B & S 6B - S 1955 oil & maintenance

silver1

silver1

Well-Known Member
I have a 1955 California Trimmer with a 2 Hp Briggs. I'm looking at the manual and it calls for 20-20w oil above 32F and 10w below 32F. I don't think
I will be mowing the lawn below 32F. I remember 1955. No self serve then. Full service, sometimes by two people.
Is that true with "todays" oils? Is a blend just as good or better?
It also says to remove the head and clean the valves and piston every 300 hours.
It should have a steel gasket that I would guess could be re-used. The head bolts are not very tight. What is the torque value?
A beautiful day out. Near record temps. in the west. The east can send some snow out here! :laughing:
 
The oils that were available in the 50's were far different than modern oils...
If by "blends" you are referring to multi-viscosity... then Yes a good multiviscosity is far better 'today' then they were decades ago. They will also lubricate better than straight weight oil. There are a few reasons why, but unless you are actually going to travel back in time, the actual reason why early multi- vis oils were not always good really makes little difference, and if you do not know that multi-v oils outperform single weight you have not researched modern oils, Or you feel good enough will work fine for you...
Today your 1955 engine will work well with any good multi viscosity oil. It will last longest with a Good Synthetic Diesel rated multi viscosity engine oil...
The older 1955 oils were Not very good at cleaning up carbon and keeping it in suspension, there was a Lot of thermal sludge deposits and carbon build up in all engines... stay in the 2014's and future years to come, and use modern day synthetic HIGH detergent (diesel rated) engine oils. Today engine machining tolerances are a Lot better, so you 'may' have a lot of carbon build up in your older engine... but using any good Synthetic oil will reduce any future build up... (synthetics tolerate heat Much better & will Not burn to carbon, as easily as mineral oils. :smile:KennyV
 
KennyV said:
The oils that were available in the 50's were far different than modern oils...
If by "blends" you are referring to multi-viscosity... then Yes a good multiviscosity is far better 'today' then they were decades ago. They will also lubricate better than straight weight oil. There are a few reasons why, but unless you are actually going to travel back in time, the actual reason why early multi- vis oils were not always good really makes little difference, and if you do not know that multi-v oils outperform single weight you have not researched modern oils, Or you feel good enough will work fine for you...
Today your 1955 engine will work well with any good multi viscosity oil. It will last longest with a Good Synthetic Diesel rated multi viscosity engine oil...
The older 1955 oils were Not very good at cleaning up carbon and keeping it in suspension, there was a Lot of thermal sludge deposits and carbon build up in all engines... stay in the 2014's and future years to come, and use modern day synthetic HIGH detergent (diesel rated) engine oils. Today engine machining tolerances are a Lot better, so you 'may' have a lot of carbon build up in your older engine... but using any good Synthetic oil will reduce any future build up... (synthetics tolerate heat Much better & will Not burn to carbon, as easily as mineral oils. :smile:KennyV
Click to expand...

Oh! like that info. thanks.
 
"The head bolts are not very tight. What is the torque value?"

The torque settings on Aluminum are from 140in.lbs to 165in.lbs, and the ones for Cast iron are from 140in.lbs to 190in.lbs

post up the model numbers to get them right...!
 
EngineMan said:
"The head bolts are not very tight. What is the torque value?"

The torque settings on Aluminum are from 140in.lbs to 165in.lbs, and the ones for Cast iron are from 140in.lbs to 190in.lbs

post up the model numbers to get them right...!
Click to expand...
and take a pic too:smile:
 
EngineMan said:
"The head bolts are not very tight. What is the torque value?"

The torque settings on Aluminum are from 140in.lbs to 165in.lbs, and the ones for Cast iron are from 140in.lbs to 190in.lbs

post up the model numbers to get them right...!
Click to expand...

Model 6B - S Type ? Sn = 661894 (type maybe 901010ish)
 

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6B, 60000 Series
Idle speed 1750
Armature air gap two leg .006-.010 three leg .012-.016
Valve clearance Intake .005-.007 Exhaust .009-.011
Valve guide reject gage 19122
Torque specifications Flywheel nut ft.lbs 55 Cylinder head in.lbs 140 Conn.rod in.lbs 100
Crankshaft reject size Mag journal .8720 Crankpin .8697 P.T.O journal .8726 Main bearing reject gage 19166 Cylinder bore std 2.375"
carburetor type Pulse-jet/vacu-jet turns open from seat needle valve 1.1/2
 
They have come a long ways with oil since 1955. Myself I would use SAE 30. If it runs good I wouldn't pull the head off. Back in 1955 they had lead in the gas and it burned cooler then the non leaded gas of today.
 
reynoldston said:
They have come a long ways with oil since 1955. Myself I would use SAE 30. If it runs good I wouldn't pull the head off. Back in 1955 they had lead in the gas and it burned cooler then the non leaded gas of today.
Click to expand...

I remember leaded gas as most of us older gentlemen would.
Lasted until the 80's. I remember the exhaust pipe turning gray inside after a long trip.
 
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