Your portable generator is a highly versatile and very handy tool. You can use it for a wide variety of purposes, including powering your home during or after a storm, or bringing power to an outdoor party or event that is taking place away from structures with electricity.

Like any other piece of expensive and useful equipment, it is in your best interest to do everything you can to keep that generator running as efficiently as possible for years to come. Some regular preventative maintenance is necessary to accomplish this. Here are a few examples of some easy tips for maintaining your generator in Corpus Christi, TX:

  • Perform regular oil changes: As with any type of diesel engine, it is important that you stay on top of your oil changes. They’re going to be required much more frequently than they would be with a car or other type of engine, though. For example, your first oil change will come after about 30 hours of use, and after that you’ll need to change the oil with every 100 hours or so of use, or at least once a season. Therefore, make sure you have plenty of oil on hand so you can be prepared for extended outages that may occur.
  • Remove the fuel if you’re not using the generator: You don’t want to have any gum deposits form inside of some of the most important parts of the fuel system, including the tank, carburetor and fuel hose. Therefore, you should drain the fuel any time the generator isn’t going to be in use for 30 days or longer. First, add a stabilizer to the fuel, and run the unit for about 10 or 15 minutes. Then, once the engine is cool, take out all fuel using a vacuum siphon. Finally, start and run the engine until it stops from a lack of fuel.
  • Keep the battery charged: If your generator uses an electric start function, make sure you have the battery fully charged before every use. This will keep it in good condition for longer.
  • Replace other parts: There are certain parts of your generator that you should replace every so often. For example, you should change both the air filter and spark plug at the beginning of each season or every 200 hours of use, whichever comes sooner. Brand new spark plugs and clean filters will help you deliver a proper fuel-air mixture into the engine, making it run more efficiently and helping the equipment to last significantly longer.
  • Start up the generator fairly often: There are going to be some times where you do need to store the generator on a long-term basis, but it’s highly recommended that you at least try to start it up at least once every 30 days, which will help you keep some of the most important internal components of the machine properly lubricated and help you avoid some maintenance problems.

For more information about maintaining your generator, or for other help with your diesel engine in Corpus Christi, TX, contact Coastal Diesel Injection today.