Oil viscosity question

[Ricky]

I have a Spartan with a Kawasaki FR730 engine and I was wondering if I could mix 10W30 and 20W50 being that I can’t use it anywhere else except maybe the Polaris side by side? I live in Florida and it can get quite hot and humid here and I mow 5 acres, will the use of the lower viscosity cause a problem by itself or perhaps I could mix the two oils and be safer? I have more of the 30 than the 50.

I also am using a Fl400S filter for extra filtering and will be getting changing the fuel filter. I have also been using marvel mystery in the gas hoping to avoid any issues. Let me know what you think of my plans.

 

[JavierH19]

Zero problem doing that. I run 15w-40 in my trucks and several ope engines. I like to put a small bottle's worth of 2 stroke in all my 5 gal jugs so everything gets a light mix of 2 stroke but there's no real need.

 

[oil pan 4]

Florida is hot, there's lots of grass to mow and I'm guess that Kawasaki mower is air cooled?
It probably needs an oil that ends with 40 or 50 because air cooled ride on mower engine oil gets hot hot.
When I change mine I run the oil stream over a probe thermometer and I'm seeing 260f oil coming out of my 46'' little craftsman 590cc mower in new Mexico, so it's likely even hotter than 260F during operation.

 

[Ricky]

Florida is hot, there's lots of grass to mow and I'm guess that Kawasaki mower is air cooled?
It probably needs an oil that ends with 40 or 50 because air cooled ride on mower engine oil gets hot hot.
When I change mine I run the oil stream over a probe thermometer and I'm seeing 260f oil coming out of my 46'' little craftsman 590cc mower in new Mexico, so it's likely even hotter than 260F during operation.

I guess one of 30 and one of 50 and that should do it.

 

[oil pan 4]

I have a Spartan with a Kawasaki FR730 engine and I was wondering if I could mix 10W30 and 20W50 being that I can’t use it anywhere else except maybe the Polaris side by side? I live in Florida and it can get quite hot and humid here and I mow 5 acres, will the use of the lower viscosity cause a problem by itself or perhaps I could mix the two oils and be safer? I have more of the 30 than the 50.

I also am using a Fl400S filter for extra filtering and will be getting changing the fuel filter. I have also been using marvel mystery in the gas hoping to avoid any issues. Let me know what you think of my plans.

I run some 2 stroke oil in my 4 stroke engines too. I'll dump the last little bit of 2 stroke gas in a mower to get rid of it gst fress gas and when I'm mowing yards I only bring the 2stroke gas can so I can't accidentally fill up my $500 weedeater with straight gas. Usually the push mower and riding lawnmower don't need to be filled up when away from home.
I have ran the push mower off straight 40:1 weedeater gas plenty of times and it seems to like it.

 

[oil pan 4]

I guess one of 30 and one of 50 and that should do it.

Yeah definitely better than running straight 10w-30.
I run 20w-50 in my riding mower and pressure washer due to the very high oil temps.

 

[GRUMPYDUDE2]

No worries. Mixing the 2 oil weights will work just fine.
Marvel mystery in the gas = Good idea for most.

 

[jeepman3071]

You could run only 20w50 in that engine and be perfectly fine in that climate.

I would skip the Marvel Mystery oil. I use it for air tools and for freeing up stuck rusted pistons in antique engines, but it won't do much in your fuel to combat ethanol problems in small engines, no stabilizer will either. The best thing you can do is install a fuel shut-off and run it out of fuel for longer-term storage.

 

[fantastic]

While not exactly ideal to mix different grades and formulations it can be done & I do the same on one of my mowers.

 

[rneal55555_NH]

What weight is recommended? If its 20w 50 Id run very little 10w 30 in it

 

[Ricky]

I changed the oil and fuel/oil filter and it’s running great!