Put 5W-20 in 5W-30 Mower

[SupremePossum]

I have a Honda 216 Mower. It calls for 5W-30 (Or maybe even 10W-30)

I had a container of Mobil1 Synthetic 5W-20, and put that in by accident. Should I swap it back out, or should it be alright?

 

[GRUMPYDUDE2]

No worries. It will be fine.

 

[Brian123]

I have a Honda 216 Mower. It calls for 5W-30 (Or maybe even 10W-30)

I had a container of Mobil1 Synthetic 5W-20, and put that in by accident. Should I swap it back out, or should it be alright?

Just check the oil level before you use the Mower.

 

[tiger862]

I broke ,in my X350 with 5w20. Difference between the two are minimal. I changed oil after a year and 60 hours. No oil usage in that time frame.

 

[GMBoy]

I wouldn't feel comfortable with that in there - but it is a good synthetic regardless. I would check the oil level frequently as it very well may burn more with the lower weight oil. Maybe run it 10-20 hours and change to the proper grade. Treat it as a flush lol

 

[harbor]

So what would it cost you to put the correct weight in it? $3-4 maybe?
Considering your mower is out of production and Houston temps are in the upper 80s, I’d use the correct oil and not look back.

 

[GSCJR]

Using SuperTech 5w-20 in my Honda mower for years, no issues.

 

[kschachn]

Just don’t drop any Powerbait in it.

Especially in Houston I would change it out. MOFT is your friend in an air cooled piece of OPE. I don’t use anything under a 3.0 HT/HS.

 

[BrendanC]

minimum i’ll put in OPE in houston is 10w-30.

 

[SupremePossum]

So what would it cost you to put the correct weight in it? $3-4 maybe?
Considering your mower is out of production and Houston temps are in the upper 80s, I’d use the correct oil and not look back.

Yeah good point, really would cost me "Nothing" as I have so much oil on hand, however its just the hassle of swapping it and dumping the old oil

 

[kschachn]

Yeah good point, really would cost me "Nothing" as I have so much oil on hand, however its just the hassle of swapping it and dumping the old oil

Sometimes you have to do a little work to reverse a mistake you’ve made.

 

[ARCOgraphite]

I have a Honda 216 Mower. It calls for 5W-30 (Or maybe even 10W-30)

I had a container of Mobil1 Synthetic 5W-20, and put that in by accident. Should I swap it back out, or should it be alright?

I prefer a mixed fleet 10w30 in odpe, but as long as you don't hit any stumps or rocks or scalp a rise you should be fine and dandy. This isn't a ride on.

5W30 is garbage oil for A/C engines. If Honda spec's that it will likely do just dandy on a robust no/low vm(vii) 20 grade synthetic

 

[harbor]

I must be missing something here. It’s a “hassle” to spend 5 minutes to tilt the mower to dump the oil and refill with the correct grade?

 

[nvrupnvrin]

Honda HRX 217 here . I belive your correct Honda does call for a 10w-30. We have also used Pennzoil 10w30 synthetic and also Amsoil Euro 5w-30 . Also check your levels on a regular basis.

Just change it out regularly for sure .

Keep the air filter changes up to date along with spark plugs .

 

[ARCOgraphite]

 

[SupremePossum]

Question, in 5W-30 oil, the 5 is the cold viscosity, and 30 for hot, right? So surely in this case 5W-30 and 10W-30 are the same?

 

[SupremePossum]

I must be missing something here. It’s a “hassle” to spend 5 minutes to tilt the mower to dump the oil and refill with the correct grade?

Lots of steps skipped there though, that assumes I have the mower and all the supplies out ready to go. I don't have any more oil changes to do for a while, and I don't have any waste oil ready to go out

So, I'd have to dirty up my "clean" oil drain pan or oil sucker doo-dad, and funnel. I'd also have to then have some waste oil sitting there ready to go out, and then clean everything again when I'm done, and accidentally drop some on the garage floor (Required step)

Figured I'd check here first, no point in changing it out if its not even required

I may just leave it in there, I really doubt its going to make much of a difference. Just don't reference this post when I show off a new mower in another thread

 

[TomYoung]

Just use that oil for one interval. It is a very good lubricant and the motor will tolerate it without question. Folks need to be reasonable and listen to the question that you are asking. The problem is that you are brushing up against the thick v. Thin eternal debate on BITOG. If your mistake had gone the other way, and you had filled the motor with Mobil 1 0w40, nobody would be suggesting that you change it out.

 

[TomYoung]

Question, in 5W-30 oil, the 5 is the cold viscosity, and 30 for hot, right? So surely in this case 5W-30 and 10W-30 are the same?

All else being equal, yes.

 

[JimPghPA]

Supreme possum, Being that you are in the great state of Texas and that it gets pretty hot there sometimes, If it were me I would swap it out in those kinds of conditions. Oil thins out as it gets hot. And the hotter it gets a more thin out. In hot Texas conditions, you should be running something thicker than the recommended, such as 15W 40 or even 15W50. 20 weight oil in an air coled engine on a hot Texas day is just asking for problems such as permanently damaging the equipment.