Honda EU 2000i oil change question

[SSGB]

Anyone here own one of these and use one of the oil change gadgets they sell on ebay?  You screw it in the oil fill to make it easier to tip and drain. Thinking of trying one of those.

 

[joelmyer]

I have one for my Honda Handi.  Use it. Like it.

Another tip - buy a squeeze ketchup dispenser, fill with oil, squirt into Honda.  Repeat.  Takes a couple of dispenser fills to fill the Honda.

 

[RoyM1]

Just close the fuel cap vent, remove the fill plug and tip. No biggie and cheaper than a gizmo.

 

[wagonmaster12]

I agree that tipping the generator a bit and putting the oil in using a funnel works fine, the problem comes when dumping the old oil out.  It can be messy.  Go to Google and type in "how to change the oil in a Honda generator".  You will find a video by EU2000i that shows you how to make an extension tube using about 6 inches of 3/4 inch PVC pipe.  Works great.  I made one.  On another note, make sure you put in the suggested amount of oil.  I filled my generator until the oil was starting to flow out while it was sitting level.  When I fired it up, it quit after about 15 seconds and the "Check oil light" came on.  I found that you have to tip the generator up a bit to add more oil.  Screw the dipstick in while still tipped.  All is well now.

 

[SSGB]

Thanks guys!

 

[denmarc]

On another note, make sure you put in the suggested amount of oil.  I filled my generator until the oil was starting to flow out while it was sitting level.  When I fired it up, it quit after about 15 seconds and the "Check oil light" came on.  I found that you have to tip the generator up a bit to add more oil.  Screw the dipstick in while still tipped.  All is well now.

I had a 2000i before my current 3000.  I just tipped it to drain the oil.  Didn't take but a couple of minutes.  No big deal.  However, I never had to tip the genny to refill to the proper level stated in the manual to keep it running.  I'm wondering if there is a problem with the sensor associated with the check oil light and shutdown.

Pertaining to refilling with oil, I use a 80-90W gear lube bottle.  The narrowed caps on these bottles can be cut to accommodate almost any diameter tubing which made it very easy and clean to refill the Ginny.  If I remember correctly, the one quart bottles held enough oil for two oil changes in a 2000i.  I'm a stickler when it comes to proper maintenance so having my brand of oil on hand when the time comes around, I'm ready.

 

[Wavery]

I highly recommend filling the Honda with 10-40 Mobile 1 synthetic oil.

Petrol oil is an insulator. It doesn't let go of heat easily. Synthetic oil releases heat at nearly the same rate as water. Therefore the genset runs cooler and lasts longer.

The problem with air-cooled engines is when the aluminum engine case gets too hot, it expands enough to reduce the clearance on the crankshaft bearings. This causes higher friction and reduced power. At some point, it will completely seize the engine.

I tried running the 13,500BTU Coleman A/C on my TT with the Honda 2000. The A/C would start and run but as the Honda got hot, it would shut down when the A/C compressor cycled. I switched to Mobile 1 and the generator never missed a beat, even it 110* heat at the Kern River in July. I ran the A/C off of the genset 8-hours a day for a week. No problems. That was 2 years ago and the genset is still running strong. I haven't tried it on the M/H and probably wont.

 

[whiteva]

I have both 1000 and 2000 Honda Generators. I purchased the 1000 3 years ago and my bride won the 2000 a year ago. I believe in using Mobile 1 synthetic in all my engines. One oil change a year for the boat, RV, Corvette, Mgb, lawn mower Etc.

I use the Honda 1000 on the Sea Ray boat mostly, and change the oil every 20 to 25 hours. A weekend trip uses maybe 2 gal of gas.  The Onan onboard would use about 12 to 14 gal. When the Onan died for a simple reason, it was removed ( and sold ) saving many hundreds of pounds and the Honda is simply placed on the swim platform when needed.

Boon-docking a weekend in the  RV I use the 2000, run the AC, TVs Ect, usually requiring less than 4 gal as the AC runs longer than on the boat. Onan uses about .5 gal per hour. I still run the on-board Onan each month and change the oil yearly to prevent early demise.

Bottom line - OIL is cheap, easy to change in portable gensets, change it often.

Cheers All. 

 

[dave612]

Have had the Honda 2000 for about 10 years and change the oil each year. Never had any trouble removing the old oil, just tip and let it drain into the container. Draining and refilling takes less than 5 minutes.