best oil for lawn eqipment

[ELS]

Quote:

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"Kawasaki twins I have only used 10w30.
This is because they REQUIRE oil change intervals of 25 hours anyways".
This is not true for all Kawasaki engines. The 18hp air cooled twin in my JD325 calls for an oil and filter change once a year or every 100 hours. I put on between 40 and 60 hours a year, and use Mobil 1 10w30. It uses no oil between changes.
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I guess what I said was confusing... so let me clarify...

All the Kawasaki manuals recommend the same oil change intervals I think. At least all mine do.

However, for my application, which is commercial mowing use mounted in an open air environment... well I have yet to see one that I would feel safe going with a 100 hr OCI.

In fact, the ones like yours with a standard air cleaner... well I could only get a 25 hr OCI out of them at best. Basically just as soon as I had a chance to change the oil again... once or twice a week. This and the constant air cleaner checks/cleaning/replacement (DAILY) is why I'll never own another like that for commercial use.

The ones I have now have the heavy duty canister air filter systems on them... like they put on tractors. I might could get 100 hr OCI's with these. But I sort of doubt it due to the contamination from combustion in these air cooled engines. But at least I can get through a whole week now without having to do oil changes and the air cleaners are now a non-issue.

 

[Lex94]

Redline 10w30 Street (Blue-Label)

 

[ELS]

I was thinking about this a little more tonight and decided to drag out my Kawasaki manuals. The reason was to have a look at their viscosity chart. Here is what mine has...

5w20 -4F > 32F
10w30 -4F > 95F
10w40 -4F > 95F
SAE30 32F > 95F
SAE40 68F > 113F

The more I looked over this, the more I thought it was good I am using 10w30 in these. But there is no reason I couldn't use Shell Rotella Syn 5w40 or some 15w40 and that it might even well be a better choice, especially for the really hot days I work these air cooled engines.

I'm starting to have strong thoughts about the gallons of Shell Rotella Syn 5w40. Not too expensive and it's enough in one jug to do two. Hummmm......

 

[ELS]

Well, I did something today I REALLY did not expect to or intend to.

I went to get oil for the Kawasaki's. And I needed to get some other oils too. Oil is still high here and I knew I could get my Havoline 10w30 I needed for some other engines in 5 qt jugs from walmart for a cost of under $2 per qt. So being as these oils are in my favorites, I had already decided I would switch from the SuperTech/Mobil 10w30 to the Havoline 10w30 in these also.

Well, I was able to get my havoline for what I needed it for in the 5 qt jugs. But not enough. So there I was... looking at buying it by the quart for well over $2 per qt.

Cold weather had returned here early again, and the more I stood there thinking about it, the more I wasn't so sure anymore. The fact conventional oil prices haven't relaxed any and the fact I read on here about guys getting it for like 59 cents a quart on sale was just burning me up.

Instead, I chose the option to go to Walmart SuperTech 10w30 synthetic (WPP). With all the leaf dust of fall, this was the most unlikely time for me to ever consider synthetic oils. But for only cents more a quart... well what the heck.

I'm off to see if I can find some analysis on it...

I'll be sure to update what I think of it...

 

[UncleRunkle]

I guess I could update my little addition to this discussion also. After approximately 10 hours on the Valvoline Full Synthetic 5w40 (I broke it in with the 30wt electrolux that came with it) my little B&S is doing great with no consumption issues (the manual warned of increased consumption with synthetic fluid).

 

[CBDFrontier06]

My B&S manual warned about oil consumption if a XW-XX oil is used....they didn't say DON'T use it, but they said to expect consumption. I broke it in with B&S 30W lawnmower oil and switched to Mobil 1 10w30 mid summer, and it hasn't used a drop. Ideally, I'd like to find a full-synthetic SAE40 due to the Texas heat but I looked everywhere and didn't find any. It seems to like Mobil 1 so I'll stick with that.

 

[UncleRunkle]

Hey CBD, I'm in west texas now (San Angelo, but I haven't updated my profile) and I'm using the Valvoline Full Synthetic 5w40. I think any 5w40 (Mobil 1, Rotella T Syn, or maybe some Belgian Castrol if you can find it) would work great in the summer heat.