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

I am operating a toro 724 snowthrower and i don't have the manual.  This machine is a 4cycle so no mixing oil and fuel.  Anyone know what type of oil i need?  i would like to totally drain off the old oil and start fresh maybe with a little sea foam since i grabbed some of that. 

So anyway what type of oil in a toro 724 snowthrower?

thanks

Hi Mike and welcome to the forum, I used syntetic oil.... the best it's a little more expensive than normal but it's worth. By the way how many inches of snow do you get in Portland region every year?

Regards!

We get anywhere from 60 to 90 inches here,  this year we are having a record year however, with totals of over 50inches already.  We just bought a house this fall and the first five snowfalls killed me using the old shovel method, so i had to pick up a snowblower.  I picked up that Toro for a reasonable price and it has been a lifesaver so far.  I now have the energy to rake the roof off and cut paths around the house to wood pile etc...

So you use a synthetic, but is it a standard sae10w30 like motor oil, or is there a specific motor oil desingned for the small engine?  how much oil does a typical snowblower hold in it's reservoir?

Is this a used snow thower with some time already on the engine?  if it is, go with synthetic 5W30.  If it's new, run a similar weight mineral oil for the break in period which is usually 5 hours then switch to synthetic.   A 7 h.p. Tecumseh engine will take  around .7 liters (21 oz.).  Here's a link that might help you:   http://www.cpdonline.com/692509.pdf

Hi Mike,

I don't have the specifics for your 724, but here are some good rules of thumb:

Use a high-quality detergent oil (Service SG or better), the same type of oil used in your car. 5W-30 is a good all-around choice, with an outside temp range of 0-32 degrees F. Below zero, 0W-30 would be preferred. Synthetic oil is highly recommended for all small engines. The yearly cost is negligible, since most small engines below 10 HP hold 1 quart or less. Your engine is probably around 8 HP, right?  Any of the synthetics will prove to be very cheap insurance. Benefits include longer time between oil changes, reduced wear on rotating parts, and superior cold-weather startup lubrication (a no-brainer here).

Synthetic oil also stays within rated viscosity over a much wider range of temperatures compared to standard mineral oils. Yes, snowblowers can overheat given the right conditions. Excessive heat can ruin a small engine in a matter of seconds. As I said, cheap insurance.

You may want to check Toro's website for more details on your particular engine. If it's out of production, there's probably a current model that's close. Toro has spec sheets and PDF manuals for all their current machines. Good luck.

http://www.toro.com/home/customercare/interactivemanuals.html#5

Yes Borat!  Definately a used machine!  It is a 1981 so definately past the break in period!  I will most definately grab some synth 5w-30 oil for her immediately!  Can i add sea foam to the synth oil as well?

By the way borat good link you added, put that right in my favorites, Thank You!

mike

5W30 is the universal recommendation for snowblowers unless you happen to be living in Antarctica, the extreme northern reaches of Canada, Alaska, Siberia and Greenland, or near my first wife.

Use synthetic if you change oil once a year (domestic use) or regular if you change oil once a month (commercial use).

cmike wrote:

If you're going to add Seafoam to your oil, put an ounce  in your old oil and run the machine (preferably under load)  for an hour or so then drain the old oil.  Seafoam is a cleaning agent.  It's not meant to be added to fresh oil.  Put a couple ounces in a full tank of fuel once a year.  That will help clean out the carburetor and carbon from the engine.  At the end of the season,  drain your fuel tank,  and run all of the fuel out of the carb.  That will ensure easy start up the following season.  Never leave old fuel in the tank or the carb during periods of storage.  I don't like to leave even stabilized fuel in machines during the warm months.