Engine oil for Honda HRN 216 VKA Push Mower

timream

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I’ve always used full synthetic in snowblower and mower. Small investment for hopefully the best protection.
 

damonr

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12 oz bottle?

Scored cylinder says "bad air filter" to me more than lack of oil. Especially when one is certain the engine had oil.
I would agree. The air filter was presumably also brand new when I purchased my new mower and only 6 months old at time of failure. dust/dirt conditions are extremely low here, it’s all grass. Maybe a defective new filter that starting falling apart or defective rings? Mower still at dealer so I have to go grab the pieces
 

slomo

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Briggs engines can run without oil and still survive. I think you got a mower built with all the remaining parts, at that time, and was a lemon. Remember Honda is out of the mower biz. They are selling left over machines.
 

GrumpyCat

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I would agree. The air filter was presumably also brand new when I purchased my new mower and only 6 months old at time of failure. dust/dirt conditions are extremely low here, it’s all grass. Maybe a defective new filter that starting falling apart or defective rings? Mower still at dealer so I have to go grab the pieces
Is easy to mis-install many air filters leaving an opening for dirt.
 

Scott_HRR

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I’ve had my HRR216 for probably 10 years now. Since 13 oz of oil is pretty cheap I change it often (2 times a season). I use any 10-30 or 10-40 oil thats on sale as long as it meets all API certifications. Just did a valve adjustment check and the inside of the engine looks brand new. There are only about 4 manufacturers of oil in the US so they all get it from the same place. The only thing the name brands do, is claim to put their additives in there. There additives are “trade secrets” so you‘ll never know what they really put in there if anything at all. These little engines don’t have oil filters so it seems better to change the oil often rather than getting into the weeds on what type of oil is best. In reality if it’s ACE Hardware or Honda branded oil 10-30 and they meet the same API you are pretty much getting the same oil regardless of brand name. Just my opinion…
 

GrumpyCat

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You don’t get the same oil regardless of brand name. There are few manufacturers of base oil, but that alone does not meet SAE/API specs.

There are also manufacturers of the additives necessary to make a complete SAE/API certification. Each brand decides what use.

The SAE/API certification does assure a good oil. Splitting hairs some are better than others but very difficult for mere mortal consumers to distinguish between.

There are a number of mixers who blend oil for brands who lack the facilities or investment to do it themself. They will make the oil the brand is willing to pay for.

Zinc is a soft metal which only serves to protect when oil film is not sufficient to hold the surfaces apart. Zinc in combustion exhaust is hard on O2 sensors and catalytic converters. Hence it’s limited use for automotive applications.
 

Scott_HRR

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Sorry, but I don’t buy into this. To each his/her own but I know a lot of people in racing, diesels and performance related and everyone is agreement, it’s all a bunch of hupla over nothing. Would I buy anything that says “motor oil”, of course not, but do I believe Mobil 1 synthetic is better for my wife’s RX350 over Kirkland synthetic, NOPE. Anyone can say their additive makes their oil better, but go find a chemical break down .PDF of their additive. You can’t because they all claim it’s a “trade secrete“. I’m not against “brand” oil, just saying it’s not a bad idea to consider what the difference is, and if you have no evidence of what they are adding is there really any difference?
 

GrumpyCat

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Bob Is The Oil Guy has a lot of truly smart oil professionals posting. Not old wives tales mechanics.

There are ways to measure oil performance and the Kirkland @Scott_HRR poo-poos rates very highly. Mobil 1 mid pack.
 

Scott_HRR

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I use Kirkland in my wife’s RX350 and my RAM2500 Cummins Diesel. Can‘t complain.
 

slomo

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12 oz bottle?

Scored cylinder says "bad air filter" to me more than lack of oil. Especially when one is certain the engine had oil.
To me a scored cylinder is excess carbon chunks coming out of the cylinder getting next to the rings and gouging the bore. Every engine manual states at say 5 years, must clean and decarbon the cylinder/s.
 
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