I recently order some SAE 30 oil for my lawnmowers.It's B&S 4 cycle for small engines.I thought lawn mowers were 2 cycle.Is this okay to use?
#2
Scrubcadet10
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?
#3
mikehouse
Hey Scrub,I actually have that info before but was confused.You straightened me out very clearly.THANK YOU,lol.As for engines I have a GCV 160 in my Husqvarna,and a 22 yo Lawnboy 10330.
The Lawnboys were originally 2 cycle engines.
Your 10330 originally had a 4.5 hp 4 cycle Tecumseh engine.
The Briggs and Stratton engine is a 4 cycle engine.
SAE 30 HD is the correct oil for both.
#5
mikehouse
AWESOME MParr.This Lawnboy IS a 4 cycle,separate gas and oil.Oh!!! and thanks.
#6
Scrubcadet10
GCV160 is specified to use 10W30, but SAE 30 will do fine.
#7
mikehouse
10w30 huh? I wonder what difference it will make if any? I have had to use 5w30 as I couldn't find SAE30 and was pressed for time.
#8
sgkent
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.
#9
mikehouse
I actually read every word AND understood it all.Some of it,a little overkill in my case, non commercial or super large acreage,but sticking with the SAE 30.Thank you sgkent for that good lesson.Much obliged.
I actually read every word AND understood it all.Some of it,a little overkill in my case, non commercial or super large acreage,but sticking with the SAE 30.Thank you sgkent for that good lesson.Much obliged.
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?
Actually the original 16:1 engines used 8 ounces of SAE 30W non-detergent motor oil mixed with a gallon of gas. But that is historically older engines before the widespread use of modern 2 stroke oils were available.
Most it was only green lawn boy mowers that were two stroke. Toro had some two strokes but we're lawn boy engines. Toro and lawn boy merged together years ago.
