Best 4 cycle small engine oil for any price.

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The M-1 102 oil filter has kept the oil much cleaner than the B&S Yellow 2x filter did. Even after 5 hrs it is noticible.
 
Originally Posted By: Pete591
Any synthetics to avoid in small engines?...


No, synthetics are perfectly fine to use in small engines. It's just overkill, so most small engine manufacturers don't mention anything in their literature about using synthetics.
 
Originally Posted By: greenaccord02
Briggs and Stratton makes it's own brand of synthetic and recommends 5W-30 synthetic in some of it's larger engines.

check it out:
http://www.genspringpower.com/id16.html


Bradd Penn makes all the 30wt for B&S; it's loaded with ZDDP. The oil is green.

In the newer B&S V-Twins they spec. for 10W-30 conventional.
 
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I seem to be the only one to be doing UOA's on my 16 HP V-Twin motot. WHile the wear numbers are almost non-existant; these motors do shear the oil a full grade by 25 hrs.

So I use 15W-50 M-1 Goldcap and change every 25hr for that reason.
 
Originally Posted By: Pete591
..these motors do shear the oil a full grade by 25 hrs.


That would specifically depend on the oil being used and how/where the engine is being used.

Joel
 
Originally Posted By: JTK
Originally Posted By: Pete591
..these motors do shear the oil a full grade by 25 hrs.


That would specifically depend on the oil being used and how/where the engine is being used.

Joel


Agreed.

16 HP V-Twin on a tractor; 38" deck and used 2x/week for an hour each time; 6 mos of the year.

That's not real heavy duty I would think.

I have seen 30wt Briggs/ Redline/RP and M-1 Multi-Vis all shrink a grade in 25 hrs.

V-Twins for some reason will do this told.
 
Originally Posted By: Pete591
Any synthetics to avoid in small engines?

I have not heard much about Royal Purple in small engines.


My late model honda push mower DID NOT do well with M1 10-30.
1st OC (early). metal filings. "ok... left from manufacturing"
2nd OC. (when book called for 1st OC) "hmm...more metal filings"
started to smoke on startup. [censored]. No longer held on to idle.
3rd and all other OC went to rotella T 5-40. ever since, the filings (or glistening in the draining oil) have gone away and the smoking has gone away gradually. It's even started to idle on its own again.

I'm not making this up... it hated that oil. It's a pretty big deck (21 or 22?) for that little engine that has a double blade and loads up very badly if the grass is more than 1" above cut height. That engine works very, very hard in our application.

Based on this, I stopped using M1 in our cars.

M
 
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Originally Posted By: meep
Originally Posted By: Pete591
Any synthetics to avoid in small engines?

I have not heard much about Royal Purple in small engines.


My late model honda push mower DID NOT do well with M1 10-30.
1st OC (early). metal filings. "ok... left from manufacturing"
2nd OC. (when book called for 1st OC) "hmm...more metal filings"
started to smoke on startup. [censored]. No longer held on to idle.
3rd and all other OC went to rotella T 5-40. ever since, the filings (or glistening in the draining oil) have gone away and the smoking has gone away gradually. It's even started to idle on its own again.

I'm not making this up... it hated that oil. It's a pretty big deck (21 or 22?) for that little engine that has a double blade and loads up very badly if the grass is more than 1" above cut height. That engine works very, very hard in our application.

Based on this, I stopped using M1 in our cars.

M


You had a very strange, unusual experience with your Honda. I have a mower with the Honda 160 GCV OHC engine on it, purchased in 2000. Presently it has around 475 hours on it. Since the first oil change at about 5 hours, as recommended, it has had a yearly oil change using M1 5W30. It has never used any oil in this one year, average 60 hour OCI. One year I had an extra quart of M1 0W30, and I used that; still no oil usage that year.

From the time Mobil One came out, back in the 70's, I believe, I used in in my cars and trucks, changing yearly, until I retired back in 2001. Never had a problem and the OCI's were at 18,000 to 20,000 miles. Retired now, and I only drive 5 or 6 thousand miles a year, so I am back to using any dino on sale, with a 6 month OCI.

Your Honda mower is probably a 21 inch. Most walk-behind mowers are. This is normally an easy load for any Honda engine, whether it is the consumer grade 160 OHC or the commercial grade engine. Something just doesn't sound right about the way you describe yours as running. Mine cuts through very thick, heavily fertilized and watered Bermuda grass without much strain.
 
Originally Posted By: 1999nick


You had a very strange, unusual experience with your Honda. I have a mower with the Honda 160 GCV OHC engine on it, purchased in 2000. Presently it has around 475 hours on it. Since the first oil change at about 5 hours, as recommended, it has had a yearly oil change using M1 5W30.

Mine cuts through very thick, heavily fertilized and watered Bermuda grass without much strain.


Agree, almost identical experience using M1 in a 160 GCV. (just not quite those hours yet )
 
Originally Posted By: meep
Originally Posted By: Pete591
Any synthetics to avoid in small engines?

I have not heard much about Royal Purple in small engines.


My late model honda push mower DID NOT do well with M1 10-30.
1st OC (early). metal filings. "ok... left from manufacturing"
2nd OC. (when book called for 1st OC) "hmm...more metal filings"
started to smoke on startup. [censored]. No longer held on to idle.
3rd and all other OC went to rotella T 5-40. ever since, the filings (or glistening in the draining oil) have gone away and the smoking has gone away gradually. It's even started to idle on its own again.

I'm not making this up... it hated that oil. It's a pretty big deck (21 or 22?) for that little engine that has a double blade and loads up very badly if the grass is more than 1" above cut height. That engine works very, very hard in our application.

Based on this, I stopped using M1 in our cars.

M
Could it be that due to the load on the engine a thicker oil was needed? The RotellaT is much thicker than the M1 and higher additive levels "It is a great oil for the $$$IMO and based on results".
 
I am underimpressed with M-1 5W-30 and 10W-30 in small engines.

That's why I am using Amsoil ASE; Motul or Redline.

Excellent UOA's.
 
Originally Posted By: greenaccord02
So it's the M1 goldcap only for the v-twin and something else for your other small engines?


-The V-Twin likes M-1 Goldcap best with a M-1 102 oil filter. every 25 hrs.

"smaller engines" like a 9 HP honda; 3.5 Tec; have done best with Amsoil 5W-30 ASE or Amsoil 10W-30 depending if it's winter or summer..

I use Amsoil Hydrostatic Drive 5W-30 oil in my Tuff Torque. Runs the best it ever has.

2-cycle small motors seem to like Amsoil Sabre synthetic. I mix at manufacturers rate and do not go down to 1:100 as Amsoil suggests.

Glad I am done finalizing choices. I know there are other choises but these are the ones I am going with.
 
For the bigger hotter running V-Twins use M-1 V-Twin 20W-50.

It has 1700 ppm Zn and 1800 ppm Phos and is a group IV syn. Maybe even a Grp V.?

Tough stuff!
 
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Originally Posted By: Pete591
I am underimpressed with M-1 5W-30 and 10W-30 in small engines.

That's why I am using Amsoil ASE; Motul or Redline.

Excellent UOA's.



A statement like this, putting down Mobil One oil, really deserves some sort of explanation. What bad experience did you have with these two weights of M1 that led to this comment? How were your results better with these other oils you mention?
 
Could be the high iron m1 is prone to produce if he has UOAs to back the claim.

I'm going to be revising the chart to include all the oils mentioned since the last one went up, as well as a couple that weren't mentioned... So if there's anything you all want to see that hasn't been mentioned or you're just curious about post it up here in the next day or so.
 
Originally Posted By: greenaccord02
Could be the high iron m1 is prone to produce if he has UOAs to back the claim.

I'm going to be revising the chart to include all the oils mentioned since the last one went up, as well as a couple that weren't mentioned... So if there's anything you all want to see that hasn't been mentioned or you're just curious about post it up here in the next day or so.


A revised chart would be great. Here are my rankings:

If you decide to go with conventional oil:

-Optmol 30wt A Parafinnic based oil. Commercial guys use it a lot. ZDDP unknown.

-B&S 30wt which is Bradd penn 30WT with a load (1,400 ppm ZDDP).

Synthetic:

-Amsoil Syn ASE 10W-30 for all engines say 4-10 HP. 1200 ppm ZDDP

-Redline 5w-30 or 10W-30 both with 1400 ppm of ZDDP

-M-1 SilverCap 15W-50 1400 ppm ZDDP

V-Twin engines for summer use M-1 20W-50 V-twin with 1800 ppm ZDDP.

That is the correct way to go for overkill I think.

Then use M-1 oil filters every 25 hrs with oil change.

2x/season change the foam air filter.

Paper air element seasonal or as needed.

Gas filter yearly.

Grease the zerks with M-1 Syn grease 2-3x season..

Blade sharpen every 25 hrs.

Lube the deck with CRC (PTFE) Dry Lube.

Tuff Torque Trans every other year with Amsoil 5W-30 Hydrostatic Syn Oil

2-Cycle engines with Amsoil Sabre' mixed to manufacturer's specs.


This comes form a lot of testing over near 20yrs.


There are other great choices..these are mine.




I like a grp IV/V synthetic best with high zddp. These engines I feel benefit much from boundy lubrication that ZDDP provides.
 
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