Snowblower Use - Chevron Delo 400 XSP HD Diesel SAE Fully Synthetic 5W-40 Motor Oil

Joined
Sep 10, 2005
Messages
2,193
Location
Erie, PA
With an HTHS of 4.2 and the high zinc and phosphorus im happy to run this oil in all of my gas and diesel OPE. Where I am concerned is with a snowblow. With the thing be able to start after being in a cold shed? Very few of my snowblowers have electric start.
 
With an HTHS of 4.2 and the high zinc and phosphorus im happy to run this oil in all of my gas and diesel OPE. Where I am concerned is with a snowblow. With the thing be able to start after being in a cold shed? Very few of my snowblowers have electric start.
I'd use 5w-30 unless you want a shoulder work out.
 
Given the conditions one uses a snow blower in, a 30 is probably more than adequate.

My Ariens recommends 5w30. Last year I started using 10w30 because I had extra Amsoil Small Engine 10w30.

I rarely use the electric start, almost never, except to spin the engine over as the first spin of the season and not fire it.

I'd use 5w-30 unless you want a shoulder work out.

But how much harder is it really to pull over a 40wt vs a 30wt? Especially when there's next to no compression to factor in?
 
My Ariens recommends 5w30. Last year I started using 10w30 because I had extra Amsoil Small Engine 10w30.

I rarely use the electric start, almost never, except to spin the engine over as the first spin of the season and not fire it.



But how much harder is it really to pull over a 40wt vs a 30wt? Especially when there's next to no compression to factor in?
Its pretty noticeable. A 10w-30 syn is still thinner than a 5w-40 in the cold....
 
I have never noticed a difference and yes I do pull start my snow thrower sometimes.
Interesting, my old tecumseh on the toro definitely noticed the difference. Even in my Deere with electric start, it spins much quicker with the 5w-30 syn. To clarify, I'm not saying the 5w-40 won't adequately flow, just that 5w-30 syn has made starting much easier in my experiences. .
 
Whats the oil temp. I cant imagine its anywhere close to a lawnmower temp for example.

I'd use a thin 5w30 such as PP. Most of my starting is around 20f-35f(unheated attached garage)
 
With an HTHS of 4.2 and the high zinc and phosphorus im happy to run this oil in all of my gas and diesel OPE. Where I am concerned is with a snowblow. With the thing be able to start after being in a cold shed? Very few of my snowblowers have electric start.
I see a rash of threads coming, "Can I use this bargain Delo XSP 5w-40 stockpile oil in my..."

Are we talking splash lubrication or pump? I'm in the "probably won't make a difference" camp, but yes, a 5w-40 will be more viscous cold than a 5w-30, 5w-20, etc.

Oh, and that oil isn't a high ZDDP oil, not that it matters. It's actually on the low end of the spectrum.
 
I see a rash of threads coming, "Can I use this bargain Delo XSP 5w-40 stockpile oil in my..."

Are we talking splash lubrication or pump? I'm in the "probably won't make a difference" camp, but yes, a 5w-40 will be more viscous cold than a 5w-30, 5w-20, etc.

Oh, and that oil isn't a high ZDDP oil, not that it matters. It's actually on the low end of the spectrum.
 
I've never had issues pull starting a snowblower... neither Tecumeh, Briggs, nor Chonda, using average oils.

The Chondas in particular have a compression release.

In my climate snow typically hits between 15 and 32 degrees F. It gets colder but doesn't snow then.
 
You'll be fine...PA isn't that cold and if it's in a shed then even without insulation it's warmer than ambient temp.
 
I would say a 5w is a 5w no matter how you slice it, conventional or synthetic. How does
operating temp viscosity come into play on initial startup?

Go put a quart of 5w-30 conventional and 5w-30 synthetic in a freezer at 0f and tell me which one flows more quickly.

Base oils, HTHS, VIIs, many other things. Look up the cold viscosity specs of a 5w-40 and then a 5w-30. For instance, a 10w30 synthetic is usually thinner at cold temps than a 0w-40 until you get well below zero.
 
Last edited:
Go put a quart of 5w-30 conventional and 5w-30 synthetic in a freezer at 0f and tell me which one flows more quickly.

Base oils, HTHS, VIIs, many other things. Look up the cold viscosity specs of a 5w-40 and then a 5w-30. For instance, a 10w30 synthetic is usually thinner at cold temps than a 0w-40 until you get well below zero.
Someone should inform the blender that their 5W rated oil is not a 5W.
 
Back
Top