Small Engine Repair: Oil Change, Check RPM, Voltage, Frequency on Briggs & Stratton Generator

**Always follow the instructions in your repair manual when doing repair or maintenance work on Outdoor Power Equipment. Manuals can be found at the manufacturers website.**

In this video I check the voltage and frequency at the outlets on a portable Briggs & Stratton Generator, and the RPM of the engine. I also change the engine oil. You really should get a repair manual for the generator your working on to see the electrical schematic and get the proper specs for the generator, but in the USA the voltage should be close to 120 or 240 volts depending on the type of outlet, and the frequency should be around 60 hertz. To get 60 hertz on most generators, the engine RPM should be close to 3600 RPM. Every generator can have different specifications, so a repair manual is really important for proper specifications and the electrical schematic is priceless.

The engine on this generator uses a splash type oil system, so it doesn't have a oil filter to replace. You simple drain the oil and refill the engine with 32 ounces of fresh oil. It is important to warm up the engine to operating temperature before you replace the oil. Warming up the engine helps the oil flow better, and it causes contaminates in the oil to get suspended in the oil and drain out with the old oil.

I always use a single grade oil in the warm season with air cooled engines. Single grade oil holds up better than a multi grade oil under high temperatures. Air cooled engines run at a higher temperature than a water cooled engine, so temperature is a bigger factor with air cooled engines. When the outside temperature falls below 40F i switch to a synthetic multi grade oil like 10W-30. A multi grade oil will handle the lower temperature better than a single grade oil, and synthetic oil will hold up under higher engine temperatures better than a conventional motor oil.

Tools Used:
- Tachometer
- Multimeter
- 12mm Closed End Wrench

Oil Used: Valvoline SAE 30 Motor Oil

Category:

Autos & Vehicles

Tags:

• Howto
• Mechanic
• Outdoor
• Power
• Equipment
• Electrical
• Watts
• Amperes

[tapuout333]

Hello, nice video, I have the same genny but mine is 8550/5550. My output voltage is too high. I should be getting 120 like you but I am getting 180 and at the 220 4 prong twist lock connector I'm getting 380. Would you be able to tell me what's wrong? Voltage regulator ?

[smallengineshop]

@tapuout333 I don't work on these very often, but the first thing I would do is buy the repair manual and follow the flow chart. With the manual you can see the schematic and know what components your generator is using. Not all generators are the same. Hope that helps.

[MrShawn305]

@tapuout333 sounds like it could be a voltage regulator. Check the Hz and make sure its set from 60-62 Hz. Once it is set to the proper Hz, check the voltage under a load. A 1500 watt space heater or hair dryer works fine as a load. I have seen that some voltage regulators are quirky without a load.