Just bought a new lawn mower, and noticed that Tractor Supply, and other home and garden centers sell several small engine motor oil brands , including Kohler Engine brand. The Kohler 10w-30 oil is rated for diesel engine and gasoline engine use (CJ 4, SJ), and priced at 5.99 per quart. Why anyone pay this much for a quart of convential oil to use in a small engine (which is what Kohler specializes in), when many other oils meet the same specs for less price. And the same goes for Briggs and Stratton , John Deere, Pro Select, Arnold, and other brands of oil that are marketed pretty much specifically for the small engine market. The Briggs oil (30 wt.) in an 18 oz. bottle is priced at 4.98 at the same stores in this area, pricey if you ask me. Why not just a 30 wt., or 10w 30 wt. "non small engine affiliated brand oil, for far less money?
Kohler engine motor oil
- Thread starter Electromotive
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Piece of mind for the lack of study. Oil doesn't know sizes of engines.
"For 100cc to 1000cc, 2-4 cylinders, up to 5,000 rpms and 40inch hg of max manifold pressure, 400F CHT max and 1100F EGT max, only".
There is no such thing.
The exception that I envision is for 2 stroke engines requiring for less ash TCW3 in water cooled marine motors, and piston aircraft engines but that oil is burned or partially burned inside the engine.
"For 100cc to 1000cc, 2-4 cylinders, up to 5,000 rpms and 40inch hg of max manifold pressure, 400F CHT max and 1100F EGT max, only".
There is no such thing.
The exception that I envision is for 2 stroke engines requiring for less ash TCW3 in water cooled marine motors, and piston aircraft engines but that oil is burned or partially burned inside the engine.
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The same goes for the lawnmower/tractor brands of oil filters. They charge that much because they can.
It's just marketing, and shoppers not knowing that automotive oil/filters can be used for half the cost.
Its always funny when you look in the owner manuals in the motor oil section, after they recommend there oil, then they say "or" and then just recommend an API certified oil. That really gives you a wide range of choices, and find stuff a lot cheaper than the manufacturers stuff. Even automobiles motor oil must meet a manufacturers spec.
Normanbuntz....... I believe you are correct. Purchased the mower at Tractor Supply, and went right next door to Wal mart, and bought a quart of Super Tech 30 wt. for $2.74 plus tax. (the mower engine holds 20 oz.). Had to make a Wal mart run anyway for other items.
Helped both my dad and his neighbor with a similar quandary. They were leery to pay $10+ for the kohler filters for their riding mowers. They tried to cross reference with the book in the filter asile, to no luck. I went online, and quickly found the engines on their mowers took 3614 equiv. Filters. The same one my car at the time took. ( and dads new escape uses as well) dad has used quakerstate,wix, and motorcraft filters, with regular quakerstate 10w30, and most recently, some rotella 10w30(T5?) I picked up for it.
Mobil 1 High Mileage 10W30 if you want synthetic or T5 10w30 / Defy 10w30 if you prefer non synthetic.
Originally Posted By: NormanBuntz
The same goes for the lawnmower/tractor brands of oil filters. They charge that much because they can.
Originally Posted By: earlyre
They tried to cross reference with the book in the filter asile, to no luck. I went online, and quickly found the engines on their mowers took 3614 equiv. Filters.
+ 1
It amazes me how many folks will say "Use OEM oil filters for [insert various OPE here] because they are better." I'm just like... Uhhh, nooo. Wix/Napa filters that cross ref are much better than those OEM Kohler/Briggs/JD/etc. filters. And, they usually cost less.
I saw somewhere on another forum (when I was looking up oil filters for one of my dad's mowers) (because I couldn't find a thread here about it) that someone said "using an oil filter made for a car [on an OPE] could possibly damage the mower's engine." I just facepalmed and laughed. Derp. To think that some people believe OEM mower oil filters are made better than car oil filters, gosh... Some people.
I truly believe using a Wix/Napa filter on OPE, rather than an OEM filter, could prolong the life of the OPE's engine. JMO.
~ Triton
The same goes for the lawnmower/tractor brands of oil filters. They charge that much because they can.
Originally Posted By: earlyre
They tried to cross reference with the book in the filter asile, to no luck. I went online, and quickly found the engines on their mowers took 3614 equiv. Filters.
+ 1
It amazes me how many folks will say "Use OEM oil filters for [insert various OPE here] because they are better." I'm just like... Uhhh, nooo. Wix/Napa filters that cross ref are much better than those OEM Kohler/Briggs/JD/etc. filters. And, they usually cost less.
I saw somewhere on another forum (when I was looking up oil filters for one of my dad's mowers) (because I couldn't find a thread here about it) that someone said "using an oil filter made for a car [on an OPE] could possibly damage the mower's engine." I just facepalmed and laughed. Derp. To think that some people believe OEM mower oil filters are made better than car oil filters, gosh... Some people.
I truly believe using a Wix/Napa filter on OPE, rather than an OEM filter, could prolong the life of the OPE's engine. JMO.
~ Triton
Agreed. A local JD dealer wanted $16 for an OEM filter. The specified Wix filter was around $10.
Nobody in my family has ever used specialty oil in their lawn equipment, and nobody had a problem. The only time we ever used that kind of oil was when the lawnmower included that kind of oil in their package.
Well, the Kohler oil is kinda expensive, BUT it is a good oil. It is a HDEO (Heavy duty engine oil) dual rated for diesel and gas engines, similar to Delo or Rotella. Compare that to a "energy conserving" SN passenger car motor oil(like the Supertech that you bought), and the Kohler oil is better and offers better protection (than an energy conversing SN oil) for the application.
Kohler highly recommends the use of 10W30 in some of their Command engines with hydraulic valve lifters. Any of their other engines can safely use a SAE30 oil just fine. Based on your climate, I personally would run SAE30 in your push mower (no hydraulic valve lifters to worry about). You chose the correct weight oil (for your climate)
Good luck with your made in China Kohler push mower engine. They are the absolute worst engines that ever come through my shop. I can't stand that engine, but maybe you will have better luck.
Kohler highly recommends the use of 10W30 in some of their Command engines with hydraulic valve lifters. Any of their other engines can safely use a SAE30 oil just fine. Based on your climate, I personally would run SAE30 in your push mower (no hydraulic valve lifters to worry about). You chose the correct weight oil (for your climate)
Good luck with your made in China Kohler push mower engine. They are the absolute worst engines that ever come through my shop. I can't stand that engine, but maybe you will have better luck.
They still make the Command and it is a great engine. The Courage seems to be a pretty serviceable riding mower engine, but has mixed reviews.
The XT series (Chinese push mower engines) have been less than impressive. Bad carburetors, auto choke that always needs adjusted, air filter that easily distorts and thus creates huge gaps for unfiltered air to enter the engine. The block, piston, crank, and major engine parts appear to have excellent durability. If they can get the carburetion/air filtration down and replace the auto choke with a primer bulb, it would be a fantastic engine.
The XT series (Chinese push mower engines) have been less than impressive. Bad carburetors, auto choke that always needs adjusted, air filter that easily distorts and thus creates huge gaps for unfiltered air to enter the engine. The block, piston, crank, and major engine parts appear to have excellent durability. If they can get the carburetion/air filtration down and replace the auto choke with a primer bulb, it would be a fantastic engine.
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