Car Engine Oil In a Lawnmower? 'Explained' - Best Engine Oil & Lawnmower Oil
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- čas přidán 15. 02. 2020
- * VISUALLY EXPLAINED
In this uniquely explained video I explain whether or not you can use car engine oil in a lawnmower.
Oregon SAE30 Lawnmower Engine oil is a very good quality oil at a very reasonable price, and I have used this on many occasion, Find it here: amzn.to/37B288p
Using car engine oil in a lawnmower is a topic that often piques the curiosity of many homeowners who wonder whether they can use the same oil for both their vehicle and their lawnmower. While it might seem like a convenient idea, there are crucial differences between car engine oil and lawnmower oil that need to be addressed.
1. Viscosity and Additives: Car engine oil is designed to work under high-temperature, high-stress conditions in a vehicle's engine. It typically contains additives that help with cleaning, reducing friction, and handling high heat. On the other hand, lawnmower engines operate at lower temperatures and have simpler lubrication needs. Using car oil in a lawnmower may not provide the right viscosity for effective lubrication, potentially leading to engine damage.
2. Oil Change Intervals: Lawnmowers usually require more frequent oil changes compared to cars because they often operate in dusty environments and are used seasonally. Car engine oil, formulated for longer oil change intervals, may not be suitable for a lawnmower that requires more regular oil changes.
3. SAE Rating: Car engine oils carry an SAE (Society of Automotive Engineers) rating that indicates their viscosity at high and low temperatures. Using an oil with a higher SAE rating meant for a car in a lawnmower may lead to poor engine performance or damage.
4. Lawnmower-Specific Oils: Manufacturers often recommend or sell specific oils for their lawnmower engines. These oils are designed to meet the requirements of smaller, air-cooled engines with simpler lubrication needs. It's usually best to use these recommended oils to ensure optimal lawnmower performance and longevity.
In conclusion, while it might seem tempting to use car engine oil in a lawnmower for convenience, it's not advisable due to differences in viscosity, additives, and maintenance needs. It's generally best to use the oil recommended by the lawnmower manufacturer to ensure proper lubrication and prevent any damage or performance issues.
Thank you
Craig Kirkman (owner and creator of 'The Repair Specialist' channel) on best engine oil Please check out my amazon shop. I have recommended some useful items from Amazon below. I guarantee you that these items are the sorts of things I use on a daily basis so I know they are good. I have to be careful in recommending products because I have my name and credibility at stake. So I will only recommend good products. www.amazon.co.uk/shop/therepa...
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Great to see Phil Collins doing mower maintenance videos
I have used automotive engine oil in my push mower for years never had any issues from using it
Same here, Mower is 14 years young NO problems, ALWAYS ask for MSDS and spec sheets!
Just remember ANY oil is better than no oil. Always check oil level before starting.
Also any clean oil is better than dirty oil. I've always used whatever clean oil I have left over from the cars to change the oil in my mowers. They run forever.
@@km4hr clean or not use what you can better than nothing
@@johndallis9901 I use mineral 20w50, Sae 40, 15w40 and semi synthetic 10w40 motor oils in my petrol water pump and generator .I do the oil change at 50 hours than the recommended 100 hours, no problem though
I stick whatever oil i have left in the garage for my mowers. No problems.
Honda use a multigrade 20/50 and thats all i've ever used in all my small engines including briggs . I've never had any problems with premature wear or anything else .....
I have always run the same oil in my autos and lawn mowers and have had real good luck with both. The secret is to change mower oil at least once a year My current mower is 10 years old.
Lawn mower engines don’t care what oil they have as long as they have oil I run what ever I got on hand and never any problems
I am glad to see your comment, and I agree (unless it is some extreme condition). This youtube seems to overly complicate a simple thing.
All I needed to know!
I use Castrol edge advanced full synthetic 10w30 in my push mower it has done really good.
What an education about lawn mower oil and car motor oil with logic. They say when you explain something with logic it will make sense and stays in people's mind. Great job and you have gained a subscriber for your dedication and knowledge.
Thank you!👍
My 16 and 22 year old push mowers say..... Yes you can, no problem.
Years don’t matter hours is what you want out of a lawnmower
What engines?
@@classicjay7786 Same from all engines, hours is always best to know. A car crawling along in high traffic with traffic jams will need service long before, known hours is critical.
If the engine uses less fuel to do the same work, it is usually a good thing. So for the break in did use a single grade,. When it was time to replace it. Had some left over 5W30. Immediately noticed it used less fuel. less fuel means less heat.
Used 10W 40 in a 600cc sport cycle. It was not recommended. At 70,000 miles started looking into rebuilding it.
But the big problem was could not get a shop to work on it for tuning and general maintenance when it hit 50,000. Still had the original clutches in it.
Oh and when it was 120F (48C) I still rode it. I also still wore leathers with a water soaked sweatshirt under it. Works like a swamp cooler.
Friction and heat are not combustion engine friends
Most push mowers sold today in the US recommend a multigrade 10w/30. Mowers of many years ago often used a straight weight sae 30 weight oil that was low foam formula because it is usually a splash lubrication system. Most mower oil will say low foam 10w/30 small engine oil.
Ok. Thanks.
Very Well Explained, My Grandfather Worked for Texaco His Entire Working Life, ( Except for Two Wars. WWII, & Korea ) as An Lubrication Engineer. And He Primarily did Field Evaluation of Company Equipment ( End User ) Evaluation Sampling Colection and Testing, To Report to Company Headquarters Performance, & Failure Evaluation. He Used to Tell Me The Tests Performed on New Formulations. Truly Incredible The Money Spent on Testing. As a Side Note, as I Was Getting My A&P/ Engineering Degree. The Story of One of My Teachers Recount of a Bombing Missions in Germany as A Captain of A B-25 and There 5 Hour Return Flight With 0% Oil in Either Engine, Solely Relying on Residual Film Strength. After Crossing The English Channel, Bellied it in The First Comparable Farmers Field. And Waited for The Farmer To Take Him to The nearest US Military Base. All That Was Salvageable On That B-25 was the 50 cal Machine Guns and the Norden Bomb Sight.
I worked my way through college as a mechanic on a golf course working on everything from small engines to bulldozers. The greens mowers used 16hp Kohler engines lubricated by splash from a dipper on the end of the connecting rod, and they worked hard and ran hot. The recommended oil was 10w30 and I would get about 800 hours service. Changing to straight 30 oil for diesels extended the life to 1600-1800 hours.
I might have miss understood something here 🤔 .As iv never seen a ride on mower recommendation. For a variable weight engine oil . Nor have I seen a single weight Diesel engine oil for sale in stores . That’s why I think I might be miss understanding your comment ? Unless it’s because I’m in Australia and the engine oil’s are different due to our generally warmer weather conditions ? Can you set me straight please , thanks 👣🦘
What a brilliant explanation! Thank you very much.
Excellent video, appreciate you taking the time to 'show your working'. I certainly learned more than I'd expected to and that's always a bonus. 👍
Thank you so much for your nice feedback. It's comments like yours that motivate me to continue making these videos. Craig 😀👍
For years mowers said in the manual to use sae30 but that was before they finally got around to printing new manuals.
The new manuals say use 5w-30. I use a 5w40 diesel oil because it has more ZDDP than automotive oil and lawnmower engine have a flat tappet cam so the zddp is much better for it. I have a John Deere with Kawasaki engine got it new in 1986 38 YEARS and it is still going. 🤪
Why was this the fourth video in my results list? This is top-tier knowledge in a clean, concise format. Bravo.
Thank you for your awesome feedback 👍👍
Great video, very informative!!! Number one rule, oil level. Number two rule, clean oil. Just about everything else is up for debate. I've never heard of a mower self destructing because of the wrong oil, I have seen many destroyed from low, or worn out oil. I try to stick with a straight 30 weight, but have used just about every other option the past 50 years with zero issues.
👍
Thank you so much !! You explained this perfectly!!!!
A very good explanation based on oil grade. However, grade is not the issue, film strength is. Since I switched to M1 full (base stock 5) synthetic oil I have never had an oil related engine failure, auto or small air cooled single cylinder. Small air cooled engine temperatures rise dramatically when they lug down and work hard with less air flow because of lower RPM (a thermal gun reading on the head can show a 200 degree rise), e.g. my wood chipper branch after branch or my rototiller workin for hours with little letup, this is where film strength rules and synthetics are much better. Because of its far superior film strength and I use my equipment hard I use M1 0W 40.
I've always used 10W-30 in my snowblower. Helps for the cold starts. Always run it out of gas in spring for storage. I don't need to measure out and pay for stabilizer. This winter only used it three times. Usually it's more. We bought it in 1985 and still runs great.
This was an excellent instructional video. Thank you.
Such a great video
Thank you fire breaking it down and providing that amazing killer visuals
Thank you for your nice feedback. I really appreciate it. Craig 👍
Great explanation.. thanks for making this video..
My pleasure. Thank you for your nice feedback. Craig
Thank you very much for this excellent video. It's one of a very few on here that actually makes sense.
Question. I have ride on tractor mowers and it has been said to use oils with detergents, high zinc and phosphorus for better wear protection. Some have even resorted to using diesel oils which have all these properties. if I use a diesel formulation 5W-30 would this then be the ultimate oil to use ?
The engines I have are both Kohler engines. One is a Command 17.5 Hp and the other is a 25Hp Courage (SV-730). My Courage engine recently found with one bent pushrod. Not sure why. Am Still waiting for new parts to arrive and then do a full investigation.
Thank You, and nicely explained, it's 5w/30 in my B&S here in Australia, with oil change and full mower service each January 👍 Au
Worthwhile to bookmark this video. Thanks much.
Great education video never found a video quite in detail that explains things like this one I think I’m gonna stick to this channel to get more explanation on different items this gentleman is very detail and what he explains and that’s what some people need if you are not mechanically inclined. And by the way yes I’m very mechanically inclined I don’t need it but it’s great to just hear how detail he is take my word great channel to stick with God bless you all brothers and sisters I love you✝️✝️✝️
2 yrs later, this video made the most sense, I'm needing to change my moped oil, but its 12:30am, cold as hell outside and I have PLENTY of 5W-30 for my Truck inside now, however my moped uses SAE 30. So... Vavoline 5W-30.. it is!! :D Great explanation out of all the videos I've seen so far! :)
Thank you for letting me know and for your awesome feedback. Craig 👍👍
Very well explained Thank you..
Glad I found this and subscribed!
Brilliant I never would have known but now I Do!
Thank you so much for the nice feedback. I really appreciate it. Craig
Excellent video, many thanks.
Congratulations on 100k Subscribers
Thank you very much, great understanding
Great, thorough explanation. Thanks!
Thank you for your awesome comment. I really do appreciate it. Craig 👍
Great explanation. Thank you.
Excellent explanation, clear and concise and will be easy to remember. Thank you!
A manual will state that you shall use oil according to ambient temperature. My mower can handle SAE 10W to 40 (single) and 10W30 to 20W50 (multi). It all depends on ambient temperature. A 10w30 works from -20 degrees C and up to 32 degrees C. A 10w40 works from -20 degrees C and to above 40 degrees C. In hot areas I would go for a 10W40, 20W40 or a 20w50. A single 30 will work from 10 degrees C to 32 degrees C and a 40 will work from 25 degrees C to above 40 degrees C.
Thank you for sharing this valuable information about choosing the right oil for a small lawnmower based on ambient temperature. Your detailed explanation is incredibly helpful for maintaining our lawnmowers properly, and I appreciate you taking the time to provide these insights. It's clear you have a good grasp of the topic, and your contribution is greatly appreciated. Cheers to a well-maintained lawnmower and happy mowing! Craig
Recommendation from 40 + temperature’s please 👣🦘 🥵
Excellent very well explained thank you
I understand more about oils now thanks to you 😀
Great explanation! Best video on CZcams about this subject.
Wow, thanks!
Very good explanation on oil for the small engine, though most failures on small engine are not due to incorrect oil but lack of oil!, a lot of people seem to think these engines do not need any maintenance and just run forever without attention, if it fails, then off to the big box store for another lawn mower, they think putting fuel in it is all it needs.
Good information!!
Perfect explanation, thanks 🙏
What an amazingly informative video. Thank you so much for explaining everything instead of just giving a "I've done this for years with all my small engines and I've never had a problem." Now I'm going to just use the left over 5w-30 that I have instead of going out and buying a dedicated bottle of SAE 30.
Good video, thank you for putting it up
Thank you so much 👍
Great vid! Thanks...
Great explanation 👍🏻
Absolutely correct and another great explanation! (I'm a mechanical engineer with some background in tribology.) I've subscribed. Some folks say that car oils may have too low of a zinc content for small engines, but one also must consider that small engine valve spring tension isn't all that high, so the force of the tappets on the camshaft is no where near what it is in an flat-tappet automobile engine...so car-levels of zinc should be fine...and my 23 year old Kohler CV12.5 in my Deere lawn mower agrees! :) Can't believe with such high-quality content you're only at 45k subscribers.
Wow. Thank you so much for your nice comment with such detail. Its comments like yours from skilled professionals like yourself that motivate me to continue to make these videos. Thanks again. Craig
Ya...the engine manufacturers say that...this is why we mechanics can't stand engineers when it comes to what happens to the product outside of a lab...you absolutely need the zinc in your air cooled engine...
Yeah, I've used Mobil1 in my 1997 22hp Kohler V-twin 50" cut Garden tractor. Only the Good Lord knows how many hours are on it. Used on a ranch, year round. Still doesn't require any oil adds between changes.
@@TheRepairSpecialist dude, your video miss some of the crucial information about the ambient temperature where the mower is used. Maybe in the US, the 30 w oils are a standard but for the rest of the world, its the 40w which dominates. Of course in a cool climate, you can use a 30w engine oil but in a warm climate where the temperature barely goes under 21 degrees, a 20w50, Sae 40 or a 15w40 is recommended for better heat dissipation and better film strength
22yr old Eager-1..never changed the oil. Just topped it off with whatever is in the garage. Figured now is a good time to change the oil if I'm gonna sell lol. Runs like a champ..
Nice one 👍
I use royal purple in my lawn mower. I always ordered cases of motor oil for my infiniti m56 so when I sold it and switched to a tesla I had 5 qts left which I use in my riding mower. 1st thing I noticed was it runs a little quieter when I changed it after a year it still looked good and felt like the new oil I put in.
@Ivana Notyers why don't you experiment there's only a few dollars difference in the price. My rider runs smoothly and quieter than before. My neighbor tried it in his craftsman push mower and noticed the same. I just finished my second mowing season and the oil still looks and feels good compared to past yearly changes.
My 3 year old cub cadet 24 hp twin cylinder Kohler. This uses a oil pump full flow system with a oil filter and I use shell rotella 10w-30 t-4, for heavy duty use, contains zinc to reduce wear. I like it cause it works hard and I like the best, so I feel spend a little extra and it will serve you well for years to come. Note the rotella t-4 is used in diesel engines. I hope this helps someone with an engine that's using oil.
Very informative video
Please keep these videos coming🙏🏼
Hello! First of all I'd like to say that watching this video gave me a much better understanding about how oils work and why there are different numbers on each container. The viscosity change information was invaluable! What I'd like to ask, is if my Amsoil 10W-30 Full Synthetic MOTORCYCLE OIL will work in my push mowers. One is powered by a 223cc Briggs & Stratton and the other is powered by a 160cc Honda. The container states that this is a High performance engine and transmission lubricant. There are of course API and GL numbers on the back. Not sure if you need that information to answer my question. I've wanted to go to a synthetic from the regular SAE30 since I bought the mowers but want to make sure I do not do any damage to my engines. Amsoil does of course make a 10W-30 100% Synthetic oil specifically designated for small engines but will it make a difference? I have 5 or 6 quarts of the motorcycle oil on hand which is another reason I'm asking. Thank you very much for your time and your informative content! Ken aka The Lawn Ninja! ;)
Use whatever the owners manual/manufacturer instructs you to use. Are you trying to reinvent the wheel? Do you think these CZcams experts know more than the manufacturer?
Excellent video, I knew none of this. I purchased oil today with this question in mind, seeing the 5W , wondering the difference. Stumbled across this video, doing an oil change search on mower. Very informative. Thanks
The best advice you gave was to check the owner's manual. The manuals for my riding mower, push mower, snow thrower and edger list 5w-30, or either 30 or 5w-30.
Thanks for sharing.
Great video. As an exception to typical small engines, my Honda equipment (HRX2176HZC and HHT25SLTC) calls for
SAE 10W30 API service classification SJ or later.
Yeah exactly - I've just bought a Mountfield lawnmower with the new Honda GCV X 170 engine which specifically tells you to use Mobil 1 esp 5w - 30 fully synthetic because of the emission system. This advice might be ok for some average piece of junk from B&Q but not for equipment costing thousands. It's all becoming very specific & specialised nowadays - I wouldn't like to risk that "linked" Oregon oil just to save a few pounds.
He does explain it doesn’t matter about the 5w or 10w if it goes into your lawn mower engine only.
10-30 in a Honda engine is recommended by Honda as it will cover lawnmower usage in areas below 32F as the cold weather effects oil so a thinner oil is recommended for start up when hot it will run at 30w ( this applies to most manufacturers of small engines) check your manual.
Would the thinner oil at cold start up be more likely to get into the cylinder? & what about cleaning agents in automotive oils? As I ended up with so much carbon build up on my 7 year old mower exhaust valve stem that the valve stuck. Wondering what would cause this? Only mow 7 months of the year. And not a lot in the hot dry summers.
I use castrol edge 5w 30 in honda mower engines for commercial use.They run so clean and so smooth and rarely need topping up.
Great video! 👍
Most( but not all) lawnmower engines are air cooled, not liquid cooled. So automotive engine oils are not meant for the higher temperature. Small engine oils have ZDDP, or some other additive. Always go by the manufactures recommend oil.Machining tolerances are much different today than fifty years ago.
Great point!
Looks like my Honda mower will be getting the same 0w30 oil as my Honda car from now on. Car uses 6 litres and it's more cost effective to buy 2 x 4 litres than a 4 litre and two 1litre bottles. Thanks for the clear information.
Jim's Fixed It for my mower engine oil.......... 👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍
Great analysis of oil compression for a newbie.
I have a McCulloch M40-450c Brigs &Straton engine. I was using it and then it started reving up and now its running to fast and smoking a little. This was my a mower which I have inherated it after my neibourgh left it to me in his will. Any thoughts please.
Well explained.
Do small engines experience wear mostly on starting? If yes, then wouldn't a lower viscosity cold rating (the first number in a multi-viscosity oil) be preferred to single-weight oil because the small engine could theoretically last longer. Here in the USA, 5w-30 oil is often less expensive than a 30-weight oil because multi-weight oil goes on sale on Amazon so often.
I would say in theory yes, it would make more since to have better lubrication
Thanks you answered my question
Brilliant
Hi, thankyou for that very detailed look at how oils work and it has improved my knowledge of how small engines work. I have a mower with a V2 Kawasaki engine FH721V and when I acquired it at 10yrs old I gave it a minor service with oil and air filters, plugs and SAE 30 oil following the sparse details in the user manual. My local repair man insists that any engine with an oil filter should have multigrade oil. Does this make any sense or does it depend on the orientation of the engine. The manual says choose the oil depending on the working temperature range, use of multigrade will increase oil consumption. Thanks
Always follow the manufacturers recommendations, instead of a youtube post. You do not want your engine burning any extra oil.
Great Vid Thanks ⚔
ok so 10W 30 is fine in a small engine? im in canada and drive a 420cc golfcart year round so the thicker oil makes it hard to start when it gets to -20C in the winters to the point i had to get a magnetic block heater to attach to the engine plate to warm it up for a few hours before i leave or i break the teeth on the pull start
I have an OLD lawnmower. I used synthetic 10w30 in it for the last few years. I have noticed I have more old seeping through the gaskets than with 30w conventional oil. I believe the synthetic oil cleaned everything better and exposed micro leaks in the old gaskets.
Ok good. Thank you for contribution 👍
There is no such thing as 30W oil.
Very true. I assumed he meant SAE 30.
Tq 4 the information🙏😀👍
Thank you for your nice comment. I really appreciate it. Craig 👍
Love the video Tesco have got redex oil 5 w 30 oil on offer would you buy some for a mower
It’s a hundred in West Texas and I’ve used 20w 50 Castro oil for 60 years
I run shell rotella 5w 30 in my push mower runs perfect
I have the craftsman T240 with Kohler KT725 22 horsepower 725cc V Twin Engine I use Castrol Advanced full Synthetic oil the craftsman loves it
Thank you for the information
Thank you for watching. Craig
I bought a harbor freight predator generator and the instructions said to use 10w30 engine oil.
So I put in my favorite oil. Valvoline 10w30
I just received my order of a 5 quart container of Pennzoil 5W-30 Oil for higher mileage vehicles @ $4.32 per quart on Ebay. It's actually Synthetic Oil, which I didn't see that finer print on the purchase date. CAN I STILL USE IT IN MY OLDER MOWERS, AND/OR SNOW BLOWER? Thank You!
Excellent explanation.
Thank you so much. Craig
30 weight is great for commercial hot weather use, if you use a 10/30 synthetic oil in all small 4 strokes. Snow blowers can use a 5-30 weight.
Great video explains a lot thank you!
I use a straight SAE 30 wt in my Briggs 6HP Toro walkbehind. It's about 25 years old. Bought it recently and gave it an extensive service. Changed the oil 2X immediately with a few oz of Marvel Mystery Oil. I found that the MMO helped it run smoother and also helped clean the accumulated crud out of the engine. Use 10W30 in my Honda GCV 160 with a splash of MMO. Snagged this Craftsman off a tree lawn last Fall and serviced it. Runs very smooth and always starts on the first pull.
Wow.. I never thought I'd getting mechanical tips from Phil Collins! I did though and turns out hes GREAT and the video presentation was AWESOME! Thanks you.. I'll be back
😂 Phil Collins. Thank you for your nice feedback. Craig
My car takes about 4.4L of oil.
So the remaining is just enough for the lawnmower. Otherwise it would be wasted.
Thanks for the great video.
Thank you👍
I use supertech 10w30 full synthetic (Walmart brand) in my 19.5 hp Briggs & Stratton powered Poulan Pro rider. It has over 900 hrs on it and it runs as good now as it did when it was new.
Does it have special additives. I used Castrol edge full synthetic on my husqvarna and I think it’s overheating due to the additives.
900 hours ?? That's phenomenal ..... usually at 550 hrs. They are about worn out !! 🙂👍🏻
@@Hamza-ek8xy do you run it at full throttle? Air cooled mower engines will tend to run hotter at less than full throttle.
@@rayowens4355 yes I do
@@Hamza-ek8xy i have not had any issues with mine running noticeably hot with the supertech oil. I wonder if yours could be running a little too lean? Or possibly blocked air flow?
Thank you!!! Awesome video.
In my area (suburban USA) a quart of Walmart multi-grade car oil is cheaper than Briggs and Stratton or Kohler mower oil. In fact the mower oils are usually pints not quarts. I have always wondered if the multi grade oil is too viscous and splashes too much to get to the passage ways in the small engines
Been using 5W20 synthetic oil on my 4 stokes Snowblowers , 5W30 on Lawnmower for decades
This popped up on my page, never been to yours before that I know of... somehow, I knew you were British just from your thumb nail! Weird.
Excellent video, and presentation.
I have used 50 weight oil on a lawn mower it will work it's just a lubrication you are right what you're saying but you can use a thicker oil cuz I have done it before it was too far to drive to the auto parts so I use 50 weight oil off of my motorcycle and it worked
very nice video, does this info apply to horizontal shaft engines too? like a Briggs, Honda, and a predator. what about a yanmar single cylinder diesel?
are your eyes painted on? the video clearly showed the answer to your question. you’re just going to have to get off your ass and watch it all the way through. you’re welcome
@@cc8530 no my eyes are not painted on. Small diesel engines are different animal when it comes to engine oil. Same thing with horizontal they have a different lubrication setup even though they are splashed lubricated or pressure lubricated. It is it honest question, so please think before you harass people with a honest question.
I have a snapper mower and have used Castrol GTX or EDGE synthetic 5w-30 for over 19 years, and it still runs well. My front yard is about 1/5 of an acre, and I have mowed it nearly every week for over 19 years, changing the oil every two years and the spark plug and air filter every three. If the engine is made with quality parts, then you should have no issues changing the oil with a multi-weight motor oil.
The W stands for winter. Meaning that at, in your example, a 30 weight (30 SAE) oil at 5 degrees celcius has viscosity stabile to it's weight. In short, the flow ability at a determined temperature. I have used multigrade for many years as there's always some around from doing vehicle oil changes and lawn mowers only hold about a pint. I've had no issues what so ever.
I also look at the climate. It seems these numbers are based on US or UK where it mostly Cold and if i was operating the small engine in a hot humid climate i would bump it up to say from 30 to 40 just for a little added protection from thinning out when extra hot. so 5/40, 20/40 ect.
Similar logic to a worn old type engine where you would want to fill the wear gaps with a 20/50 or even 20/60 if it used a 20/40 originally. this assumes it isnt the latest multi valve thin tubed oil delivery system that can starve at the top with all that variable cam stuff that does starve and end up in the shop. So you need a heavier oil for the main parts but you have to use these ultra thin oils like 5/30 just to lube to the top end safely? which could wear main engine quicker?
Any opinions?
I'd say that the manufacturer already knows where the product will be sold, ergo the climate conditions. If the manufacturer says 10W-30 in the owners manual, I would expect that this will be fine. No need to second guess the manufacturer's recommendations by upping the viscosity to 10W-40, for the purposes of getting extra oil shear strength when it's hot out. I doubt very much that a good quality mineral oil will have any issues if I were mowing on a cool day vs a stinking hot day. Humans can only tolerate a small temperature variation, but inside a combustion engine, where its running hot, the % variation due to external ambient temperatures won't make much of a difference to the total temperature.
Just as long as you use oil with the highest SAE (viscosity) as recommended in the owners manual based on your ambient temperatures, there's no need to go higher than the highest number specified by the manufacturer.
Probably more important to change out the oil regularly, and use the right octane gasoline that is fresh. I'd void the high octane stuff and if at all possible any ethanol in the fuel. If storing fuel for long periods of time, a fuel stabiliser product would definitely help, e.g. Sta-bil.
That's my opinion anyway, happy to stand corrected, preferably with evidence, e.g. oil analysis test results.
My push and riding mowers (Honda, Deere) have always required 10w-30 for 0-100F temps. Straight 30 weight is only listed for 50-100 degrees. All manufacturer maintenance packages have multi-grade.
Grate video👍
I always have leftover from my car oil changes.
I buy a 5liter bottle of 5w-30 and my car takes about 4.3liters, that leaves 700mL for either topups(which I do not need as my car does not burn oil) so may as well use that 700mL of oil on the mower.
Great stuff
Thank you 👍👍