How often engine maintenance?

[shinnlinger]

Hi,

I have a Manual Turner mill with a non electric 13 horse Honda.  I don't believe I can mount an hour meter to the non electric engine (am I wrong?)

I could keep a paper log of hours milling and figure that half of that had the engine actually running to guestimate hours in a more scientific manner, but regardless, how often should I change the oil?  JUst replace it in the fall, or should I wait til spring?


Hi,

I have a manual Turner Mill with a non electric 13 horse honda.  I dont believe I can put an hour meter on a non electric engine (right?)  I could keep a log and figure half the time I am milling the engine is running if I wanted to be a bit more scientific.  Or I could just change it in the fall...or would you say spring?

I have been running synthetic because why not when it is only two quarts and replacing when it got a little bit dark, but I doubt I have even 100 hours between changes and I won't be putting many hours on it at all now that my house frame is done.


Any other things I should be maintaining?  A few bearings take grease, but most things I can only pour a little bar oil on once in a while, or am I missing something?

Thanks

[Chuck White]

shinnlinger
Contact Honda and I'll bet they can tell you how to hook up an hour meter.
I think that would be the easiest and best way to keep track of the hours.

I have a 24hp Onan on my mill and Wood-Mizer says if the engine doesn't have a filter, change the oil every 50 hours and if the engine does have a filter, change the oil & filter every 100 hours.

[zopi]

Change the oil however many hours you come up with...but change it before you store the mill for any legnth of time...acids come out in the oil sludge when they sit and attack the roundy roundy parts...among other things...

[nas]

shinlinger
  I have an hourmeter on my 13hp honda.  It has a wire on it that you wrap a few times around the spark plug wire.  I bought it at the local hardware store for about $50.  Works great!

Nick

[Captain]

You can certainly run an hour meter on your 13hp Honda or any gasoline engine.  The hour meters are self powered, and only rely on ignition sense for RPM monitor.  Hours clock when the spark is present.  

We sell them in our online store.  This is a Kohler branded "TinyTach".  You can get them from most any small power equipment dealer as well.

http://www.majestystables.com/cgi-bin/store/cp-app.cgi?usr=51F7788298&rnd=4108837&rrc=N&affl=&cip=72.74.211.196&act=&aff=&pg=prod&ref=kohlertach&cat=engaccess&catstr=HOME:small_engines:engaccess

Captain

[ely]

i run thetiny tach on my 20 hp and it does not hook up to anything that 13 hp would not also have. igot mine from tiny tach after i done a search online. wish i would have known i had options within the family. :

[bandmiller2]

Shinnlinger,one of your kinda average days keep track of how many hours you run then you can estimate.Really not that critical,be sure to check the air cleaner often.Air cooled engines tend to run hot around the valves,I use synthetic oil ,handles heat better and helps cold starts.A little 2cyc oil in the gas especially synthetic gives the upper cylinder a little lube. Treat the fuel to prevent gumming if it sits for long shut the tank and run dry.Frank C.

[BAR]

The above answers regarding hour meters are the best and that's what I did with my 18 hp Kohler but before I did that, I checked the specs for fuel consumption under load for the engine and then kept track of the gallons of fuel each time I refueled for a rough approximation of engine hours.
BAR

[submarinesailor]

shinnlinger,

I brought one of the Tiny Tachs from Captain and love it.  It really helps in keeping track of the hours on the mill – great for oil changes.  I wish we had gotten it a lot earlier before we had 4 years of sawing on the mill and motor.

Plus, if you get it from Captain, you support the forum – hope we are still doing the support thing??????

Bruce