Oil for Flatheads.....

[WMSmotorhead]

I've got some older Flat-heads that call for SAE 30 in the book. Ones a Kohler, one a briggs. My fun question is...

HD30 or ND 30. I've always used HD.. but it has made me wonder.

 

[greenaccord02]

HD all the way.

 

[greenaccord02]

HD40 isn't bad, either.

 

[Astro14]

If you've used HD - stick with HD...no good reason to go back to ND...multi-grade will work too...

 

[engineerscott]

ND30 offers no advantage that I can see with the exception that if you've been running it for a while then a change to HD30 will tend to loosen up accumulated sludge which usually isn't a good idea, however in these simple oil slingers even that isn't the end of the world (it's not like you're going to clog a oil cooler).

BTW, if these engines are on snow blowers instead of lawn mowers I'd go to a multi-viscosity oil in a heartbeat, preferably a 5w30 syn.

 

[exranger06]

I would never use a ND oil in any engine. All small engines nowadays specify either HD 30 or a regular multi-viscosity with detergents. I have two flat heads that specify only oils with detergents, API SJ or later.

 

[01rangerxl]

Definitely HD.

Use ND30 in air compressor pumps or pressure washer pumps. Keep it out of your small engine!

 

[Warstud]

Originally Posted By: 01rangerxl
Definitely HD.

Use ND30 in air compressor pumps or pressure washer pumps. Keep it out of your small engine!


What he said ^^^^^^^^^