Outdoor Power Equipment (Lawn Mowers, Snow Blowers, Chain Saws and more) Discussions

why are people useing super gas in there machine instead of reg gas?? ya I know new machines recommend it but it makes no sence to me ...I got a yard full of machines {snownblower & lawnmowers} with there connecting rods compleaty smash ..All these machines are less then 10 yrs old and useing 5w30 oil .. My opion is hey it's a small motor with a small piston.. you dont have a mussel engine there with 32 vavles and 400hp it a small engine 1 piston and what ever hp 3 to 23hp just an example .. reg gas and 10w30 will do great just my thought Mark

To get this back on topic before it results in an exchange of comments on parentage, I don't use anything other than regular.

Reasons? These are low compression engines. They don't need higher octane fuel. It doesn't make them perform with greater power, but it does drain your wallet a little more. I used to think that higher octane cleaned your engine of deposits or prevented them from forming, but some reading I done recently showed that it isn't so.

The main reason for using higher octane gas is to eliminate pinging. This can happen with high compression engines or if the engine is running too hot. It is caused by preignition of the fuel, essentially the engine is starting to diesel. If the engine compression is < about 7.5:1 then you don't need high octane fuel. IF the engine is running to hot then you need to let it cool down before damage occurs. The engine manual that either came with the machine or that you get from the manufacturer's website should tell you what type of fuel to use.

Oil viscosity is normally determined by the operating conditions, recommendations are in the engine manual as well. The big thing is operating temperature. My snowblower engine is supposed to use 5W30 synthetic while operating in under 10C (37F) weather. Since its on a snowblower I don't have to worry unless I'm trying to move the snow outside a hockey rink in the summer ( I don't, but just suppose). If the same motor was used on something else during hotter weather then I would have to use a more viscous grade of oil. Its also not a good idea since the engine is designed for cold weather operation and doesn't cool as well as a "regular" engine.

I wouldn't be surprised if most of the blown engines were low on lubricant, not wrong viscosity.

The only engine I've blown was caused by an undetected oil leak and too low an oil level. I now check the dip stick every time I start up.

thks barcardi and nibbler and thks for no insults. but the first thing i check is the oil and the oil is allways good . I had 3 snowblower this yr and all of them the connecting rod went right thought the housing and a few mowers last yr with the connecting rod probelm i check for tell tales {ex: if they hit something really hard and shear pins dint do there job } ect ...For the low oil i think the engine just dies gracefuly it start by losing its rpm's then just seize up all with in minutes { depending your oil lose } the piston swell it its chamber and bye bye motor .I 100% agree 5w30{or sae 5} in the winter and 10w30 {or sae 10] in the summer But again new motors are asking 5w30 for there lawnmowers?? I dont know? Im banging my head agaist wall cause i cant figger out why so many motor are going defective ... But please dont listen to me its {Just a thought} of mine if your motor take super gaz put it in.. If it take that kind of oil put it in ..if you dont your warranty will be void.. there no need to take a chance .. It's my brain twister Mark

Tighter engine clearances (piston to bore, rod journal/bearing to crankshaft) require a lighter oil to allow it to flow through a smaller area. If the clearances haven't changed, than I too have no explanation for the lighter weight oil in OPE engines. I was in a Target store today & noticed they had a sign by the automotive isle that said "use heavier weight oil in the winter" - HUH?

As for higher octane fuel, if you have no detonation taking place, your engine will make LESS power with higher octane. Why? - the fuel's flash (or burn) temperature is raised with higher octane, meaning it takes more heat/spark for combustion to occur. This makes the engine somewhat less efficient. The best octane required is one that JUST prohibits detonation.

Good thread Mark!

Marty

One thing to note about the oil viscosity is that the specification is for a specific operating temperature range. If the weather is hotter on average or the cooling capacity of the engine is degraded for some reason then you need a higher viscosity. There is also a difference between a consumer grade machine and a commercial grade in terms of its average operating hours. The consumer grade machine isn't designed to run for 8-15hrs per day, 5-7 days a week and oil isn't going to make that much difference.

I've heard of some people having problems when the cooling fins on the engine are not kept clean and instead are really clogged up while running in hot weather. Thats why I mentioned the snowblower engine not being designed for summer usage, it has a shroud to help keep the engnine warm while in use. This is not a good thing in the summer but is quite helpful in the winter ( anywhere from 0C to -40C a.k.a. cold to friggin cold :-) )

As far as the blown engines are concerned maybe its something other than oil. Are there any other similarities that aren't oil related?

Soime things to consider:

1. Make and model
2. Cheap nock off
3. Name brand but bad batch
4. 2 stroke engine with straight gas ( my favourite)
5. Running the engine with no load
6. Running the engine with ntoo much load ( locked up)

Good Luck

thks guys for your input and i agree 100% for the oil and major you might have a point with the clearance ..but I am from the old school {mind you i still go to school once and a while to get up dated}{small motors} and its my 3rd yr learning computers {how to use compter that is} but back to old school people ask what oil should i put in my snowblower i alway ask if you have a heated garage or a cold garage or do just have a tarp on it outside? There is a big diffrence and diffrent oils should be consider up were i am temp in the winter drops to -30 about -0 in the u.s temp are driveway are not reg ex: 15ftx25 ours are like 15ft x 100ft + if your useing 5w30 after a while that motor is hot and the oil is not as strong I recommand them changing the oil every 15 hrs ..Thats with a cold garage or the unit is stored out side ..But if you have a heated garage with a machine 6 yrs of age or plus with a big driveway use 10w30 oil ..I had a guy came this winter with a machine he had a block heater on it he felt comfortable useing 10w30 cause he had a machine i say about 9 yrs old..he rig the heater up so it was agaist his block and plug it in about 1 hr before he had to use it . i took my hat off to him... he got the strenth of 10w30.. but by heating the block his oil wasnt thick like tar .. and for nibbler i rather not say the makes and models but there not nock off {I never knew they made knock off} and for the engine with/without load the governor should take care of that?? once angain thks a lot guys Mark

  My es 6500 honda generator..takes 5 minutes to warm up & generate power, 70 degree weather.. After that it is fine all day. Turn it off & on.. I think it could be the exciter.does anyone know How I can easily magnitize the exciter again... Or, any other thought about this ....  Where would I find the automatic regulator & excter wire

                                                                                                                            thanks   woofie

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