Post your latest small engine oil change

AutoMechanic said:
Grandmas Toro Titan ZX5400 zero turn mower this evening. 2015 model. Unknown hours but I’m sure it’s a ton as she uses it weekly for multiple properties.

Out: 2 quarts Castrol GTX 10W-30
Off: Kohler oil filter

In: 2 quarts Castrol GTX 10W-30
On: Fram 3614

Decided to go with Fram this time since the Kohler filter was about $18. The Fram $8 filter will work fine for me and grandma. Nothing wrong with Kohler but she likes to save money and I do as well. Also done new fuel filter, 2 new Autolite spark plugs and a new belt. All together parts were $45 because she already had the belt. Spark plugs were hard to find had to go to the parts store and get them as Walmart had none nor did Lowe’s or Home Depot and didn’t make it to Rural King or Tractor Supply. I wanted NGK or Champion but parts store was out of those particular ones so I took the Autolite but they seem to work fine I’ve never had a problem with Autolite in my Fords so I felt comfortable putting them in this mower. I realized when I got there I’d left my copper anti seize at the house but remembered the silver so I just used the silver on the plugs. Mower runs much better now. The fuel filter was pitch black.

She gave me $100 for the labor I told her she didn’t have too but she always insists on me taking it and she hugged me about 4 times too. I’m just glad to help her out and glad she appreciates it. I’m her only grandkid who will do things for her at least in a mechanical aspect despite other ones being able too. She doesn’t have to pay rent in exchange she mows all the landlords properties because he is 92. She turns 79 in July.
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Same man. Im the only one out of 4 grandkids who does anything for my grandma, mechanical or otherwise. Shell be 84 in September

This is my moms mom.

What a coincidence. My dad will be 79 on July 27th.
 
Changed the oil in my Briggs & Stratton push mower last week. It had been in there for 3 years, but it probably only gets 25 hours of use per year, and the oil that was in there was Castrol Euro 0w-40. So I felt good leaving it in there for 75ish hours.

Replaced with Castrol Euro 5w-30 (which I happened to have on-hand). I probably have another 2-3 oil changes worth in the jug. Actually, I changed the oil twice, running the first oil change for about 5 minutes before dumping it and putting a fresh 20 ounces back in.
 
New to me Toro 190cc Personal Pace, out, unknown, in, Supertech 15w40. Purchased at an auction, tried cleaning the carb but it still kept dying. New Hipa carb, pre-air filter, air filter, NGK spark plug, runs excellent. I think it was barely used for maybe 4-5 mow sessions, it sounds basically brand new. I'm not a fan of the personal pace system, its very jumpy and probably not engineered for someone 6 feet tall. It will live a boring life at the family ranch.

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I forgot to post this, a few weeks ago our new-to-us family go kart had a worsening oil leak. Turns out it was the crank seal, the kids helped with the repairs. Out Quicksilver 5w40, in clearance Lucas 10w30.

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Need some help here. I know I'm in the right forum for correct answers. I read somewhere, ( I forget where, been a while, and my brain doesn't store information like it use to :) Altzheimer & Dementia on the horizon ?...Probably ) Anyway, I read that 10W40 dino oil is just as good as any synthetic if you dump it into a 15.5 or lower HP lawn mower engine. You just need to change it more often because there is no oil filter. I'm not buying this " information" I read. I can see piston rings getting all gummy already. I have trash picked flathead Briggs machines, maybe 8 hp tops, a few 6.5 hp, and a 6.0 hp. One rider with a 15.5 OHV Briggs, no filter. Any input from you specialists out there ?????
 
50yr Street Mech said:
Need some help here. I know I'm in the right forum for correct answers. I read somewhere, ( I forget where, been a while, and my brain doesn't store information like it use to :) Altzheimer & Dementia on the horizon ?...Probably ) Anyway, I read that 10W40 dino oil is just as good as any synthetic if you dump it into a 15.5 or lower HP lawn mower engine. You just need to change it more often because there is no oil filter. I'm not buying this " information" I read. I can see piston rings getting all gummy already. I have trash picked flathead Briggs machines, maybe 8 hp tops, a few 6.5 hp, and a 6.0 hp. One rider with a 15.5 OHV Briggs, no filter. Any input from you specialists out there ?????
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Personally, I’d stick with a synthetic in air cooled OPE simply due to the higher sustained temps they see and the extra margin they typically provide against heat related oxidation, deposits, fluid breakdown, etc.
 
Powerhorse (NorthernTool) 3500W Generator. OUT: Rotella T6 5w-40. IN: Same.

Using the T6 for break-in. This is the third change on the genset at 24 hours (8 hour change intervals for my break-in). I’m going to run this for a few hours running the ACs on my camper while I work on it, then will switch to HPL Supercar 5w-40 since it’s what I use in my SUVs.
 
Just bought two quads: A 1999 Honda Fourtrax 300 and a 2003 Rancher 350 ES. Both 4wd.

Only owned them a few days before dropping the oil while hot. The 99 Fourtrax 300 has definitely had more regular oil changes than the ranger.

Rancher 350 ES
*Oil looked very black and seemed very thin coming out. Going to do a second oil and filter change at a low interval! Remove some of the sludge or other things left behind in a slower and healthy manner.
*Oil filter off- No name filter, cardboard like material used for the media. Media is not flexible and breaks with fingers. Definitely been on there too long.
*Oil filter on- For now STP 6015. 1000 x better than what I took off but I usually use oem filters on everything.
**New oil, Rotella T5 15w40. I checked the jugs and checked to find that T4, and T5 are both JASO MA/ MA2 rated for wet clutch use. For this short interval I will use 15w40 T5 semi synthetic.

*1999 Fourtrax 300
Oil drained out was not too bad looking visually! Brown, didn't look super thin. Also drained while hot.
*Oil filter off- K&N 112, actually the media felt great! Some sludge buildup on the Oil filter/ housing cap. Cleaned all off.
*New oil filter- K&N 113 for now. Made a whole post about it, orielly and advanced acted like it was a direct crossover, when the K&N 112 is actually. Very close filters, slight differences between the models.
*New oil, Rotella T5 semi synthetic 15w40.

Going to do front and rear axle oil changes and a transfer Cass oil change in the fourtrax 300! This will be done with Shell Spirex 75w90 I already have. Appears to be GL5 hypoid gear oil approved!
 
Just bought a HF predator 3500 Generator used. Had 6 hours on it when I bought it. Guy couldn't run his travel trailer AC with it. I've successfully loaded it up many times and got it to 24 Amps recently. It's rated for 25 amps but they will go higher than that.

Previous owner installed fully Synthetic 10w30. I will be semi synthetic Rotella T5 10w30 I already have. Shorter intervals are very important on this engine. There is no oil filter, engine Is fairly new, as well as the oil drain is higher than it should be! With the enclosed generator design the drain house goes higher than it should and has a low spot.

I've also been considering 15w40 semi synthetic during the summer in it. Also don't see why a straight engine weight would bother it. I don't believe it has hydraulic lifters or anything that benefits from a multi viscosity oil.
 
Panda87 said:
Powerhorse (NorthernTool) 3500W Generator. OUT: Rotella T6 5w-40. IN: Same.

Using the T6 for break-in. This is the third change on the genset at 24 hours (8 hour change intervals for my break-in). I’m going to run this for a few hours running the ACs on my camper while I work on it, then will switch to HPL Supercar 5w-40 since it’s what I use in my SUVs.
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These powerhorse 3500W are basically the same as a predator 3500 except for a few things different electrically as far as I know. Just like a champion and wen of the same watt are the same.

I've considered 15w40 semi synthetic. These are great generators and very quiet without the honda price.
 
diesellover said:
These powerhorse 3500W are basically the same as a predator 3500 except for a few things different electrically as far as I know. Just like a champion and wen of the same watt are the same.

I've considered 15w40 semi synthetic. These are great generators and very quiet without the honda price.
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I cross shopped the Powerhorse and Predator gennies when I was researching. I wanted a Honda so bad, but for my use (camping), I didn’t need to break the bank due to the likelihood of theft, transport damage, etc. It’s been great so far and runs my two ACs (15k & 13.5k) together (using a SoftStart) and lighting. It’s about maxed out at that usage (haven’t tried running the fridge alongside the ACs yet) but it doesn’t complain and runs like a champ! It had a slight “miss” you could only hear when the genny was running unloaded. I changed the factory “Torch” plug with an NGK and it runs flawless now.

At half load, the 212cc engine at 90 ambient will read at 219 degrees with an IR gun. Not too bad in my book!
 
Yeh, ran into those " Torch's before. There nothing but plain Jane copper plugs. They can't take a beating like an NGK. Had one in my Powermate Home Depot power washer. Didn't last too long. Chinese junk.
 
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