I use full synthetic in my machines . I'm surprised that no one else mentioned this but the biggest advantage to synthetic oil is the thermal stability, natural oils begin to break down quickly at around 300 degrees synthetics can live as high as 400. In our air cooled engines the oil temp, particularly in summer can easily reach 225 - 250, pretty close to the limits of natural oil.The closer oil gets to it's max temp the faster it breaks down. The oil weight can help too, in hot summer months the heavier oil alone is a plus but for fall winter and early spring I go to running a 5 or 10w30 so the oil gets pumped through the engine quickly at startup. As far as change intervals goes soon as oil starts to get dark it's gone! But I do generally expect at least 50 hours before I can see any color change at all and change no later than 100 hours. I have one mower with nearly 3000 hours that with synthetic oil is just getting to be a light brown typically at 100 hours a second the same way at 2500.
Jim W WRONG! Oil doesn't break down, it gets dirty in it and the additives fail, and synthetic oil is the same as conventional, just more refined so that the oil molecules are all closer to the same size, please do research before splattering miss info all over the internet. Have a wonderful day - Lolaine.
Thank you for your service, I did six years in the Army Military Police Corps and then 25 years with the U. S. Department of Justice. Now I’m retired and started a lawn care service a few years ago, I use synthetic oil and change it about every fifty hours in my Briggs commercial turf engine. I could probably change it at 100 hrs but it’s cheap insurance that the engine is protected against premature wear. Thank you again for your service and thank you for the videos!!!!!
I have a 10HP. rider , rear engine Craftsman I bought in 2001, I mow 1 acre every week (3 hours) April to November (70-100 hours) since that date I bought it.( I change oil twice a year) I use a Mixture of 30W Pennzoil with about 4 oz. of STP motor honey (heated to make it pourable when I add it to crankcase). After 17 plus years engine still runs good. (I clean carb ) every month. (Inline filters!
Most OEM recommended oils are synthetic. Like what we sell at the shop, Kawasaki 4-tec, Kohler, Briggs, John Deere, Kinetix and so on. Well they’re “part” synthetic anyway. Small engines require a somewhat different api service rated oil than modern cars nowadays. The oil class for small air cooled engines (class sj, cg-4, cf-4, cf, ch-4/sh) can withstand higher temperatures opposed to water cooled car engine oil, has more anti-frothing properties, and is more resistant to degradation under high fluctuations in temp, engine rpm, gear impaction profile, and not to mention safer for plastics that are inside most of all small engines. Zinc is the number one additive that’s most important to small engine oil. So if you’ve always used the recommended oil per your lawnmower manufacturer then you’ve been using synthetic oil. Using regular car engine oil in a lawnmower engine wouldn’t hurt it in short term but the long term effects are serious, especially the Briggs and Stratton push mower engines model 31000 and past being that they have nylon cam gears and nylon camshaft lobes. It also affects all Kohler courage model engines with twin cams, some of the horizontal crank command series. Kawasaki engines are better at handling regular car engine oil but it still isn’t advised.
synthetic is going to be much better in the long run, but what is equally important is the oil change itself. doing it religiously or even early will help your engine in the long run. its one of those things, your engine doesnt blow up if your a 50 hours over on your oil change but when your engine lasts 1000hrs instead of 3000hrs is when you see it. also just keeping the oil topped up and paying attention if its "making oil"(which means fuel is getting into the oil) are 2 big ones i see for blown engines and worn out engines
I been cutting grass.commercially for over 30 years..the best oil for a hot running air cooled engine is Shell Rotella T6 full synthetic..I seen engines running strong with well over 4K hours.
The main number you look for is the protection it provides when to mower is hot which if your mower calls for SAE 30 you can use 5-30 weather it conventional or synthetic it doesn't matter What 5-30 means is when cold the oil acts as a 5wt and when hot it acts as a 30wt. Synthetic oil is designed to provide longer protection meaning it doesn't break down as fast as conventional oil so you can go longer between oil changes.
This sounds crazy but when I bought my first lawn mower in 2001, I used the B and S synthetic oil that had just come out. Since then I have always used synthetic oil 5w-40 or 5w-30. It takes only 600 ml so the cost is no problem. I change it once a year. That lawn mower is still working after all those years.
@@Bladesofgrasslawncare sometimes user manual are often misleading. In petrol generators, the Manual recommends 10w30 or sae30 but sincerely I only rely on the API S. I used Heavy Duty Diesel multigrade engine oils that can be used on both petrol and diesel engines and my 1200 Watts Petrol generator is still doing great
Hey good topic. I always used Kouler 20W/50. My dealer recommended that for my efi ExMark's . I don't use the Kouler name brand anymore because, $9 a quart can get expensive every 50 hrs. I use Castrol GTX 20W/50 . I buy it in the 5 quart jug,it's probably half the price. Wal-mart online seems to have the best price/free shipping if you spend a certain amount. (Forgot to mention I don't use synthetics on my ExMark's)However I own a Ferris with Vanguard oil guard. It has a 5 quart oil resivour that uses 15W/50 synthetic. Their is no break in period for changing the oil on these mowers. You can go 500 hrs before needing an oil change. The engine temps stay cool because oil is always circulating. I think this is a game changer for the commercial industry. Im down in Louisiana, just started a channel on RUclips.
Of course, the lawnmower manufacturer is going to recommend Kowler oil because they share the profits of that overpriced oil. Kowler does now make its own oil. Some other large oil company makes it for them and slaps their label on the can. I recommend getting a good quality and brand of full synthetic oil to use in your engine. Make sure the weight and change intervals follow the manufacturer's recommendations. An engine is an engine, no matter what platform it is installed in. If you want the best oil for the best protection, select full synthetic and you will be pleased how well it works in your lawnmower!
@@JsCrazyCutzLLC Amsoil's overpriced crap and is only sold in a pyramid scheme. Ask them why they don't proudly display the API label on their oil cans?
@@jameskoralewski1006 sorry you feel that way. I haven't had any problems with Amsoil . It's actually cheaper than Mobil 1 if you buy in bulk, which is what I do, plus free shipping if you spend a minimum of $150 for personal / $350 for commercial. I especially like their 2 stroke "Saber" oil.
Synthetic wheel bearing grease was the best stuff ever. AMS/OIL Mixed results with engine oil. Always used 20W50 regular oil. Check out oils used in air cooled engines like VW. Regards...
Good video. Thank you for your service. I personally go synthetic, simply superior to conventional oils, resists thermal breakdown and usage much better in my experience.
I run SAE 40 STP personally, but will run 10W40 if I can't find any straight 40. I run SAE 30 in my push mower btw. Texas summers leave zero room for error when you're running onna tight budget.
I tried synthetic and regular and drained both of them just after cutting the grass to test. The synthetic was like water when really hot. Not sure if the oil properties changed. But doing the same with straight 30W the oil was not as thin. So I am sticking to SAE 30 since then.
I use royal purple on my vehicles and my lawn mowers, never had any issues and I don't have to change the oil that often. I switch after the first oil change when I have a new equipment or vehicles.
It's always been my theory that additives are more important than detergents in high temperatures. The diesel oils are high in zddp, so I've always run Rotella t4 in lawn equipment and air cooled motorcycles.
I'll be using Supertech 10W-30 lawn mower oil and a Supertech 3614 filter for my next oil change. The Kohler oil is $15/quart and the filter costs about the same. I only paid $500 for my zero turn. I bought the Kohler maintenance kit when I first got the mower. It came with spark plugs and everything.
Hi, I also use Kawasaki 10w 40 synthetic blend with zinc. Automotive oil is NOT suited for small engines. Small engine oil is formulated for extreme heat and pressure. Sometimes small engines run 50 degrees hotter than autos. Always use small engine oil SF SG SH SJ is what my John Deere X320 has on the dip stick. Love my JD lawn tractor. And your equipment looks very good. I had a snapper pro zero turn but it bounced me around so much (rough ride) my back would hurt after mowing. In my opinion tractors have a smoother ride. I loved my zero turn quality, It was 8000.00 dollars and had to trade it after less than 3 hours.
I only run my 3.75 hp Briggs for home use. I change my oil before the first cut every year, just once a year. This span equals about 25 hours. This motor has a recommendation of SAE 30, and have not found any specification on synthetic or conventional oil use. How ever, I did just use semi synthetic plus from Petromerica. I normally ONLY run Castrol GTX in any of my engines, but that's what i had at my shop at the time, that was a semi synthetic. Here's what I do know from mechanic experience. First off, I read a comment here basicly stating that oil is oil and a brand means nothing. Well, there are viscosities for a reason, and I recommend researching it before hurting your engines. Brands- Well, I would not go as far to say run Kawasaki oil in a Kawasaki, as a requirement, etc. But, I'll just say I run Royal Purple in race cars, Valvoline in Euros, Castrol in American and Asian autos. Two brands I NEVER use is Pennzoil or Quackerstate. Not even in a throw away mower. They ARE the same maker, and use paraffin wax. The wax breaks down and turns ash like. This gums up valves, and collects in the heads and rocker boxes, etc. Good luck out there.
Yes, synthetic is the way to go. Peace of mind when you're running the machines hard. Great video! Keep em coming! ..... I noticed the most expensive lawn care uniform lol🐴
Looooong time ago, ran Castrol 20W-50 (nearest to synthetic w/o being synthetic). After much study ran Walmart Super Tech in everything for long time. No problem, change when dirty. Now run Mobil 1 in everything. Let's face it, oil gets same contaminants no matter what oil you run, however, synthetic gives better lubrication at startup, I don't worry as much as I used to about letting it warm up good.
Glen Miller Your wrong! Some oils are not all the same quality for instance Pennzoil and Shell are shit, their paraffin based oils and the wax in them clogs up your engines and the wax and shit gets baked onto everything, use something proven like Havoline or Valvoline. Mobile is good to but watch out what you buy.
Been using Amsoil full syn for 30+ years. The rider mower I bought used, has and Intek 17.5hp. Bought it with a blown head gasket, and smoking big time while running. Replaced head gasket, adjusted valves, new valve cover gasket. Been running it for 3+ years, and it runs great. I believe the previous owner ran non syn oil. Also maybe did not keep super clean around the cylinder/head with grass clippings after mowing. Sounds like this engine is prone to blowing head gaskets. It runs like a top now. Huge believer in synthetics in everything I can put it in. I believe in spending more for quality oil. Less wear, less maintenance, and longer engine life.
I’m love synthetic oil in all of my stuff. On my zero turn I get less smoke and less consumption. I use 10w30 in spring and fall and 15w50 in summer due to heat. I have had great luck with Kawasaki oil. I don’t worry about oil brand as long as it’s correct for climate. As far as servicing I stay under recommended as what kills all oil is byproduct of combustion. What I mean by that is hear, carbon, moisture and the big one gas. Every time that you shut down a little gas seeps into the crankcase. It builds up over time.
I live in Houston where it’s a 110 heat index and my Honda mower, Champion Generator, Pressure washer and Edger use Royal Purple and run so much quieter and smoother. The new Champion Generator sounds 10db quieter using RP same with my Honda Mower I recently bought. It’s funny I actually live in Porter and didn’t realize RP was made in Porter, TX lol
I've switched oil brands since my last comment, I've been using VP SAE30/10w30 for oil changes, thus far I've had good luck with it, I used it to change the oil in a self propelled Honda mower, a hypertough mower, a powermore mower & I also used it to change the oil in my 10 year old Murray push mower with the L head engine, this oil stays cleaner for longer & it also makes for easy start ups compared to other oil I've used, I checked the oil in my brothers hypertough mower the other day & it is still as clean on the dipstick as it was when I first changed it with no burn off, so after almost a whole season of mowing I have to say I'm impressed with it.
it really doesn't matter if it's Synthetic what you want is a Heavy Duty oil with a High ZINC Content around 1100-1200PPM Shell Rotella 10w30 & Sae 30HD are great oils to use ! The T5 has 1198PPM Zinc & Valvoline VR1 Oils have high Zinc Levels too, I use Shell T5 10w30 in my Kohler Command ( has hydraulic lifters) always use 10w30 in these engine are you will have lifter tapping & Shell T1 SAE30HD in everything else ( warm weather) , i would Never use a 20w50 , In colder weather I use the Shell Rotella T5 10w30 in everything which is a Synthetic Blend .
Main thing is to use an oil that is air cooled approved....I can't remember the code but regular car oil is designed to protect at 200 degrees.....air cooled engines operate at higher temps ... Diesel oils are air cooled approved and I use shell rotella 30 wt in the summer and 10w30 late fall into early spring....I used to change every 50 hours but now I do 100 as the engine manufacture recommends ....I was in fleet maintenance for 20 years for a major fleet....oil rep said that oil doesn't wear out....you change oil to remove combustion by products and oil samples proved it....cummins recommended 12k intervals, we did 20k and the oil samples would come back in spec....million miles on them with pretty much routine maintenance.... I'm not sold on synthetics.... But I admit I'm old school.....
Yes for synthetic. Synthetic is much more heat resistant than conventional, therefore on these hot summer days, you best protection would have to be with synthetic. It's not going to break down near as quickly. Be sure to use a high vescosity, unless you will be using the mower in the winter Use the viscosity they recommend. The 20-50 sounds great.
@@georgebroeren1617 the best oil. I bought a 2022 c8 corvette. Changed the oil at 700 miles and put in amsoil 0-40 . I can feel and hear the difference.
I guess I'm old school... I have used conventional oil all my life. I change oil regularly on all my equipment and vehicles. Oil change is the cheapest maintenance to do to prevent premature engine failure.
The synthetic is such an obvious choice for lawn equip. 1) it handles heat way better therefore it does not create sludge like conv 2) it avoids moisture & handles carbon residue Way better in storage. 3) Also extreme weather changes doesn't effect synthetic viscosity much IE: in HOT Summer it still keeps it's viscosity & more importantly in zero degrees wont sludge up & damage engine. 4) Will start easier saving batt, alternator & starter .
Got a synthetic blend with my Husqvarna, switched to a SAE 30 when the weather warmed up, just switched to a full synthetic. It definitely runs smooth on the full synthetic, expecting to see some fuel efficiency benefits too
Hope that's not a Gasoline only Synthetic oil , Mobil 1 , Valvoline , Castrol gas only FULL Synthetic oils only have around 600-750PPM ZINC so they can be safe to run in automobiles with Catalytic Converters , way to low Zinc levels for Small engines ! If you want to Run a Full Synthetic oil use a Gas/Diesel rated Oil which have a higher Zinc levels Like Shell Rotella T6
@@danray9744 Yeah that’s a good idea, I went with the extra protection of Pennzoil UP, it’s SN so they don’t publish the level but the SM version had 806ppm. The engine is definitely running smoother than the synthetic blend or conventional oil
Hey brother cool video man ive been using fully synthetic oil for years and let me tell you it works great i have a little encore fuzion34 That ive had for nine years it has a 15hp kawasaki engine with over 5000 hours on the clock and the engine runs perfect it doesn't die and my wright standers all over 3000 hours no oil leaks nothing my mechanic has told me that my engines have lasted me so long cuz since new ive been using mobil1 10w30 and i change it every 100 hours and every 200 hours i change the oil and the filter and i use fram oil filters also if you want your engines to last as long as mine change your air filters and clean them every week and take them off and blow them that is very important specially in dry dusty conditions i promise you if you do that you will get over 5000 hours out of you're engines and you won't get any oil leaks at all i see alot of guys with oil leaks on these engines cause they run extreamly hot and the engine seals start going out on them and thats where problems start happening go to walmart they sell the 5 gallon jug of mobil1 for $25 ill buy whats in special as long as its fully synthetic and that 5 gallon you can do almost 3 big mowers each mower takes almost 2 quarts hope this helps you man it pays of in the long run and you will also save gas just make sure when you buy the oil that it says fully synthetic cuz some say synthetic blend and you can get confuse with that synthetic blend is not a fully synthetic oil and it won't give you the same results as a fully synthetic oil and we are here in miami fla good luck brother.
I run synthetic oil in all my mowers and vehicles. It won't void your warranty as long as it meets or exceed the engine manufacturer recommended specs.
Well I use to be a aviation mechanic for 6+ years, and let be clear synthetic is the only oil you should use. The main reasons are that most wear happens within the first couple of minutes of use of any engine. So ease of flow for the oil is vital to prevent wear to the engine over time. Now hands down synthetic oils run better in extreme weather's and normal conditions, not only that but the synthetic oil resist premature breakdown a lot longer than conventional. So in conclusion spend the extra bucks for synthetic. I personally use on my mowers royal purple but mobile 1 is very comparable as well hope this helps guys.
Greg Smilgin So I use 5w30 with royal purple. Just because I operate in Florida and it's not necessary to have sae30for me as well it is recommended in my owners manual for my mower. The first number before w shows how the oil flows in winter, the lower the number the better flow rate in winter. Also keep in mind to only use 5w30 if it is recommended in the owners manual. The Reason to use only recommended weights of oil is, being that there are little ports in various parts of the engine that will get restricted flow if you use the wrong oil weight which leads to wear. One last thing make sure your oil no matter if it is conv or syn make sure it is api certified it's a little white circle with the oil weight numbers and api certified on top just Google it. But remember your situation is different based upon usually where you live and the manufacture recommended oils.
i use Vp full synthetic on my exmark pioneer and vantage and all my honda mowers. I use it because it is sae30/10w30 and also because I live in maryland and the weather is so day to day different. I always still stick to the normal recomended intervals reguardless of weather i could let it go longer just for piece of mind. these machines work hard so i keep them happy and i haver never had to add a drop of oil between intervals. Love your channel keep up the awesome!!!
ON WHAT ? i have a number of mowers but my keepers are going to be craftsman lt2000 and John deere xl277 , kawasaki motor ? 17hp? still cheaper full synthetic??
Synthetic will almost always be better as its a smaller molecule. Its more important to know what temp range your working in so that it lubes properly, i also like to add some lucas oil into it as it does make a difference. In summer time ill run a 20/50 and strait 30 weight in my push but when fall comes it gets cold so then a 10/40 does better when it dips down into those temps. Id also recommend adding some seafoam in the gas from time to time to clean out carbon and keep that engine running like new for much longer. Just buy the best oil you can afford, mobil 1 is nice but i cant justify using royal purple or redline or ams oil even though i know they are better. ps write the # of hours on the oil filter so you know when its due vs trying to remember.
Hey, that cigarette or cell phone holder that's under the wheel, i'm going to use for writing the date and hours I use each time I cut my grass. Great Idea, Gracias from Mexico
Great video topic! Lots of good information in the comments. I'm old school also, been running 10w30w conventional for many years in my mowers, but I add Motorkote oil additive at each oil change after the engine break-in period is up. The Motorkote cuts down the friction which makes the motor run cooler. I have a 2006 Ford Ranger that I have pulled my trailer with for the past 11 years. I run Motorkote in it with a synthetic blend oil and this truck has 240,000 miles on it now and the only part that has gone bad on the engine has been a thermostat.
Kohler engines, like a high zinc, oil, I use 10w30, synthetic blend oil, which contains a high amount of zinc. K&N oil filter, pro model. Husqvarna, series 7000 Kohler engine. I am considering going to AMSOIL.....................I change per Kohler recommendation of 50 hour oil changes......................Thanks for the video Blades...............
20w50 oil provides a good oil barrier for an air cooled engine in the hot summer - I’ve heard that Kawasaki will double your warranty if you use their oil - the synthetic oil with zinc additive gives extra protection- zinc is in STP oil additive which I have used in everything I have and never had any problems from using it
People will hate me for this but I use royal purple on my new mowers and store brand on my old ones. Always full synthetic 10w-30 or 5w-30 I hear people hate on royal purple but my "new" equipment I use it on is from 2012 to 2018 and my old worn out equipment is from like the early 2000s I still use royal purple on my tractor from 2004 because the oil worked so well for me lol.
The reason they went to a heavier grade I feel is the Kawasaki oil is breaking down to soon! We know they don’t make the oil. Top two brands I feel are the Honda full synthetic and Amzoil Four cycle oils. For amzoil I pay $35 for a gallon 10W-30 well worth it for the superior protection and extended run time it gives out. And another tip car motor oil is not recommended because the four cycle engines have different needs from there oil, that car oil does not provide. The additives needed in four cycle oils are not put into car engine oils!
I use penzoil platinum 10w30 in my mower, I haven't had any problems out of it so far, it is a Kohler XT650, Kohler recommends 30w or 10w30, I tried Castrol Edge, mower didn't like it at all, so i switched to the yellow bottle & mower is good to go.
@@rudyferrell Push mower, Right now im using Briggs & stratton 30w because the temp is over 90° where im at right now, it's been an extremely hot summer.
SAE-30 is a full film oil and what engine manufactures recommend. 20W50 is more of a racing oil that has more anti wear additives to reduce wear. The pare-synthetic is a blend of 10-20% synthetic and only adds some benefits of synthetic oil. Motorcycle forums are using 15w40 diesel oil because of the high levels of zinc/phosphorus and its available everywhere at a low cost. I invested in a Mighty Vac to suck out oil in minutes with little mess and refill the oil to remove contaminants, this will extend your equipment life. I used to use a PAO synthetic 30W from Amsoil and it was excellent but awful expensive, now I just use the regular SAE 30 and change it at 1/2 the hours recommended by the equipment manufacturer. This year I am adding a little Marvels Mystery Oil to my mowers (4 oz per quart) because it cleans and makes the oil slick with more anti wear properties). Most manuals I read say to change the engine filter every other fluid change or set number of hours, change hydraulic filter as stated in your manual. Because you are in Florida, my suggestion is to change your fluids more often due to the heat. Fresh oil is far better than oil that is shearing back to a thin film and full of grit from metal chip and dirt. [Hope this helps]
I think you talked about it in your videos but I am thinking about buying supertech for my push mower and riding mower it is cheaper than the Briggs @Sratton,what do you think?
Supertech is made by Warren and a high quality product, I used it in my push mower the past three seasons and change it as required. My riding mower likes it and has never had any oil related problems
I might do it then the oil is a little cheaper and I have to do the 2 oil changes now,I changed the air filter,fuel filter,and spark plug last week on my riding mower.I got a plug for the push mower but got to get oil,and air filter and maybe a new blade.
I’ve used regular oil all my life and never had a single issue, however, I make sure to perform regular interval oil changes according to the manufacturer’s recommendations. Also, my truck is still going strong with over 450,000 miles. Also, I never pay full price for oil as it often goes on sale at 40 to 50 percent off in my area; “penny saved is a penny saved”.
The debate over synthetic vs conventional oil will never die. One advantage of synthetic is it resists oxidation and forms carbonic acid slower than conventional oil. But I saw a demonstration, here on RUclips where it was shown that synthetic oil does not transfer heat as well as conventional oil. The test was performed using a truck differential. With conventional oil, the oil temp was a little higher than with synthetic oil. This provided a false belief that the trucks differential was running cooler with synthetic oil, and everyone thought that was good... But then they used a laser thermometer and measured the temp of the steel gears. While the synthetic oil was cooler, the steel gears were way hotter because the synthetic oil could not pull the heat out of the steel as well as conventional oil. I went looking for that video so I could reference it, but I have not been able to find it. When, and if I do I will reference it here. I don't know if the same heat transfer difference applies to engine oil, or if this is limited to just rear end oil. I don't claim to be an oil expert, just something I saw that caused me to have more questions than I did before watching... LOL
I use Royal Purple 30W synthetic in all my air cooled engines. Synthetic will go longer than conventional oil. Your customers won't miss a date and your engines will still be protected. I do every 6 months. (once a year in CT)
Your a pro! I'm a firm beliver in synthetic. I do not use a multi viscosity oil in small engines. My Honda ATV requires multi viscosity oil. Maybe the Kawasaki engine is the same ? My wife works for John deere and she has told me the techs are not happy with the Kawasaki engines vs the Kohler of the past. I reccomend straight 30 sae synthetic oil. Royal purple has a straight 30 wt oil. It's done well here in the south east area of the US
MrTwinsrule The reason royal purple sucks is because the oil comes pre blackened! So much for looking at oil color on the dipstick to see if its burnt! I like oils that have natural colors no sense in polluting the oil with ugly purple dye 🤮
roger woodard Wrong! OIL never breaks down, please don't spread misinformation. Its the additives that break down, and really synthetic isn't all that much better.
Cynically, does it matter? I've never had a mower die due to engine wear, using a mix of left over car oils over the years; and I'm currently on my third mower. As an example, my last one had to be scrapped when one of the wheels broke away from the chassis. (As long as you choose a suitable viscosity oil of course, especially during any warranty period.) I change my oil once year. I knew someone at work who never changed his oil at all, and his mower was still working without problems. Another factor is that its now so cheap to buy a replacement mover (circa £150 for a small one), its not worth stressing over.
. Exmark said themselves that they use Mobil 1 for their Extreme engine tests. Plus your mower only takes 1-2 quarts. synthetic is good for constant hotter temperatures.
Lucas says use their synthetic oil conditioner in any small engine,… 20% of the engine oil change to keep engine going strong what is your take on that PS also Lucas recommends from their website any small engine in a car four-cylinder or under they recommend they are synthetic oil stabilizer even with regular oil
I use synthetic only. I change oil ever 50 hrs anyway but i have never had any issues with any mower motor in 15 years either. Goodluck mayb but im religous on oil changes , blow filters every other day. Hydros every 500.
Just found you Vid. I see no one mentioned that Oils designed for small 4 Stroke engines have a different formula than car oils that also use Water to cool. Stay away from car engine oil. They are not formulated to stand the heat produced by Air Cooled Engines only. Briggs, Kawi, Honda, Toro and a couple others make special formulated Oils specifically for Air Cooled Engines. And Synthetic is a good thing.
That the same thing there selling me in Florida. Thanks for the video oh when the oil color starts getting darker it’s out of there !! I don’t count hours 😆
I run Mobil 1 20-50 weight Full Synthetic in my 750cc Vee Twin Club Cadet Kawasaki motor, my 4000 watt generator once a year or 50 run hours. Even use it in my Troy Bilt weed wacker but change the oil more often because it has such a small capacity and no filter.
I use mobile1 fully synthetic extended performance oik and filter I use a cross reference manual available online to match up factory oil filters to mobile 1 products
Thanks for your service!I appreciate the information on the Kawasaki Oil 20-50 with Zinc in it.I just bought a used John Deere X300 with 527 hours on it.I want to use the best Oil for my Kawasaki engine and that Oil sounds good.This is my first Kawasaki motor and I am really impressed with this engine it has so much Torque.Thanks for a great video and good information!Just subscribed so I can learn more.
I was told the same thing a few months back. I'm in Texas and I was told to run the 20/50 by a kawi rep who happened to be at the dealer I purchased my mower from the day I went. Gravely rep was also there and said the same. The also informed me about your previous vid about getting parts from a part store for a lower retail. Appreciate the videos.
Engineering explained does a excellent comparison of synthetic vs conventional on his u tube channel . my take is that synthetic is far superior especially when cold and dirty vs conventional. conventional hardly flows when its cold and dirty
Wal Mart Super Tech 10w30 full synthetic oil in all my machines, Owners Manual approves use of Synthetic. All have high hours, a couple with 600+. No smoke,no hard starting, great compression, no knocking noise. 30 hours for the non filtered motors, For motors with filters,oil every 30 hours and Filter every 60.
Synthetic Oil is the BEST (and) ONLY Option you should be considering For ANY Air-Cooled Machines INCLUDING: "Lawn Mowers" 1.) For Residential Mowers I would Recommend any Full-Synthetic Blend in a 10w-30 weight that States "High Mileage" on the Label 2.) For Commercial Mowing (or) if you live in an area where it regularly gets Over 100ºF Outside; I would Recommend Briggs and Stratton's New Vanguard 15w-50.
RoofTopPigeon Ehh not really, conventional oils have been around for a while i use only conventional Havoline 10w-30 in all my machines summer and winter never had problem never will.
Over here in Pennsylvania i run fully synthetic 10w30 Pennzoil or whatever other is available...usually Pennzoil. Mobile 1 seems to be good as well. I don't see it necessary at all to buy "Kawasaki" or "kohler" engine oil....
It's all marketing, chemistry has changed so much it's all good just different brands say this or that so they can charge more. 15w40 Rotella diesel oil, you just can't beat it. Oil change about 100 hours. As for warranty they are gonna weasel out of whatever they can, that's where you need good dealer support that knows how you maintenance your equipment.
@Your moms HITACHI nah, if it's dirty change it..cheap insurance...I had an old kawi that would start valve tapping around 40 hours after a change it was quiet again for another 40 hours..the heat these little air cooled engines make breaks down the viscosity faster than you realize.
I use Mobil 1 10w30 and 20w50 when it gets hotter. When my oil starts looking brown it’s changed and my air filter. I have a 2004 liquid cooled Toro with over 10,000 hours on it and still Mowing strong. I don’t give a damn about a warranty from a dealer because it’s a waist of time.
I used amsoil and went back to conventional oil because of the cost vs changing it more often. I still had significant engine wear and documented wear metals were higher in my car engine using their thin oil multi-grade oil vs 30w diesel oil. Because of this, I run SAE 30 in my mowers because the full film oil is far better than any claims that synthetic multi-grade is better. The 30HD from Walmart or Tractor Supply (Warren Oil) is hard to beat and $2/qt from TSC is the reason I don't buy synthetic.
Commercial mowers, yes use full synthetic. These engines are running 8 to 10 hours a day. The average homeowner cutting less than an acre, semi synthetic or 10w30 does fine.
Full synthetic seems to be the way to go. After watching a project farm video where he puts conventional, synthetic blend , and full synthetic to the test. The full synthetic oil blew the other types out of the water. In temperature, lubrication, longevity and viscosity.
I've been using any brand full synthetic 5w/30 or 10w/30 oil made by Warren Distribution in all of my 4 stroke engines, excepting my diesel Dodge. Seems to be very high quality oil, stays clean for a long time, no sludge or varnish issues. It comes as the OEM for various brands at different times, such as Meijer, Walmart, Amazon, but you have to look on the back of the bottle to make sure it's made by Warren. For some reason, my older car runs quieter mechanically with this oil than with Mobil1. Another advantage, 5w/30 full synthetic has a very wide temp usability range, from below -20F to over 100F, perfect for my area.
I use full synthetic in my machines . I'm surprised that no one else mentioned this but the biggest advantage to synthetic oil is the thermal stability, natural oils begin to break down quickly at around 300 degrees synthetics can live as high as 400. In our air cooled engines the oil temp, particularly in summer can easily reach 225 - 250, pretty close to the limits of natural oil.The closer oil gets to it's max temp the faster it breaks down. The oil weight can help too, in hot summer months the heavier oil alone is a plus but for fall winter and early spring I go to running a 5 or 10w30 so the oil gets pumped through the engine quickly at startup. As far as change intervals goes soon as oil starts to get dark it's gone! But I do generally expect at least 50 hours before I can see any color change at all and change no later than 100 hours. I have one mower with nearly 3000 hours that with synthetic oil is just getting to be a light brown typically at 100 hours a second the same way at 2500.
Jim W WRONG! Oil doesn't break down, it gets dirty in it and the additives fail, and synthetic oil is the same as conventional, just more refined so that the oil molecules are all closer to the same size, please do research before splattering miss info all over the internet. Have a wonderful day - Lolaine.
Thank you for your service, I did six years in the Army Military Police Corps and then 25 years with the U. S. Department of Justice. Now I’m retired and started a lawn care service a few years ago, I use synthetic oil and change it about every fifty hours in my Briggs commercial turf engine. I could probably change it at 100 hrs but it’s cheap insurance that the engine is protected against premature wear. Thank you again for your service and thank you for the videos!!!!!
Glen Vaillancourt Thanks for the comment and for your service as well!
@@BladesofgrasslawncareSAE 30 is a joke. At least, go for SAE 40
I have a 10HP. rider , rear engine Craftsman I bought in 2001, I mow 1 acre every week (3 hours) April to November (70-100 hours) since that date I bought it.( I change oil twice a year) I use a Mixture of 30W Pennzoil with about 4 oz. of STP motor honey (heated to make it pourable when I add it to crankcase). After 17 plus years engine still runs good. (I clean carb ) every month. (Inline filters!
Most OEM recommended oils are synthetic. Like what we sell at the shop, Kawasaki 4-tec, Kohler, Briggs, John Deere, Kinetix and so on. Well they’re “part” synthetic anyway. Small engines require a somewhat different api service rated oil than modern cars nowadays. The oil class for small air cooled engines (class sj, cg-4, cf-4, cf, ch-4/sh) can withstand higher temperatures opposed to water cooled car engine oil, has more anti-frothing properties, and is more resistant to degradation under high fluctuations in temp, engine rpm, gear impaction profile, and not to mention safer for plastics that are inside most of all small engines. Zinc is the number one additive that’s most important to small engine oil. So if you’ve always used the recommended oil per your lawnmower manufacturer then you’ve been using synthetic oil. Using regular car engine oil in a lawnmower engine wouldn’t hurt it in short term but the long term effects are serious, especially the Briggs and Stratton push mower engines model 31000 and past being that they have nylon cam gears and nylon camshaft lobes. It also affects all Kohler courage model engines with twin cams, some of the horizontal crank command series. Kawasaki engines are better at handling regular car engine oil but it still isn’t advised.
synthetic is going to be much better in the long run, but what is equally important is the oil change itself. doing it religiously or even early will help your engine in the long run. its one of those things, your engine doesnt blow up if your a 50 hours over on your oil change but when your engine lasts 1000hrs instead of 3000hrs is when you see it. also just keeping the oil topped up and paying attention if its "making oil"(which means fuel is getting into the oil) are 2 big ones i see for blown engines and worn out engines
I been cutting grass.commercially for over 30 years..the best oil for a hot running air cooled engine is Shell Rotella T6 full synthetic..I seen engines running strong with well over 4K hours.
The main number you look for is the protection it provides when to mower is hot which if your mower calls for SAE 30 you can use 5-30 weather it conventional or synthetic it doesn't matter What 5-30 means is when cold the oil acts as a 5wt and when hot it acts as a 30wt. Synthetic oil is designed to provide longer protection meaning it doesn't break down as fast as conventional oil so you can go longer between oil changes.
This sounds crazy but when I bought my first lawn mower in 2001, I used the B and S synthetic oil that had just come out. Since then I have always used synthetic oil 5w-40 or 5w-30. It takes only 600 ml so the cost is no problem. I change it once a year. That lawn mower is still working after all those years.
Thanks for sharing!
@@Bladesofgrasslawncare sometimes user manual are often misleading. In petrol generators, the Manual recommends 10w30 or sae30 but sincerely I only rely on the API S. I used Heavy Duty Diesel multigrade engine oils that can be used on both petrol and diesel engines and my 1200 Watts Petrol generator is still doing great
Hey good topic. I always used Kouler 20W/50. My dealer recommended that for my efi ExMark's . I don't use the Kouler name brand anymore because, $9 a quart can get expensive every 50 hrs. I use Castrol GTX 20W/50 . I buy it in the 5 quart jug,it's probably half the price. Wal-mart online seems to have the best price/free shipping if you spend a certain amount. (Forgot to mention I don't use synthetics on my ExMark's)However I own a Ferris with Vanguard oil guard. It has a 5 quart oil resivour that uses 15W/50 synthetic. Their is no break in period for changing the oil on these mowers. You can go 500 hrs before needing an oil change. The engine temps stay cool because oil is always circulating. I think this is a game changer for the commercial industry. Im down in Louisiana, just started a channel on RUclips.
Of course, the lawnmower manufacturer is going to recommend Kowler oil because they share the profits of that overpriced oil. Kowler does now make its own oil. Some other large oil company makes it for them and slaps their label on the can. I recommend getting a good quality and brand of full synthetic oil to use in your engine. Make sure the weight and change intervals follow the manufacturer's recommendations. An engine is an engine, no matter what platform it is installed in. If you want the best oil for the best protection, select full synthetic and you will be pleased how well it works in your lawnmower!
@@jameskoralewski1006 yep, started using Amsoil in all my stuff a couple of years ago and haven't looked back!
@@JsCrazyCutzLLC Amsoil's overpriced crap and is only sold in a pyramid scheme. Ask them why they don't proudly display the API label on their oil cans?
@@jameskoralewski1006 sorry you feel that way. I haven't had any problems with Amsoil . It's actually cheaper than Mobil 1 if you buy in bulk, which is what I do, plus free shipping if you spend a minimum of $150 for personal / $350 for commercial. I especially like their 2 stroke "Saber" oil.
Synthetic wheel bearing grease was the best stuff ever. AMS/OIL Mixed results with engine oil. Always used 20W50 regular oil. Check out oils used in air cooled engines like VW. Regards...
Good video. Thank you for your service. I personally go synthetic, simply superior to conventional oils, resists thermal breakdown and usage much better in my experience.
Great tip!
I run rotella 15/40 in everything. Never once had an issue
I run SAE 40 STP personally, but will run 10W40 if I can't find any straight 40. I run SAE 30 in my push mower btw. Texas summers leave zero room for error when you're running onna tight budget.
I tried synthetic and regular and drained both of them just after cutting the grass to test. The synthetic was like water when really hot. Not sure if the oil properties changed. But doing the same with straight 30W the oil was not as thin. So I am sticking to SAE 30 since then.
I would personally use Amsoil are use that everything that I run
Yep liquid gold 10w30 small engine oil and it doesn't get any better than that
I use royal purple on my vehicles and my lawn mowers, never had any issues and I don't have to change the oil that often. I switch after the first oil change when I have a new equipment or vehicles.
It's always been my theory that additives are more important than detergents in high temperatures. The diesel oils are high in zddp, so I've always run Rotella t4 in lawn equipment and air cooled motorcycles.
I'll be using Supertech 10W-30 lawn mower oil and a Supertech 3614 filter for my next oil change. The Kohler oil is $15/quart and the filter costs about the same. I only paid $500 for my zero turn. I bought the Kohler maintenance kit when I first got the mower. It came with spark plugs and everything.
Hi, I also use Kawasaki 10w 40 synthetic blend with zinc. Automotive oil is NOT suited for small engines. Small engine oil is formulated for extreme heat and pressure. Sometimes small engines run 50 degrees hotter than autos. Always use small engine oil SF SG SH SJ is what my John Deere X320 has on the dip stick. Love my JD lawn tractor. And your equipment looks very good. I had a snapper pro zero turn but it bounced me around so much (rough ride) my back would hurt after mowing. In my opinion tractors have a smoother ride. I loved my zero turn quality, It was 8000.00 dollars and had to trade it after less than 3 hours.
Use amsoil 5-30 small engine oil. Made for lawn mowers,snowblowers etc. loaded with zinc
I only run my 3.75 hp Briggs for home use. I change my oil before the first cut every year, just once a year. This span equals about 25 hours. This motor has a recommendation of SAE 30, and have not found any specification on synthetic or conventional oil use. How ever, I did just use semi synthetic plus from Petromerica. I normally ONLY run Castrol GTX in any of my engines, but that's what i had at my shop at the time, that was a semi synthetic.
Here's what I do know from mechanic experience. First off, I read a comment here basicly stating that oil is oil and a brand means nothing. Well, there are viscosities for a reason, and I recommend researching it before hurting your engines. Brands- Well, I would not go as far to say run Kawasaki oil in a Kawasaki, as a requirement, etc. But, I'll just say I run Royal Purple in race cars, Valvoline in Euros, Castrol in American and Asian autos. Two brands I NEVER use is Pennzoil or Quackerstate. Not even in a throw away mower. They ARE the same maker, and use paraffin wax. The wax breaks down and turns ash like. This gums up valves, and collects in the heads and rocker boxes, etc. Good luck out there.
Yes, synthetic is the way to go. Peace of mind when you're running the machines hard. Great video! Keep em coming! ..... I noticed the most expensive lawn care uniform lol🐴
Looooong time ago, ran Castrol 20W-50 (nearest to synthetic w/o being synthetic). After much study ran Walmart Super Tech in everything for long time. No problem, change when dirty. Now run Mobil 1 in everything. Let's face it, oil gets same contaminants no matter what oil you run, however, synthetic gives better lubrication at startup, I don't worry as much as I used to about letting it warm up good.
Thanks for your input!
Glen Miller Your wrong! Some oils are not all the same quality for instance Pennzoil and Shell are shit, their paraffin based oils and the wax in them clogs up your engines and the wax and shit gets baked onto everything, use something proven like Havoline or Valvoline. Mobile is good to but watch out what you buy.
Great video! I run Mobile 1 full synthetic. I was told by a mechanic that it helps keep engine cool. I change it every 50ish hours. Ty!
I do the same, thanks!
Use amsoil. Amsoil has a synthetic oil made for lawn mowers.10-30. The best
Been using Amsoil full syn for 30+ years. The rider mower I bought used, has and Intek 17.5hp. Bought it with a blown head gasket, and smoking big time while running. Replaced head gasket, adjusted valves, new valve cover gasket. Been running it for 3+ years, and it runs great.
I believe the previous owner ran non syn oil. Also maybe did not keep super clean around the cylinder/head with grass clippings after mowing. Sounds like this engine is prone to blowing head gaskets. It runs like a top now.
Huge believer in synthetics in everything I can put it in. I believe in spending more for quality oil. Less wear, less maintenance, and longer engine life.
I’m love synthetic oil in all of my stuff. On my zero turn I get less smoke and less consumption. I use 10w30 in spring and fall and 15w50 in summer due to heat. I have had great luck with Kawasaki oil. I don’t worry about oil brand as long as it’s correct for climate. As far as servicing I stay under recommended as what kills all oil is byproduct of combustion. What I mean by that is hear, carbon, moisture and the big one gas. Every time that you shut down a little gas seeps into the crankcase. It builds up over time.
I live in Houston where it’s a 110 heat index and my Honda mower, Champion Generator, Pressure washer and Edger use Royal Purple and run so much quieter and smoother. The new Champion Generator sounds 10db quieter using RP same with my Honda Mower I recently bought. It’s funny I actually live in Porter and didn’t realize RP was made in Porter, TX lol
I've switched oil brands since my last comment, I've been using VP SAE30/10w30 for oil changes, thus far I've had good luck with it, I used it to change the oil in a self propelled Honda mower, a hypertough mower, a powermore mower & I also used it to change the oil in my 10 year old Murray push mower with the L head engine, this oil stays cleaner for longer & it also makes for easy start ups compared to other oil I've used, I checked the oil in my brothers hypertough mower the other day & it is still as clean on the dipstick as it was when I first changed it with no burn off, so after almost a whole season of mowing I have to say I'm impressed with it.
I use valvoline full synthetic only!!👍👍👍
Good stuff
it really doesn't matter if it's Synthetic what you want is a Heavy Duty oil with a High ZINC Content around 1100-1200PPM Shell Rotella 10w30 & Sae 30HD are great oils to use ! The T5 has 1198PPM Zinc & Valvoline VR1 Oils have high Zinc Levels too, I use Shell T5 10w30 in my Kohler Command ( has hydraulic lifters) always use 10w30 in these engine are you will have lifter tapping & Shell T1 SAE30HD in everything else ( warm weather) , i would Never use a 20w50 , In colder weather I use the Shell Rotella T5 10w30 in everything which is a Synthetic Blend .
Main thing is to use an oil that is air cooled approved....I can't remember the code but regular car oil is designed to protect at 200 degrees.....air cooled engines operate at higher temps ... Diesel oils are air cooled approved and I use shell rotella 30 wt in the summer and 10w30 late fall into early spring....I used to change every 50 hours but now I do 100 as the engine manufacture recommends ....I was in fleet maintenance for 20 years for a major fleet....oil rep said that oil doesn't wear out....you change oil to remove combustion by products and oil samples proved it....cummins recommended 12k intervals, we did 20k and the oil samples would come back in spec....million miles on them with pretty much routine maintenance.... I'm not sold on synthetics.... But I admit I'm old school.....
It's perfectly ok to use 30W in cold weather. Just make sure it's 40 degrees or higher out.
Yes for synthetic. Synthetic is much more heat resistant than conventional, therefore on these hot summer days, you best protection would have to be with synthetic. It's not going to break down near as quickly. Be sure to use a high vescosity, unless you will be using the mower in the winter Use the viscosity they recommend. The 20-50 sounds great.
Use amsoil 100% synthetic 10-30. Made for small engine (lawn mowers)
@@reginaldsmall3766 5-20 in my Ariens (1985) no problems, 2004 lawn mower, same results!
@@georgebroeren1617 the best oil. I bought a 2022 c8 corvette. Changed the oil at 700 miles and put in amsoil 0-40 . I can feel and hear the difference.
I guess I'm old school... I have used conventional oil all my life. I change oil regularly on all my equipment and vehicles. Oil change is the cheapest maintenance to do to prevent premature engine failure.
Thanks!
The synthetic is such an obvious choice for lawn equip. 1) it handles heat way better therefore it does not create sludge like conv 2) it avoids moisture & handles carbon residue Way better in storage. 3) Also extreme weather changes doesn't effect synthetic viscosity much IE: in HOT Summer it still keeps it's viscosity & more importantly in zero degrees wont sludge up & damage engine. 4) Will start easier saving batt, alternator & starter .
Got a synthetic blend with my Husqvarna, switched to a SAE 30 when the weather warmed up, just switched to a full synthetic. It definitely runs smooth on the full synthetic, expecting to see some fuel efficiency benefits too
Hope that's not a Gasoline only Synthetic oil , Mobil 1 , Valvoline , Castrol gas only FULL Synthetic oils only have around 600-750PPM ZINC so they can be safe to run in automobiles with Catalytic Converters , way to low Zinc levels for Small engines ! If you want to Run a Full Synthetic oil use a Gas/Diesel rated Oil which have a higher Zinc levels Like Shell Rotella T6
@@danray9744 Yeah that’s a good idea, I went with the extra protection of Pennzoil UP, it’s SN so they don’t publish the level but the SM version had 806ppm. The engine is definitely running smoother than the synthetic blend or conventional oil
Use amsoil 5-30. Made for small engines. Zinc added
Hey brother cool video man ive been using fully synthetic oil for years and let me tell you it works great i have a little encore fuzion34 That ive had for nine years it has a 15hp kawasaki engine with over 5000 hours on the clock and the engine runs perfect it doesn't die and my wright standers all over 3000 hours no oil leaks nothing my mechanic has told me that my engines have lasted me so long cuz since new ive been using mobil1 10w30 and i change it every 100 hours and every 200 hours i change the oil and the filter and i use fram oil filters also if you want your engines to last as long as mine change your air filters and clean them every week and take them off and blow them that is very important specially in dry dusty conditions i promise you if you do that you will get over 5000 hours out of you're engines and you won't get any oil leaks at all i see alot of guys with oil leaks on these engines cause they run extreamly hot and the engine seals start going out on them and thats where problems start happening go to walmart they sell the 5 gallon jug of mobil1 for $25 ill buy whats in special as long as its fully synthetic and that 5 gallon you can do almost 3 big mowers each mower takes almost 2 quarts hope this helps you man it pays of in the long run and you will also save gas just make sure when you buy the oil that it says fully synthetic cuz some say synthetic blend and you can get confuse with that synthetic blend is not a fully synthetic oil and it won't give you the same results as a fully synthetic oil and we are here in miami fla good luck brother.
Awesome comment, thanks!
I run synthetic oil in all my mowers and vehicles. It won't void your warranty as long as it meets or exceed the engine manufacturer recommended specs.
Well I use to be a aviation mechanic for 6+ years, and let be clear synthetic is the only oil you should use. The main reasons are that most wear happens within the first couple of minutes of use of any engine. So ease of flow for the oil is vital to prevent wear to the engine over time. Now hands down synthetic oils run better in extreme weather's and normal conditions, not only that but the synthetic oil resist premature breakdown a lot longer than conventional. So in conclusion spend the extra bucks for synthetic. I personally use on my mowers royal purple but mobile 1 is very comparable as well hope this helps guys.
Thanks for your input!
tripod7991 Do you use the sae synthetic 30 or multi weight royal purple?
Still using the regular oil and I'm still undecided.
Blades of Grass Lawn Care, LLC I use conventional also.
Greg Smilgin So I use 5w30 with royal purple. Just because I operate in Florida and it's not necessary to have sae30for me as well it is recommended in my owners manual for my mower. The first number before w shows how the oil flows in winter, the lower the number the better flow rate in winter. Also keep in mind to only use 5w30 if it is recommended in the owners manual. The Reason to use only recommended weights of oil is, being that there are little ports in various parts of the engine that will get restricted flow if you use the wrong oil weight which leads to wear. One last thing make sure your oil no matter if it is conv or syn make sure it is api certified it's a little white circle with the oil weight numbers and api certified on top just Google it. But remember your situation is different based upon usually where you live and the manufacture recommended oils.
i use Vp full synthetic on my exmark pioneer and vantage and all my honda mowers. I use it because it is sae30/10w30 and also because I live in maryland and the weather is so day to day different. I always still stick to the normal recomended intervals reguardless of weather i could let it go longer just for piece of mind. these machines work hard so i keep them happy and i haver never had to add a drop of oil between intervals. Love your channel keep up the awesome!!!
I’ve used full synthetic always and use the stores brand because it’s cheaper . Great results too .
ON WHAT ? i have a number of mowers but my keepers are going to be craftsman lt2000 and John deere xl277 , kawasaki motor ? 17hp? still cheaper full synthetic??
Synthetic will almost always be better as its a smaller molecule. Its more important to know what temp range your working in so that it lubes properly, i also like to add some lucas oil into it as it does make a difference. In summer time ill run a 20/50 and strait 30 weight in my push but when fall comes it gets cold so then a 10/40 does better when it dips down into those temps. Id also recommend adding some seafoam in the gas from time to time to clean out carbon and keep that engine running like new for much longer. Just buy the best oil you can afford, mobil 1 is nice but i cant justify using royal purple or redline or ams oil even though i know they are better. ps write the # of hours on the oil filter so you know when its due vs trying to remember.
Awesome tip, thanks for sharing!
Amsoil is the best. Use it in my Honda lawn mowers. Use to use mobil 1. Amsoil is the only oil that is 100% synthetic !!!
Hey, that cigarette or cell phone holder that's under the wheel, i'm going to use for writing the date and hours I use each time I cut my grass. Great Idea, Gracias from Mexico
Synthetic, exhaust valve guides need high temp stable oil
Synthetic...of course, but either a truck type heavier oil with zink additives, or zddp additive into synthetic auto oil.
Great video topic! Lots of good information in the comments. I'm old school also, been running 10w30w conventional for many years in my mowers, but I add Motorkote oil additive at each oil change after the engine break-in period is up. The Motorkote cuts down the friction which makes the motor run cooler. I have a 2006 Ford Ranger that I have pulled my trailer with for the past 11 years. I run Motorkote in it with a synthetic blend oil and this truck has 240,000 miles on it now and the only part that has gone bad on the engine has been a thermostat.
Kohler engines, like a high zinc, oil, I use 10w30, synthetic blend oil, which contains a high amount of zinc. K&N oil filter, pro model. Husqvarna, series 7000 Kohler engine. I am considering going to AMSOIL.....................I change per Kohler recommendation of 50 hour oil changes......................Thanks for the video Blades...............
20w50 oil provides a good oil barrier for an air cooled engine in the hot summer - I’ve heard that Kawasaki will double your warranty if you use their oil - the synthetic oil with zinc additive gives extra protection- zinc is in STP oil additive which I have used in everything I have and never had any problems from using it
Thanks for the info!
People will hate me for this but I use royal purple on my new mowers and store brand on my old ones. Always full synthetic 10w-30 or 5w-30 I hear people hate on royal purple but my "new" equipment I use it on is from 2012 to 2018 and my old worn out equipment is from like the early 2000s I still use royal purple on my tractor from 2004 because the oil worked so well for me lol.
The reason they went to a heavier grade I feel is the Kawasaki oil is breaking down to soon! We know they don’t make the oil. Top two brands I feel are the Honda full synthetic and Amzoil Four cycle oils. For amzoil I pay $35 for a gallon 10W-30 well worth it for the superior protection and extended run time it gives out. And another tip car motor oil is not recommended because the four cycle engines have different needs from there oil, that car oil does not provide. The additives needed in four cycle oils are not put into car engine oils!
Amsoil is the best it has zinc in the oil. You cannot have zinc in your car oil because of the cad. Converter.
I use penzoil platinum 10w30 in my mower, I haven't had any problems out of it so far, it is a Kohler XT650, Kohler recommends 30w or 10w30, I tried Castrol Edge, mower didn't like it at all, so i switched to the yellow bottle & mower is good to go.
💯👍
Push mower or riding mower?
@@rudyferrell Push mower, Right now im using Briggs & stratton 30w because the temp is over 90° where im at right now, it's been an extremely hot summer.
Hey man, I sometimes use both but I'm a conventional guy and most of the time I go conventional.
Just make sure it’s high zinc oil
Air cooled engines run hot. That's why many suggests 10W-40/15W-40/20W-50, Straight 30 weight oil works too.
SAE-30 is a full film oil and what engine manufactures recommend. 20W50 is more of a racing oil that has more anti wear additives to reduce wear. The pare-synthetic is a blend of 10-20% synthetic and only adds some benefits of synthetic oil. Motorcycle forums are using 15w40 diesel oil because of the high levels of zinc/phosphorus and its available everywhere at a low cost.
I invested in a Mighty Vac to suck out oil in minutes with little mess and refill the oil to remove contaminants, this will extend your equipment life. I used to use a PAO synthetic 30W from Amsoil and it was excellent but awful expensive, now I just use the regular SAE 30 and change it at 1/2 the hours recommended by the equipment manufacturer. This year I am adding a little Marvels Mystery Oil to my mowers (4 oz per quart) because it cleans and makes the oil slick with more anti wear properties). Most manuals I read say to change the engine filter every other fluid change or set number of hours, change hydraulic filter as stated in your manual.
Because you are in Florida, my suggestion is to change your fluids more often due to the heat. Fresh oil is far better than oil that is shearing back to a thin film and full of grit from metal chip and dirt. [Hope this helps]
I think you talked about it in your videos but I am thinking about buying supertech for my push mower and riding mower it is cheaper than the Briggs @Sratton,what do you think?
Supertech is made by Warren and a high quality product, I used it in my push mower the past three seasons and change it as required. My riding mower likes it and has never had any oil related problems
I might do it then the oil is a little cheaper and I have to do the 2 oil changes now,I changed the air filter,fuel filter,and spark plug last week on my riding mower.I got a plug for the push mower but got to get oil,and air filter and maybe a new blade.
I’ve used regular oil all my life and never had a single issue, however, I make sure to perform regular interval oil changes according to the manufacturer’s recommendations. Also, my truck is still going strong with over 450,000 miles. Also, I never pay full price for oil as it often goes on sale at 40 to 50 percent off in my area; “penny saved is a penny saved”.
“Penny saved is a penny earned”.
The debate over synthetic vs conventional oil will never die. One advantage of synthetic is it resists oxidation and forms carbonic acid slower than conventional oil. But I saw a demonstration, here on RUclips where it was shown that synthetic oil does not transfer heat as well as conventional oil. The test was performed using a truck differential. With conventional oil, the oil temp was a little higher than with synthetic oil. This provided a false belief that the trucks differential was running cooler with synthetic oil, and everyone thought that was good... But then they used a laser thermometer and measured the temp of the steel gears. While the synthetic oil was cooler, the steel gears were way hotter because the synthetic oil could not pull the heat out of the steel as well as conventional oil. I went looking for that video so I could reference it, but I have not been able to find it. When, and if I do I will reference it here. I don't know if the same heat transfer difference applies to engine oil, or if this is limited to just rear end oil. I don't claim to be an oil expert, just something I saw that caused me to have more questions than I did before watching... LOL
I use Royal Purple 30W synthetic in all my air cooled engines. Synthetic will go longer than conventional oil. Your customers won't miss a date and your engines will still be protected. I do every 6 months. (once a year in CT)
Your a pro!
I'm a firm beliver in synthetic.
I do not use a multi viscosity oil in small engines.
My Honda ATV requires multi viscosity oil. Maybe the Kawasaki engine is the same ?
My wife works for John deere and she has told me the techs are not happy with the Kawasaki engines vs the Kohler of the past.
I reccomend straight 30 sae synthetic oil. Royal purple has a straight 30 wt oil. It's done well here in the south east area of the US
MrTwinsrule The reason royal purple sucks is because the oil comes pre blackened! So much for looking at oil color on the dipstick to see if its burnt! I like oils that have natural colors no sense in polluting the oil with ugly purple dye 🤮
Synthetic oil never breaks down, but it does get dirty. Regular sad 30 breaks down. A lot of heat in a mower because it hasn’t got a cooling system.
roger woodard Wrong! OIL never breaks down, please don't spread misinformation. Its the additives that break down, and really synthetic isn't all that much better.
roger woodard Please research before commenting you may confuse someone who doesn't know much about oil.
Cynically, does it matter? I've never had a mower die due to engine wear, using a mix of left over car oils over the years; and I'm currently on my third mower. As an example, my last one had to be scrapped when one of the wheels broke away from the chassis. (As long as you choose a suitable viscosity oil of course, especially during any warranty period.) I change my oil once year.
I knew someone at work who never changed his oil at all, and his mower was still working without problems.
Another factor is that its now so cheap to buy a replacement mover (circa £150 for a small one), its not worth stressing over.
. Exmark said themselves that they use Mobil 1 for their Extreme engine tests. Plus your mower only takes 1-2 quarts. synthetic is good for constant hotter temperatures.
Lucas says use their synthetic oil conditioner in any small engine,… 20% of the engine oil change to keep engine going strong what is your take on that PS also Lucas recommends from their website any small engine in a car four-cylinder or under they recommend they are synthetic oil stabilizer even with regular oil
I use synthetic only. I change oil ever 50 hrs anyway but i have never had any issues with any mower motor in 15 years either. Goodluck mayb but im religous on oil changes , blow filters every other day. Hydros every 500.
Thank you for your service
Great video, thank you! I have no idea what's going on right now. I accidentally put 2 stroke in my Craftman's lawnmower.
Sorry to hear that
Just found you Vid. I see no one mentioned that Oils designed for small 4 Stroke engines have a different formula than car oils that also use Water to cool. Stay away from car engine oil. They are not formulated to stand the heat produced by Air Cooled Engines only. Briggs, Kawi, Honda, Toro and a couple others make special formulated Oils specifically for Air Cooled Engines. And Synthetic is a good thing.
i use 1o-30 never had a problem over 20 years
That the same thing there selling me in Florida. Thanks for the video oh when the oil color starts getting darker it’s out of there !! I don’t count hours 😆
I run Mobil 1 20-50 weight Full Synthetic in my 750cc Vee Twin Club Cadet Kawasaki motor, my 4000 watt generator once a year or 50 run hours. Even use it in my Troy Bilt weed wacker but change the oil more often because it has such a small capacity and no filter.
Thanks for sharing!
I change oil filter every other month and oil every month
Thanks!
I use mobile1 fully synthetic extended performance oik and filter
I use a cross reference manual available online to match up factory oil filters to mobile 1 products
Use amsoil 100% synthetic
I run amsoil in my truck and bike. I run mobil1 synthetic in my zero turn and the oil looks brand new every time I change it.
I use synthetic blend. I get properties of both at the same time.
Thanks for your comment👍
Thanks for your service!I appreciate the information on the Kawasaki Oil 20-50 with Zinc in it.I just bought a used John Deere X300 with 527 hours on it.I want to use the best Oil for my Kawasaki engine and that Oil sounds good.This is my first Kawasaki motor and I am really impressed with this engine it has so much Torque.Thanks for a great video and good information!Just subscribed so I can learn more.
The best is amsoil believe me. Try it
I was told the same thing a few months back. I'm in Texas and I was told to run the 20/50 by a kawi rep who happened to be at the dealer I purchased my mower from the day I went. Gravely rep was also there and said the same. The also informed me about your previous vid about getting parts from a part store for a lower retail. Appreciate the videos.
Johnny, I read the label on the 20-50 w they recommend you and it states synthetic on it.
Engineering explained does a excellent comparison of synthetic vs conventional on his u tube channel . my take is that synthetic is far superior especially when cold and dirty vs conventional. conventional hardly flows when its cold and dirty
I tried 10w60 Triax oil. Tried once won't turn back. Never heard a Kaw sound happier and quieter
Wal Mart Super Tech 10w30 full synthetic oil in all my machines, Owners Manual approves use of Synthetic. All have high hours, a couple with 600+. No smoke,no hard starting, great compression, no knocking noise.
30 hours for the non filtered motors, For motors with filters,oil every 30 hours and Filter every 60.
I always prefer synthetic and try to run amsoil 10w30 for consistency. I only have honda GX's though.
You are using the best oil AMSOIL
Synthetic Oil is the BEST (and) ONLY Option you should be considering
For ANY Air-Cooled Machines INCLUDING: "Lawn Mowers"
1.) For Residential Mowers I would Recommend any Full-Synthetic Blend in a 10w-30 weight that States "High Mileage" on the Label
2.) For Commercial Mowing (or) if you live in an area where it regularly gets Over 100ºF Outside; I would Recommend Briggs and Stratton's
New Vanguard 15w-50.
RoofTopPigeon Ehh not really, conventional oils have been around for a while i use only conventional Havoline 10w-30 in all my machines summer and winter never had problem never will.
contains zinc..good for extra protection..racing oil has high zinc 5:10
Synthetics top out at API SM if you’re lucky, use good quality CF oil. SAE 30 can also be SN, so be careful.
Over here in Pennsylvania i run fully synthetic 10w30 Pennzoil or whatever other is available...usually Pennzoil. Mobile 1 seems to be good as well. I don't see it necessary at all to buy "Kawasaki" or "kohler" engine oil....
Thanks!
Johnny
6 years later and what oil are you now using?
Mobil 1 or Royal Purple
It's all marketing, chemistry has changed so much it's all good just different brands say this or that so they can charge more. 15w40 Rotella diesel oil, you just can't beat it. Oil change about 100 hours. As for warranty they are gonna weasel out of whatever they can, that's where you need good dealer support that knows how you maintenance your equipment.
Good to know, thanks for your input!
Buen espanol, se escucha natural! Thanks for the oil advice!
Gracias!
I change my mowers oil every 50 hrs and I use synthetic.
Yes he is. So I can
@Your moms HITACHI nah, if it's dirty change it..cheap insurance...I had an old kawi that would start valve tapping around 40 hours after a change it was quiet again for another 40 hours..the heat these little air cooled engines make breaks down the viscosity faster than you realize.
Buen video bro!! I use synthetic even on my trucks. Saludos.
Gracias!
I heard synthetic oil is good, but I used 20w 50
Thanks!
I use Mobil 1 10w30 and 20w50 when it gets hotter. When my oil starts looking brown it’s changed and my air filter. I have a 2004 liquid cooled Toro with over 10,000 hours on it and still Mowing strong. I don’t give a damn about a warranty from a dealer because it’s a waist of time.
i have used synthetic oil for that purpose of a buffer between oil changes. i have also used high mileage oil as well. it ran good with all.
Thanks!
thanks for the info
I've heard good things about royal purple sae 30 single weight synthetic.
Royal Purple is a good oil but also is Pennzoil Ultra platinum full synthetic made from natural gas. I think that the Royal Purple cost more.
I think either would work if the engine idles at the right speed. Every 50 hours on a John Deere.
Kawasaki recommends 100 hrs.
Our dealer recommends SAE 30.
I have been using Amsoil synthetic in all my motors cars ,lawn mowers ,etc for 30 Years with no problems
I used amsoil and went back to conventional oil because of the cost vs changing it more often. I still had significant engine wear and documented wear metals were higher in my car engine using their thin oil multi-grade oil vs 30w diesel oil. Because of this, I run SAE 30 in my mowers because the full film oil is far better than any claims that synthetic multi-grade is better. The 30HD from Walmart or Tractor Supply (Warren Oil) is hard to beat and $2/qt from TSC is the reason I don't buy synthetic.
Roosevelt Lewis amsoil makes a 10-30 made for lawn mowers
Amsoil the best the only oil that is 100% synthetic .no orther oil is 100% synthetic
Castrol edge 10w30 full synthetic.
Commercial mowers, yes use full synthetic. These engines are running 8 to 10 hours a day.
The average homeowner cutting less than an acre, semi synthetic or 10w30 does fine.
Thank you for your service and I appreciate your videos
I appreciate that
I started using the amsoil small engine line of oils and am seeing that the oil isnt getting as discollered like a HDEO I have used in the past.
🤔Interesting...
you should do a video of you changing your oil!
I have several, thanks!
Full synthetic seems to be the way to go. After watching a project farm video where he puts conventional, synthetic blend , and full synthetic to the test. The full synthetic oil blew the other types out of the water. In temperature, lubrication, longevity and viscosity.
Thanks for sharing!
I've been using any brand full synthetic 5w/30 or 10w/30 oil made by Warren Distribution in all of my 4 stroke engines, excepting my diesel Dodge. Seems to be very high quality oil, stays clean for a long time, no sludge or varnish issues. It comes as the OEM for various brands at different times, such as Meijer, Walmart, Amazon, but you have to look on the back of the bottle to make sure it's made by Warren. For some reason, my older car runs quieter mechanically with this oil than with Mobil1. Another advantage, 5w/30 full synthetic has a very wide temp usability range, from below -20F to over 100F, perfect for my area.
Yep 20w50 that's great oil l use amsoil 20w50