Hi, I have a few lawn mowers and would think 15w40 would be a good oil for these hot running engines. I have plenty of it on hand and would use it if I am not going to hurt anything. My small engines are always ran above 50 degrees and usually above 70 degrees. I always warm my engines up for 5 minutes too so that should help. TIA
Anyone using 15W-40 HDEO in their lawnmowers?
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We have used 15w40 in the lawn mowers for years. Gas & diesel powered riders, push mowers, Briggs powered pumps, etc.
Yes 15w40 HDEO is great choice for lawn mowers.
I should have asked if it will take the heat as good as a syn. oil. I have temped my B&S 13hp after mowing and it runs about 230 degrees, will a dino HDEO be good for this application?
Originally Posted By: countryboy9799
I should have asked if it will take the heat as good as a syn. oil. I have temped my B&S 13hp after mowing and it runs about 230 degrees, will a dino HDEO be good for this application?
That's not particularly hot. It's a good temperature to cook off any condensation that might accumulate in the oil. HDEO can handle that easily.
I should have asked if it will take the heat as good as a syn. oil. I have temped my B&S 13hp after mowing and it runs about 230 degrees, will a dino HDEO be good for this application?
That's not particularly hot. It's a good temperature to cook off any condensation that might accumulate in the oil. HDEO can handle that easily.
Rotella T Synthetic 5w40 and GC 0w30 provide easier starting and work very well in these engines.
Yup. Used up 2 changes/1 gal of 15w40 Rotella, now on the 1st fill of 15w40 Chevron Delo.
Originally Posted By: Trav
Rotella T Synthetic 5w40 and GC 0w30 provide easier starting and work very well in these engines.
I agree. I stick with XD-3 0w30 or PC Duron 0w-40 because both are cheaper than GC.
Rotella T Synthetic 5w40 and GC 0w30 provide easier starting and work very well in these engines.
I agree. I stick with XD-3 0w30 or PC Duron 0w-40 because both are cheaper than GC.
Originally Posted By: kcfx4
ive only ever used sae30, mowed today w a heat index of 105f, never any issues
Unless your mower perspires, I don't think that heat index is relevant to its operating temperature. Same for wind chill. But I do agree with the use of mfg. recommended 30W.
"The heat index (HI) is an index that combines air temperature and relative humidity in an attempt to determine the human-perceived equivalent temperature — how hot it feels, termed the felt air temperature." ......Wikipedia
ive only ever used sae30, mowed today w a heat index of 105f, never any issues
Unless your mower perspires, I don't think that heat index is relevant to its operating temperature. Same for wind chill. But I do agree with the use of mfg. recommended 30W.
"The heat index (HI) is an index that combines air temperature and relative humidity in an attempt to determine the human-perceived equivalent temperature — how hot it feels, termed the felt air temperature." ......Wikipedia
Wind chill will assist to cool a heated object such as a car engine down to ambient temperature but not to temperatures less than ambient.
Engines operating in higher temperatures will not cool as quickly as engines operated in cool temperatures. However, once an engine is at operating temperatures it will cool effectively in hot or cold weather provided there is sufficient air flow to dissipate heat. An air cooled engine will benefit from cooler ambient temperatures more so than a liquid cooled engine.
I've never run any tests to determine if an engine will actually achieve higher operating temperatures when operated in higher ambient temperatures. Has anyone taken temperature readings from their engines on hot and cold days. It would be interesting to see if there is a measurable difference.
I think I'll do some testing of my own to see what kind of readings I get.
Engines operating in higher temperatures will not cool as quickly as engines operated in cool temperatures. However, once an engine is at operating temperatures it will cool effectively in hot or cold weather provided there is sufficient air flow to dissipate heat. An air cooled engine will benefit from cooler ambient temperatures more so than a liquid cooled engine.
I've never run any tests to determine if an engine will actually achieve higher operating temperatures when operated in higher ambient temperatures. Has anyone taken temperature readings from their engines on hot and cold days. It would be interesting to see if there is a measurable difference.
I think I'll do some testing of my own to see what kind of readings I get.
Originally Posted By: boraticus
I've never run any tests to determine if an engine will actually achieve higher operating temperatures when operated in higher ambient temperatures. Has anyone taken temperature readings from their engines on hot and cold days. It would be interesting to see if there is a measurable difference.
I think I'll do some testing of my own to see what kind of readings I get.
I've done it off the cylinder heads of my air cooled Virago. Very linear. Ambient goes up 10'F, heads go up 10'F.
A 75'F 13 mile ride leads to 205'F heads. A 30 weight would be fine for it!
Humidity matters; lots of it makes the bike run a little cooler. More mass to the air means more to conduct heat? Interesting regardless.
I've never run any tests to determine if an engine will actually achieve higher operating temperatures when operated in higher ambient temperatures. Has anyone taken temperature readings from their engines on hot and cold days. It would be interesting to see if there is a measurable difference.
I think I'll do some testing of my own to see what kind of readings I get.
I've done it off the cylinder heads of my air cooled Virago. Very linear. Ambient goes up 10'F, heads go up 10'F.
A 75'F 13 mile ride leads to 205'F heads. A 30 weight would be fine for it!
Humidity matters; lots of it makes the bike run a little cooler. More mass to the air means more to conduct heat? Interesting regardless.
I am going to give it a shot. I would think since I always warm my OPE up for 5 minutes it would give the oil a chance to warm up. Once the oil gets above 150 degrees I would think there would be no problem with the oil flowing.
I've been running 15W-50 lately and I've got to tell you, I'm really happy with it. Of course, the temperatures down here are outrageous.
15W-40 is a favorite for OPE here on these forums. After a decade of skeptics and doubters not one has produced any evidence of performance, durability, etc ... issues.
The engine will start easier in cool temps than when using a SAE 30 and the oil will hold up to high temps and fuel dilution better than a SAE 30 for reasonable intervals.
The 15w40s have a terrific add pack ... likely to be much better than a dated, straight-weight formula in the same brand.
Know it, use it, love it.
The engine will start easier in cool temps than when using a SAE 30 and the oil will hold up to high temps and fuel dilution better than a SAE 30 for reasonable intervals.
The 15w40s have a terrific add pack ... likely to be much better than a dated, straight-weight formula in the same brand.
Know it, use it, love it.
The 15w40 would be great for engines of this type.
I will be using it in the near future, since I will have two quarts of Castrol Tection Extra left over out of three gallons after the BMW gets its second oil change in my hands.
Right now, I'm using a straight forty in the mowers.
Mower juice is an excellent use for odd quarts of oil, and most small engines aren't real picky about oil, fuel quality, or much of anything else.
I will be using it in the near future, since I will have two quarts of Castrol Tection Extra left over out of three gallons after the BMW gets its second oil change in my hands.
Right now, I'm using a straight forty in the mowers.
Mower juice is an excellent use for odd quarts of oil, and most small engines aren't real picky about oil, fuel quality, or much of anything else.
I run 15w40 Rotella in all my small engines...I only run SAE 30 if it is a special application like a transmission.
I have been running conventional HDEO in my small engines for several years...it *seems* to hold up better than PCMO in my experience.
I have been running conventional HDEO in my small engines for several years...it *seems* to hold up better than PCMO in my experience.
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