This has probably been posted before, but I thought Id give it another try. Im curious what everyone uses in their mowers. Ive always used Pennzoil 10W30 just because that is what my dealer puts in all his mowers and Ive always thought it best to keep using the same brand name. Ive tried full synthetic before but I thought the engine ran "different" so I went back to regular, but I would like to use full synthetic for its benefits. Someone once told me that if you have to add engine oil, you have to add the same brand name oil, not just the same weight!, I always thought as long as it was the same weight, the brand name didnt matter, but I was way wrong!
mower engine oil?
MikeKle
1 - 20 of 63 Posts
This has probably been posted before, but I thought Id give it another try. Im curious what everyone uses in their mowers. Ive always used Pennzoil 10W30 just because that is what my dealer puts in all his mowers and Ive always thought it best to keep using the same brand name. Ive tried full synthetic before but I thought the engine ran "different" so I went back to regular, but I would like to use full synthetic for its benefits. Someone once told me that if you have to add engine oil, you have to add the same brand name oil, not just the same weight!, I always thought as long as it was the same weight, the brand name didnt matter, but I was way wrong!
MikeKle, you were not way wrong. In the past there were some confusion as to the compatibility of oils that went as far as the warranty being covered. Brand oil does not matter at all but the composition of that brand does. Used to the word was never add synthetic oil to normal oil, the misconception was that the earlier synthetic oils did not have the same additives as the normal oil and would create leaks, NOW the synthetic oils are better engineered as well as the engine components are better to accept the synthetic oils. As far as warranty is concerned now warranty can be denied due to changing brands of oil from that the manufacturer recommends as long as it meets the required composition. There is a reason why there is such a variance in the prices of oils from different manufacturers (composition). Synthetic oils have a great advantage over dino (normal) in normal wear on an engine. The real key is to ensure your oil is clean (by regular changes), think of the oil as the blood of the engine, just like your blood it needs to be maintained properly for you to be healthy.
Joined
·
2,563 Posts
Royal Purple 15w40 synthetic in my diesels. In my gassers I prefer Royal Purple 10w30 or 40 but have wandered into the Amsoil camp occasionally.
Synthetic oil only has one advantage that really applies to the engines in most mowers and that is it's ability to withstand the effects of heat.
What causes abnormal wear in enignes is contamination which is a by-product of combustion and failure to change the oil at the proper interval. Synthetics do nothing to prevent or even cope with contamination. The oil filter (on engines so equipped) lessens the problem by trapping many of the particles.
If you live in a very high temperature region or are "forgetfull" about changing the oil when it should be then a syn might be beneficial.
Under ordinary use with regular oil changes dino oil is just fine and syn oil is a waste of money.
Engines without oil filters should NOT run synthetic crankcase oil. To my knwledge there are no sythetics that do not contain detergents. Those engines should be run with non detergent oil as there's no filter to trap the particles that the detergents break down in the engine and those particles end up being splashed all over the bearings causing pre-mature engine failure.
Detergent oils = good in filtered systems, BAD in non filtered systems. We own a lot of small equipment with Honda commercial engines... the manual for everyone of them specify NON detergent oil.
What causes abnormal wear in enignes is contamination which is a by-product of combustion and failure to change the oil at the proper interval. Synthetics do nothing to prevent or even cope with contamination. The oil filter (on engines so equipped) lessens the problem by trapping many of the particles.
If you live in a very high temperature region or are "forgetfull" about changing the oil when it should be then a syn might be beneficial.
Under ordinary use with regular oil changes dino oil is just fine and syn oil is a waste of money.
Engines without oil filters should NOT run synthetic crankcase oil. To my knwledge there are no sythetics that do not contain detergents. Those engines should be run with non detergent oil as there's no filter to trap the particles that the detergents break down in the engine and those particles end up being splashed all over the bearings causing pre-mature engine failure.
Detergent oils = good in filtered systems, BAD in non filtered systems. We own a lot of small equipment with Honda commercial engines... the manual for everyone of them specify NON detergent oil.
Good points kaferhaus, but one point that neither us pointed out is that synthetics have a molecular structure which helps with early break down of the oil and to lessen the shear effects on the oil. So the benefits are not just towards the carbon contamination but also the actual break down of the oil's ability to cushion and it's lubricity. So the synthetic oil is a little more forgiving for those who "forget" to change their oil regularly.
Joined
·
22,463 Posts
Cheapest 10w-30 full synthetic I can find.
protection in instances of oil starvation, such as when running on an incline.
Correct, synthetic doesn't thin out like dino, however this also translates to
protection in instances of oil starvation, such as when running on an incline.
I don't consider the use of my machines ordinary.
Now this is good stuff, thank you!
You may not, but it is. Unless you're doing something absurd those engines are being used as designed.
Oil starvation.... might be a edge there but I'd bet it's very slight. I don't risk such situations anyway. If the slope is over the design recommendations of the manufacturer I use the proper equipment for the job.
I can see the benefits of synthetic crankcase oil for over the road trucks with extended oil change intervals and the same for highway vehicles that are primarily used for cross country driving.
At the 50-100hr intervals that air-cooled engines need it's a waste of money.
Joined
·
90 Posts
ive always been told once you go to synthetic you could never go back to regular so im not sure it's wise to switch to syn then switch back?
Old wives tale, switch any which way you want.
Joined
·
5,396 Posts
:laugh:
These "what kind of oil threads" are amusing just like the Ford, Chevy, Dodge & Toyota debates.
I just checked my Honda manual for my GX-25's, GX-31 and the bigger GX-160 GX-200 and the GX-340. Absolutely nothing in there about using a "non detergent oil". It does specify using SJ or SL rated engine oil which just happens to be an actual detergent rated oil.
The only oil I know of that is non-detergent is SA rated. FWIW if I was buying ANY used power equipment and I found out the user was using SA and/or non-detergent oil I would turn on my heels and run immediately.
What I use in my Honda GX-340 powered snow thrower is Castrol Syntec 0w-30 "German Castrol" one of the very few oils you can by that is a TRUE SL, SJ rated oil. Exactly what Honda calls for. This oil is very popular in the European Car market and rated for diesel use.
I use Rotella 5w-40 CI-4 rated "older Formula" in all my power equipment. Also rated for gas engines. Newer version is CJ rated but doesn't have the proven track record of the old CI-4 version.
All my power equipment is due for an oil change. But this time I'm going to use Delo 400 15w-40 and change it out earlier than normal and go back to Rotella 5w-40 Synthetic.
Other well rated off the shelf oils are Mobil 1 High Mileage 10w-30 and 10w-40 ....yes they have higher levels of anti wear additives than the the plain vanilla Mobil 1 version most people use.
The lowest grade oil I use in my power equipment is non synthetic HDEO 15w-40. Sorry not a fan of straight 30 wt. just doesn't flow fast enough when cold. I was using cheap Super Tech 5w-30 for flushing engines but now I have switched to Delo 400 15w-40 since I picked up a case for cheap with a coupon at Costco.
These "what kind of oil threads" are amusing just like the Ford, Chevy, Dodge & Toyota debates.
I just checked my Honda manual for my GX-25's, GX-31 and the bigger GX-160 GX-200 and the GX-340. Absolutely nothing in there about using a "non detergent oil". It does specify using SJ or SL rated engine oil which just happens to be an actual detergent rated oil.
The only oil I know of that is non-detergent is SA rated. FWIW if I was buying ANY used power equipment and I found out the user was using SA and/or non-detergent oil I would turn on my heels and run immediately.
What I use in my Honda GX-340 powered snow thrower is Castrol Syntec 0w-30 "German Castrol" one of the very few oils you can by that is a TRUE SL, SJ rated oil. Exactly what Honda calls for. This oil is very popular in the European Car market and rated for diesel use.
I use Rotella 5w-40 CI-4 rated "older Formula" in all my power equipment. Also rated for gas engines. Newer version is CJ rated but doesn't have the proven track record of the old CI-4 version.
All my power equipment is due for an oil change. But this time I'm going to use Delo 400 15w-40 and change it out earlier than normal and go back to Rotella 5w-40 Synthetic.
Other well rated off the shelf oils are Mobil 1 High Mileage 10w-30 and 10w-40 ....yes they have higher levels of anti wear additives than the the plain vanilla Mobil 1 version most people use.
The lowest grade oil I use in my power equipment is non synthetic HDEO 15w-40. Sorry not a fan of straight 30 wt. just doesn't flow fast enough when cold. I was using cheap Super Tech 5w-30 for flushing engines but now I have switched to Delo 400 15w-40 since I picked up a case for cheap with a coupon at Costco.
Joined
·
688 Posts
Pennzoil 10W30 for me in summer and early spring and fall run 5W30
Joined
·
1,401 Posts
Amzoil signature series 100% synthetic 0w-30. Amzoil heavy duty grease in spindles and all grease fittings in the Turf tiger. Mobil 1 Synthetic in wife's Honda Odyssey. Penzoil 10w-30 in 2005 chevrolet 2500 4x4 (That's what has always been used in it and has done a great job.)
Joined
·
22,463 Posts
I'm not particular of the Amsoil or Exxon brands because I believe
it all comes out the same derrick, but I like your style.
1 - 20 of 63 Posts
-
?
-
?
-
?
-
?
-
?
-
?
-
?
-
?
-
?
-
?
-
?
-
?
-
?
-
?
-
?
-
?
-
?
-
?
-
?
-
?
