B&S Vanguard Synthetic 15w-50 oil

[7394]

I have 20w-50 here for the bikes. But the Rotella T-4 (15w-40) is noticeably thicker, & is JASO approved for air cooled engines, like my Kawasaki.
Plus can't beat the price, Walmart usually has it on sale, or Tractor Supply. Don't think they make a 15w-50 that would be extremely thick.

I spoke to a Tech @ Rotella & he said the Rotella T-4 is ideal for solid lifter engines, like mine. & the Additives are good for it as well.


But you make sure it is good for your engine..

 

[nbpt100]

Interesting that the Rotella is thicker than the 20w-50. I clearly could see by comparison the 20w-50 I used was much thicker than the SAE 30 and yet it smoked more at start up.....significantly more. I think it has more to do with how the individual oil burns as much as how much leaks into the combustion chamber. I did pick up some Rotella T4 tonight and will try it.

I also soaked the piston with some Seafoam as I read somewhere that it can dissolve carbon build up on the rings which may cause some oil burning and certainly blow back.

I will see how it goes tomorrow.

 

[PTmowerMech]

At start up it is thinner. It may cause smoking until it gets to operating temp. I may be better off with some kind of additive. It only smokes at a cold start up for 2 seconds. Otherwise no smoke. Thanks.

I was always under the impression that oil get's a little thinner when it heats up. Example, if you put oil in the fridge or freezer, it's hard as heck to pour out. Same oil after engine has heated up, will drip off the end of a dip stick.

 

[cpurvis]

Here's an explanation of multi viscosity oils.

http://www.upmpg.com/tech_articles/motoroil_viscosity/

 

[PTmowerMech]

Here's an explanation of multi viscosity oils.

http://www.upmpg.com/tech_articles/motoroil_viscosity/

I must be reading this wrong. It makes the lower number sound as if it's thinner. And the higher number as if it's thicker. How could be possible? Take a bottle of 5w 30 oil and put in your freezer over night. The next day, try to poor it out of the bottle? It's thick as heck. Run your engine for 20 minutes and pull the drain plug. It's thin as heck.
They're explaining it backwards from what I've seen with my own eyes.

What am I missing?

 

[cpurvis]

I must be reading this wrong. It makes the lower number sound as if it's thinner. And the higher number as if it's thicker. How could be possible? Take a bottle of 5w 30 oil and put in your freezer over night. The next day, try to poor it out of the bottle? It's thick as heck. Run your engine for 20 minutes and pull the drain plug. It's thin as heck.
They're explaining it backwards from what I've seen with my own eyes.

What am I missing?

Put a bottle of 30W in the freezer along with your 10W-30 and compare how they pour. They're both going to have the same viscosity at 210F; it's the low temp where the difference in viscosity is apparent, not the high temp.

 

[7394]

Put a bottle of 30W in the freezer along with your 10W-30 and compare how they pour. They're both going to have the same viscosity at 210F; it's the low temp where the difference in viscosity is apparent, not the high temp.

And that's a vital asset when starting an engine that has sat all week. Gotta get that thin oil in & quickly circulated. :thumbsup:

Good Link Cpurvis..

 

[PTmowerMech]

Put a bottle of 30W in the freezer along with your 10W-30 and compare how they pour. They're both going to have the same viscosity at 210F; it's the low temp where the difference in viscosity is apparent, not the high temp.

I understand that much. But seems the way this is written, that colders oil (say 5w), would pour easier than when it heats up to the 30 (as in 5w-30) But when you take it out of the fridge, it pours slower.

I don't know. It's not that big of a deal.

 

[tom3]

I can remember way back in my gas station days when multigrade oil first came out it was like a miracle. We used to go inside and get warm oil to add a quart of 20 or 30 weight, the multigrade would pour right out from the outside rack. They say the 10w30 when cold will pour like a 10 weight standard oil, true, and stiffen up like a 30 weight when hot, could be, some kind of worms swell up when hot to give it more body. I'm using 15w40 Rotella in about everything these days. They will change it probably at some point and screw it up for our use though like all the SN and SN+ oils of today.

 

[cpurvis]

I can remember way back in my gas station days when multigrade oil first came out it was like a miracle. We used to go inside and get warm oil to add a quart of 20 or 30 weight, the multigrade would pour right out from the outside rack. They say the 10w30 when cold will pour like a 10 weight standard oil, true, and stiffen up like a 30 weight when hot, could be, some kind of worms swell up when hot to give it more body. I'm using 15w40 Rotella in about everything these days. They will change it probably at some point and screw it up for our use though like all the SN and SN+ oils of today.

Not to worry, they already have.

Some brands the latest rating, CK-4, is not backward compatible. Ford has issued a statement not to use any CK-4 oil unless it carries Ford's specification on the label. Rotella T-4 meets the Ford spec; Mobil Delvac does not.

There was a discussion on here about it. In fact, I think I started the thread but I can't find it now.