Question about mower/generators

[KevinsDMAX]

Hello All, I have a 20+ yr old edger, EUi generator, 3 yr old Black max mower and power washer, both powered by Honda 160 cc motors. I have two quarts of Amsoil HDD 5W30 oil that I had used in my Duramax, but really couldn't tell a difference. I was wondering if this oil would preform well in the small engines. Thanks, Kevin

 

[Pablo]

Originally Posted By: KevinsDMAX

Hello All, I have a 20+ yr old edger, EUi generator, 3 yr old Black max mower and power washer, both powered by Honda 160 cc motors. I have two quarts of Amsoil HDD 5W30 oil that I had used in my Duramax, but really couldn't tell a difference. I was wondering if this oil would preform well in the small engines. Thanks, Kevin

HDD will be fine in small engines.

 

[xxch4osxx]

I use HDD in my lawn mower and it seems to do just fine. Lots of additives in it and it is also fairly thick for a 30 weight.

 

[boraticus]

It will be fine in your lawnmower and generator. Being that it's synthetic, you can probably leave it in the mower for several years and depending on the use of the generator, you can leave it in there for an extended period as well. That's how synthetic oil pays for itself in four cycle engines. Long duration oil change intervals. You should be able to run that oil for three to four times longer than conventional oil provided you don't have fuel dilution issues.

 

[Clevy]

I have 11 of those 160cc motors on my air compressors. I have learned from experience that you gotta change the oil every 100 hours of use. Fuel dilution is a real issue with them. There is no crankcase ventilation so as fuel gets by the rings at warm up it cannot evaporate out. I use pyb in all of them. It's cheap enough that it doesn't bother me to drain it every 2 weeks and provides the best protection an oil can give.

 

[KevinsDMAX]

Thanks for the quick responses. I currently run PP 5W30 in my wife's Suburban and have had extra around and have used it in the 160s. Would that be a better option than the HDD? I know it would be cheaper. Clevy, Thanks for the info about the fuel dilution.

 

[KevinsDMAX]

Also thoughts of Rotella T5? Would that be better than the PP or HDD?

 

[Pablo]

Originally Posted By: KevinsDMAX

Also thoughts of Rotella T5? Would that be better than the PP or HDD?

It's not better than HDD, but since you have the HDD you may as well use it.

 

[Clevy]

Originally Posted By: Pablo

Originally Posted By: KevinsDMAX

Also thoughts of Rotella T5? Would that be better than the PP or HDD?

It's not better than HDD, but since you have the HDD you may as well use it.

Pretty much. Rotella is always a good bet too though.

 

[Clevy]

Originally Posted By: KevinsDMAX

Thanks for the quick responses. I currently run PP 5W30 in my wife's Suburban and have had extra around and have used it in the 160s. Would that be a better option than the HDD? I know it would be cheaper. Clevy, Thanks for the info about the fuel dilution.

Pp is also great oil. Here is the thing about those motors. They will run and last forever with very minimal maintenance. I have been using the Honda 160cc 5.5 hp motor for about 18 years on air compressors and have tortured them for all of those years and can only remember 1 that died and couldn't be fixed. My routine with them is drain the old oil out. Refill with 3/4 quart of oil. Now if you run that thing the oil expands and if you remove the oil cap the now hot expanded oil drains out thereby making it a bit low on oil,so always check the oil when the motor is cold for an accurate reading. If it's a seasonal use engine I would suggest a high mileage oil. It will help condition the gaskets for that long summer sleep it takes. Mine don't have that issue because they run dawn til dark in the winter and 7-530 during the summer. And again from experience our ethanol polluted fuel sucks. It does keep the fuel system clean if you run it every day but if the fuel gets old it gels and turns to crud in the bowls. Tank venting is important too or it will run for a minute then stall. And you will wonder what the heck is going on so if that hecomes an issue either find the blockage or leave the gas cap slightly loose to maintain fuel flow. You have one of the most durable motors ever built on the planet so I really wouldn't stress out too much. I have a story on one of these motors on an air compressor. The oil alert didn't work and it was mid summer. HOT. well I hadnt even looked at the oil in a couple weeks and as it turned out there wasn't any and the motor seized solid. I pulled off the pull cord and saw a big bolt so I had a big crescent wrench in the trailer so I decided to try and turn it over. I looked around,and found I had no oil either. But I had tranny fluid. So I poured half a quart of tranny fluid in,put the wrench on er and tried to crank it over. Not a chance. So I drove up to the hardware store and bought an 18 inch pipe wrench. Got back to the site. Put the pile wrench on er,had 2 guys stabilize the compressor and I yanked on that as hard as I could. After about the fourth try it turned over. I put the cord back on,gave er a pull and it started right up. So we all get back to work. End of the day rolls around I decide to check the oil in the pump. Satisfied that I just saved myself 1000 bucks by not having to buy a new one. Pulled the dipstick. It's a blackish red colour and smells cooked. We had run it for 6 hours WITH TRANNY FLUID in the crankcase. Anyways I changed the oil at the end of the day for 3 days straight to get all the BBQ'ed oil and crud out of it and we still have that compressor to this day. This happened about 12 years ago. Still the same motor. The air pump has been replaced twice but the motor still starts first or second pull. There is that tell tale puff of blueish smoke for the first minute in the morning now but as far as I am concerned it owes me nothing. Those Honda motors are in a league all their own.

 

[Clevy]

If all it sees is winter duty any 0w-30 or 5w-30 will do. I like pyb or pp/pu but it will provide you dependable service for a lifetime. Going thicker will make it a bit harder to start because the motor is splash lubricated but I have proved it will run on tranny fluid. So any oil will do

 

[Ausfahrt]

Originally Posted By: Clevy

I have a story on one of these motors on an air compressor. The oil alert didn't work and it was mid summer. HOT. well I hadnt even looked at the oil in a couple weeks and as it turned out there wasn't any and the motor seized solid. I pulled off the pull cord and saw a big bolt so I had a big crescent wrench in the trailer so I decided to try and turn it over. I looked around,and found I had no oil either. But I had tranny fluid. So I poured half a quart of tranny fluid in,put the wrench on er and tried to crank it over. Not a chance. So I drove up to the hardware store and bought an 18 inch pipe wrench. Got back to the site. Put the pile wrench on er,had 2 guys stabilize the compressor and I yanked on that as hard as I could. After about the fourth try it turned over. I put the cord back on,gave er a pull and it started right up. So we all get back to work. End of the day rolls around I decide to check the oil in the pump. Satisfied that I just saved myself 1000 bucks by not having to buy a new one. Pulled the dipstick. It's a blackish red colour and smells cooked. We had run it for 6 hours WITH TRANNY FLUID in the crankcase. Anyways I changed the oil at the end of the day for 3 days straight to get all the BBQ'ed oil and crud out of it and we still have that compressor to this day. This happened about 12 years ago. Still the same motor. The air pump has been replaced twice but the motor still starts first or second pull. There is that tell tale puff of blueish smoke for the first minute in the morning now but as far as I am concerned it owes me nothing. Those Honda motors are in a league all their own.

Cool story.