Conventional or synthetic oil

[bmg88201]

I was just wondering if using synthetic motor oil in my JD riding mower would be of any benefit. Either now or long term. Currently using Valvoline 10/30 conventional which I change every winter.

 

[ArlyA]

no. Its benefit is in extreme conditions.

 

[GeneV]

They do better in the cold, and they don't degrade with time like conventionals do. I run synthetics in my tractors and cars.

 

[RalphVa]

I use them in every engine I have. Used to change oil in lawn mowers a couple times/yr with dino oils. With synthetic, I went to once/yr. Now, I have no mowers with engines, only battery motors.

 

[Rebeldad1]

I use it in everything. Better performance and mileage in my vehicles.
I also use it for in the future if anything happens. Like a overheating or lack of oil accident.

 

[Richard001]

I was just wondering if using synthetic motor oil in my JD riding mower would be of any benefit. Either now or long term. Currently using Valvoline 10/30 conventional which I change every winter.

There was a big discussion about motor oil on one of these forms. Someone also pointed out that air cooled motors should be using 30 weight oil in the summer time.

Dose your user manual suggest 10/30 motor oil?

Richard

 

[Midniteoyl]

At operating temps, 10w30 is the same viscosity (range. It's always a range) as straight 30.

 

[hube2]

There was a big discussion about motor oil on one of these forms. Someone also pointed out that air cooled motors should be using 30 weight oil in the summer time.

Dose your user manual suggest 10/30 motor oil?

Richard

I was going to say, my owners manual for my old JD lawn tractor said 30, not 10w30. No need to run anything with a w in it when it's only used in the summer. On the other hand, if you use it in the winter it might help, but I never did in mine and I used it more in the winter than in the summer. Used conventional oil and changed the oil every year. It is now 12 years old and still running like it did when it was new. Actually my father in law has it now.

Other than that there are many many threads on TBN debating conventional vs. synthetic oil.

 

[5030]

Follow the manual. The designers know better than anyone on this forum or any forum for that matter.

 

[RalphVa]

There was a big discussion about motor oil on one of these forms. Someone also pointed out that air cooled motors should be using 30 weight oil in the summer time.

Dose your user manual suggest 10/30 motor oil?

Richard

Yeah. I had really detailed records on our 1983 240D Benz. It's fuel mileage picked up 2 or 3% when I switched it to synthetic.

Big thing with a 0w30 or 5w30 that's better than a typical 10w30 or certainly a 15w40 is the amount of time it takes for the oil pump to start pumping and to get oil to the top end. I once had a VW Cabrio with hydraulic valves. At one point, 1 or more of the 8 valves would drain some of their oil back to the sump. This resulted in "pounding" until the hydraulics refilled with oil. The only oil that I tried that stopped the pounding was 0w30 (should have even gone to 0w20, but it wasn't around that much back then). Even 5w30 resulted in a couple seconds of pounding. Cannot get 0wxx in dino oils and probably hard to get 5wxx.

 

[oosik]

I use exactly what the owners manual recommends. 15W40 conventional oil in my tractor - 0W40 synthetic in my truck.

 

[RalphVa]

Tacoma says "5w30" right on the oil cap. It has been running 0w20 for the last few years. Fine for gas engines at all temperatures.

 

[bmg88201]

There was a big discussion about motor oil on one of these forms. Someone also pointed out that air cooled motors should be using 30 weight oil in the summer time.

Dose your user manual suggest 10/30 motor oil?

Richard

My owners manual recommends 10/30 motor oil and I use Valvoline 10/30 currently. I do know for a fact that any conventional oil that is rated below 10/30, such as 5/30 or lower is a synthetic blend because it is chemically impossible to make it without using a synthetic.

 

[Randy Gann]

There are really 2 topics here - weight of oil - and synthetic vs conventional. Back to original question of synthetic vs conventional. I had a new Camry took to dealer for all service first 60,000 miles. Used synthetic and oil change interval was 10,000 miles. Choosing to use one versus the other depends upon the service intervals and hours or miles of usage. On a lawnmower used 1X per week for 1 to 2 hours for 5 or 6 months and change oil yearly using synthetic oil may be a waste of money.

 

[Bearsixty7]

There are really 2 topics here - weight of oil - and synthetic vs conventional. Back to original question of synthetic vs conventional. I had a new Camry took to dealer for all service first 60,000 miles. Used synthetic and oil change interval was 10,000 miles. Choosing to use one versus the other depends upon the service intervals and hours or miles of usage. On a lawnmower used 1X per week for 1 to 2 hours for 5 or 6 months and change oil yearly using synthetic oil may be a waste of money.

Spending a little extra money for a whopping 2 quarts of full synthetic isn't going to cost that much more once a year but the protection it offers far out weighs the added cost.

https://www.amsoil.com/p/10w-30-synthetic-small-engine-oil-ase/

Compared to liquid-cooled automotive engines, small engines run hotter; operate under constant load; generate more oil-damaging contaminants; suffer from neglected maintenance and are exposed to dirt, rain, snow and other extremes. Simply put, they're far tougher on oil that most people think.

AMSOIL Synthetic Small-Engine Oil isn’t merely a re-badged automotive oil. Instead, we designed it from the ground up specifically for small-engine dependability. You can rest assured your engines are protected even during periods of extended use when there’s no time for scheduled maintenance. It’s built to solve the problems that plague small engines, including wear, power loss, oil consumption, harmful carbon deposits and stuck rings and valves. It helps landscapers, contractors and other professionals get more work done and save money

 

[Midniteoyl]

change oil yearly using synthetic oil may be a waste of money.

As I noted somewhere else, around here is a place called 'Baily's Discount' that is one of those overstock and insurance buy places and they usually have oil come in a couple times a year, and usually synthetic, so that is what I buy and use. Usually costs $1.99 to $2.99 a quart, depending on brand and whatnot.

This time around its Havoline ProDS for gas, and Chevron Delo CK-4 for diesel, @ $2.50/qt for 6 gallons:

 

[bmg88201]

I run my X300 between 45-50 hours a year on conventional oil and change it when I put it to bed for the winter. It has 600 hours on it, I was just wondering if synthetic would have been a better choice and it only hold 2 qts so money is never an issue. I have a Rigid pressure washer with a Subaru engine and I did put synthetic in it cause it may sit for a year at a time unused. Guess I’ll just stick with 10/30 Valvoline.

 

[5030]

Buddy has a Detroit 8V92 on his dozer and never changes the oil. Just keeps adding. What don't leak out, it burns.