4 Stroke Lawn Mower Oil Additives

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I've got a Lawn Boy mower that is probably due for an oil change - it's a 4 stroke that takes 10w30 - Is there any 10w30 that I should stay away from?

ie, what I have on hand is Amsoil 10w30 ZROD - pretty heavy in zddp additives - should i not put this in my lawn mower?
 
ZRod is fine for your mower. Air cooled engines like high zddp. I wouldn't purchase it but I'd use it if I had it.

Mobil 1 High Mileage 10W30 or Rotella T5 10w30 would be good choices when you run out of Amsoil
 
Originally Posted By: userfriendly
I wouldn't put Amsoil or Lucas in a nice Lawn Boy mower.


I'm assuming that is a joke. ZRod not good enough???
 
Originally Posted By: Geauxtiger
Originally Posted By: userfriendly
I wouldn't put Amsoil or Lucas in a nice Lawn Boy mower.


I'm assuming that is a joke. ZRod not good enough???


ZRod is fine, most Lucas stuff is not worth the money because it's overpriced and under treated additive wise
 
thanks guys - really just wanted to make sure there wasn't an oil/additive package that definitely isn't supposed to go in there
 
This is Volvo VDS4 approved and is good stuff
3149niu.jpg
 
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Rotella T5 10W-30 or Delo 400 XLE synblend 10W-30 is what I am going to buy next round for my mowers. The Delo will probably be cheaper, so it will probably get the nod.
 
Change the oil in a homeowner-grade lawn mower?
lol.gif


I'd use the 10w30 that was on my shelf, whatever it happened to be. In this case, that Zrod is probably as good as any and better than most.
 
Why the laughing? I use synthetic 10w30 in my 1992 Craftsman push mower with the 3.5hp Tecumseh. Gets the oil changed twice a season. She still fires up on the first pull and has just one puff of smoke then runs clean. Small engines should be taken care of just like cars.

L8R,
Matt
 
Well, I wouldn't agree with laughing about it, but it's not the clear cut. You've done well with your mower quite clearly. However, some of the newer ones have such terribly fuel delivery systems, simply out of cheap parts, that the engine isn't worth maintaining, particularly given the throwaway pricing on some of these products.

They'll sell the new mower for under $200, with an eighty cent fuel system, but you have a carb problem, the carb is like $150 or something ridiculous like that, and I've even seen the carb and engine cheaper than the carb itself. Of course, it's worse up here, with the lack of competition.

So, it's fair to be skeptical. I could change the oil in an OCD fashion twice a season on my mower with whatever is specified or something far exceeding the specifications. Or, I could just keep it topped up with whatever I find laying around. It's not likely to have a lube related failure in either case. It's going to be something else that will cause the thing to be thrown out.

Both my snowblower and my mowers have had fueling problems, despite not having seen any E10, either. That's just another excuse by OPE manufacturers. Instead of making a fuel system that can last more than two seasons without a complete R&R, just blame the fuel.
 
Originally Posted By: AnthemBassMan
Why the laughing? I use synthetic 10w30 in my 1992 Craftsman push mower with the 3.5hp Tecumseh. Gets the oil changed twice a season. She still fires up on the first pull and has just one puff of smoke then runs clean. Small engines should be taken care of just like cars.

L8R,
Matt
The Tecumseh engines had a bad rap which was caused in part by the failure to keep good quality oil in them. I had a Sears mower with a Tecumseh engine for 20 years, I used Castrol 20 W 50 in it and had no engine problems. To do otherwise is penny wise and pound foolish.
 
Originally Posted By: Garak
Well, I wouldn't agree with laughing about it, but it's not the clear cut. You've done well with your mower quite clearly. However, some of the newer ones have such terribly fuel delivery systems, simply out of cheap parts, that the engine isn't worth maintaining, particularly given the throwaway pricing on some of these products.

They'll sell the new mower for under $200, with an eighty cent fuel system, but you have a carb problem, the carb is like $150 or something ridiculous like that, and I've even seen the carb and engine cheaper than the carb itself. Of course, it's worse up here, with the lack of competition.

So, it's fair to be skeptical. I could change the oil in an OCD fashion twice a season on my mower with whatever is specified or something far exceeding the specifications. Or, I could just keep it topped up with whatever I find laying around. It's not likely to have a lube related failure in either case. It's going to be something else that will cause the thing to be thrown out.

Both my snowblower and my mowers have had fueling problems, despite not having seen any E10, either. That's just another excuse by OPE manufacturers. Instead of making a fuel system that can last more than two seasons without a complete R&R, just blame the fuel.
A replacement carb for the Honda GCV mower engines is 20 bucks.
 
Growing up, we always picked the Tecumseh over a Briggs for our go-karts and mini-bikes. Sure the carbs were sometimes more finicky than the Briggs, but the Tecumseh always seemed to have more torque for the same size engine.

L8R,
Matt
 
Originally Posted By: HerrStig
A replacement carb for the Honda GCV mower engines is 20 bucks.

Yes, the carb for my mower from the States was something like $30. Up here, if I wanted it quickly, was $150. A replacement engine was cheaper.

Nonetheless, the point remains that the fuel system is the weak link. The engine will survive just about any semi-sensible lubricant thrown at it, and will outlive the fuel system by a large margin.
 
Originally Posted By: AnthemBassMan
Why the laughing? I use synthetic 10w30 in my 1992 Craftsman push mower with the 3.5hp Tecumseh. Gets the oil changed twice a season. She still fires up on the first pull and has just one puff of smoke then runs clean. Small engines should be taken care of just like cars.

L8R,
Matt


No worries, the laughter was directed at my own cavalier attitude toward the subject, not your intent to maintain your personal equipment. I use T6 in my 4-stroke OPE. It is doubtful, in my opinion, that there is any standard add pack that would be detrimental to a small engine.
 
Originally Posted By: skyactiv
This is Volvo VDS4 approved and is good stuff
3149niu.jpg



That right there is the answer to a lot of questions, this one not the least of them...

Good _____!

John.
 
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