Thanks for posting these videos. I recently purchased this same gennie here in the uk, all be it under different branding but it’s a great unit for the money. Can I suggest tho, when filling with oil, instead of just using the funnel, take some hose and attach it to to funnel outlet then the funnel is upright and it all goes in the sump and not over the floor. 👍🏻
Empty your measuring cup and pour the required amount of oil into it. Then pour the oil into the crankcase. Check with the manufacturer. Later tags and instructions call for 7.5 oz of oil, not the full 10 oz.
@Dan Burch I know right? I had a lot of issues with mine at the beginning with it smoking quite badly and it was because the crankcase was overfilled with oil. After dumping the oil out, and filling it with 7.5 OZ of oil it no longer smokes.
So it now says 7.5, but does it still say to fill to top of the threads? That would still be 10oz I think because when he emptied it it was to the threads and came out to 10 oz. I'm about to get one of these so I'm just curious
They reduced recommended fill amount to reduce the likelihood of the generator smoking if moved or disturbed. That recommendation was made after I made this video
Then why is it still on UA-cam when video provider knows information has been updated. To much oil causes more than just smoke ,over pressure rises engine causing oil seal failure.
Hi! After ~100 hours my generator engine speed is unstable when I turn lever to RUN position. Small motor over carburetor moves the damper back and forth 2-3 times with a large amplitude and the generator stops. What is the reason of such prblem and how to fix? Thank you in advance.
Mine developed a fuel leak which seems to be coming from high up, Fuel tank area. Messages the company and I got basically a tough scheit from the person responding. less than 20 hours on the gen. It leaks when it's running. after 10 minutes of running. there is a 5" wet gas pool under the generator. Strong gas smell.
I just bought one and every 10 seconds it does a quick lope. Then under a load it lopes every 30-50 seconds. Power output is a constant 124v even during the lope. Should I be concerned?
+Heidy T.o if you put in a little too much that can happen, or if you started it after you moved it around without letting it sit first for everything to settle. Did it eventually quit smoking?
KevCentral It continues to bounce smoke despite what I left for 1 hour between breaks to burn the oil in excess without anything connected. Do you still recommend using it to supply energy? Its safe?
+Heidy T.o what oil did you use? Also, did you make sure it's not overflowing with oil? Another thing is to make sure it's on flat ground. I'm assuming it wasn't doing this before the oil change?
+Heidy T.o put it on flat ground and check the oil. Drain out anything that's not at the proper level. These little generators are so small they are very sensitive to small variances in level - especially when adding oil.
To get all the original oil out with the break-in shavings etc. I would change the oil, run the engine for about 10 minutes, then change the oil again. This gives it a good flush. This after breakin-in pil change is critical and it's only 7.5 oz of oil as per current manufacturer recommendation so why not give it a double change ? I sure do!
i have 7, 000 hours on my 1200 watt champion. i have gone as long as 120 hours between oil changes but usually i like to do it around 50 hours but plenty of times its been around 70-75 hours. add half a cap to a cap (i add 1 cap each oil change to my 1200 watt champ) of seafoam to your crankcase each oil change and add some to your gas as well regularly. you will get 10x the life out of your plugs. i went from changing plugs every 150 hours to every 1000 hours. add a cap or two of STP complete fuel system cleaner each oil change as well to your gas tank each oil change. use synthetic oil, clean your spark arrestor with a metal brush when you do the oil(i don't think this model has a spark arrestor but not sure). i clean my air filter every 500 hours i use to do it every 50-100 hours but found it unnecessary as i live in the country
@@brocky78 put it in a bowl or a frying pan with water and dish soap. squeeze it out a few times (might want to wear rubber gloves) then soak/rinse with fresh water removing the soap. then pour a bit of clean oil in the bowl or pan and coat both sides of the air filter lightly. put back in the genny your done
With scheduled maintenance like clock work I've had three champaion generators die on my within 3 years. A 2000 and two 3100s. I bought the last 3100 on 5 pay with amazon and it actually died a week before my 5th payment (amazon graciously refunded my money on that one). Two of the three had the pull start break off and go inside the unit. The two 3100s first had the electric start fail... then the manual start would get really hard to pull and eventually stop starting and / or the pull handle breaking off from 30-50 pulls to get it to start. Champion said it sounded like the control units went out in the 3100s... first time I contacted them there wasn't a support center within 400 miles of me... the next time they referred me to a place that was destroyed by a tornado that day (and gave me a work order number to have repairs covered)... called them back to get another service place and they found one and told me they didn't know what that work order number was and that they dont' issue those... anyway called the new place for about a week with no answer, drove by and it had a closed sign up and looked like it had been that way for a while. So contacted Amazon and they refunded my cash on the latest paper weight. I wouldn't buy another champion again. Undependable and way to much of a headache.
@@digitalalchemy6414 i've had the pull cord snap twice in 6 years and around 7000hrs on it. easy fix. sounds like you got some lemons. ive heard soso things about champion i have one 4500 watt and a 1200 and ive never had anything more than the pull cord break. id like a yamaha i1000 ive read great things and it has excellent run times on a tank of gas
I just changed the oil in my latest gen 1000i after just 5 hours. Oil full of metal. I wouldn't run these for 20 hours like this. You could probably do after the 1st hour and it would be full of metal. I'm doing the next one at 20 hours (15 on the oil in it) and going high zinc content synthetic. Some guy who rented champions out for years has 4k hours documented on a champion 1200 watt using royal purple.
I'm changing the oil in my new unit after the first tank of gas, or about 5 hours. I agree, the first, and probably second, oil change should be done quickly. I believe these small engines which hold such a tiny amount of.oil should be changed frequently. Also, the mfr has amended the amount of oil to be added to 7.5 oz. I think folks were having engine problems running more than that.
I change the oil frequently too but the manufacturer says if you use synthetic, then always use synthetic and not to change between natural and synthetic oil.
i have 7, 000 hours on my 1200 watt champion. add half a cap to a cap of seafoam to your crankcase each oil change and add some to your gas as well regularly. you will get 10x the life out of your plugs. i went from changing plugs every 150 hours to every 1000 hours. add a cap or two of STP complete fuel system cleaner each oil change as well to your gas tank. use synthetic, clean your spark arrestor when you do the oil. i do my air filter every 500 hours i use to do it every 50-100 hours but found it unnecessary as i live in the country
That’s what I do, using royal purple 10/30 engine break-In-oil With high zinc phosphorus content. Changing mine right now after the first five hours were put on it after That the next oil I will use is in VP small engine 10W-30 four cycle full synthetic.I would much rather spend extra money for the really good stuff since it only holds 7 1/2 ounces in the first place
Excellent video, I noted that although you changed the oil, you left gas in the tank, did you drain this at any point or do you use the generator frequently? Reason I ask is that if gas is left in the system, the carb will gunk up?
+stevearowe Thanks for the comments. This is an active generator, so this was the 20-hr maintenance and not storage prep. I probably should have mentioned that. It's a great little generator so far. Thanks again for the comments.
do you really trust 100 hours in between oil changes , if clean oil put n sooner, say 50 hours would keep it running cooler would it possibly keep it running longer ???? My sport bike calls for changes every 10k miles and i sure as heck dont like that at all.... if running in an off grid setting , id like to think it would help when it will be running alot more than occasional camping genny ??? your humble opinion?
Will not hurt to do early oil and spark plug change. It only helps. In these style of quiet suit case generators like on u tube do not drill or remove side covers. It actually makes it run hotter. Use wheel bearing grease or anti seize on spark plug.
I change the oil about every 30 hours cause i'm anal about it. Clean and re-gap your spark plug at the same time. These 4 cycle engines don't foul the spark plugs up nearly as much as 2 stroke gas/oil mix engines though.
@@MrChris-bx7ss add half a cap to a cap of seafoam to your crankcase each oil change and add some to your gas as well. you will get 10x the life out of your plugs. add a cap or two of STP complete fuel system cleaner each oil change as well to your gas tank
Can you tell me if that came with a parts list? as i bought one from a .....car boot sale (yard sale)... it didn't come with a box or the instructions and the guy selling it said it was not running and he didnt know what was wrong with it, i found when i took the covers off that the feed from the gas tank to the primer buble had detached so i reatached it but it still wouldnt start,..with all the attemps to start it the primer buble has split, so i need to know what diameter the buble is to get a replacement......Thanks.
You can download the parts list here: sportsmangenerators.com/gen1000i.html If that doesn't have what you need you can call Sportsman @ (636) 532-9888. The support staff seems to know the products very well.
Those primer bulbs are very generic and a good power equipment store that sells lawn mowers, trimers, etc. will have one for $3-4.00. My Homelite string trimmer needed one today and even though my town does not have a Homelite parts shop, the Toro shop had it! Just take the old one in to match it up.
I have, since this video was made, discovered that you don’t really need it to change the oil on this generator (video coming this weekend,) but here is a link: www.harborfreight.com/oil-suction-gun-95468.html
Oil level What is right up to the threads at the bottom part of the threads at the top part of the threads The top of the bottom part of the threads or the bottom part of the bottom threads
Shop vacume with filter removed removes all oil in generator. Make sure generator runs out of gas completely and fuel valve shut off. Then suck oil out with shop vac.
I think that white residue is simply the outer plastic cover vibrating ever so slightly on that little black inner plastic cover. We had a cheap chinese dirt bike where everything was vibrating on everything, created a bit of that white powdery residue. regardless of plastic color the powder was always white-ish. Thanks for these vids as i have wondered who makes descent small genny's AND why harbor freight had different numbers on their same products. Different assembly plants. Now i know. Thanks man. Sub'd...#653
Also read a review where the guy said he put thin rubber grommets between the side service panels and the main cover. Said it cut down a bit on the rattling sounds. Word up man.
+B 9 Good troubleshooting, and completely plausible. Though, It wasn't from the cover. It was dust from where I got over zealous pressure washing a wooden fence. You can actually sand a fence with a pressure washer. I had that powder everywhere and ran a fan off that generator. Which at one point was pointed at the vent side of the generator. I think the fan kicked up a small bit and it entered through that vent port. Thanks for the sub. Hopefully you'll like some of the upcoming content.
I just bough one and was curious. It says 7.5 at first, and then in bold lettering, the phamplet they shipped with the instruction manual that's separate says to FILL UNTIL ALMOST OVERFLOWING. Why not just do that from the get go? And what's the point of a dip stick guide if you're either filling it to 7.5 or overflowing? Still confused.
Thanks for posting these videos. I recently purchased this same gennie here in the uk, all be it under different branding but it’s a great unit for the money. Can I suggest tho, when filling with oil, instead of just using the funnel, take some hose and attach it to to funnel outlet then the funnel is upright and it all goes in the sump and not over the floor. 👍🏻
Empty your measuring cup and pour the required amount of oil into it. Then pour the oil into the crankcase. Check with the manufacturer. Later tags and instructions call for 7.5 oz of oil, not the full 10 oz.
@Dan Burch
I know right? I had a lot of issues with mine at the beginning with it smoking quite badly and it was because the crankcase was overfilled with oil. After dumping the oil out, and filling it with 7.5 OZ of oil it no longer smokes.
So it now says 7.5, but does it still say to fill to top of the threads? That would still be 10oz I think because when he emptied it it was to the threads and came out to 10 oz. I'm about to get one of these so I'm just curious
It also mentions cleaning the oil filter. I don't think it has one does it?
They reduced recommended fill amount to reduce the likelihood of the generator smoking if moved or disturbed. That recommendation was made after I made this video
Then why is it still on UA-cam when video provider knows information has been updated.
To much oil causes more than just smoke ,over pressure rises engine causing oil seal failure.
You sound like a much better incarnation of Mr. Rodgers
Hi! After ~100 hours my generator engine speed is unstable when I turn lever to RUN position. Small motor over carburetor moves the damper back and forth 2-3 times with a large amplitude and the generator stops. What is the reason of such prblem and how to fix? Thank you in advance.
Mine developed a fuel leak which seems to be coming from high up, Fuel tank area. Messages the company and I got basically a tough scheit from the person responding. less than 20 hours on the gen. It leaks when it's running. after 10 minutes of running. there is a 5" wet gas pool under the generator. Strong gas smell.
Did you change the oil at 5 hour mark like the break in instructions say?
Also says only use 50-75% wattage for the first 20 hours.
Yep 👍🏻
I just bought one and every 10 seconds it does a quick lope. Then under a load it lopes every 30-50 seconds. Power output is a constant 124v even during the lope. Should I be concerned?
Hi. I have a question, I changed the oil after 100 hours but then when I started it, it started to blow white smokeWhat do you think is due?
+Heidy T.o if you put in a little too much that can happen, or if you started it after you moved it around without letting it sit first for everything to settle. Did it eventually quit smoking?
KevCentral
It continues to bounce smoke despite what I left for 1 hour between breaks to burn the oil in excess without anything connected.
Do you still recommend using it to supply energy? Its safe?
+Heidy T.o what oil did you use? Also, did you make sure it's not overflowing with oil? Another thing is to make sure it's on flat ground. I'm assuming it wasn't doing this before the oil change?
KevCentral
The oil used was 10w30 and it was in a flat place ... but it was tilted a bit to put the oil
What I can do?
+Heidy T.o put it on flat ground and check the oil. Drain out anything that's not at the proper level. These little generators are so small they are very sensitive to small variances in level - especially when adding oil.
Mine says to clean the oil filter every 100 hours. Do you know where that is? I'm assuming in the crankcase
To get all the original oil out with the break-in shavings etc. I would change the oil, run the engine for about 10 minutes, then change the oil again. This gives it a good flush.
This after breakin-in pil change is critical and it's only 7.5 oz of oil as per current manufacturer recommendation so why not give it a double change ? I sure do!
i have 7, 000 hours on my 1200 watt champion. i have gone as long as 120 hours between oil changes but usually i like to do it around 50 hours but plenty of times its been around 70-75 hours. add half a cap to a cap (i add 1 cap each oil change to my 1200 watt champ) of seafoam to your crankcase each oil change and add some to your gas as well regularly. you will get 10x the life out of your plugs. i went from changing plugs every 150 hours to every 1000 hours. add a cap or two of STP complete fuel system cleaner each oil change as well to your gas tank each oil change. use synthetic oil, clean your spark arrestor with a metal brush when you do the oil(i don't think this model has a spark arrestor but not sure). i clean my air filter every 500 hours i use to do it every 50-100 hours but found it unnecessary as i live in the country
Sounds good how you clean your air filter excatly?
@@brocky78 put it in a bowl or a frying pan with water and dish soap. squeeze it out a few times (might want to wear rubber gloves) then soak/rinse with fresh water removing the soap. then pour a bit of clean oil in the bowl or pan and coat both sides of the air filter lightly. put back in the genny your done
With scheduled maintenance like clock work I've had three champaion generators die on my within 3 years. A 2000 and two 3100s. I bought the last 3100 on 5 pay with amazon and it actually died a week before my 5th payment (amazon graciously refunded my money on that one). Two of the three had the pull start break off and go inside the unit. The two 3100s first had the electric start fail... then the manual start would get really hard to pull and eventually stop starting and / or the pull handle breaking off from 30-50 pulls to get it to start. Champion said it sounded like the control units went out in the 3100s... first time I contacted them there wasn't a support center within 400 miles of me... the next time they referred me to a place that was destroyed by a tornado that day (and gave me a work order number to have repairs covered)... called them back to get another service place and they found one and told me they didn't know what that work order number was and that they dont' issue those... anyway called the new place for about a week with no answer, drove by and it had a closed sign up and looked like it had been that way for a while. So contacted Amazon and they refunded my cash on the latest paper weight. I wouldn't buy another champion again. Undependable and way to much of a headache.
@@digitalalchemy6414 i've had the pull cord snap twice in 6 years and around 7000hrs on it. easy fix. sounds like you got some lemons. ive heard soso things about champion i have one 4500 watt and a 1200 and ive never had anything more than the pull cord break. id like a yamaha i1000 ive read great things and it has excellent run times on a tank of gas
Why wont this video play....I don't get it.???
I just changed the oil in my latest gen 1000i after just 5 hours. Oil full of metal. I wouldn't run these for 20 hours like this. You could probably do after the 1st hour and it would be full of metal. I'm doing the next one at 20 hours (15 on the oil in it) and going high zinc content synthetic. Some guy who rented champions out for years has 4k hours documented on a champion 1200 watt using royal purple.
I'm changing the oil in my new unit after the first tank of gas, or about 5 hours. I agree, the first, and probably second, oil change should be done quickly. I believe these small engines which hold such a tiny amount of.oil should be changed frequently.
Also, the mfr has amended the amount of oil to be added to 7.5 oz. I think folks were having engine problems running more than that.
I change the oil frequently too but the manufacturer says if you use synthetic, then always use synthetic and not to change between natural and synthetic oil.
i have 7, 000 hours on my 1200 watt champion. add half a cap to a cap of seafoam to your crankcase each oil change and add some to your gas as well regularly. you will get 10x the life out of your plugs. i went from changing plugs every 150 hours to every 1000 hours. add a cap or two of STP complete fuel system cleaner each oil change as well to your gas tank. use synthetic, clean your spark arrestor when you do the oil. i do my air filter every 500 hours i use to do it every 50-100 hours but found it unnecessary as i live in the country
That’s what I do, using royal purple 10/30 engine break-In-oil With high zinc phosphorus content. Changing mine right now after the first five hours were put on it after That the next oil I will use is in VP small engine 10W-30 four cycle full synthetic.I would much rather spend extra money for the really good stuff since it only holds 7 1/2 ounces in the first place
@@garyenwards1608 How do you run so many hours on your generators? What applications?
Excellent video, I noted that although you changed the oil, you left gas in the tank, did you drain this at any point or do you use the generator frequently? Reason I ask is that if gas is left in the system, the carb will gunk up?
+stevearowe Thanks for the comments. This is an active generator, so this was the 20-hr maintenance and not storage prep. I probably should have mentioned that. It's a great little generator so far. Thanks again for the comments.
Good info thanks.
this is the best think I have bought, after killing my back with honda 1000i that did not have enough power and was twice heavy and noisy as this.
do you really trust 100 hours in between oil changes , if clean oil put n sooner, say 50 hours would keep it running cooler would it possibly keep it running longer ???? My sport bike calls for changes every 10k miles and i sure as heck dont like that at all.... if running in an off grid setting , id like to think it would help when it will be running alot more than occasional camping genny ??? your humble opinion?
Will not hurt to do early oil and spark plug change. It only helps. In these style of quiet suit case generators like on u tube do not drill or remove side covers. It actually makes it run hotter. Use wheel bearing grease or anti seize on spark plug.
I change the oil about every 30 hours cause i'm anal about it.
Clean and re-gap your spark plug at the same time. These 4 cycle engines don't foul the spark plugs up nearly as much as 2 stroke gas/oil mix engines though.
@@MrChris-bx7ss add half a cap to a cap of seafoam to your crankcase each oil change and add some to your gas as well. you will get 10x the life out of your plugs. add a cap or two of STP complete fuel system cleaner each oil change as well to your gas tank
Can you tell me if that came with a parts list? as i bought one from a .....car boot sale (yard sale)... it didn't come with a box or the instructions and the guy selling it said it was not running and he didnt know what was wrong with it, i found when i took the covers off that the feed from the gas tank to the primer buble had detached so i reatached it but it still wouldnt start,..with all the attemps to start it the primer buble has split, so i need to know what diameter the buble is to get a replacement......Thanks.
You can download the parts list here: sportsmangenerators.com/gen1000i.html
If that doesn't have what you need you can call Sportsman @ (636) 532-9888. The support staff seems to know the products very well.
Thanks for the info....
Those primer bulbs are very generic and a good power equipment store that sells lawn mowers, trimers, etc. will have one for $3-4.00. My Homelite string trimmer needed one today and even though my town does not have a Homelite parts shop, the Toro shop had it! Just take the old one in to match it up.
What is the suction tool called?
I have, since this video was made, discovered that you don’t really need it to change the oil on this generator (video coming this weekend,) but here is a link:
www.harborfreight.com/oil-suction-gun-95468.html
KevCentral tnks
Oil level
What is right up to the threads at the bottom part of the threads
at the top part of the threads
The top of the bottom part of the threads
or the bottom part of the bottom threads
@KevCentral what item number is this one ?
802085
Great video! Just wondering where you picked up that hour meter and what model it is, thanks.
Thanks. Amazon - Just search “inductive hour meter.” It’s the cheap one on the orange card.
how long doex it run for
about 6.5 hours at 50% load on a full tank which is just over 1/2 gallon.
Very fuel efficient.
Hmm I’ve never seen an $88 Harbor Freight generator 🧐
Shop vacume with filter removed removes all oil in generator. Make sure generator runs out of gas completely and fuel valve shut off. Then suck oil out with shop vac.
Hi. Is that a 2 stroke or 4 stroke. Seems like it's got a 2 stroke carburator in there.
4
If it was a 2-stroke you'd be adding oil to the gas, not in a separate reservoir as in the video.
You are right about the carburetor though, reportedly it's the diaphragm type that are more common in chainsaws and smaller equipment.
I think that white residue is simply the outer plastic cover vibrating ever so slightly on that little black inner plastic cover. We had a cheap chinese dirt bike where everything was vibrating on everything, created a bit of that white powdery residue. regardless of plastic color the powder was always white-ish. Thanks for these vids as i have wondered who makes descent small genny's AND why harbor freight had different numbers on their same products. Different assembly plants. Now i know. Thanks man. Sub'd...#653
Also read a review where the guy said he put thin rubber grommets between the side service panels and the main cover. Said it cut down a bit on the rattling sounds. Word up man.
+B 9 I saw that video too! My side panels don't seem to resonate any additional sound, so I didn't do that to mine.
+B 9 Good troubleshooting, and completely plausible. Though, It wasn't from the cover. It was dust from where I got over zealous pressure washing a wooden fence. You can actually sand a fence with a pressure washer. I had that powder everywhere and ran a fan off that generator. Which at one point was pointed at the vent side of the generator. I think the fan kicked up a small bit and it entered through that vent port. Thanks for the sub. Hopefully you'll like some of the upcoming content.
You should run synthetic oil in that generator.
Not what they recommend though
@@W3TFART
After the break in you should use synthetic oil.
Read the manual that comes with the generator.
cant do the first start.... just wont turn over
did you put oil in the spark plug hole? It's probably hydrolocked.
Wow sounds so quiet you hardly belive was switched on 🙄
The oil is 7.5 z ...! not 10z..! Need to correct that..!
In the original manual it stated 10. They have revised it. I assume to minimize smoking complaints on less than level ground.
I just bough one and was curious. It says 7.5 at first, and then in bold lettering, the phamplet they shipped with the instruction manual that's separate says to FILL UNTIL ALMOST OVERFLOWING. Why not just do that from the get go? And what's the point of a dip stick guide if you're either filling it to 7.5 or overflowing? Still confused.
Mine says oil capacity is 7.5 but start out with 10oz but make sure oil does not go over the lower the lower oil level line
You must be a conservative UA-cam stops this video at :20 sec every time
There has been a change, it now holds 7.5 z of oil
I think they got tires of people complaining of random smoke incidents 😁
I fill mine with 10 oz anyway. No issues. Make sure it's reasonably level.