Amsoil SAE 30 in Snowblower??
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Originally Posted By: Donald
Originally Posted By: chad8
You do NOT run 0 weight oil in a snowblower. Splash lube and thin oil is not a good combination.
Plus the setting time and dilution adds to the problem.
90% of the snow blowers call for either straight 30wt , 10w30 , or at most 5w30 .
These old tecumseh and briggs engines like a thicker oil.
Honda is a different story. tighter tolerances and lighter oils.
Dino oils are fine .
You do know that a normal operating temperature, 0W30 is the same weight as 10W30.
While that seems logical, the reality is otherwise. It really depends on the oil and the temperature. In air cooled engines, oil temps regularly exceed 260 degrees F. Well above the oil's "30" kinematic viscosity rating of 9.3-12.5 @ 100C.
The temps achieved in air cooled engines can be quite high. This is where HTHS comes in. And where a high quality straight 30 will far outperform lesser 5w-30 oils. Especially when the low quality dino 5W-30 oil starts to shear.
For winter operations, pick a high quality synthetic, of appropriate viscosity. Don't be concerned about engine wear due to thin oil. As oil temp is unregulated in these engines and will remain safe.
Originally Posted By: chad8
You do NOT run 0 weight oil in a snowblower. Splash lube and thin oil is not a good combination.
Plus the setting time and dilution adds to the problem.
90% of the snow blowers call for either straight 30wt , 10w30 , or at most 5w30 .
These old tecumseh and briggs engines like a thicker oil.
Honda is a different story. tighter tolerances and lighter oils.
Dino oils are fine .
You do know that a normal operating temperature, 0W30 is the same weight as 10W30.
While that seems logical, the reality is otherwise. It really depends on the oil and the temperature. In air cooled engines, oil temps regularly exceed 260 degrees F. Well above the oil's "30" kinematic viscosity rating of 9.3-12.5 @ 100C.
The temps achieved in air cooled engines can be quite high. This is where HTHS comes in. And where a high quality straight 30 will far outperform lesser 5w-30 oils. Especially when the low quality dino 5W-30 oil starts to shear.
For winter operations, pick a high quality synthetic, of appropriate viscosity. Don't be concerned about engine wear due to thin oil. As oil temp is unregulated in these engines and will remain safe.
If kept in a heated building the Amsoil Small enging sea30/10w30 would be my choice.
If kept in an unheated area, I would use either the SS 5w30 or Powersports 0w40.
If kept in an unheated area, I would use either the SS 5w30 or Powersports 0w40.
I've been using M1 0W-30 AFE in my 17 year old snow thrower for many years. I have a large driveway and the thing runs a long time sometimes, pushing out a foot or more of snow. I have no unusual consumption nor other issues with the thing. IMO it works fine.
I run Mobil 1 5W30 in two snowblowers. A new Briggs powered Poulan Pro and my old trusty MTD Tecumseh. The electric starter died on the Tecumseh so I rope start it. No issues at -25C pulling it over with Mobil 1.
Just use any synthetic 5W30 and you will be fine.
Just use any synthetic 5W30 and you will be fine.
Agree with the synthetic 0w and 5w crew, never had a problem with that in snowblowers. Reason is cold starts in winter temps, but if you keep it indoors then any OPE oil is ok.
Running Total Elf 0w30 in the old tecumseh 5hp now, if you have those engines keep oil level under close eye and do not over-rev!
Think they run cooler than a mower on average too, lower ambient temps and less dust and debris in the fins over time.
Running Total Elf 0w30 in the old tecumseh 5hp now, if you have those engines keep oil level under close eye and do not over-rev!
Think they run cooler than a mower on average too, lower ambient temps and less dust and debris in the fins over time.
Originally Posted By: lars11
Agree with the synthetic 0w and 5w crew, never had a problem with that in snowblowers. Reason is cold starts in winter temps, but if you keep it indoors then any OPE oil is ok.
You keep your snow thrower indoors?
Agree with the synthetic 0w and 5w crew, never had a problem with that in snowblowers. Reason is cold starts in winter temps, but if you keep it indoors then any OPE oil is ok.
You keep your snow thrower indoors?
I do, too, right in the heated garage.
Yeah, that Amsoil 4 stroke SAE30 is also a 10w30 rated oil. Says so right on the bottle. I have used it year round in a lot of stuff. I have a Yamaha EF2000 portable generator that rides in its own box on the frame rail of my semi truck that has the Amsoil 30w in it. I have started it up in below 0F ambient temps many times over the last couple of winters and it does just fine. The generator now has about 600 hrs on it, most of it winter use, and doesn't show any sign of a problem using the 30w.
Originally Posted By: TiredTrucker
Yeah, that Amsoil 4 stroke SAE30 is also a 10w30 rated oil. Says so right on the bottle. I have used it year round in a lot of stuff. I have a Yamaha EF2000 portable generator that rides in its own box on the frame rail of my semi truck that has the Amsoil 30w in it. I have started it up in below 0F ambient temps many times over the last couple of winters and it does just fine. The generator now has about 600 hrs on it, most of it winter use, and doesn't show any sign of a problem using the 30w.
Thats awesome, thank you... Not sure why Im so hung up on using the SAE30 amsoil (probably because I have a case of it)
Yeah, that Amsoil 4 stroke SAE30 is also a 10w30 rated oil. Says so right on the bottle. I have used it year round in a lot of stuff. I have a Yamaha EF2000 portable generator that rides in its own box on the frame rail of my semi truck that has the Amsoil 30w in it. I have started it up in below 0F ambient temps many times over the last couple of winters and it does just fine. The generator now has about 600 hrs on it, most of it winter use, and doesn't show any sign of a problem using the 30w.
Thats awesome, thank you... Not sure why Im so hung up on using the SAE30 amsoil (probably because I have a case of it)
With a (-40) degree pour point I think you'll be fine with the 10w30/30SAE.
If you're that concerned go with the Series 3000 5W30 heavy duty oil it's for both diesel & gas engines.
http://www.amsoil.com/shop/by-product/mo.../?code=HDDQT-EA
If you're that concerned go with the Series 3000 5W30 heavy duty oil it's for both diesel & gas engines.
http://www.amsoil.com/shop/by-product/mo.../?code=HDDQT-EA
eljefino: ”the Amsoil could probably pass for a 10w30 but they choose to market it as a straight weight.”
This is a good point to remember. A 100% synthetic “straight 30” flows at extreme cold temps like a 5W30 or 10W30 ... as Amsoil indicates.
Rand: ”its' OK if the snowblower is in a heated garage ... otherwise no. Use a 0w30 or 5w30.”
Another very, very important point. If the blower sits in a heated garage and is started warm (or warm-sih) you could use straight 30 dino oil. My Dad had an old John Deere 1032 snowblower from the 80s. It was consuming oil when I took over the maintenance. I switched it to a straight 40 dino as it sat in a heated garage. After a year or more of that, the oil cosumption stopped and I switched it to 15W40 and it ran for a decade or so with that stuff … until the case cracked for the 2nd or 3rd time and the old beast, featuring almost none of its original parts (except for the Tecumseh engine), was retired.
Chad8: ”You do NOT run 0 weight oil in a snowblower. Splash lube and thin oil is not a good combination... 90% of snowblowers call for either straight 30wt , 10w30 , or at most 5w30.”
It's disappointing to see that a member since 2009, with over 1,000 posts, would write something like that. The SECOND number is the operating weight for the oil, A 0W30 or 0W40 is NOT a “zero weight” oil.
Also, for well over a decade, most snowblower engine manufacturers call for a synthetic 5W30 as the ideal weight. I use a 0W30 HDEO … but I freely admit that is overkill.
This is a good point to remember. A 100% synthetic “straight 30” flows at extreme cold temps like a 5W30 or 10W30 ... as Amsoil indicates.
Rand: ”its' OK if the snowblower is in a heated garage ... otherwise no. Use a 0w30 or 5w30.”
Another very, very important point. If the blower sits in a heated garage and is started warm (or warm-sih) you could use straight 30 dino oil. My Dad had an old John Deere 1032 snowblower from the 80s. It was consuming oil when I took over the maintenance. I switched it to a straight 40 dino as it sat in a heated garage. After a year or more of that, the oil cosumption stopped and I switched it to 15W40 and it ran for a decade or so with that stuff … until the case cracked for the 2nd or 3rd time and the old beast, featuring almost none of its original parts (except for the Tecumseh engine), was retired.
Chad8: ”You do NOT run 0 weight oil in a snowblower. Splash lube and thin oil is not a good combination... 90% of snowblowers call for either straight 30wt , 10w30 , or at most 5w30.”
It's disappointing to see that a member since 2009, with over 1,000 posts, would write something like that. The SECOND number is the operating weight for the oil, A 0W30 or 0W40 is NOT a “zero weight” oil.
Also, for well over a decade, most snowblower engine manufacturers call for a synthetic 5W30 as the ideal weight. I use a 0W30 HDEO … but I freely admit that is overkill.
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