I've got a craftsman push mower with a 5.5 briggs that's been running sae 30 quakerstate since it was new (mid 90's). I want to switch it over to a synthetic oil this year and was wondering if I should run some type of engine flush/cleaner through it first or just switch it over and go.
Changing to synthetic this season...
- Thread starter JWRENCH
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i don't think on a air cooled, filterless lawnmower motor, it really matters that much. i have equipment that use techumseh, briggs, and honda powerplants. the tec, and briggs both called for a 30hd oil and the honda called for a 10w30. to simplify things, i use Mobil 1 SuperSyn in all 3 motors now with no consumption problems either. the higher detergency of the synthetic will act as a mild flush. you mat notice the oil being a bit darker a bit quicker as it desolves any built up goo along the way. i don't really think a flush is called for. hope this was a little helpful.
Finally got a chance to go over this thing. Sharpened the blade, and changed the plug and air filter. I ended up finding a quart of 10w30 Castrol sytec in the garage leftover from the wifes last car and threw it in there. I'm not real crazy about this oil after learning it wasen't a "true" synthetic but I guess this will keep me from just pouring it into the used oil bucket anyway.
There is really no reason not to use synthetic in your Briggs. While the Briggs will run for many, many years with neglect, why not pamper it…after all, the cost is so minimal.
If you can get a hold of some Schaeffer’s Neutra, you could safely add about 1 oz of Neutra to your Castrol Syntec to give it a good cleaning. You could safely leave the oil with the Neutra all season if you wanted.
In my Honda OHC mower and my Briggs 3.5 edger motor, I run Amsoil 15w40 Heavy Duty Diesel and Marine oil with the addition of 1 oz. Schaeffer’s #132 Moly E.P. Oil Treatment. In my 3.5 Briggs rototiller motor, I run Schaeffer’s #700 Supreme 7000 15w40 synthetic blend oil.
If you can get a hold of some Schaeffer’s Neutra, you could safely add about 1 oz of Neutra to your Castrol Syntec to give it a good cleaning. You could safely leave the oil with the Neutra all season if you wanted.
In my Honda OHC mower and my Briggs 3.5 edger motor, I run Amsoil 15w40 Heavy Duty Diesel and Marine oil with the addition of 1 oz. Schaeffer’s #132 Moly E.P. Oil Treatment. In my 3.5 Briggs rototiller motor, I run Schaeffer’s #700 Supreme 7000 15w40 synthetic blend oil.
I live in the United Kingdom and have two Honda mowers fitted with the 4.5HP OHC GCV135 engine and the dealer advises use of Castrol GP 10-40 mineral oil which is designed for wet clutch motor cycle engines. I wanted to use Mobil 1 0w40 so I phoned up the Honda technical helpline and was told in no uncertain terms not to let synthetic oil near the engine because of the machine tolerances of the engine. I will change the oil 2 or 3 times a season as it is cheap enough.
Roger
Roger
tolerances are the allowed machining variations allowed ,the honda guy just told all he knows by that statement. He just talks .
I have used Amsoil Redline and Mobil 1 in my lawn mowers.Not any more .Every thing wears out but the motor runs fint now I use fleet oil changed twice a year and still that may be too often
Ha, Ihave that problem in my craftman lawn vac and mower. Both engines I use synthetic changed twice a year. Guess what, engines run great but I can no longer get parts for the chassis or vacuum blade or bags etc. 10 year old machines.
Engines outlast the rest of the frame. I guess synthetic was overkill.
Engines outlast the rest of the frame. I guess synthetic was overkill.
It's a bit difficult for me to believe that a Honda engine would be designed with tolerances too loose for synthetic lubricants. Air-cooled engines are a natural for the advantages (especially excellent the heat tolerance) of synthetic lubricants.
[ May 08, 2003, 09:46 AM: Message edited by: Rich ]
[ May 08, 2003, 09:46 AM: Message edited by: Rich ]
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