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

Want to say HI to everyone This my first post here. I just came over from W.T.B.L.Mower.com

I just bought a nwe Ariens 926 dle. Does Ariens / Tecumesh use a break in oil ? Is that why the want to have it changed after 2 hr.

Whats your thought on runing Synthetic oil.

TB101,

Run Synthetic!!! I do.

Fred

I have a new 11528LE. I don't know if the oil in the new blower is break-in. The manual just says it came with 5W-30. I put Mobil One 0W-30 in mine after the first 2 hours.

I have a Simplicity blower which requires the 2 hour oil change. The Briggs engine I do not believe has break in oil. The Briggs engine manual does not reference this requirement. The 2 hour period is recommended to flush out particles which are generated during the initial engine break in. If the lack of snow continues in my area I may not reach the 2 hour run time this year. My guess is that Tecumseh is the same.

Buck, They come with regular old oil. They want you to change it in order to rid the impurities, metal shavings etc., from your oil. When you do this I suggest you change the oil while the engine is warm, doing so will let more impurities run out. I also would immediately refill it with cheap 5W-30 oil, warm it up again and repeat. Now you have effectively flushed the engine out and can proceed to fill it with Mobil 1 full synthetic in the proper viscosity for your areas temperature requirements, 5w or 0w.

Welcome to the forum! Stick around and join us.

Marshall

I use Mobil 1 in all my engines both small and large....cold start up is great in the cars and snowblowersduring the winter and nearly zero oil consumption in the lawn mower/tractors during the summer......Mobil 1...Can't fry it....Can't freeze it!!!

Dan

My feeling, influenced by this board, is that for the minimal expense of a quart of synthetic oil, you are buying yourself another layer of protection. There is no doubt that synthetic protects better in extreme situations.

It's like chicken soup when you have a cold. It may not help but it sure can't hurt.

Jerry

Mobile 1 here also. . Big improvement in cold weather starting !

Definately synthetic.

One of my machines has a Briggs intek engine on it that has been used over 2000 times in the last 2.5 years and has had NOTHING BUT synthetic oil in it. Starts first pull, doesn't burn a drop and the plug is in perfect condition. What more can be said?

Ken

Folks---I read all the time about synthetic oils and I know from your posts that they are well worth their money up in the cold country. I notice down in this northeast part of Louisiana that you rarely hear of anyone using synthetic. A friend of mine ran a pretty good size shop for years in my town and I have never heard him mention anyone wanting synthetic when the equipment is being serviced. Do you think it would be just as beneficial in this climate? Have thought about using it but that is as far as I have gone. Wish all of you the best-and may the Lord watch over you and keep you now and always--Your friend--Will

Hello Will,

I use it in Oklahoma because of the heat, I feel it protects much better and doesn't breakdown nearly as quick in the hot summer months. If I can protect the engine better, I might as well. The fact that you can go 7500 miles between oil changes in your automobile say's something about it in respect to dino oils calling for change at 3000 miles. It's just my opinion Will, it doesn't mike it science.

Will,

We used Synthetic oil during the 60's in our USAF 3460 radial (air cooled) engines.

That is all they use in the jet engines of today.

They are great for cold as well as very hot!!

Use it where you are in the deep south!

Fred

Will...

I understand the full-synthetic oils are better for any climate... cold... warm... or hot...

Less engine wear regardless of the outside environment...


Dave...

Well Synthetic it is, I have about 1 hr on my unit now Should get some more snow by this weekend. 

Thursday  is going to be 57 - 60deg & 25 for the hi on Friday WITH SNOW .

So I will make the change over on Sat.

Thanks to everyone for your input.

Brent

Thanks for all the comments. I may start using it in my Twin 691 Tecumseh. Incidently, what weight would be proper for an engine with 250 hours on it.---Will

  TB 101,

             Use 5W30, good for 0 Cel to -18 C. Below 18 Cel, use 0W30.

                                           Fred 

Pecanwill,

   Mobil 1, has 10W30, 20W30 and a 20W50. Castrol has a 10W40. I think for your climate either 20W30 or 10W40 woud be OK.

                                           Fred 

Mobil 1 has 5w30 at any auto supply store.   I have a question for everyone using synthetic.  I want to switch over but i am wondering something. I change my oil in my snowblower right before i store it for the summer. then when i take it out for winter use i change it again before i use it. Just wondering if you do this with the synthetic also ? i understand that even if you put fresh oil in before storage that over the months it sits the oil draws the acids out of the metals in the engine so its a good idea to change it before use when taking out of storage. am i correct ? i have been doing this with all my equipment since new. thanks

Thanks all of you for the information. Think when time comes to change I will switch.
One thing I can say, all I hear and read is good.---Until we talk again may you and your families all be watched over from above--your friend--Will

  Kneebiter,

              I use Syn in ny equip. At the end of season, change it, put in dino.

When ready to use it again, run it to get warm, drain and put in Syn again.

                                                  Fred   

Will,

I would not use an oil with a low viscosity figure of above 10W. I think 10W30 would be perfect for you in your climate. Matter of fact, I bet your owners manual say's to use 5W30 or 10W30 depending on climate. Being that Mobil 1 is full synthetic, the protection from breakdown in heat  is very great so a thicker viscosity won't be needed and, it may potentially be damaging. That's my 2 cents for a price of $0. 

Your friend,

Marshall

Thanks to all of you---Your friend Will

I memory of Bobby P..................

Marshall,

            Where is Bobby P ?

                                        Fred

? got me ?

I'm against synthetic oil in power equipment. I would probably use it in a snow thrower if I lived in a really cooold climate for easier starting. I do use synthetic in my wife's chipped turbo Audi (car) for the high temperature characteristics of a synthetic oil. Everything else in my garage gets Castrol GTX and I change it often. I certainly don't see any use in putting synthetic in a machine that only gets a few hours use per year. Money down the drain IMHO.

John

That's one way to look at it. But what is it, another 5 whole bucks to keep you're OPE you spent hundreds or thousands on in good shape? Not too much for protection, IMO.

JohnEDavies wrote:
John,
It is cheap insurance. I ran an engine out of coolant without realizing it. I feel very confident synthetic oil saved the engine. I notice a big differece in ease of starting, rolling and shifting in everything I use it in. By the way, it's in everything I own.
Just don't mix grease without good information from both manufacturers.

Synthetic? ABSOLUTELY for snow blowers. These engines use a "slinger " to distribute the oil within the engine. The synthetic oil flows much better at cold temperatures than does dino. The net result is better lubrication when the engine is cold which equates to less wear. The engine also spins over faster because the crank is not trying to churn through oil that approaches the consistancy of yogurt. This equates to easier starting. 

Marc 

mml4 wrote:
I agree - if the oil is super cold at startup, synthetic is the way to go. My machine is kept in the garage at above freezing temperatures and the "yogurt viscosity" is simply not a factor. 5W30 dino oil flows just fine at that temp. OTH a machine stored in an unheated shed at 0 deg F needs synthetic.

Keep in mind that not everyone lives in arctic conditions.

John

I have just taken delivery of a Simplicity 8560.  I really want to take care of this great machine.

This thread is great and full of helpful info for the newbie like me.

I think I will combine the routines of Marshall - when changing oil, flush engine with fresh regular oil before adding synthetic - and TheKneebiter (as well as Jubol) - change the oil at the end of the season and after sitting for the summer, at the start of the season in the fall.

Marshall: "...change the oil while the engine is warm, doing so will let more impurities run out.  I also would immediately refill it with cheap 5W-30 oil, warm it up again and repeat. Now you have effectively flushed the engine out and can proceed to fill it with Mobil 1 full synthetic"

TheKneebiter: "I change my oil in my snowblower right before i store it for the summer. then when i take it out for winter use i change it again before i use it. "

Both of these procedures seems like great advice.  Therefore I am planning the following routine:

In spring, drain out oil (with warm engine), refill with cheap 5W-30, rewarm engine, drain oil and fill with synthetic.

In fall, warm engine, drain out the synthetic that has gotten impurities from sitting all summer, fill with cheap 5w-30, rewarm engine, drain oil and fill with synthetic.

Any comments are welcome, I really want to take proper care of this machine and make sure I am doing everything right.  By the way hi everybody. One thing I am wondering is maybe I should drain the summer oil and fill with fresh syn before starting engine to warm it up.  Runing the engine with the summer oil might be a bad plan given the summer impurities in there.  Then I'd warm up the fresh syn and drain, flush with regular as above, and fill with syn for the season.

Freddy

You guys running full synethic or semi?

I run a cheaper quaker state semi synth in my 4 stroke honda.