Trying Rotella in JD Kawasaki

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I have an older GT235 with Kawasaki engine. Almost 600 hours. I've used JD TurfGuard since new, but am trying some T5 Rotella syn-blend 10w30 as of today. Seemed immediate smoother, but that could have been from newer oil.
Anyone use T5 in their mower? I wonder how this HDEO compares to the TurfGaurd?
 
I have over 2500 hours using Rotella 10w-30 in two different Kawasaki engines (in JD garden tractors).

No complaints at all. Best oil for the job, for the money.

Pulled off a valve cover on one at 2000+ hours. Perfectly clean underneath.
 
I switched to T5 in my 14 hp Kohler powered Simplicity yard tractor this year for the first time, after 14 years of exclusively using more expensive M1 10w-30. It's too early to establish any trends, but so far so good. I don't notice any change or improvement in smoothness between either oil. The cost of T5 vs. M1 is a bonus too.
 
T5 is a great OPE oil. If anything, it's a step up from the Turf Gard. I'm actually running T6 in my 425, which has a 20 HP Kawasaki.
 
T5 is world-class and makes for an excellent general purpose OPE oil. I use T5 in all the equipment with exception to the snow thrower.
 
Originally Posted By: Oil Changer
T5 is world-class and makes for an excellent general purpose OPE oil. I use T5 in all the equipment with exception to the snow thrower.


And to add to that, the Deere TurfGard is also a world-class lube blended specifically for Deere's small air/liquid cooled line-up.
They're both good choices, along with a plethora of other choices available.
 
I use Delo XLE 10W-30 in my JD Kawasaki. I get Delo for less money than T5. I used T5 before the Delo came out at Walmart. JD TurfGard is also very good, IMO it can hang with any but cost more where I live.
 
After reading replies on this thread and the Generac, I think I'll go to T5 10w30 or T6 in all of my OPE.
 
Originally Posted By: lukejo
After reading replies on this thread and the Generac, I think I'll go to T5 10w30 or T6 in all of my OPE.


I have used Rotella T6 in most of my OPE with great results. Little to no oil consumption at all with some engines being over 60 years old. The only machines I don't use it in are snow blowers which I use Pennzoil Platinum 5w30.
 
I'm always flipping tractors (to fund my other tractor restoration projects)......I use the T5 in almost everything,and T6 in my fourwheeler, whatever does not get T5 get triple T 15/40. In my experience the CAST IRON K series kohler engines seem to love the triple T. Newer "alloy" engines seem to work well with the T5.

That being said I recently switched over one of my JD's (JD 185, 17.5hp KAW.) to T5, the first 3 times I ran it I got a puff of smoke at startup. Smoke was a bit of fuel (you have to choke a KAW almost every first start even when warm outside) mixed with a bit of oil from what I could tell. Now it has quit this behavior.....I'm not sure what to make of it, should I go to triple T 15/40 or 10/30 ? Should I write it off as the oil cleaned the bottom ring really well and seeped while doing so.......

My thought was: The oil seeped after shutting the mower down HOT, this was my basis for the conventional heavier weight question....
 
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Originally Posted By: wsar10
That being said I recently switched over one of my JD's (JD 185, 17.5hp KAW.) to T5, the first 3 times I ran it I got a puff of smoke at startup. Smoke was a bit of fuel (you have to choke a KAW almost every first start even when warm outside) mixed with a bit of oil from what I could tell. Now it has quit this behavior.....I'm not sure what to make of it, should I go to triple T 15/40 or 10/30 ? Should I write it off as the oil cleaned the bottom ring really well and seeped while doing so.......

My thought was: The oil seeped after shutting the mower down HOT, this was my basis for the conventional heavier weight question....


15w-40 is too heavy for the Kaw in the 185.

I have one (and it is my second one). Stick with the T5 10w-30 in it, you're right where you need to be.
 
Originally Posted By: mrsilv04
Originally Posted By: wsar10
That being said I recently switched over one of my JD's (JD 185, 17.5hp KAW.) to T5, the first 3 times I ran it I got a puff of smoke at startup. Smoke was a bit of fuel (you have to choke a KAW almost every first start even when warm outside) mixed with a bit of oil from what I could tell. Now it has quit this behavior.....I'm not sure what to make of it, should I go to triple T 15/40 or 10/30 ? Should I write it off as the oil cleaned the bottom ring really well and seeped while doing so.......

My thought was: The oil seeped after shutting the mower down HOT, this was my basis for the conventional heavier weight question....


15w-40 is too heavy for the Kaw in the 185.

I have one (and it is my second one). Stick with the T5 10w-30 in it, you're right where you need to be.


maybe for a brand new engine...... How can 15/40 be to heavy for this engine ?

the FSM says 30w within my climate, I took 10/40 PYB out that seemed to work well.
 
Originally Posted By: wsar10
maybe for a brand new engine...... How can 15/40 be to heavy for this engine ?


It is too heavy for cold starts in colder temperatures.
 
Originally Posted By: another Todd
Why not use the 5w-40 then. It should be thinner at cold start then 10w-30, and be thicker when hot. Sounds perfect for air cooled equipment.


That's exactly why I decided to go with T6 in my 425, although it's liquid cooled. I figure it's perfect for year round use, and I can just do yearly OCIs

OMM144042_D076.jpg
 
Another vote for Rotella T5 & T6. I use T5 in the mowers and have T6 in the generator. Since it calls for straight 30 weight in the summer and 10w30 in the winter it's great for standby use. I confirmed that it starts in below zero temps and doesn't burn off in hot temperatures (the way 10w30 does).
 
Originally Posted By: mrsilv04


15w-40 is too heavy for the Kaw in the 185.

I have one (and it is my second one). Stick with the T5 10w-30 in it, you're right where you need to be.
My 185 must be defective. Last year I had Mercury 25W-40 in it and never knew the difference between whatever I had in it before and the GTX 10W-30 in it now.
 
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