... I have never been a multi-grade oil fan for air cooled engines,,, especially for warm weather applications.
Also, for transmission fluid, it says 10w-30 oil [motor oil ? ]
WELCOME to these Forums...
You can get by using any liquid as a lubricant... in Most cases your 'owners manual' will specify the Minimum requirement lubricant.
Unfortunately you are starting out with your own, wrong, ideas about multi-viscosity oils... You need to research oils and how heat reacts to oil. Then look into synthetics. (you are always able to find superior lubricants, your Not required to us them).
Most any hydro drive is going to use multi-viscosity Engine Oil... preferably synthetic in the range of 20w 50 .... 10w 30 Engine oil will be okay, 10w 50 SYNTHETIC will be best. any (first number) (xxw)-50 Synthetic Engine oil will be great in your hydro system. :smile:KennyV
Ok,,,,, I am still living in the past,,,, always used straight 30 for small engines, since they were used in warm weather.
This has the JD Cyclonic 27 hp motor,,, Briggs/Stratton I am thinking.
The JD z665 book actually says it can use four flavors,,,,, 15w-40,,,,, 10w-40,,,,,10w30,,,, 5w-30,, based on air temperatures,, with the 2 multi 40w oils being for the hottest temps. Jeepers,,,, one would think straight 30w could make the team and not frowned on, again,,,,unless 30w is just for old dogs.
JD does say,,,, you need not use JD oil,, just be sure the API class is SJ or higher,, my oil says SN,,,,, GF-5
Thanks for the info,,,,,
Found thread about the oil war.
http://www.lawnmowerforum.com/small...-10w-30-0r-straight-30w-why-not-10w-40-a.html
I, like you, am not thoroughly convinced of the benefits of high-dollar synthetic oils(particularly for small pressure lubricated engines). My previous two lawn tractors had Briggs engines; a 1995 16HP Vanguard....GREAT engine:0) and then a 2006 24HP Intek...not-so-good engine:0(
But, relative to the mfg. recommendation for the ambient temperature for their use here in Tennessee, I ran nothing but Briggs & Stratton Small Engine SAE30 W oil(much like you attribute to "old dogs"). All I can say is the 16HP was retired last fall(after 19 years of oil changes every spring and oil filter changes every other year) and the engine ran like the day I brought it home and did not use a single drop of oil between changes. The 24HP Intek, aside from cutting power/performance "issues" is basically the same story.....nothing but B & S SAE30 and after 7 years no "new" engine problems or oil consumption(the cutting power/performance....or should I say lack of performance.....started day one). My son is still using the 24HP but I don't think it'll last 19 years like the Vanguard did:0(
I just performed the very first post-breakin 10Hour oil change on my brand new Gravely with a Kawasaki FX691V "Commercial" engine. A lot of users here(especially the synthetic fans) may think I'm crazy....but the Gravely dealer's mechanic told me he agreed that the B & S Small Engine SAE30 oil was as good of quality as any small engine oil, would not void my warranty, and if I performed the regular oil change maintenance that I have always done......I should expect this engine to run like the day I brought it home 20 years from now. That's good enough for me(and a WHOLE LOT more inexpensive that 20 years of buying synthetic oil!!!!!!!!:0)
I think you were thinking right to begin with!!!