SAE30 ND used in mower with oil filter

Lockasiam

Lockasiam

Joined
Oct 28, 2024
Messages
439
Location
IN
Just picked up a very used zero turn from some family and from what I know, the last oil change on it was the one I helped them do many many years ago. Oil barley read on the stick so I added about a quart and a half (!) of some of the remaining ND 30 they had in the garage which is what went in who knows how long ago.
My question is on an API SA(!) Non detergent oil, is there a chance the oil filter caught any debris or if it all settled in the pan as happens with ND oil. The remaining half quart of oil was basically vantablack so I’m probably gonna put some Supertech seafoam equivalent in it and run it for an hour and dump it.
 
Wow! Just do a oil change with the proper oil and change the filter and be done with it. Don't overthink it. Please do cut the filter open and let us see inside. ND30 oil has no business in any internal combustion engine. Do a proper oil change and get that thing back on the right track. Even cheapy junk zero turn mowers cost thousands of dollars so it's worth taking care of.
 
FowVay said:
Just do an oil change with the proper oil and change the filter and be done with it.
Click to expand...
I’m gonna put some ST full syn 10w30 and try to oversize to an ST16 filter, if not I’ll just put the usual 3614 on it but I’m still very concerned with how much tar might be in the bottom of the sump. Only reason I topped it up with ND30 was to move it onto the trailer and my 10w30 jug I keep on me was nearly empty
 
Before running it much, I would be temped to flush out the sump with some diesel or kerosene. I bet there is some junk in there...
 
Diesel soak sounds like a better idea than a solvent flush, I’ll go ahead and put a half gallon in before I take it home on Tuesday
 
Lockasiam said:
Just picked up a very used zero turn from some family and from what I know, the last oil change on it was the one I helped them do many many years ago. Oil barley read on the stick so I added about a quart and a half (!) of some of the remaining ND 30 they had in the garage which is what went in who knows how long ago.
My question is on an API SA(!) Non detergent oil, is there a chance the oil filter caught any debris or if it all settled in the pan as happens with ND oil. The remaining half quart of oil was basically vantablack so I’m probably gonna put some Supertech seafoam equivalent in it and run it for an hour and dump it.
Click to expand...
I bought a 1965 Mustang w/289 Mustang. I assume run on ND oil. This was maybe 1970. I dumped the oil and filled it with Quaker State detergent 10W30 my Dad had by the case. I believe inside the oil pump was filled with sludge. The detergent oil loosened enough sludge to jam the oil pump. Unknown to me the pencil like metal shaft driving the oil pump from distributor snapped and I ruined the engine and then rebuilt it. Good learning experience for a 17 year old (me).

I probably should have eased in the detergent oil. Like 1/2 or 1 QT to start.

No BITOG to ask back then.

So be careful.
 
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I think Quacker State was the problem didn't realize that knock off oils existed back then. LOL
Sorry Donald couldn't help myself sure you meant Quaker !
 
Lockasiam said:
Just picked up a very used zero turn from some family and from what I know, the last oil change on it was the one I helped them do many many years ago. Oil barley read on the stick so I added about a quart and a half (!) of some of the remaining ND 30 they had in the garage which is what went in who knows how long ago.
My question is on an API SA(!) Non detergent oil, is there a chance the oil filter caught any debris or if it all settled in the pan as happens with ND oil. The remaining half quart of oil was basically vantablack so I’m probably gonna put some Supertech seafoam equivalent in it and run it for an hour and dump it.
Click to expand...
Sounds a lot like the mowers I get. Don't know about the strict SA 30wt usage when I get them.
What I do is top off the oil with my reclaimed oil. To see if it will even fire.
Using the old SA 30wt is fine. No losses there.
Assuming it fires I'll run it for 5 to 15 minutes, dump the original oil. Filler up with reclamed used car or pickup truck oil, because I'm cheap and see no reason to waste perfectly good oil doing a flush, on a neglected mower. In your case probably finish off the SA 30wt doing a flush or flushes. Run the mower, test it out for 20 minutes to an hour. Dump the flush oil, depending on how dirty it is, if it's still opaque black, refill with reclaimed oil, or the cheapest, oldest oil you're willing to sacrifice. Once the reclaimed or sacrifice oil comes out looking about how it went in, fill with fresh pcmo oil. A real 30wt pcmo oil, not that 20wt bull.
Always replace the air filter. If it's a paper filter, rtv it into place.
 
oil pan 4 said:
Sounds a lot like the mowers I get. Don't know about the strict SA 30wt usage when I get them.
What I do is top off the oil with my reclaimed oil. To see if it will even fire.
Using the old SA 30wt is fine. No losses there.
Assuming it fires I'll run it for 5 to 15 minutes, dump the original oil. Filler up with reclamed used car or pickup truck oil, because I'm cheap and see no reason to waste perfectly good oil doing a flush, on a neglected mower. In your case probably finish off the SA 30wt doing a flush or flushes. Run the mower, test it out for 20 minutes to an hour. Dump the flush oil, depending on how dirty it is, if it's still opaque black, refill with reclaimed oil, or the cheapest, oldest oil you're willing to sacrifice. Once the reclaimed or sacrifice oil comes out looking about how it went in, fill with fresh pcmo oil. A real 30wt pcmo oil, not that 20wt bull.
Always replace the air filter. If it's a paper filter, rtv it into place.
Click to expand...
Good god man, d NEVER ever think of running “reclaimed used car and truck” oil in anything especially a mower. OP: drain that swill out and if ya have Rural King grab gallon of their Providence All Fleet 10w30 HDEO oil.

Anyone that would think reclaimed auto oil for use in something they care about needs a lobotomy!
 
So far I’m thinking about putting diesel in the sump and letting it sit to dissolve the sludge, and putting fresh stuff in for a shorter interval. The only engine I used reclaimed oil in is that one flathead that burns oil or sometimes other special cases
 
53' Stude said:
Good god man, d NEVER ever think of running “reclaimed used car and truck” oil in anything especially a mower. OP: drain that swill out and if ya have Rural King grab gallon of their Providence All Fleet 10w30 HDEO oil.

Anyone that would think reclaimed auto oil for use in something they care about needs a lobotomy!
Click to expand...
It was running perfectly fine in the vehicle it came out of. So what terrible thing is going to happen using reclaimed oil in neglected mowers?
If you bothered to read the post I run the reclaimed oil as top off oil in neglected mowers that I don't even know if they'll start and as flush oil on mowers once they've started and I've dumped out the old nasty oil but I don't know if they're any good. The reclaimed oil gets ran for less than an hour, what's it going to hurt?
I've used at least 2 gallons of reclaimed oil in neglected mowers so far this year and at least another gallon as bar and chain oil. 3 less gallon of oil to buy, but also less gallons to burn this winter. I'd rather buy less and have less to burn. Converting around $50 to less than a third of a million BTUs of heat for no reason isnt economic imo.
Known good engines get fresh new oil obviously.
The next oil change I do in the truck will probably be just so I can get more reclaim oil. I've got a gallon of cleanly captured ICE grade reclaimed oil left, should last another month, maybe.
 
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Lockasiam said:
So far I’m thinking about putting diesel in the sump and letting it sit to dissolve the sludge, and putting fresh stuff in for a shorter interval. The only engine I used reclaimed oil in is that one flathead that burns oil or sometimes other special cases
Click to expand...
If it's an oil burner I usually put some kinda 50wt in there. It appears to get by the rings a little slower.
I Put 20w-50 oil in summer time engines that are known oil burners and engines known hit oil temps in excess of 250f, such as riding mowers, pressure washers.
 
oil pan 4 said:
It was running perfectly fine in the vehicle it came out of. So what terrible thing is going to happen using reclaimed oil in neglected mowers?
If you bothered to read the post I run the reclaimed oil as top off oil in neglected mowers that I don't even know if they'll start and as flush oil on mowers once they've started and I've dumped out the old nasty oil but I don't know if they're any good. The reclaimed oil gets ran for less than an hour, what's it going to hurt?
I've used at least 2 gallons of reclaimed oil in neglected mowers so far this year and at least another gallon as bar and chain oil. 3 less gallon of oil to buy, but also less gallons to burn this winter. I'd rather buy less and have less to burn. Converting around $50 to less than a third of a million BTUs of heat for no reason isnt economic imo.
Known good engines get fresh new oil obviously.
The next oil change I do in the truck will probably be just so I can get more reclaim oil. I've got a gallon of cleanly captured ICE grade reclaimed oil left, should last another month, maybe.
Click to expand...
I read your post yes, long winded yes but I read it. Do whatever you like. Why I keep “new oil” from clearances and store closings around. I sure hope you at least filter this “reclaimed oil” and I’d be careful and also make sure no coolant is in it.
 
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