SAE 30 or 10W-30 for older IH FARMALL

[RalphVa]

Recently acquired older 1972 IH Farmall 140, manual states SAE 30 oil ok to use 10W-30 or 10W-40 or stick with SAE 30 or does it eve matter? Thank you!

I'd use a 0w, 5w or 10w30 oil in it. They weren't around when the manual was written.

 

[tomplum]

Gotta love oil and additive threads! OPE oils are just fine to be used in liquid cooled engines and are specified to do so. If you want zinc.... Straight SAE 30 has an advantage with high heat more so than a multi grade which makes it desirable in some applications.

 

[Boss 302]

I would not recommend 15w-40 if it's a small gas engine, I would use 10w-30 or even 10w-40 if it were mine.

 

[RickB]

Gotta love oil and additive threads! OPE oils are just fine to be used in liquid cooled engines and are specified to do so. If you want zinc.... Straight SAE 30 has an advantage with high heat more so than a multi grade which makes it desirable in some applications.

Who said OPE oils were not appropriate?
How much heat are you going to make with a 65 year old water cooled gas engine running 1650 RPM cranking out 25 hp from 152 cu. in?

 

[jaydee325]

This is a copy and paste "SAE 30 and 10W30 aren’t the same. SAE 30 is an oil that has a viscosity of 30 at overly high temperatures. The 10W30, on the other hand, has a grade 10 viscosity at low temperatures and grade 30 viscosity when the temperature is high. "

Not exactly true.

Read this:

https://www.belray.com/what-exactly-do-the-multi-visc-designations-mean/

 

[tomplum]

Who said OPE oils were not appropriate?
How much heat are you going to make with a 65 year old water cooled gas engine running 1650 RPM cranking out 25 hp from 152 cu. in?

Dunno who said that they weren't appropriate. My comment was in reference to a couple of points brought up in the thread: 1) The zinc content making them more appropriate for flat tappet engines 2) Regarding some differences between 10W30 VS SAE 30 in certain applications. I wouldn't think this little guy would build much heat internally either. But then again, I dunno. That was info from Briggs and I've seen referenced with other air cooled engine manufacturers at times. Just an interesting point.

 

[RickB]

Dunno who said that they weren't appropriate.

 

[Cycledude]

Never do what the manufacturer recommends ! Oil threads get pretty interesting

 

[RalphVa]

Gotta love oil and additive threads! OPE oils are just fine to be used in liquid cooled engines and are specified to do so. If you want zinc.... Straight SAE 30 has an advantage with high heat more so than a multi grade which makes it desirable in some applications.

No multi grade will always be better.

 

[RalphVa]

I would not recommend 15w-40 if it's a small gas engine, I would use 10w-30 or even 10w-40 if it were mine.

I wouldn't use 15w40 for even a dog engine. Too heavy unless a diesel locomotive or ship engine.