Rotella 5w40 syn in Kohler Commander 14hp?
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Overkill yes. But 18 dollars of overkill isn't that bad. It would be my choice over GC.
Regular Rotella 15w40 probably wouldn't be a bad choice either.
Regular Rotella 15w40 probably wouldn't be a bad choice either.
I have the Kohler Commander 17.5 in a JDL110, about 4 years old now. Has had nothing but a diet of Mobil 1 5w-40, similar to your oil. This is the only oil I use in ALL of my engines. Good choice. Philip.
What weight does the mfr recommend?
Rotella T 10-30, or even straight 30, usually works pretty well in these engines.
Rotella T 10-30, or even straight 30, usually works pretty well in these engines.
JTK
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Originally Posted By: mopar400
Would this be overkill? This is my first mower with a pressurized oil system and want to give it the best oil possible. Or would i be better off wit GC?
Thanks!
It depends totally on how/where you use this engine. Like said, these engines will run well on anything 0w20 to 20w50. You just need to gear it to your use. IMO, 5w40 is the perfect balance that covers all ground for small, air cooled OPE. For the typical 1hr/week user any old 10w30 will fit the bill and the machine will fail before the engine does.
Joel
Would this be overkill? This is my first mower with a pressurized oil system and want to give it the best oil possible. Or would i be better off wit GC?
Thanks!
It depends totally on how/where you use this engine. Like said, these engines will run well on anything 0w20 to 20w50. You just need to gear it to your use. IMO, 5w40 is the perfect balance that covers all ground for small, air cooled OPE. For the typical 1hr/week user any old 10w30 will fit the bill and the machine will fail before the engine does.
Joel
That oil will be fine, and I don't think it is overkill at all. I run M1 5W-40 TDT in my riders, 1. a 16hp B&S air cooled and 2. a 20hp Kawasaki liquid cooled, in fact the owners manual recommends a 40w oil in temps from 0*-122*+
Mopar400, is it brand new? Does it have a spin-on filter? The site does not mention a 14hp unit.
I would use a modestly-priced 10w30 and change it every 2-3 hours for the first dozen hours of use. These engines shed a LOT of metal during this time. Even the ones with a spin-on filter should be changed more frequently when new. Consider three 8-10 hour intervals before settling in on a 50 hour interval.
I would also use a top-lube of some sort when it's brand new: Schaeffer Neutra, 2-cycle oil, MMO, Lucas UCL, etc ... during this time so the ring seats gradually. It seems to reduce oil consumption in the short and long term.
Once you have the machine well broken in, I would use a 15w40 HDEO. You won't burn it off or shear it down and unless you need the cold-start performance of a synthetic, the 5W-40 is just pointless overkill.
I would use a modestly-priced 10w30 and change it every 2-3 hours for the first dozen hours of use. These engines shed a LOT of metal during this time. Even the ones with a spin-on filter should be changed more frequently when new. Consider three 8-10 hour intervals before settling in on a 50 hour interval.
I would also use a top-lube of some sort when it's brand new: Schaeffer Neutra, 2-cycle oil, MMO, Lucas UCL, etc ... during this time so the ring seats gradually. It seems to reduce oil consumption in the short and long term.
Once you have the machine well broken in, I would use a 15w40 HDEO. You won't burn it off or shear it down and unless you need the cold-start performance of a synthetic, the 5W-40 is just pointless overkill.
Thanks for all of the replies, sounds like 5w40 is a good choice.
Originally Posted By: Bror Jace
Mopar400, is it brand new? Does it have a spin-on filter? The site does not mention a 14hp unit.
I would use a modestly-priced 10w30 and change it every 2-3 hours for the first dozen hours of use. These engines shed a LOT of metal during this time. Even the ones with a spin-on filter should be changed more frequently when new. Consider three 8-10 hour intervals before settling in on a 50 hour interval.
I would also use a top-lube of some sort when it's brand new: Schaeffer Neutra, 2-cycle oil, MMO, Lucas UCL, etc ... during this time so the ring seats gradually. It seems to reduce oil consumption in the short and long term.
Once you have the machine well broken in, I would use a 15w40 HDEO. You won't burn it off or shear it down and unless you need the cold-start performance of a synthetic, the 5W-40 is just pointless overkill.
Nope its used, and does have a spin on filter. Kohlers site just lists the cv11-cv16 in there manuals, im guessing they are all similar.
Originally Posted By: Bror Jace
Mopar400, is it brand new? Does it have a spin-on filter? The site does not mention a 14hp unit.
I would use a modestly-priced 10w30 and change it every 2-3 hours for the first dozen hours of use. These engines shed a LOT of metal during this time. Even the ones with a spin-on filter should be changed more frequently when new. Consider three 8-10 hour intervals before settling in on a 50 hour interval.
I would also use a top-lube of some sort when it's brand new: Schaeffer Neutra, 2-cycle oil, MMO, Lucas UCL, etc ... during this time so the ring seats gradually. It seems to reduce oil consumption in the short and long term.
Once you have the machine well broken in, I would use a 15w40 HDEO. You won't burn it off or shear it down and unless you need the cold-start performance of a synthetic, the 5W-40 is just pointless overkill.
Nope its used, and does have a spin on filter. Kohlers site just lists the cv11-cv16 in there manuals, im guessing they are all similar.
Originally Posted By: mopar400
Would this be overkill? This is my first mower with a pressurized oil system and want to give it the best oil possible. Or would i be better off wit GC?
Thanks!
i`m using gc in mine,and it works just fine.
Would this be overkill? This is my first mower with a pressurized oil system and want to give it the best oil possible. Or would i be better off wit GC?
Thanks!
i`m using gc in mine,and it works just fine.
"Synthetic isn't a bad idea. Air cooled engines often get oil fairly hot."
It won't get too hot for 15w40 unless it is somehow being abused. Use synthetic if you want to ... but you'll be throwing (some) money away for virtually nothing. The only thing I use synthetics for these days is cold starting ability. For that purpose, they reign supreme.
I also like the idea of using Purolater filters instead of the Kohler OEM filters ... even Supertech filters if you will be changing the oil fairly frequenty (more than once per year).
It won't get too hot for 15w40 unless it is somehow being abused. Use synthetic if you want to ... but you'll be throwing (some) money away for virtually nothing. The only thing I use synthetics for these days is cold starting ability. For that purpose, they reign supreme.
I also like the idea of using Purolater filters instead of the Kohler OEM filters ... even Supertech filters if you will be changing the oil fairly frequenty (more than once per year).
Originally Posted By: Bror Jace
"Synthetic isn't a bad idea. Air cooled engines often get oil fairly hot."
It won't get too hot for 15w40 unless it is somehow being abused. Use synthetic if you want to ... but you'll be throwing (some) money away for virtually nothing. The only thing I use synthetics for these days is cold starting ability. For that purpose, they reign supreme.
I agree we worry wayyyyy to much about oil, and any oil related failure is rare if it ever happens anymore......Butttttt don't synthetics demonstrate better anti shear properties, which would be important with a multi viscosity oil in an air cooled engine? Hence the recomendation by the manufacturers to use synthetics if using multi viscosity oils.....or have I been throwing my money away on Rotella Syn 5W-40 in all my air cooleds?
I admit I know just enough to be dangerous, and am not passionate enough about oil to argue.....so I am kinda asking.
"Synthetic isn't a bad idea. Air cooled engines often get oil fairly hot."
It won't get too hot for 15w40 unless it is somehow being abused. Use synthetic if you want to ... but you'll be throwing (some) money away for virtually nothing. The only thing I use synthetics for these days is cold starting ability. For that purpose, they reign supreme.
I agree we worry wayyyyy to much about oil, and any oil related failure is rare if it ever happens anymore......Butttttt don't synthetics demonstrate better anti shear properties, which would be important with a multi viscosity oil in an air cooled engine? Hence the recomendation by the manufacturers to use synthetics if using multi viscosity oils.....or have I been throwing my money away on Rotella Syn 5W-40 in all my air cooleds?
I admit I know just enough to be dangerous, and am not passionate enough about oil to argue.....so I am kinda asking.
Seems to me if they arent worse, why worry about money. It you think they are better then use them. Your talking 20 dollars a gallon for Rotella Syn and it will last you 2 yrs on yearly oil changes. Even it it was 1 year it seems like the cost is almost nill compaired to most everything else. I guess it would get expensive if you had a fleet to maintain but for a personal peice of equipment the cost is almost nothing. i dont know for sure that synthetics are better but i know they are not worse so for me it seems like a small price to pay for piece of mind that im doing the best i can for the engine.
Guys, you're right ... it doesn't really matter too much between 5W-40 and 15w40. In theory, the oils should shear about the same ... a synthetic (even Grp III) will shear less than a Group II or II+ ... but the smaller gap between the two numbers should favor the conventional 15w40. I'd say it's a wash.
On a side note, anyone ever see a UOA that showed a 15w40 shearing? Even if it does (after some hard/long use!) it will probably be a solid 30 weight ... no risk there.
And the cost is another silly issue ... breaking it down it's a few dimes per month difference in maintenance cost between the two. I use the same arguments suggesting people use super-premium gear oils in manual transmissions and diffs. It's dimes ... even pennies ... per month.
I still tend to prefer 15w40 in OPE during the warmest months because for the motors that lack filters, I like to change the oil often, especially when they are new (less than 50 hours). And I hate to drain out synthetic with only a couple dozen or less hours on it. So, I use the cheaper 15w40 more out of guilt in these applications.
On a side note, anyone ever see a UOA that showed a 15w40 shearing? Even if it does (after some hard/long use!) it will probably be a solid 30 weight ... no risk there.
And the cost is another silly issue ... breaking it down it's a few dimes per month difference in maintenance cost between the two. I use the same arguments suggesting people use super-premium gear oils in manual transmissions and diffs. It's dimes ... even pennies ... per month.
I still tend to prefer 15w40 in OPE during the warmest months because for the motors that lack filters, I like to change the oil often, especially when they are new (less than 50 hours). And I hate to drain out synthetic with only a couple dozen or less hours on it. So, I use the cheaper 15w40 more out of guilt in these applications.
I just wanted to post an update. I had to switch to T5 10w30 semi-synthetic because the motor was making a loud taping noise until the engine got up to temp. I think the 5w40 was to thick for the pressurized oil system. But the T5 is doing great!
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