SAE 30 in John Deere riding mower

[Bettez88]

John Deere recommends using 10W-30 in my John Deere LT 155 riding mower. What I run into any issues using straight 30 weight oil since I really only use this during spring summer and early fall for leaves. He has a Kohler CV 15 engine single cylinder

 

[kschachn]

Okay. They are both 30-grade oils.

 

[simple_gifts]

Make sure it is a detergent oil, not a SA rated non detergent one.....

 

[BMW Dom]

You'll be good with a straight 30 or synthetic 10w30.

I would think a synthetic 10w30 would be easier to find.

Enjoy the mower!

 

[Tdbo]

I use either a syn or a syn blend 10w30 in mine.
It won't hurt anything. If you have a stash of 30w, use it.
Otherwise, I'd use the 10w30, which is the recommendation.

 

[Rand]

15w40 is fine too. those engines get pretty hot.

I would run a 10w30 or 15w40 diesel rated oil in it.. such as rotella,delvac, etc

owners manual

 

[FT92]

i have a 21 year old JD LX255 15 HP Kohler and have used 30 or 10-30 never had an oil related problem ..you should be good to go

 

[JavierH19]

John Deere recommends using 10W-30 in my John Deere LT 155 riding mower. What I run into any issues using straight 30 weight oil since I really only use this during spring summer and early fall for leaves. He has a Kohler CV 15 engine single cylinder

Of course not but why would you. Supertech 5w-30 syn blend in api sp is just under $3 In quart bottles. Unless that Dino sae 30 is $1.50 a quart I wouldn't bother wasting my money on it. If it's an api sa or sb rated junk i wouldn't even put it in if for free.

 

[Eddie]

My JD L111 with a B&S 20 hp twinn is susposed to use 5w30 synthetic or 10w30 dino oil I oped for synthetic 10w30 Pennzoil. Ed

 

[Astro_Guy]

John Deere recommends using 10W-30 in my John Deere LT 155 riding mower. What I run into any issues using straight 30 weight oil since I really only use this during spring summer and early fall for leaves. He has a Kohler CV 15 engine single cylinder

That would be fine, provided the oil meets API Service Grade SJ or later. Someone mentioned earlier to avoid API Service Grade SA. Personally I favor a synthetic 15w-40 like RT6.

 

[Merek]

Generally you use sae 30 in the older flatheads but if it's OHV then they recommend that you use a multi-grade oil instead. I know Briggs has totally revamped their recommendations to use 5w30 synthetic, 10w30 but doesn't specify which conventional or synthetic, they also list their 15w50 for the hottest temperatures.

Small engines are fairly robust and you can run pretty much anything in them as long as it's actual motor oil they don't complain. I've been running a mixture of 1qt Pennzoil sae 30 and filling the remaining part and then topping it off with Shell RGT 5w30 but I'm using an older Briggs opposed twin. The sae 30 mostly comes only in qt bottles which are more expensive to buy which is why I use the one and I have the RGT leftover from oil changes. I've tried different oils and for some reason Castrol sae 30 made the engine rap a lil more but with the Pennzoil it runs nice and smooth. I've found these engines can sometimes be picky on which oil you choose.

 

[tnt_motorsports]

John Deere recommends using 10W-30 in my John Deere LT 155 riding mower. What I run into any issues using straight 30 weight oil since I really only use this during spring summer and early fall for leaves. He has a Kohler CV 15 engine single cylinder

I have an LT150 with the Kohler and I run Super Tech Full Synthetic HM 10W30. The mower seems to work good on it. As someone previously stated these engines do get a little hot so I'd use synthetic of an HDEO IMO.

Just my $0.02

 

[Lubener]

Generally you use sae 30 in the older flatheads but if it's OHV then they recommend that you use a multi-grade oil instead. I know Briggs has totally revamped their recommendations to use 5w30 synthetic, 10w30 but doesn't specify which conventional or synthetic, they also list their 15w50 for the hottest temperatures.

Small engines are fairly robust and you can run pretty much anything in them as long as it's actual motor oil they don't complain. I've been running a mixture of 1qt Pennzoil sae 30 and filling the remaining part and then topping it off with Shell RGT 5w30 but I'm using an older Briggs opposed twin. The sae 30 mostly comes only in qt bottles which are more expensive to buy which is why I use the one and I have the RGT leftover from oil changes. I've tried different oils and for some reason Castrol sae 30 made the engine rap a lil more but with the Pennzoil it runs nice and smooth. I've found these engines can sometimes be picky on which oil you choose.

My OHV engines specify SAE 30 for summer temperatures.

 

[dlundblad]

My OHV engines specify SAE 30 for summer temperatures.

This is likely just an 80’s era manual/ mindset that they have yet to update.

 

[Lubener]

This is likely just an 80’s era manual/ mindset that they have yet to update.

Doubtful.

 

[Astro_Guy]

My OHV engines specify SAE 30 for summer temperatures.

So do mine, among other choices.

That being said, SAE 30 oil is getting harder to find and not available in synthetic. There are plenty of choices in 10w-30 synthetic as well as RT6 in 15w-40. B&S also recommends 15w-50 synthetic for commercial use, and that is available in Mobil 1. 15w-40 RT6 seems like a good choice to me. When purchased by the gallon it's about the same or even less cost that a conventional SAE 30.

 

[odie]

Shell Rotella synthetic 5w-40 good choice . Used it for several O.C.s of an 13 H.P. B+S .

 

[ripcord]

The Kohler Command motors have hydraulic lifters and can be harder to start with mono grade oils, which is a reason Kohler recommended 10w30. I never had any issues with any flavor of 5Wx, 10Wx, or 15Wx, personally.

 

[Dennywires]

10w30 be my pick

 

[Quantico]

I use either a syn or a syn blend 10w30 in mine.
It won't hurt anything. If you have a stash of 30w, use it.
Otherwise, I'd use the 10w30, which is the recommendation.

My kohler m18 and m20 engines show dramatic low low oil pressure with anything but straight 30. Not sure if the poster engine is from 86 when my engines were made. But 10 w 30 will cost me 3000 to 4000 dollars per horozontal engine. Thats not what i want..