How come they've moved away from the usual 10w30 they've required for years?

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Nov 29, 2009
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I mean they still have it on the chart, but the 10w30 is more for the winter now and the 20w50 for summertime. How come for years, they called for a 10w30 or straight 30 weight even in the summer?
 
I mean they still have it on the chart, but the 10w30 is more for the winter now and the 20w50 for summertime. How come for years, they called for a 10w30 or straight 30 weight even in the summer?
Do you have examples of this? I haven't bought a new mower in years, but would have assumed regular 5W30 was the go-to these days.

20W50? In a mower with a pullcord?
 
Do you have examples of this? I haven't bought a new mower in years, but would have assumed regular 5W30 was the go-to these days.

20W50? In a mower with a pullcord?
Well theyve started doing it in the last 5 years. Yes, both kohler and kawasaki have oil charts ranging from 10w30-20w50 depending on temp.
 
Nope. Typically it was 5w30 in the winter for like 0 degree f temps then 10w30 for warmer temps and straight 30 or very rarely 10w40 for temps around 90-100
I don't think you can document that. Small engine oil used to be straight 30, then multiblends started. I have been using 0w30, 5w30, 10w30, synthetics mostly and occasionally something higher up or even the 0w20 that most of the cars use. Generally speaking, the owners manuals give a wide range of options and have for the past three decades. I have not had an oil related failure since the eighties, where a Briggs 3.5 broke rod and where I had not changed the oil in a long time, probably overfilled. If you want your equipment to last, you will not go wrong with modern synthetics, and frequent oil changes. Use a decent name brand oil.
 
I don't think you can document that. Small engine oil used to be straight 30, then multiblends started. I have been using 0w30, 5w30, 10w30, synthetics mostly and occasionally something higher up or even the 0w20 that most of the cars use. Generally speaking, the owners manuals give a wide range of options and have for the past three decades. I have not had an oil related failure since the eighties, where a Briggs 3.5 broke rod and where I had not changed the oil in a long time, probably overfilled. If you want your equipment to last, you will not go wrong with modern synthetics, and frequent oil changes. Use a decent name brand oil.
Shoe me where they recommended oil in the 50 weight range 15-20 years ago?
 
Does viscosity even matter in splash lubricated engines?
with the exception of your basic el cheapo box store 6hp lawn mower engine, most every other air cooled engine is full pressure lubricated with an oil filter. Not any different than a car.
 
with the exception of your basic el cheapo box store 6hp lawn mower engine, most every other air cooled engine is full pressure lubricated with an oil filter. Not any different than a car.
B&S seems to prefer splash lube over pressure on every one of their engines ive torn into. opposed twin, v-twin, large single cylinders. only pressure lube air cooled i've seen was a kawasaki
 
So is it easy to install a bluetooth device on an older non bluetooth receiver? There's nothing wrong with them, and were probably pretty spendy back in the day.
 
Do you have examples of this? I haven't bought a new mower in years, but would have assumed regular 5W30 was the go-to these days.

20W50? In a mower with a pullcord?
I have used 20w-50 with a pull cord started engine many times without an issue.
 
I have used 20w-50 with a pull cord started engine many times without an issue.
I tried starting my mower once with straight 30 in it. Once was enough! could not pull it hard enough at 30F for the last mow of the season. 5w30 for me after that.
 
Shoe me where they recommended oil in the 50 weight range 15-20 years ago?

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Shoe me where they recommended oil in the 50 weight range 15-20 years ago?
I don't think I said that, but on the topic of 50 weight oils, maybe not so crazy, as they are sought after in the air-cooled Porsche community, and many of the small engines we are talking about are air-cooled. Still waiting to see if there are some specific examples of the recommendation changes you are suggesting have happened.
 
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