Oil for Ryobi 30cc 4 Cycle?

[blmlozz]

Picked up a Ryobi 4 cycle leaf blower today-- mostly for the nerd factor of having a 4 cycle leaf blower. The massive 65ml bottle included was a same-brand 20W50 and it's the weight recommended, but they also state anything from SAE30 to 10W40 can be used. There are a lot of in-consistencies and contradicting information in the users manual, it has everything from incorrect oil-level checking procedures to stating that ''using non detergent or 4cycle engine oil will damage the engine''... Hopefully Ryobi will clarify for me tomorrow. Until then, the wide spec'd range for weight has me thrown, I assume 20W50 is best, but I haven't seen that in anything except racing oil-- the only other thing I can think of is maybe motor cycle oil?

suggestions are welcome. Thanks.

 

[Josh48065]

I bet vavoline vr1 20w50 would serve you well, but yet again that's racing oil...

 

[Donald]

I know Lowes sells oil for 4 cycle blowers and weed whackers. Isle 26 on the R hand side as I remember!

 

[cmf]

Originally Posted By: Josh48065
I bet vavoline vr1 20w50 would serve you well, but yet again that's racing oil...


VR1 is not racing oil, it's consumer motor oil. Valvoline has it's own line of true racing oil: http://www.valvoline.com/products/consumer-products/motor-oil/racing-motor-oil/9 . My best guess is that VR1 is marketed as racing oil for the ill-informed public to buy for their cars that they street race. But it has a normal level of detergents and other additives that you would expect in everyday motor oil.

Here is a VOA in case you don't believe me: http://www.bobistheoilguy.com/forums/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=819165

VR1 is an option. I would use some kind of HDEO XW40 personally. It also makes sense that non-detergent oil would damage the engine, since it's an internal combustion engine. Non-detergent oil is for engine that do not create combustion byproducts (for example an air compressor).

 

[blmlozz]

Could you expand on the 40W choice? 1 Quart is going to be enough to last the lifetime of the product, so there's no concerns over price here.

 

[blmlozz]

additionally, in that part of the quote I was referring to the manual suggesting not to use a 4 cycle oil..... in a 4 cycle engine not the non-detergent part.

 

[car54]

I bought one of the John Deere four stroke leaf blowers for the guys to use at work. It has the Subaru/robin/fuji mini four stroke engine. It was used 2 hours a day everyday for three years. It turns the oil black 10 minutes after you change it, but it still runs fine and works. I used whatever I had on the shelf. VR1 20w-50 would probably work perfectly.

 

[troyb43]

I have Amsoil SSO 0W-30 in mine. When I can get it to run, it has run fine with that in it.

 

[engineerscott]

Yeah, pretty sure that they were advising not to use non-detergent or 2-cycle oil, they just screwed up.

 

[Cujet]

Mobil 1 15W-50 has been the "Florida" solution for hard working, air cooled engines. It's a very robust oil, even in it's SN configuration. Plenty of ZDDP, high TBN, and very tolerant of excessive heat in both turbo and air cooled applications.

I keep saying this, but it really is true. I recently discovered that even the local equipment repair shop has come to the same conclusion. Use M1 15W-50 in generators and water pumps. These guys see all the failures and will clearly tell you that M1 15W-50, changed regularly, would have prevented nearly all of the catastrophic failures. Guess what oil they sell? They have a reputation to uphold.

 

[blmlozz]

thanks for the M1 suggestion, I had completely forgotten about it, and it's much easier(and cheaper) to find around here

 

[grcmptrnrd]

I gave a friend a quart of VR1 Synthetic 20w50 from the free after rebate earlier this year. It should be a lifetime supply for his blower!

In my Ryobi/Redmax commercial 26cc 4 strokes I've run straight 30, 5,0,10w-30 synthetic, Rotella 5w40, Amsoil 20w50, and T5 10w30 and couldn't tell any difference between them. Alway sparkly oil, but no problems. Valves are always tight after a couple of years--valve seats must be wearing faster the cam/lifters.