of others do not count as much as the manufacturer’s recommendations. When it comes to generators, it is best to stick to what the owner’s manual says. That way you get warranty protection if anything goes wrong.
The amount of oil you need to put into the EU2000i’s crankcase is .42 quarts. If the owner’s manual says to use 10W30 then use that oil type. It may not be the best for your altitude or temperature levels but it is what the manufacturer says to use. If your generator is still under warranty never deviate from what the manufacturer says to use
To learn more about this topic, just continue to read our article. It will give you the information you need to know about so you can put the right oil in your Honda generator. Follow the manual so you can keep your warranty protection intact.
The manual seems to only say that you need to use 10W30 oil. It does not seem to recommend any specific brand of this type of oil. That is okay as there are a lot of top oil makers out there that produce a very good series of oils for your combustion engines including generators.
While the off-brands are tempting because of their price, it is best to avoid those brands. They do not contain the best or as many ingredients that will protect your generator’s motor from dirt, grime, and so on.
Castrol, Mobile 1, and many similar famous brands will have the right type and the best ingredients for your generator’s motor. Some technicians that do oil changes for you may put in 10W40 because of the heat.
But Honda would mention that in the manual if that change was necessary for Texas and other southern states’ heat levels. Stick with what the manual says and don’t let anyone tell you any different.
It is not like you are putting a lot of oil in the generator’s crankcase. You are not putting full quarts or gallons inside so an oil change or correcting a mistake should not take that long.
One of the troubles with looking at the best oils for a Honda EU2000i generator is that they only list one or two oils for this machine. The rest are kits, funnels, filters, and so on. The oils they list are labeled- Honda.
If you can get a Honda 10W30 oil then that may be the best one to use. At least Honda cannot complain as they do not necessarily list a brand name in their owner’s manual.
But any 10W30 motor oil should work for this model of generator. It is the type that is listed in the manual and the brand name does not really matter. Some people buy the cheapest one possible regardless of the fact they may not provide the best protection for your generator’s motor.
If you can’t get 10W30 and in some countries that is a possibility, you can try a 15W40 or a 5W40 synthetic as a good replacement. But double-check to make sure. These are other possible solutions- 10W-40, 5W-30, 5W-50, and 5W-30 ESP.
The brand won’t matter for the most part if you are not running your generator for extended periods of time.
According to one small engine website, the amount of oil you need to put into the EU2000i’s crankcase is .42 quarts. Don’t forget to look at the decimal point in front of that number or you might be embarrassed when your mistake is corrected.
The same website used the Honda power equipment oil when it showed how to do an oil change. But you are free to use the oil brand of your choice. What we understand is that the Honda oil can be quite expensive even though you are only using just under half a quart every time you change the oil.
So it may be best if you stuck to a cheaper brand to make sure you do not bust your budget.
This will depend on how much you use your generator. One New York Hot dog vendor uses his every day for 16 hours each day. He changes his oil every week.
According to the Honda EU2000i Generator Maintenance Guide, you need to change the oil after the first 20 hours of use. Then every 6 months after that first oil change.
One thing you need to know about this generator is that it does not have a separate oil drain plug. You have to drain the old oil out of the filler tube. This may get a little messy if you are not careful.
The filler tube is behind the casing and you need to use a flat head screwdriver to remove those screws. Then the fill tube is on the bottom left of the generator. Remove the dipstick and tilt the generator slightly.
The oil will drain out the tube go over the built-in lip, and into your oil pan. Once the oil is out, just replace the old with the new and replace the dipstick. That is all there is to this process.
Pick the oil you can afford, that way both your generator and budget will be protected.
Honda and other generators do not need a lot of oil to run right. But keep the left over for your next oil change. That way you can save a little money. Just store the oil properly so it does not get damaged by the long delay in use.
Then stick with what the manual says for the type of oil. This will protect you while you are under warranty and gives Honda no excuse to cancel any claims you may make.