How bad can oil get in the sump during winter 7 months?

[asker123]

Kawasaki FR730V on Cub Cadet Zero turn Z Force SX54 riding mower.
It takes 2.1 liter oil when filter is changed. I use Amsoil Small Engine oil 10W40

OEM recommendation is change oil every 100 hours or one year whichever comes early.

My mowing season starts in mid May and ends in mid Oct. I mow approx 4 acres for a total approx 35 hours in these 5 months. Rest 7 months mower stays in storage ( Manitoba, Canada). My garage in unheated.

for the last 4 years I have been doing oil change every year just before storing for winter.

So hypothetically, if my mower would run more hours ( lets say in commercial applications) or my mower goes beyond Oct in operation, with the quality oil that i put , I could easily go 100 hours on this oil.

What technically could happen inside the engine if this oil, which had lets say 65 more hours worth of life if used straight, rests for 7 hours in freezing cold in the engine sump? I mean it wouldn't degrade if it were to be in a running mower for 65 more hours , why would it degrade just sitting in the mower.

I will like to explore if I can run the mower again in the next spring, use it for lets say 15 more hours to get to a 50 hours mark and then change oil and filter mid season. This would give me flexibility to change the oil at ease. Right now, I have to rush to do several things on a single last day of the season in Oct ( like doing the last mow , then burning all the remaining gas , then adding new ethanol free gas then again running it then cleaning the mower overall then changing the oil and filter ).

Engine reliability and longevity is very important to me. It is the only riding mower I have for my 5 acres.

Thanks in advance for your inputs.

 

[fantastic]

Here's almost 4 1/2 years on oil but a low 37.9 hours. Storage isn't a problem for my app so far.

Thread '2008 Craftsman Pro, Briggs & Stratton 24 HP, 37.9 Hours UOA'

Oct 5, 2024

2008 Craftsman Pro, Briggs & Stratton 24 HP, 37.9 Hours used oil analysis. This is a "Lawn/Yard Tractor" or "Riding Mower" (I sit down on it and mow grass). My Notes show I've run this since 4-20-2020 so that would make it 3 years & 4 months in use. I put in 1qt Oreilly's, 1qt Mobil 10w30 FS & Fram XG3614 during this interval. You can find that Fram Ultra "OG" filter here. https://bobistheoilguy.com/xg3614

Anyways, This Craftsman is showing much lower wear than my John Deere garden tractor that had an engine knock.

Now it may seem a little silly but I looked at x4 used oil...

• fantastic
• Replies: 0
• Forum: New/Used Oil Analysis - Motorcycle and PowerSports

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[walterjay]

You can run it the following season with good results

 

[Rand]

oil is cheap so I change mine yearly.. even if its 25hours.. but this year its closer to 50.. with some hard use. (field mowing, trail mowing(2ft high)
I'm sure I could go 3 years .. but my application has no oil filter.

If you want to switch to 2-year oci go for it.

 

[Tdbo]

I change mine beginning of the season yearly on my Deere X300.
I use whatever name brand 10W30 that I get a deal on.
Valvoline won the bid for the next 3 years, thanks to a 6 1qt. case for $13. Amazon deal that I heard about here on the site.

 

[BigCahuna]

I use auto parts store brand conventional oil in my ope. I buy a 5 qt jug that lasts me about a year. Longer if I don't change the oil much. You probably paid more for that amsoil you have in your engine, then I paid for a 5 qt bottle, so Id run a season or two on that oil. Blackstone's stand on oil is they care more about mileage on oil, than age.,,

 

[The_Eric]

Especially with boutique oils like Amaoil, there will be more than sufficient additive package with a high TBN to fight off any combustion by-products. I wouldn't give so much as a single care about it.

 

[goingplacesanddoingstuff]

It’s completely fine. Oil doesn’t go bad that fast.

 

[LenMac]

Kawasaki FR730V on Cub Cadet Zero turn Z Force SX54 riding mower.
It takes 2.1 liter oil when filter is changed. I use Amsoil Small Engine oil 10W40

OEM recommendation is change oil every 100 hours or one year whichever comes early.

My mowing season starts in mid May and ends in mid Oct. I mow approx 4 acres for a total approx 35 hours in these 5 months. Rest 7 months mower stays in storage ( Manitoba, Canada). My garage in unheated.

for the last 4 years I have been doing oil change every year just before storing for winter.

So hypothetically, if my mower would run more hours ( lets say in commercial applications) or my mower goes beyond Oct in operation, with the quality oil that i put , I could easily go 100 hours on this oil.

What technically could happen inside the engine if this oil, which had lets say 65 more hours worth of life if used straight, rests for 7 hours in freezing cold in the engine sump? I mean it wouldn't degrade if it were to be in a running mower for 65 more hours , why would it degrade just sitting in the mower.

I will like to explore if I can run the mower again in the next spring, use it for lets say 15 more hours to get to a 50 hours mark and then change oil and filter mid season. This would give me flexibility to change the oil at ease. Right now, I have to rush to do several things on a single last day of the season in Oct ( like doing the last mow , then burning all the remaining gas , then adding new ethanol free gas then again running it then cleaning the mower overall then changing the oil and filter ).

Engine reliability and longevity is very important to me. It is the only riding mower I have for my 5 acres.

Thanks in advance for your inputs.

Kohler has a 300 hr oil and the manual states if used it can stay in the engine multiple years until the 300 hr mark is met. The oil is formulated by Amsoil. So you should be ok. As a test maybe send an oil analysis to blackstone to check on oxidation after sitting for the winter. My bet it is ok

 

[CleanSump]

Our BMW manuals state 2 years if the mileage isn't reached before then. A lot of people who don't do many miles on a bike leave it in for two years. You don't hear about it destroying them.

 

[chazthespaz]

One year winter arrived early in northern WI, and our old Astro was put away for winter without an oil change. Oil still looked clean. I drove it the following spring and summer, so OCI was 2 years and about 5,000 miles. No harm done.

 

[Cujet]

That's a perfect situation for engine storage. Quality oil, low hours on it, cool temps. Oil will last years like that, no problem what so ever.