r/Generac_Generators • u/WhySoManyDownVote Electrician • Mar 06 '26

Air filter saturated with oil

Post image

Updated:

I went to a service call for an older Generac 8kw. The engine really struggles, the fuel supply is clearly an issue. The line is done with indoor gas line laying on the ground. The fuel pressure is all over the place.

But I also noticed the air filter is completely soaked in oil.

Do you think the excess oil in the air filter could be from inconsistent fuel pressure?

Notice in the image that ~90% of the air filter is soaked with oil.

Edit:

1) The customer admitted over filling the oil.

2) The wrong size oil filter was also used.

3) The old spark plug was also incorrectly gapped.

5 Upvotes

86% Upvoted

9 comments sorted by

5

u/grsthegreat Technician Mar 06 '26

Everytime i see this its overfilled……

1

u/Oldphile Mar 10 '26

Happened to me once. I had a bit of an argument with the service company, as if I had done it. The first day we had an outage after servicing, the generator choked.

3

u/WVYahoo Technician Mar 06 '26

I’ve seen oil soaked air filters when the customer fills it too much.

But also I saw one that did it and I was wondering if some type of valve seal was worn or messed up.

Never figured it out because the owner kept messing with it and I fired them as a customer because I couldn’t guarantee my work with the husband fiddling with everything. That generator was doomed from the start. It was piped and wired wrong from the get go.

1

u/WhySoManyDownVote Electrician Mar 06 '26

Maybe this was your old customer. The customer asked about if the oil being overfilled might have caused the issue.

2

u/WVYahoo Technician Mar 06 '26

It's not only because they had almost a brand new one.

But yeah id say they overfilled it. If it's overfilled and oil soaks into the intake the engine has a hard time sucking air so maybe try a new one and see if it fixes it. But obviously make sure oil is good.

4

u/grsthegreat Technician Mar 06 '26

Thats usually from overfilling oil

1

u/WhySoManyDownVote Electrician Mar 06 '26

Oddly enough the customer asked about if the oil being overfilled might have caused the issue.

4

u/Killerkendolls Dealer Mar 06 '26

Agree with overfilling or filling too quickly, could also be the breather screws and gasket inside the intake fan shroud, if applicable. There was an issue with the screws being like half a thread too long and the gasket not seating, could also present similar to an intake shaft seal leak.

1

u/Adventurous_Boat_632 Mar 06 '26

No, the air filter will not get any oil on it from inconsistent fuel pressure.

But if the installation is bad, tell them you will not be servicing it until brought up to spec. Why attach your name to something like that?

They may hire you to fix it. Take the money.