what oil do you recomend for 14 kaw?

[MacLawnCo]

Im curious if exmark makes an official recomendation regarding specificly what oil to run in a 14 Kaw. It has 620 hrs on it..if that matters.

If exmark doesnt make an official recomendation, could one of you make an unofficial suggestion as to what you have seen work well? Thanks

[Lazer_Z]

Mac they recomend Mobile 1 hope this helps

[eXmark]

Sorry for the delay Mac,

Tis the season............Kawi recommends any quality 30 weight oil for all their engines. Per Kawi the multi-weight oils can increase oil consumption as well as carbon deposits.

The synthetic oils are great however you don't want to use them in a new engine that has not been broken in or in a very old engine that has been run on petroleum oils and has never seen synthetics.

For break in purposes the synthetic oil is simply too slick and won't allow the rings and bearings to seat properly. In some isolated reports and one engine of my own I wouldn't recommend synthetics for high hour, high use or heavily worn engines. It appears that synthetics may clean the internals of the engine too well, removing all deposits and making for a very "sloppy" engine.

Thanks

Terry

[65hoss]

I've been running Opti-4 in all my kawis. I've never had any problems. It actually saved my 12.5 hp kawi once.

[H2OandNcutter]

Hey Terry,

So, just how many hours is enough to consider an engine broken in before one could switch to a synthetic?

Happy '04.

Thanks,

RS

[eXmark]

RS,

The engine mfgr's have always felt that after the initial oil change at 5 hours it was okay to run synthetics. Personally I'd change the oil at 5, 50 and then 100 before switching over to the synthetics.

Have a good new year.

Thanks

Terry

[MIMAINTAINCE]

I run synthetics in my 17hp Kawasaki. Ive only had the mower for a year, and it like 5 or 6 years old. I dont know what was ran in it b4, but it runs great. I use Mobil 1

[H2OandNcutter]

Thanks Terry!

R.S.

[jsr2741]

I second Hoss's choice.

[Cut 2 Please]

I was looking at www.kawasaki.com and saw on there that using Kawasaki 4 cycle oil double the engine warranty. I don't know what the catch is if any but worth looking into.

[65hoss]

Originally posted by Cut 2 Please
I was looking at www.kawasaki.com and saw on there that using Kawasaki 4 cycle oil double the engine warranty. I don't know what the catch is if any but worth looking into.

So does the Opti 4. You must use them from when the motor was new. Kawi oil is the same.