Long term storage with synthetic oil

Anonymous Poster · Oct 19, 2000

I have two machines that get intermittent use, both with 2cyl gas 4 cycle engines. One is a ztr mower that gets used about 20 times during the summer. The other is a Gillette generator that gets used 2 or 3 times a year. I am thinking of using synthetic oil in both but have heard that this oil does not coat as well as pet. oils and that the motors could rust internally during long term storage. Has anybody had any experience with this?

scruffy · Oct 19, 2000

Seems like this is right up MarkC's alley!

MChalkley · Oct 22, 2000

The synthetics manufacturers all claim that synthetics excel at this type of usage. I use it in a generator that has sat for almost two years without being started and it's been fine. I also use the two-cycle oil in a number of things that are used similarly, with very good results. There's no truth to the rumor that synthetic doesn't coat as well and, more importantly, synthetic doesn't suffer the effects of aging due to evaporation nearly as much as petroleum lubes do.

MarkC