4 cycle oil
- Thread starter mikehouse
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2 cycle engine, you mix the gas with the oil, and 2 cycles generally don't have a seperate oil resevoir
4 cycle engine, straight gas and Oil goes in the crankcase.
2 cycle push mowers are rarely made anymore, if any.
What engine do you have?
4 cycle engine, straight gas and Oil goes in the crankcase.
2 cycle push mowers are rarely made anymore, if any.
What engine do you have?
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GCV160 is specified to use 10W30, but SAE 30 will do fine.
sgkent
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The first number is the winter rating. The second number is the warm viscosity (ability to pour). Hence a 5W-30 oil is thinner when cold than a 10W-30 oil. A SAE 30 weight oil does not have additives that artificially change its behavior with temperature.. Hence SAE 30 would be thicker when cold than 5W-30 or 10W-30. All would behave similar when hot until the additives weaken.
A 5W-30 oil would act like a SAE 5 oil when cold and pour easier than SAE 30, but behave like a SAE 30 oil when hot.
Now the bad news. As a multi-grade oil is used it slowly loses the additives that help with that process. Unless the manufacturer specifies a 5W-30 oil, it may be too thin in my opinion, especially on an air cooled engine. It is typically used in water cooled engines of closer manufacturing processes and tolerances where the engine temperature can be closely regulated. Air cooled engines often run much hotter than water cooled engines. Unless you are in Nome Alaska, I might avoid a 5W-30 oil. 10W-30 would be fine in the more temperate US climates, but if you are mowing when it is over 90F outside I would use SAE 30. Basically if it is 70F at night and 90F during the day use just a standard SAE grade. But if you use the same oil in April when it is 35F in the morning, then thru summer when it is 90F then to fall when it is again 40F in the morning and 80F in the afternoon use a multi-grade oil.
Most car parts places have it but they keep it in the back. I run into that all the time buying it. There is none on the shelf so I ask for it, and they have boxes in the back but limited shelf space for it.
Also - I use detergent oil in all my lawn equipment. However if you have used non-detergent type oil for any length of time do not change to a detergent oil as it will allow the settled dirt to be picked up in masse and it can damage an engine. If you do go from a non-detergent oil to a detergent oil you will have to change it quite often until it becomes cleaner. It is best to change the oil when it is warm or hot, and before the particles in the oil have had a chance to settle. I say this because some brands of SAE 30 are non-detergent as they are used in some other things like compressors etc.. You have to READ the label. So if if you are new to changing oil where you have to ask what to buy, please spend a few minutes understanding what you actually need so not to cause yourself grief down the line. It is not rocket science, but the wrong choice in oil can be harmful to an engine.
A 5W-30 oil would act like a SAE 5 oil when cold and pour easier than SAE 30, but behave like a SAE 30 oil when hot.
Now the bad news. As a multi-grade oil is used it slowly loses the additives that help with that process. Unless the manufacturer specifies a 5W-30 oil, it may be too thin in my opinion, especially on an air cooled engine. It is typically used in water cooled engines of closer manufacturing processes and tolerances where the engine temperature can be closely regulated. Air cooled engines often run much hotter than water cooled engines. Unless you are in Nome Alaska, I might avoid a 5W-30 oil. 10W-30 would be fine in the more temperate US climates, but if you are mowing when it is over 90F outside I would use SAE 30. Basically if it is 70F at night and 90F during the day use just a standard SAE grade. But if you use the same oil in April when it is 35F in the morning, then thru summer when it is 90F then to fall when it is again 40F in the morning and 80F in the afternoon use a multi-grade oil.
Most car parts places have it but they keep it in the back. I run into that all the time buying it. There is none on the shelf so I ask for it, and they have boxes in the back but limited shelf space for it.
Also - I use detergent oil in all my lawn equipment. However if you have used non-detergent type oil for any length of time do not change to a detergent oil as it will allow the settled dirt to be picked up in masse and it can damage an engine. If you do go from a non-detergent oil to a detergent oil you will have to change it quite often until it becomes cleaner. It is best to change the oil when it is warm or hot, and before the particles in the oil have had a chance to settle. I say this because some brands of SAE 30 are non-detergent as they are used in some other things like compressors etc.. You have to READ the label. So if if you are new to changing oil where you have to ask what to buy, please spend a few minutes understanding what you actually need so not to cause yourself grief down the line. It is not rocket science, but the wrong choice in oil can be harmful to an engine.
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sgkent
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