Mobil 1 for everything?

[Oldtom]

Good Evening New guy and this is my first post. I have 2 push mowers, an MTD rider with 16.5 horse Briggs, a generator and pressure washer. I use Mobil 1 extended performance 5w - 30 in both of our cars and would like to standardize on one oil for all equipment. If I change the small engine oil once a season with Mobil 1 Extended Performance 5w30, do you think the engines will hold up? I am meticulous about oil and filter changes and use only gasoline stabilized with PRI G. Each fall I change the engine oil, warm up the engine, then drain the fuel tank, restart and fog the engine just before the fuel runs out.

Thank you in advance for any advice

Oldtom

 

[Quattro Pete]

Originally Posted By: Oldtom
I use Mobil 1 extended life 5w - 30

I'm guessing you meant "Extended Performance"?

What grade/spec oil does the MTD rider call for? If 5w30 is recommended, then this Mobil 1 oil will certainly work fine. Most OPE engines run just fine on anything Xw-30.

Welcome to BITOG.

 

[ElastoHydro]

Reminds me of when I used Mobil 1 5w-20 in my lawn mower in high school in 1977. Worked just fine for the whole season. I doubt if lawn equipment is sensitive to oil choice. Use whatever you want. Synthetics hold up.

 

[Oldtom]

The MTD calls for 30 weight dino or 10w - 30 synthetic. All the other engines call for 30 weight detergent oil.

Quattro Pete - You are right about Mobil 1 extended performance. I fixed the post.

 

[Quattro Pete]

Honestly, Using Mobil 1 Extended Performance in these OPE engines is like putting lipstick on a pig. They'll do just fine on mineral. You could buy Rotella 10w30 and save yourself some money.

 

[bubbatime]

Briggs and Stratton's number one oil recommendation is 5W30 synthetic on their website. So you will absolutely be fine.

This is what the website says:
Synthetic 5w30 (-20 to 120° F) provides the best protection at all temperatures as well as improved starting with less oil consumption.

http://www.briggsandstratton.com/us/en/support/faqs/engine-oil-recommendations

 

[147_Grain]

Recommend at 30-weight for lawn mowers, which typically run hotter than automotive engine oil temps. Several folks on this Forum have recorded oil temps in their lawn mowers of 260*F. during normal usage.

 

[901Memphis]

The Mobil 1 Extended Performance would be great. It can easily handle the heat.

 

[bubbatime]

Originally Posted By: 901Memphis
The Mobil 1 Extended Performance would be great. It can easily handle the heat.


This. Conventional SAE30 weight has worked fine for decades, but the Mobil 5W30 synthetic can definitely handle the heat. It is a good choice, and since you already use it for your other cars, even more so.

 

[toneydoc]

Yes that one oil will meet all your car and equipment needs. Use it in all with confidence

 

[tig1]

I have used Mobil 1 oils for 36 years in my auto engines and almost that long in my OPE. Never a problem. At presant I am using Mobil 1 10w30 in all my OPE including my Craftsman 21 HP riding mower, pressure washer, 5KW generator. None use oil and all engines are very clean.

 

[ARCOgraphite]

I would only use ILSAC oil in a small lawnmower engine (under 5hp). Our (unfiltered/ no oil pump) snowblower and Generac get very knocky on 5w30 ILSAC after a 1/2 hour full load. May be fine, but I don't like hearing knocks if I can find a suitable oil that doesn't knock.

 

[jeepman3071]

Mobil 1 will work fine in small engines, just make sure to monitor the oil levels carefully. I've noticed some small engines consume more oil on Mobil 1, and some are just fine.

 

[kschachn]

I'm interested to know if you have actually seen this. I hear it a lot, yet in the five different OPE engines I have (all using Mobil 1 Advanced Fuel Economy 0w30) I have never seen one use more oil than another. Just wondering what you see it in. Different B&S engines or different manufacturers?

Originally Posted By: jeepman3071
Mobil 1 will work fine in small engines, just make sure to monitor the oil levels carefully. I've noticed some small engines consume more oil on Mobil 1, and some are just fine.

 

[tig1]

Originally Posted By: kschachn
I'm interested to know if you have actually seen this. I hear it a lot, yet in the five different OPE engines I have (all using Mobil 1 Advanced Fuel Economy 0w30) I have never seen one use more oil than another. Just wondering what you see it in. Different B&S engines or different manufacturers?

Originally Posted By: jeepman3071
Mobil 1 will work fine in small engines, just make sure to monitor the oil levels carefully. I've noticed some small engines consume more oil on Mobil 1, and some are just fine.


+1. Same here. Fact is, some engines use oil and others don't. My very long experience with Mobil 1 has been little or no oil use.

 

[jeepman3071]

All of these were Briggs and Stratton flat head engines, which tend to run a bit hotter than OHV engines. The age of the engines was a broad range from older ones to a few newer lawn mowers. It wasn't a significant amount where there was smoke or the sump would be empty after a few hours use, but it was noticeable. Enough where I don't recommend it anymore because most OPE owners don't check the oil very frequently. The greatest consumption I saw was on a 3.5hp Briggs engine on a lawn mower, but then again I'm not sure how well it was taken care of prior to me servicing it.

Like I said if you check the oil frequently it should be fine, but in my opinion I wouldn't spend more money on Mobil 1 only to have it possibly burn more oil. This is for all 5w30 synthetics though, not just Mobil 1.

This was only on Briggs flat head engines though. I never noticed it on the OHV engines, except for the lawn tractor engines which commonly blow head gaskets. I think its because of the lack of valve seals on a Briggs flat head engine.

 

[nitehawk55]

Originally Posted By: ARCOgraphite
I would only use ILSAC oil in a small lawnmower engine (under 5hp). Our (unfiltered/ no oil pump) snowblower and Generac get very knocky on 5w30 ILSAC after a 1/2 hour full load. May be fine, but I don't like hearing knocks if I can find a suitable oil that doesn't knock.


Seriously , they are knocking ?? ....OK .

 

[kschachn]

I'm wondering if I should take out all the Mobil 1 0w30 (GF-5) that I have in every piece of OPE I own, including a Generac standby generator and my snowthrower. Oh wait, I did use 0W-20 in the snowthrower this winter but that is also GF-5.

Originally Posted By: ARCOgraphite
I would only use ILSAC oil in a small lawnmower engine (under 5hp). Our (unfiltered/ no oil pump) snowblower and Generac get very knocky on 5w30 ILSAC after a 1/2 hour full load. May be fine, but I don't like hearing knocks if I can find a suitable oil that doesn't knock.

 

[RF Overlord]

First M1 was noisier...then it showed high iron in used oil analysis...now it causes knocks in OPE. How does ExMo stay in business?

 

[meep]

I would not run a 5-30 M1 in air-cooled engines. years ago I experienced some scoring in a honda running 5-30 mobil 1--- it began to smoke on startup and every oil change had small sparkles in it. after 2 seasons of that I went to a heavier oil. probably rotella. the drained oil cleared up and the smoking, while it always had it after, didn't get any worse.

I personally found mobil 10-30 to have been a much sturdier oil back then, also doing 10,000 intervals in my car. (25,000 miles per year).

M1 may have gotten better in the 5-30. if you like M1, use a 10-30 weight or Mobil 1 Turbo Diesel Truck which I think is 5-40 and had a good rap on this board.

just my $0.02