What kinda oil do you use?

[skunkhome]

When I got my tractor I decided to change the oil and I thought I would be nice to the tractor and put in some nice 10w30 synthetic oil. I don't even run that stuff in my cars. Well, I am not sure that was such a great idea as it has used about 1 pt of oil in about 2 hours of light to moderate use. The motor does not smoke or leak; it just uses oil. today I dumped the synthetic and went back to 30W HD. That is what the manual calls for in summer and believe me it is Summer here. (101-105 in the shade the last 5 days)

[FiremanRon]

There is an excellant explaination about this at http://www.simpletractors.com/service/motor_oil.htm In a nutshell, it says use what the manual says. An air cooled Briggs is not a car and it has different oil requirements. I had a friend do what you did, except that by the time he was done mowing, so was the engine.

[ZippoVarga]

Multi weight detergent synthetic oil = disaster in these older splash type oiling engines. Synthetic oil will seek out the tiniest hole and pour out of it. A weak gasket, seal, worn rings, worn valves/lifters and so on. Not to mention that detergent type oils are designed to hang on to the dirt so it will go through an oil filter and be removed. The reason is because detergent oils hold the dirt where non detergent oils alow the sediment to rest safely in the bottom of the oil pan where it does little to no damage. The synthetic oils are great with a freshly rebuilt engine so long as it is a non detergent synthetic or a synthetic blend. The multi weight oils are much thinner to begin with, add in the synthetic factor and increased heat due to the lighter weight and your throwing a good engine into cardiac arrest. Stick with the single viscosity oil as suggested in the owners manuals. It's best to not assume that something new and improved is better for these old engines. I often skip up to 40 weight non detergent if I notice any oil consumption. Or a 15-20% concentration of Lucas Oil Stabilizer. Others here will contest or agree with the Lucas aditive to help reduce oil consumption and help compression and so on. But ultimately, it's what works for you that matters. There's a multitude of products out there with claims of improved engine performance, compression and reduced oil consumption. Pick and choose carefully. These products are often modeled for passenger vehicles and not single cylinder mower engines. IF in doubt, ASK. Good luck with your tractor and with your experimentation of what's good and what's not. Sean aka Zippo

[skunkhome]

Darn! I still put in the wrong oil. I put in 30W SM service and it should have been SC,SD,or MS according to the manual. The reason I put in synthetic was because I read it in some forum. (thought it was here)B) Goes to show, My Mom was right; Just because everyone else is doing it doesn't mean I should too. :O Whew! I dodged the bullet... The manual calls for 30w SC, SD, or MS service. I put in 30w SH service. I thought I had screwed up again,:( but decided to go and read up on what the Service designations meant. It turns out that SC, SD,& MS are obsolete and have been replaced by a number of designations leading up to "SH" which supersedes them all. :D

[haykarenhardy]

"Or a 15-20% concentration of Lucas Oil Stabilizer." Yes it does reduce oil consumption, I have used it on an old push mower that the other half likes. The mower is shot but the motor starts on the first pull 90% of the time.

[DanD]

I use Mobil 1 5w-40 in my Sovereign with the 16 hp single cylinder Briggs year round. Starts great in the winter and never uses a drop of oil in the summer. Synthetic oil outperforms regular oil at both high and low temperature extremes, and these little air cooled engines heat up the oil more than any liquid cooled engine does. Be sure to use detergent oil even if you use regular oil. Holds any contamination in suspension so it will be removed at oil change. Since these old engines have no oil filter, they recommend a 25 hour oil change, vs. 100 hours in the newer engines with a pressure lube system and an oil filter. Modern tractors are recommending a 400 hour oil change, or in other words one oil change for 16 in our old little engines!

[TomSchmit]

I recently switched to synthetic 10W-30 after many years of straight 30 (for summer) and 10W-30 for winter. Even in my older engines that use a little oil, I have had no problems or leaks. Engines seem to run cooler, too. So I like the synthetic oil! Tom

[DMedal]

Briggs' word on oil types: http://www.briggsandstratton.com/display/router.asp?DocID=81016

[UCD]

Types of Oil Use a high quality detergent oil classified "For Service SF, SG, SH, SJ" or higher, such as Briggs & Stratton SAE 30W. Do not use special additives. CAUTION: Air cooled engines run hotter than automotive engines. The use of non-synthetic multi-viscosity oils (5W-30, 10W-30, etc.) in temperatures above 40°F (4°C) will result in higher than normal oil consumption. When using a multi-viscosity oil, check oil level more frequently. CAUTION: SAE 30 oil, if used below 40°F (4°C), will result in hard starting and possible engine bore damage due to inadequate lubrication. NOTE: Synthetic oil meeting ILSAC GF-2, API certification mark and API service symbol (shown at right) with "SJ/CF ENERGY CONSERVING" or higher, is an acceptable oil at all temperatures. Use of synthetic oil does not alter required oil change intervals.

[mwells]

I use Amsoil OW-30 All year round in all my mowers. I have never had any problem with it. The mowers start so much easier in the winter, but it still provides excellent high temperature protection. I have a 1920 Ultima with 1120 hours on it and it doesn't burn any oil. It starts right up with no smoke everytime, and I've had it in 30 below 0 to 110 degrees out side working it pretty hard. As for my older B-series mowers, I put it in them, and they burn a little, but know more then what it would with patroleum oil. I also run ATF Amsoil in all my hydros, and 75-90W in all my gearboxes and trannys. The hydros move easier in the winter, and the gear trannys shift eaisier in the winter too. So I'll stick with Amsoil Synthetic!:D:D

[bkassulke]

Do we have an amsoil dealer trying to make some sales??? But I do agree with the amsoil synthetic. Benjamin

[goatfarmer]

I use 15W40 Rotella in the tractor fleet year round. My 712H uses a bit of oil, and since I switched to this oil, it seems to use a bit less.^

[B.Ikard]

quote:

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Originally posted by goatfarmer
I use 15W40 Rotella in the tractor fleet year round. My 712H uses a bit of oil, and since I switched to this oil, it seems to use a bit less.^

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Good stuff-use it in everything around here, but for some reason I put the SAE 30 Rotella in the Briggs 16's. Brent

[RayS]

I have used 10w-30 mobile one in my 16 hp briggs (326431) since I bought it new 4 years ago. It doesn`t use any oil and it doesn`t leak any either.

[Tacey]

I use whatever is on sale. I even added a little "Slick 50" I had lying around yesterday. I check the oil almost every time I run my tractors; keeping the porper oil level in them is important. Tacey

[dirtsaver]

I've been useing Castrol SynTech 10w30 in the 17GTH-L for four years now with good success. Starts way easier in winter and runs cooler in summer. As prone to oiling problems as the Kohler KT17 engines seem to be I feel it's just good insurance. Larry

[MikeES]

I use Shell Rotella T 5w-40 full synthetic in all engines year around, including the pulling tractors and the Kubota diesel. I am on my 3rd or 4th year with this and I am :)

[andrewk]

quote:

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100 hours in the newer engines with a pressure lube system and an oil filter. Modern tractors are recommending a 400 hour oil change

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I have seen a couple that say 100hrs, but never 400hrs... Which brand/type have you seen advertising this? I see most recommending change at 50hrs with an oil filter.

[JimDk]

It may be worth noting that the oil companies are quietly changing heavy duty motor oil specs to comply with new emissions regulations. This includes synthetics. The good old CI-4 + diesel lube is fast disappearing and being replaced with CJ-4. Moly, calcium, phosphorus and zinc have been removed from the additive package to comply with 2008 diesel engines with particulate traps in the exhaust. CJ spec is supposed to be "backward compatable". Only time will tell. Gas engine spec oil is changing, also. Our old air cooled engines may, or may not be affected.

[DanD]

quote:

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Originally posted by andrewk

quote:

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100 hours in the newer engines with a pressure lube system and an oil filter. Modern tractors are recommending a 400 hour oil change

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I have seen a couple that say 100hrs, but never 400hrs... Which brand/type have you seen advertising this? I see most recommending change at 50hrs with an oil filter.

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Brand new AGCO farm tractors recommend a 400 hour oil change. Don't know about Deere or CaseIH or any other brands.

[acfarmer]

I have started using Harley Davidson oil in my air cooled Lombardini engine in a Pasquali 998. Its has reduced smoking and the engine runs quieter.Plan on trying it in my Simplicity and Allis air cooled engines next.

[Willy]

I have been using Philip's Trop-Arctic Synthetic blend 10/30 with very good luck. They use a little oil,but not enough to matter.

[dlcentral]

All these old engs did not have the tolerances for modern syn oil when built sae 30 in summer, 10W30 or 10W40 in winter.:)

[KenK]

I guess I'm old fashioned, I use valvolene HD-30w in every mower I got.10-30 in the winter,I also like to change every 20-30 hours. Never had any engine problems yet(knock on wood).