Small Briggs & Straton 4.5 Push Mower

[00Crew]

Hey Guys,
I don't check the oil in my push mower enough, I know tisk tisk. I guess since it is a little $100 "Weed Eater" from Wally World so I tend to ignore the maint.

Anyways, I checked the oil today before mowing. The good thing is, it has oil, but it doesn't even look like oil, hah. It is black to say the least.

How can I look up how much oil the mower holds? Also, what should I use in it.

I have the following laying around, can I use any of it?
2 Quarts of Synthetic SuperTech 10-30 (What I use in my riding mower)
1 Quart of Synthetic Amsoil 10-30
1 Quart of Mobil1 10-30

Please keep in mind, I no longer use synthetic in my autos that I have now. I may switch my wife's vehicle that she just bought, but to neither of those brands probably. So I have no use for them, might as well get some kind of use out of em.

Thanks

 

[hate2work]

Well, 10W-30 is the proper weight for your mower, so you've got that covered lol

Just choose one and use it. Most of those small engines take about 16 oz or so. Some have a dipstick and some you just fill til it runs out at level.

 

[Andyge]

With a Briggs & Straton I think it calls for SAE 30 or Synthetic 5w-30 but any of those Synthetic that you have listed would do just fine.



Andy

 

[greenaccord02]

Should be 20 ounces on a complete drain.

 

[crazyoildude]

i have always used straight 30 in all my yard machines even my 1966 Allis Charmers Briggs and stratton snow blower which still starts and runs great..The only part i replaced was the ignition it had breaker points but they disintegrated and i converted it to electronic ignition..

 

[Hokiefyd]

Yes, you can use any of that oil. I usually prefer 30WT Rotella or similar in my small engines. I had a bottle of Pennzoil High Mileage 10W-30 laying around that I used half of in a co-worker's mower this week. Pretty much any xW-30 or xW-40 will work fine. I used to run the 0W-30 German Castrol in the Hondas. I don't remember why I quit using it. Probably because I had so much other oil laying around; I quit buying individual quarts for the mowers.

 

[yeehaw1960]

Yup...read the book. It will almost always tell you straight 30 weight. Exceptions would be that Hondas say 10W-30...so do many engines on John Deer power products.

I use about 60 or so quarts of straight 30wt HD each summer on mowers. Sometimes 10W-30 is sale, but I don't buy it.

Being a dumb hillbilly and all, can someone tell me the big difference between straight 30 wt and 10W-30. I know, I just fell off the turnip truck! I don't want to mess up my customers mowers, and while I'm pseudo engine smart, I'm definitely oil dumb.

 

[kcfx4]

10w30 is required on all kohler ohv engines. All briggs and kawasakis require sae 30, multi viscosity oils are mentioned based on temperature, but we are talking about a mower, so sae30

 

[McKittrick]

I use 15W-40 since there is always a quart left over in the gallon jugs when I change oil in the truck.

The mower seems to like that oil.

 

[boraticus]

From what I've read, multi grade oil will not hold it's viscosity indexing as well as a single grade oil. Straight 30 weight is recommended as optimum but multi grade oils are also included on the list of engine lubricants.

Personally, I don't sweat whether it's 30, 10W30 or 10W40 as long as it's a good brand name and the oil is reasonably priced. If I see Shell Formula 10W40 for selling for $1.79 beside Shell 30 selling for $3.99, well, that's pretty much a no brainer. I'll scoop up a bunch of the 10W40.

These engines need fresh oil at regular OCIs. It's been my experience that the engine really doesn't respond any differently regardless which oil I use provided it's within the designated viscosity range. I have engines with many, many hours on them, still running strong by using decent oils of varying weights and brands. It really doesn't matter. Regular oil changes with proper viscosity is what counts.

 

[Wilhelm_D]

Originally Posted By: 00Crew
I have the following laying around, can I use any of it?
2 Quarts of Synthetic SuperTech 10-30 (What I use in my riding mower)
1 Quart of Synthetic Amsoil 10-30
1 Quart of Mobil1 10-30


http://www.briggsandstratton.com/maint_repair/routine_maintenance/changing_oil/

SAE 30 and SAE 10W-30 - you're good to go whether they are conventional or synthetic.

Synthetic 5W-30 is also good to go between -20F and 120F.