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

Hey Guys,
At the risk of starting another heated oil  thread, I just have a simple question, that should not be a a problem.

For my new snowblower, the Tecumseh manual says this.......

Above 32 degrees............straight 30 SAE
0 to 32 degrees..................multigrade SAE 5W30
Below 0 degrees.................Synthetic 0W30

Now for my question...........most of the time, I think I blow snow in that 0-32 degree range. Sometimes we could get a snow at night, and blow snow the next day with the sun out, and it may be above 32 degrees.  Sometimes, it can get so cold here that it is below 0 for days, and you are blowing snow........(although usually when it is that cold, it does not snow.)

Does 0W30 mean it has almost no lubracation in the coldest weather?  I either plan on using synthetic 5W30 or 0W30, but am not sure which I should really use.  Perhaps I am over thinking this, because I know guys who always use just regular straight 30 with no problems.

Synthetic 5W30 has to be better then that, and I'd say that it is in that range (0-32 degrees) that most of the blowing occurs. Does using 0W30 just give me a wider range of protection, or could it be too thin sometimes since it is sometimes zero weight..( a concept I cannot grasp....how can a oil be zero weight, it would be like water.....??)

What do you guys suggest......??

Hard to believe we have gotten so little snow that until this week, I am still on the break-in oil..........well, off to work.

thanks,

Frank D.

Hi Frank,

0W (read zero "dub ya") and 5W (read five "dub ya") are the cold flow ratings for two different grades of a SAE 30 multi-viscosity oil.  The "W" actually stands for Winter and this rating is necessary, due to the property of an oil getting thicker with colder temperatures.

A  0W oil meets a max cold flow rating of 6200 centipoise at -35C (-29F) per the SAE J300 guidelines.

A 5W oil meets a max cold flow rating of 6600 centipoise at -30C ( -20F).

So a 0W -30 rated oil is going to have better cold flow characteristics than a 5W-30 at extreme, below zero, temperatures.

However, to be practical, M1 0W-30 & M1 5W-30 have very similar viscosities from normal engine operating temps down to about 0 degrees F , where the 5W starts to get thicker at a faster rate.

And Frank, as far as the warm weather, I run 5 or 10W-30 even in the summer in my Kohlers. Maybe your Tecumseh Snow engine is different in needing strait 30W, as the manual says but the point is, when are you going to using it much when the temperature is more than few degrees above freezing? I would not use strait 30W in a winter machine. Take your pick of the other two.

I use regular Valvoline 5W-30.  Sometime I'll switch to synthetic.

Blue9R, I really enjoy reading your posts about oil. 

Thanks guys for the info so far.........
I know most of you are far more knowledgeable about oil than I.
Yes Marshall, you are right in that I'l never run this in the summer........
I was basically asking under my conditions, should I pick Mobil 1 0W30 or Mobil 1 5W30.........

Respectfully,
Frank D.

Hi Frank...


One important point... what is the temperature where the snowblower is stored ?

If it's stored above 32... and it's zero outside... then a straight 30 weight is fine...
since the engine is above 32 before it's started... and once started... it'll be way over 32...


Or... am I all wet on this folks ?


Dave...

mml4 wrote:
That's what I use. But I would not fret over the difference between zero dub ya and five dub ya.

If you want to be absolutely sure, maybe call Tecumseh.

Factory Service Location
Tecumseh Power Company
900 North Street
Grafton, Wisconsin 53024-1499
Toll Free 1-800-558-5402

Frank,

Use 5W30 as it falls in the range of your average winter temperature. Check your owners manual and see what it says for recommended oil for all round use.  Mine says to use 5W30.

If you have to start it on a day colder than -20F, the oil will only be thicker for a short time while the engine warms up, but it won't be frozen solid. Seldom does it snow at -30F where either of us live.  We don't live in areas of extreme cold so don't need 0W30.

Dave_in_Ct:

If the machine is stored where the temperature is consistently warm and started there you could use the SAE30 oil, but the 5W30 will perform the same at that temperature. I'd use whatever the manual says, to be safe. Should you have to leave it outside and it gets very cold, it will be harder to start with the straight 30 weight oil. Won't have the wear protection of the multigrade for a short time until the oil warms up.

It sounds like the concensus is to use 5W30 Synthetic.  The baby is stored in an unheated, but attached and insulated garage, so the "start-up" temperature would average between 10 degrees to 35 degrees.............

I may call Techumseh as Rob suggested, since it is a free number, etc..........but I'm sure the 5W30 would be a good choice...........

Frank D.

Heck Frank, you got 9 more months to decide, you missed the snow this year.  

ff,
did you ever call Tecumseh?