Best oil for new 17.5 HP engine?

Status
Not open for further replies.
The best oil for a new OPE engine is one you don't mind dumping after just a few hours of use. It's especially important if the engine does not have a spin-on oil filter. You need to flush out all that break-in debris.

Put in any XW30 oil, run it 2-3 hours, dump it and watch the glitter show!

After that? I'd get a 10W-30 HDEO oil for about the first year of use. If you experience consumption or run it for extended periods in severe heat, etc ... switch to a HDEO 15W-40.
 
The 20 HP B&S in my John Deere suggests dumping the factory fill at ~ 5 hours and refill with a 10w30 oil. At every 50 hours thereafter change the oil and spin on oil filter. I run 10w30 PP. Ed
 
"The 20 HP B&S in my John Deere suggests dumping the factory fill at ~ 5 hours and refill with a 10w30 oil. At every 50 hours thereafter change the oil and spin on oil filter."

Consider that the minimum care for engine break-in. I ran my new snowblower's engine for about 90 minutes (under load) then drained the oil and it looked like quicksilver/mercury.

http://i229.photobucket.com/albums/ee149...zps40854167.jpg

I drained it again 3-4 hours later, still a lot of visible glitter. Drained it a third time at the 16 hour mark and you could still see visible glitter in the oil.

The first oil was B&S factory fill. 2nd and 3rd fills were leftover Pennzoil HM 10w40.

I can't tell whether the original poster's engine has a spin-on filter or not. Briggs makes a lot of 17.5hp engines, some with, some without. A full-flow filter will catch a lot of the metal bits so 5 hours might be a good point for the 1st change. I wouldn't let the 2nd go the full 50 hours, though. Maybe 20-25? Then start your 50 hours or once-per-year schedule.
 
Go to the B&S web site. You can download your engine users manual PDF based on model number.

If you bought the TB Pony, 5W30 synthetic is recommended.
 
Last edited:
Originally Posted By: Eddie
The 20 HP B&S in my John Deere suggests dumping the factory fill at ~ 5 hours and refill with a 10w30 oil. At every 50 hours thereafter change the oil and spin on oil filter. I run 10w30 PP. Ed


My 2 year old Craftsman 20HP Briggs calls for 10-30 and gets M1 10-30 and a new filter every year. No need at all for a 40wt oil in these engines.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top