Small engine oil?

[HawkinsHollow]

Timely post! I have been thinking about what I am going to use in the 23 hp Rato in my mini ex when I get done with the 10 hour break. I just changed the tractor oil and have over half a gallon of T-6 15w-40 left over. Was thinking about using that. I also always always have 1/2 quarts of synthetic 5-30 lleft over from truck and car oil changes. Basically I am seeing it doesn't matter. I have a couple of other small engines I need to change out and will probably use the 5-30 there and will use T6 for the mini ex.

 

[John Fitzgerald]

Briggs and Stratton now has full synthetic 15w-50 in their recommendations. I have used it. It seems quite thick when pouring at 65 degrees outside, about like straight 30 weight. It should protect well when summer mowing in 90 degree heat.

 

[CloverKnollFarms]

Briggs and Stratton now has full synthetic 15w-50 in their recommendations. I have used it. It seems quite thick when pouring at 65 degrees outside, about like straight 30 weight. It should protect well when summer mowing in 90 degree heat.

Yeah, my 29HP Kohler uses 20w50, and it's like a product we used to use on the farm called "engine honey" . It's awful thick. But, the mower runs when ambient is 70-95F and it's air cooled, so it loosens up quick

 

[Alan W.]

Im running 15w-50 in my zero turn with a Kawasaki. Air cooled motors run a bit hot.

 

[RjCorazza]

I tried 5w40 in my 15 HP Kawasaki walk behind, and it was too hard to pull start in cool weather. Could be that I'm getting old though!

 

[4Liberty]

Mobil 1 has 20w50 synthetic specially formulated for air cooled v-twins. Judging by the forums those guys seem to like it. I was thinking through this very subject when this thread popped up in my email. I was researching atv oil and those oils are supposed to have more zinc because mostly no emissions and it also runs in the joint transmission on atv/dirt bikes. Previously been running straight 40 Rotella, and I can’t say that’s a fail I’ve got a JD265 approaching 10k hours still running.

 

[CloverKnollFarms]

Just a heads up. Costco has their synthetic oil on sale right now for $58 for 20qts shipped to your door. We use this for our vehicles… with filter its about $22 per oil change.

 

[big bubba]

btw Mobil 1 15/50 is recommended by my tech for my Kawi zero turn hydraulics. flawless. I use Castrol Edge 5/40 syn for all my 4 stroke small engines. does the job perfectly.

 

[gstrom99]

btw Mobil 1 15/50 is recommended by my tech for my Kawi zero turn hydraulics. flawless. I use Castrol Edge 5/40 syn for all my 4 stroke small engines. does the job perfectly.

I would advise looking up (and using) what the owners manual shows, rather than "your tech guy's" advice. My JD manual says low-vis Hy-Gard for the hydro system.

 

[big bubba]

I would advise looking up (and using) what the owners manual shows, rather than "your tech guy's" advice. My JD manual says low-vis Hy-Gard for the hydro system.

good point. back in the day the manual suggests 20/50 (conventional) engine oil for my particular zero turn hydraulics. that was back when before synthetics took the market. the Mobil 1 15/50 syn perfectly covers the specs and my needs

& of course, it only makes perfect sense to follow manuals, everyone knows that...however some manuals need updating given today's lubricants, regards

 

[Shawn T. W.]

I would advise looking up (and using) what the owners manual shows, rather than "your tech guy's" advice. My JD manual says low-vis Hy-Gard for the hydro system.

My JD ZTrak Z960M says use either the regular Hygard, or the Low Viscosity Hygard ... Operating temperature dependant.

Timely post! I have been thinking about what I am going to use in the 23 hp Rato in my mini ex when I get done with the 10 hour break. I just changed the tractor oil and have over half a gallon of T-6 15w-40 left over. Was thinking about using that. I also always always have 1/2 quarts of synthetic 5-30 lleft over from truck and car oil changes. Basically I am seeing it doesn't matter. I have a couple of other small engines I need to change out and will probably use the 5-30 there and will use T6 for the mini ex.

I'm guessing your talking about Shell Rotella T6?* I use the Shell Rotella T6 5W40 in my tractors.

While I'm no oil guru scientist ... My understanding is diesel rated oil, isn't the best choice for gas engines, and vice versa ... And I wouldn't mix them either.

My 31 HP Kawasaki in my Z-turn recommended 10W30 for my normal temperature operating range ... I used gasoline rated oil in it.

*Surprised that in my research I found this ... Multi-vehichle for BOTH gas AND diesel! (But there other oils aren't)

MV 5W-30 Diesel Oil- Full Synthetic T6 | Shell Rotella®

Buy 5W-30 synthetic diesel oil, part of the Shell Rotella®T6 full synthetic line. Performs well in both diesel and gasoline engines. Suitable for mixed fleets.

rotella.shell.com

 

[jyoutz]

Non detergent is used in engines with no filter, detergent carries dirt with it to the filter.

Do they still sell non-detergent oil?

 

[AntiqueIron]

I run 10w30 diesel oil in all my small engines- zinc is good for the flat lifters, and small engines are inherently hard on oil.

That said- with regular services performed I have yet to hear of an engine dying before the rest of the machine was throttled out.

 

[big bubba]

Non detergent is used in engines with no filter, detergent carries dirt with it to the filter kion

so are you saying to use non detergent engine oil in all small engines
w/no oil filter? believe i'll stick with my practices on that. believe what you say may be true decades ago?

 

[DarkBlack]

*Surprised that in my research I found this ... Multi-vehichle for BOTH gas AND diesel! (But there other oils aren't)

If you like the protection of higher levels of zinc, beware, in grades 0w20,5w20,0w30,5w30, and 10w30, dual rated oils (to get a gasoline S# rating) must adhere to a maximum of 800 ppm of phosphorus.
Zinc is bonded to the phosphorus, so effectively limited to roughly 800 ppm of zinc. Phosphorus damages catalytic converters.
Many companies have been selling dual rated oils for many years, not just Shell Rotella.

If you avoid those grades above, (10w-40, 15w-40 for example) or just stick to diesel only rated oils, your apt to get a formula with a higher percentage of zinc and phosphorus

 

[ultrarunner]

A lot of my old engines spec 40w non detergent which has become challenging to source and I have not tried recently.

It’s true that non deterrent is oil of choice on engines without an oil filter… also due to lack of oil filter the interval between oil change is greatly reduced compared to detergent in applications with oil filter.