Mobil 1 MX4T 10W40 - Use for mowers & generators?

[Best F100]

I know of a place which has leftover motorcycle oil Mobil 1 MX4T 10W40. (The current name of the same product is Mobil 1 Racing 4T). It is at least a few years old. Anyway, it sells for roughly $5.50 qt. I believe the new stuff sells for about $8 - $9/ qt. I have never used it, but the specs look great - especially the 487F flash point.

I have heard how good it is in a motorcycle engine. I was thinking of using it in a 15kw, natural gas fueled, air cooled, standby home generator for a summer oil. Oil Capacity - 2 qts with filter. Generator is a Guardian, generator with a Briggs type engine. Manual calls for 10W30 synthetic in 90F temperatures.

We have had summer power outages in 90F temperatures of up to 36 hours. If only considering ExxonMobil products, would this MX4T 10W40 be better than using:

A) Delvac 1 5W40

B) Mobil 1 10W30 synthetic (cst@100C is a bit too thin for me - will a hot, air cooled engine shear it to a near 20wt?)

C) Mobil 1 15W50

D) A mix of MX4T & B or C

Since I have never used MX4T before, can it be used for the same intervals as the other products? Or does it get used up quickly like a race oil? By, the way, the age and shelf life of the MX4T does not scare me. In my way of thinking, properly stored synthetic oil is "never sours" like milk. Inquiring minds want to know.

 

[FZ1]

Why use old oil? A change in a lawnmower is only about 15 oz. .02.

 

[pickled]

Well if I had to stick with your list I would choose the Delvac just because it takes a beating and would start easy in the cold Michigan winters. Where are you at in Michigan?? If you're in Da' UP den I know u's gets cold!

 

[Craig in Canada]

It's POSSIBLE that Mobil 1 10W30 may not contain any VIIs and therefore wouldn't suffer from any VII related shear.

I say this because it appears that group IV/PAO basestock oils can pass as 10W30s with no VIIs (ie. Amsoil ASE and ACD).

I haven't compared the VI of Mobil 1 to ASE/ACD from the PDS yet.

Any thoughts of straying from Mobil products?

 

[Rolf]

Originally Posted By: Best F100
I know of a place which has leftover motorcycle oil Mobil 1 MX4T 10W40. (The current name of the same product is Mobil 1 Racing 4T). It is at least a few years old. Anyway, it sells for roughly $5.50 qt. I believe the new stuff sells for about $8 - $9/ qt. I have never used it, but the specs look great - especially the 487F flash point.

I have heard how good it is in a motorcycle engine. I was thinking of using it in a 15kw, natural gas fueled, air cooled, standby home generator for a summer oil. Oil Capacity - 2 qts with filter. Generator is a Guardian, generator with a Briggs type engine. Manual calls for 10W30 synthetic in 90F temperatures.

We have had summer power outages in 90F temperatures of up to 36 hours. If only considering ExxonMobil products, would this MX4T 10W40 be better than using:

A) Delvac 1 5W40

B) Mobil 1 10W30 synthetic (cst@100C is a bit too thin for me - will a hot, air cooled engine shear it to a near 20wt?)

C) Mobil 1 15W50

D) A mix of MX4T & B or C



The Mobil 1 MX4T 10W40 is a "dumbbell" blend of two PAOs, a Group V basestock for solvency and polarity so it sticks to hot surfaces, and a bit of VI.

It's overkill for a Briggs & Stratton type motor.

Delvac 1 is cheaper and will protect the engine about as well for less money.

I've used Mobil 1 5w30 and Mobil 1 10w30 in Tecumseh and Briggs 5-7 hp motors with no problems at all.

The advantage of the motorcycle oil and Delvac 1 is a higher ZDDP level compared to the current SM certified 5w30 and 10w30 oils.

The current Delvac 1 is around 1000 ppm phosphorous, while the old SJ-rated MX4T was typically in the 1400 ppm range.

 

[Best F100]

Originally Posted By: Rolf
Originally Posted By: Best F100
I know of a place which has leftover motorcycle oil Mobil 1 MX4T 10W40. (The current name of the same product is Mobil 1 Racing 4T). It is at least a few years old. Anyway, it sells for roughly $5.50 qt. I believe the new stuff sells for about $8 - $9/ qt. I have never used it, but the specs look great - especially the 487F flash point.

I have heard how good it is in a motorcycle engine. I was thinking of using it in a 15kw, natural gas fueled, air cooled, standby home generator for a summer oil. Oil Capacity - 2 qts with filter. Generator is a Guardian, generator with a Briggs type engine. Manual calls for 10W30 synthetic in 90F temperatures.

We have had summer power outages in 90F temperatures of up to 36 hours. If only considering ExxonMobil products, would this MX4T 10W40 be better than using:

A) Delvac 1 5W40

B) Mobil 1 10W30 synthetic (cst@100C is a bit too thin for me - will a hot, air cooled engine shear it to a near 20wt?)

C) Mobil 1 15W50

D) A mix of MX4T & B or C



The Mobil 1 MX4T 10W40 is a "dumbbell" blend of two PAOs, a Group V basestock for solvency and polarity so it sticks to hot surfaces, and a bit of VI.

It's overkill for a Briggs & Stratton type motor.

Delvac 1 is cheaper and will protect the engine about as well for less money.

I've used Mobil 1 5w30 and Mobil 1 10w30 in Tecumseh and Briggs 5-7 hp motors with no problems at all.

The advantage of the motorcycle oil and Delvac 1 is a higher ZDDP level compared to the current SM certified 5w30 and 10w30 oils.

The current Delvac 1 is around 1000 ppm phosphorous, while the old SJ-rated MX4T was typically in the 1400 ppm range.




Overkill for a Briggs type engine? Surely you jest! This is a cheap Briggs engine, not a Honda generator or more expensive liquid cooled generator. It only holds 2 qts. Two qts of anything won't break the bank. I thought this was the BITOG forum, not Consumers Report forum. If some ZDDP protection cushion is good, then too much ZDDP cushion is just enough for me. This particular Guardian Generac engine is rated for only 5000 hours, unlike 15,000 hours for their more expensive liquid cooled larger generators. Like someone once said, the cheapest replaceable generator part is the oil itself - any other engine part is going to cost big $$$$.

I am going to stick with the home team on this one, the Exxonmobil products. I have not had a lick of trouble with this generator in both 90F and 10F power outages in the 5 years that I have owned it. Good information Rolf. I did not know about the MX4T polarity sticking to hot surfaces aspect. I was a bit hessitant to use Delvac 1 because it is thicker than the MX4T at operating temperature, thereby creating more not needed heat in an air cooled engine.