Oil Question

[N1ST]

The mfg of a mower I have recommends sae 30w engine oil. Because of this it recommends not starting it unless it's 40f or warmer. Can 30w be replaced with something like 5w-30 and still offer the same protection? I think 5w-30 would allow me to run the engine in the winter if I need to move the mower.

 

[Z-Michigan]

Yes, that should be fine. I would probably use 10W-30 if winter use will be only an occasional possibility, and 5W-30 if regular winter use is your plan.

 

[Doc_Bob]

Why would you want to start it?
Bob

 

[DieselPower]

You should be fine with a multi-visosity like 5W or 10W/30. Many manufacturers of small engines are starting to spec multi-viscosity oils in their engines these day's. They just seem to be a few decades behind the auto industry.

 

[Patches]

I use 5W30 in the fall and 30W in the heat of summer. I've found my small engines; 12HP Kohler Commander, 6HP Briggs Intec and 13HP Tecumseh Commercial all "use" more of the multi-vis oil than the straight 30W.I keep 5W30 in my 13HP Honda generator year round, as it is seldom used, usually during winter power outages

 

[N1ST]

Thanks for the replies. It's a B&S v twin 21hp. The mower it's on is too large to be moved manually.

 

[Marcussen]

I use 10W30 in all my mowers

 

[RalphVa]

I use 5w30 in all my engines except for 10w40 in the 1983 Benz speced for that.

For your engine, I'd use 5w30. If you can get 0w30 and really need to start it in winter, get it and use it all year round. Use synthetic and you'll only need to change once/year. If I could get 0w30, that's what I'd be using in all the engines (except that old Benz). I can occasionally find 0w40 or 5w40 for the Benz and use those instead of 10w40. Change it once/year, too.

I worked in the lube oil manufacturing business for a little bitty oil company that has since acquired another. Call themselves EM now. Done the viscosity calcs and have seen research work. 0w is better than 5w or 10w with synthetics. Main problem with lower xxxw oils in the old days was it took gobs of additives, that would break down, to get the low xxxw. Not so with synthetics.

Ralph

 

[Scrounger]

I use 5w40 Rotella in all my gas and diesel engines. Never had a problem. I think my Honda push mower loves it! Power washer, generator, and push mowers all get the same oil.

 

[N1ST]

Scrounger,

Do you use the synth T type? I take it that the diesel oil certification satisfies the gas engine oil reqs but not the other way around?

 

[MikePA]

I take it that the diesel oil certification satisfies the gas engine oil reqs but not the other way around?

There are 2 separate API ratings, one for diesel engines (Cx) and one for gasoline engines (Sx). Many oils list both classifications. If they don't, you can't infer a certain diesel rating meets a certain gasoline rating.

 

[DieselPower]

As MikePA said they are not the same and neither swings both way's. Commercial C category (diesel) engine oils tend to have a much more robust additive package than it's Service S category (gas) counterpart. However, some C category engine oils have a additive package that have additive levels that are to high to pass the S category. Some oils are single API rated while others are multi rated as both C and S category. For a simple description of the API certification category system it's probably best to view the API's website info. http://www.api.org/certifications/engineoil/categories/upload/EngineOilGuide2006.pdf

 

[KICK]

You should be fine with a multi-visosity like 5W or 10W/30. Many manufacturers of small engines are starting to spec multi-viscosity oils in their engines these day's. They just seem to be a few decades behind the auto industry.

face it, 90% of small equipment is only used in summer months and SAE30 probably gives marginally improved protection over 10w30 in those applications.

other than that, oil doesn't hardly matter in a Briggs, I've seen more than one of them running around without any slippery stuff inside the crankcase. LOL.