What grade oil should I use

[kiotiken]

I use a water pump with a knock off Honda GX engine all winter long to flood a rink. I'll use it in temps down to -35C (-31F) BUT it's always stored in my basement at room temperature. It calls for 5W30 if used below 20F but I'm thinking since it goes from inside and is then started immediately I should be fine staying with 10W30. I use it occasionally in the summer to water the garden, so keeping 10W30 for the winter would be easier. What do you think?

 

[20 20]

either one would work fine

 

[art]

Go for it! I like your thinking.

 

[Diamondpilot]

I would use what ever one you have on hand. For example my buddy has a Honda generator that is 12 years old and has well over 10,000 hours. He uses it about 50 hours a weekend for at least 25 weekend a year so. It holds only 1/2 qt of oil and calls for 10W30 but he has used 5W30 Mobil 1 Synthetic since his Dodge truck uses it and calls for 5.5 qts so he has a 1/2 qt laying around. He simply changes it every time he does the truck.

Chris

 

[hosspuller]

The number denote flow characteristics. Comparing 5w30 vs 10w30 means that at start the viscosity is 5 or 10 then when hot thins like a 30 wt oil. Since you're starting at 32 or above, I would stay with the 10w30 The less VI additives the better.

 

[kiotiken]

Thanks guys, as long as nobody's screaming at me to stop or I'd kill the engine, I'll go for the 10W30

 

[Mace Canute]

Go with the 5W30...the engine's connecting rod will thank you.

 

[droptop]

The more important thing is to use synthetic oil in an air cooled engine. Air cooled engines see higher component temperatures that a liquid cooled engine does, the synthetic oil holds up at the high temperatures better than conventional oil.

 

[Soundguy]

heck.. walmart makes a cheap syn oil in those ranges.

cheap.. and syn.

sounds like a win win over dino in that application..

 

[greasemonkeyok]

I bought a Honda engine to put on a lawn tractor 15 years ago, and the manual specified full synthetic multi-vis oil. As noted above, air cooled engines like the synthetics.