Tell me about SAE-30, 40 and ND 30, 40 weights

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Didnt know where to post this. What are the uses for SAE 30 and ND 30 weights and others? I know years ago stuff used these oils, dont know what they may be used in nowadays, so any help and or info is appreciated.
 
OPE often specs SAE 30 in a 4-stroke gas application, and older IDI diesels can use straight SAE 30 HDEO unless it gets too cold (with good batteries & glow plugs-sub 5F in my experience, as long as the engine can be warmed up for a couple minutes). Briggs & Stratton recommended ND 30 years ago, not sure today.
 
In another time zone, maybe before the 60's, Dad kept 30 wgt and 20 wgt in the garage , it was all we had. I used straight 30 wgt in my ancient vw, 1967. It was a non confusing time then,imho.
 
Gotta remember on the west coast cars dont rust.There are still lots of older guys driving 50's,60's and 70's cars around here and running sae30 in them like they ran in the 50's.still stuck in the past. My Jeep seemed to run great on sae30. I'd try it in my pickup if I could find it in a hdeo
 
Even most outdoor power equipment is now recomending 5W or 10W/30 oils, even sythetic is some cases. I agree that straight weight oils are really outdated old school with very little use for then today. I wish they would stop selling the ND oils all together as too many ill informed people dump the stuff in their cars. Non-detergent oils are best left for your oil can for lubing door hinges like mentioned above.
 
I have some Amsoil synthetic non detergent sae 20 in my air compressor, it runs fine with that in there
 
Synthetic oils labeled as straight weight would actually pass for multigrades, but marketing won't let them.

A syn 30 weight could easily be a 10w30 or 15w30 but that would confuse buyers, particularly those who think multigrades are weak or wussy.
 
Just finished mowing my lawn here in Florida with push lawn mower with Briggs & Stratton engine that has straight 30W detergent Super Tech in it. Manual for engine recommends 30W detergent for temperature over 40 degrees. 82 degrees outside today!
 
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Originally Posted By: shell_user
Didnt know where to post this. What are the uses for SAE 30 and ND 30 weights and others? I know years ago stuff used these oils, dont know what they may be used in nowadays, so any help and or info is appreciated.


I know two brothers that only use 30SAE pennzoil in their Bronco because it is a 'big" V8 truck and multigrade is for wimpy cars. I guess 16 years and over 250K of abuse I can not argue results with them, but it helps they live in Chula Vista. I hazard a guess the results would be different in Fairbanks Alaska.
 
I wouldn't doubt in certain applications its "better safe then sorry" thinking. Lawnmowers calling for ND 30 weights probably figure its safer to get people to toss in a robust oil that is unlikely to shear from multigrade additives and detergents. Given that most people abuse the [censored] out of their mower without checking or changing the oil, better off putting something in there that will survive abuse, even if better oils exist.

If you regularly check and change your oil though, I agree. A quality detergent 10W-30 in a mower should easily replace 30ND without any issues. I mean its still technically possible to get a shear-hungry 10W-30 in a 30ND application but if you're not abusing it it should absolutely never cause a fuss.

Using SAE30 in a truck like dave mentions there, thats funny. I know someone around here was running SAE30 in summer, just because it was far far cheaper to chuck in in the sweltering heat, but in a water cooled engine I seriously don't see the need to insist on it. I'd love to see them drive that Bronco up North though and try to start it in even the most brisk of weather.
 
Saw an empty bottle of "American" 30 weight in a convenience store trash bin out by the gas pumps. About 0-10'F highs here. Was most likely just a top off, hopefully they have a few quarts of jiffy lube 5w30 in the sump.
 
ND oil has no place in an engine.
Some diesel drivers like it as a fuel additive, though, particularly truckers.
Straight grades are okay in warm weather.
Subaru actually allows for the use of a straight grade 30 or 40 meeting API SL in our Forester for severe conditons.
I ran a straight 30 in our '81 Vanagon summers.
No real need for a straight grade in most applications anymore, but some folks still use them.
As long as they're detergent oils, no harm is done.
 
Originally Posted By: GMBoy
Even most outdoor power equipment is now recomending 5W or 10W/30 oils, even sythetic is some cases. I agree that straight weight oils are really outdated old school with very little use for then today.


Agreed. They are pretty much obsolete, but there are some reasonable uses for them, so I wouldn't want to see them to disappear from the shelves. Just because someone is ill informed and refuses to read a manual or a bottle doesn't mean that someone with a mower or air compressor should have problems finding a straight 30, ND or not.
 
My 1984 Jeep Cherokee just got some Western Family ND30 yesterday, about half a quart. Very close to 27,000 miles on this oil change, which started as 3 quarts Accel ND30, one quart SuperTech 5w-20 and a 2007 SuperTech oil filter. That was in 2007. ALOT has happened since then, and maby 3 quarts Various ND30 oil for Top-Off since then,.I think more like 2 1/2 quarts. Chevy 2.8V6 with 255,311 miles. Had a ChryCryCrysler 904 3 speed and NP229 Selec-Trac behind her until last week,.now has a Aisin AX-5 5 speed and NP207 Command-Trac.
 
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I just read that to my dog (she can't read) and she started crying. When you treat your engine so badly that the story makes a dog cry it might be time to rethink your maintenance regimen or start a country band.
 
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