An appliance technician took to Reddit's r/Generator community to remind owners of the appliances to "Change your oil folks!"
He then shared the horror story of one customer who had been paying a "hack" to service the appliance although they never actually changed the oil, resulting in massive damage. The engine was so neglected that a replacement made more financial sense than repair.
Here's what to know
The generator technician posted photos on Reddit alongside a warning for homeowners who either hire out maintenance or handle it themselves. "Whether you have somebody service your generator, or you do it yourself, make sure the oil is getting changed," the original poster wrote.
The spark plug was one clue to how bad things had gotten. OP said its electrodes were "round." The technician also said the owner had reportedly been paying someone to service the unit, but "Apparently his idea of servicing was adding oil, and not actually changing it," suggesting the generator had gone far too long without proper upkeep.
By the time the unit was examined, the numbers no longer favored a fix. The technician wrote that cleaning and repairing the engine would cost in labor "almost the cost of the generator," while a new engine plus labor would be "half the cost of a new generator."
One commenter joked, "... oil?" referring to how unrecognizable it had become. OP responded to this with a joke himself, adding, "Now with chunks!"
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More background
Standby generators are typically purchased for peace of mind during outages, but many owners may not realize there is a maintenance problem until the equipment is heavily worn, or until it fails during a power loss.
Old oil can thicken into sludge, reduce lubrication, and accelerate damage to internal engine components.
People in the comments said they had seen similar results in other neglected machines. One commenter said used oil from a neglected Generac still looked like "a pile of candle wax, 4 months later."
Another described a unit with 450 hours and no oil change as having oil with the "consistency of Hershey's chocolate syrup."
Paying for maintenance that is incomplete or poorly done can leave hidden wear that shortens a generator's lifespan, reduces resale value, and makes future repairs far more expensive.
Meanwhile, extending the life of a generator through proper service can help owners avoid premature replacement, meaning fewer discarded parts and less demand for a brand-new (and expensive) machine before it is actually necessary.
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