Let's Talk About Oil and Lawn Mowers
- Thread starter BMW Dom
- Start date
I never mowed lawn when it was -30F outside. My snowblower absolutely I have been running 0w40 for years
- Joined
- May 28, 2014
- Messages
- 2,261
Rotella T6 5w40 or Mobil 1 0w40 FS in my stuff
I guess I'd make the OP lose his mind but I use drip oil in all my OPE. Multiple weights motor oil, syn and dino, ATF, gear oil, MMO, whatever, all go into the drip oil container. I just recently did my two 10+ year old lawnmowers, and the snow blower will get some come October. Even the Honda gennies get it. I have no clue what weight it is and I don't care. They get fresh oil, it's always full, and it gets changed if I remember to do it.
- Joined
- Oct 6, 2020
- Messages
- 2,412
NO! Don't scare me like that.
One consideration in favor of heavier summer wgt, is that 30>= motor oils tend to limit zddp
content to < 800 ppm as I recall.
Zddp is desirable because push mowers tend to be splash oiled, ie no oil pump or oil pressure to speak of.
So imo these will really benefit from higher level of anti-wear additives.
40 or heavier oil is not harmful, and all other things being equal, you likely get a higher anti wear additive level.
content to < 800 ppm as I recall.
Zddp is desirable because push mowers tend to be splash oiled, ie no oil pump or oil pressure to speak of.
So imo these will really benefit from higher level of anti-wear additives.
40 or heavier oil is not harmful, and all other things being equal, you likely get a higher anti wear additive level.
Splash lubed OPE do not require extra ZDDP beyond current SP levels. Valve spring pressures are very light.
There are plenty of other anti wear additives in the oil that get the job done as well.
Id personally use whatever grade of oil the manula recommends. I personally use SAE30 in my little Briggs. I could probably use 10w-30 synthetic in it but Briggs recommends 30w and using even synthetic 10w30 would be borderline in the hot summer months.
IMO, a mower engine deserves the same kind of respect and care that any other engine does and those who put whatever in their mower because, "oil is oil and it doesnt matter" are also the same people who always complain that their mower uses oil.
I personally use Valvoline Daily Protection SAE30 non detergent in my mower but theres lots of great options out there.
IMO, a mower engine deserves the same kind of respect and care that any other engine does and those who put whatever in their mower because, "oil is oil and it doesnt matter" are also the same people who always complain that their mower uses oil.
I personally use Valvoline Daily Protection SAE30 non detergent in my mower but theres lots of great options out there.
- Joined
- Oct 6, 2020
- Messages
- 2,412
You are not supposed to use Non detergent oil in your lawn mower.
Now that I look again, Daily Protection isnt a non-detergent. Even still, in an engine that doesnt have a pressurized oil system (no filter) and just has a splash lubrication system, I personally see how issue with using a non-detergent. With no filter, you dont really need the particles kept in suspension so much. Just my 2 cents, do as you will.
