My mower says to use SAE 30w oil. Can I get away with putting 10w 30 in it or will it hurt it? I am usually not the one who mows the lawn so I have no idea.

 

it is ok for the winter like if you use it to plow the drive.
It depends alot on what motor it has. Briggs or Kholer or Kawisaki.
If it says to run 30weight that's what i'd run

 

small engines without a oil filter need a non detergent oil, so that the dirt settles on the bottom. this helps the engine clean it self, and not wear out. most automotive 10w40 is detergent, and will wear out the mower easier.

 

Ya, thanks for the input. I used the 10w 30 and it seemed to work well. I was just mowing my lawn is all. I am not sure the make of the eninge, it is a Craftsman 6.75 hp mower.

 

that most likely would be a Tecumseh engine, Craftsman mostly used tecumseh engines on their push mowers, maybe even on their riders

 

I run a straight 30w oil in an old Murray push mower(Briggs 3.5 hp) with no problems here in the south. It's a high detergent oil and the engine uses no oil and it's 12 years old. I have never read in an engine manual that you are supposed to run a non-detergent oil in it. Like any engine....keep it serviced and keep the oil changed on a regular basis and it will run a long time.

 

Briggs use 30wt motor oil only !!!!!!! I have been doing this from 1978 & still doing it, Never use synthenic oil or muliti blend oil If ya don't beleveve me run it Briggs will love ya what's $$$$$ or you could send me the money !!! I could use it . 10- 30 or 10 -40 will foam up in air cooled engines . Water cooled no problem use it .

Don

 

Use what the manual says to use.

I've been building/re-building Briggs & Stratton, Tecumseh and some Clinton and Lauson engines since I was 13. (Over 37 years.) First engine was a 3 hp B&S model 5BH. It STILL runs.

At the moment, I have two identical push mowers with B&S 5 hp engines, and they call for 10w-30 oil. These engines are 1989 model engines and use NO oil. Not a leak, either. (Engines have NOT been opened up. Ever.)

I also have an MTD mower bought from Wards w/ a 16 hp Briggs and Stratton I/C engine that calls for 30w.
It is a 1992 model and it uses NO oil. No leaks. (Engine has NOT been opened up. Ever.) Only replaced part is the ignition module.

Since day one, all of them have had what was called for in the manual.
The oil I use. . . . Penzoil. 30w is HD (High Detergent.)

Bottom line. . . . use what the manufacturer calls for in the manual and maintain the engine! That's the most important step. Maintenance.

Just my 2¢

 

If you use multigrade in B&S you will have higher oil consumption.
Always use detergent oil. FOr some reason, people tend to confuse single weight oil and non detergent.
IMO Non detergent is for electric motors only.

 

I also have always heard to use non detergent in small engines that have no filters.Why would you want to circulate varnishes,dirt etc thru the engine? Now whether or not it will make a big difference,because most of them are bullet proof anyway.

 

Yomow, I just have to differ with you. I put a half quart of Mobil-1, 5-20w in my b&s powered mower once a year in the spring. It's 6 years old, runs like new, and starts on the first pull every time.

 

Truth be told even if you use the wrong or improper oil to shorten the life of a mower engine the deck on the newr push mowers will fall apart well before the engine gives up the ghost!!
Glenn
What we need are some bullet proof decks to go with the engines!!

 

That is the truth all summer i had to beat decks back in to shape when a customer would come in and say its not mowing level. They are way to thin and crack to easily. Especially those bearing housings(mandrels) always break an ear off those murray ones.

 

As long as Lowe's, Home Depot, Sears, Ect. are selling any type of lawn Equipment !!! They will mostly be JUNK, they are selling them selfs they don't stand for the manufactures. The Japanese woke up the americans & we now build much better Cars & Trucks, And until people wake up , or the Goverment step in - because the land fills are filling up with Junk,we are stuck with this stuff !!! I sell Dixon ZTR's & Kawasaki power equiment blowers, trimmers ect. none of these are sold at the Junk Stores! If you think about it it makes sense to me ! If the equpment is so good why don't thay fix it . But for sears just figure out how much they charge to fixem when thay are new they charge to fix em while they are still under warranty. Just a thought !
Thats just me standing on a pedestal !
Don

 

Due to the higher operating temperatures of an air cooled engine, I run a straight 40 in my push mower.