One oil for mowers and snowblower?

[Matt1357]

Would like to buy one 5 quart jug of oil instead of separate quarts for oil changes. I have a Riding mower with a Kohler that calls for 10w30, a cheap push mower that also calls for 10w30 and a cheap snowblower that calls for 5w30. I live in northern connecticut so temperature swings but nothing too extreme. Would 5w30 provide enough protection for the mower? Would 5w40 be an option?

 

[GMBoy]

Not known by me. Do you have anything to support that? What is the antagonist for causing the viscosity deviation?

Oil molecules (whether synthetic or conventional) don’t shear by the way. They are way too small for that.Olent

Not known by me. Do you have anything to support that? What is the antagonist for causing the viscosity deviation?

Oil molecules (whether synthetic or conventional) don’t shear by the way. They are way too small for that.

Plenty of data out there feel free to research.

 

[kschachn]

Plenty of data out there feel free to research.

Yeah.

I think you don’t know what you’re talking about.

 

[kschachn]

Would like to buy one 5 quart jug of oil instead of separate quarts for oil changes. I have a Riding mower with a Kohler that calls for 10w30, a cheap push mower that also calls for 10w30 and a cheap snowblower that calls for 5w30. I live in northern connecticut so temperature swings but nothing too extreme. Would 5w30 provide enough protection for the mower? Would 5w40 be an option?

The winter rating is pretty irrelevant for the mower. Both are 30-grade oils.

 

[GMBoy]

Yeah.

I think you don’t know what you’re talking about.

Don't care

 

[kschachn]

Never mind, not worth it.

 

[Dave9]

It's not worth it, mountains out of mole hills, but yeah, it's fairly obvious that synthetic has the edge for air cooled engines if using a multi-weight.

If I wasn't using synthetic, I'd use straight 30wt even in a snowblower because it just doesn't have that many cold starts since I'm not a commercial business starting it multiple times every time it snows.

 

[Matt1357]

Settled on this 10w30 I get free at work, it's been in my mowers for years but tried it in my snowblower before the last storm and it starts and runs the same as 5w30 full synthetic does

 

[fozzdesy2001]

What about a 0w-40 or a 5w40?

Mobile 1 0W-40 is excellent for both

 

[jeepman3071]

Everyone overthinks this. Really any oil will work, maintaining the proper level and changing it on time is most important with small splash lubed engines. I have customers that run 0w20 in their snowblowers and mowers because they claim they use less fuel. I think it is a stretch, but they check it often enough that their engines haven't blown up and they have been running it for years. I also have seen mowers that are 15+ years old come in with the original engine oil in them. They run fine but do smoke a bit.

 

[02zx9r rev2]

Don't care

You fell for it man. He spends all day and night scouring through posts trying to find the ones he can call people out on. As he told me once, he states facts.

 

[ARCOgraphite]

There is really no issue running PCMO 5w30 in any small engine, it just might burn off quicker than say a HDEO 15w40, so checking the oil each use is critical. Most people don't do that.

Multi-grade oils are loaded with VM, VM are NOT lubricants and they form varnish and sludge. Nice for sticking rings.

Little 3.5hp briggs pushmowers tolerate most anything for residential (non commercial hours and use)
But I recommend a quality 10W30 "synthetic"** in a snow blower or riding mower or generator.
__________________________________________________________________

** NAD/NARB allowed marketing term - typically not majority synthetic group IV and V base oil

 

[GMBoy]

You fell for it man. He spends all day and night scouring through posts trying to find the ones he can call people out on. As he told me once, he states facts.

I didn't have time to go getting facts to back up my claim that SYN will not break down/fall out of grade like a conventional one will. That is just a well known fact especially to BITOGers.

 

[userfriendly]

Besides that, lawn mowin' 'n snow blown's women's work. That's why they invented 'lectric start, so there ain't no excuses.