Non-detergent oil in OPE?

[ScotM]

Please forgive my ignorance: that's why I'm here.
I grew up in air-cooled VWs and was always told NOT to use detergent oils in anything which didn't have an oil filter: "You don't want any crud to break loose and plug important passageways!"
I've always bought/bartered/salvaged used OPE, and would always change the oil with ND30w for the same reason.
Reading here, I see you people using some of my favorite automotive oils(Mobil1EP, PP) which do contain detergent. So, have I been subscribing to a myth?
Thank you,
Scot

 

[Clevy]

30 or 40 years ago that may have held true but today not so much.
I make my living off of gas powered air compressors and generators. I run them 100 hours using rotella 15w40 in the summer. And winter I use the cheapest 5w30 and change it a bit earlier based on fuel dilution.

 

[AandPDan]

I have a 50 year old tiller that recommends detergent, 30 w.

It's a Briggs.

 

[jrustles]

Chunks breaking loose! Have you ever seen a regularly maintained small engine ever have sludge, let alone varnish?

With all the fuel dilution, one could even consider them 'self-cleaning'

 

[Quest]

Yes, it was a norm to use non-detergent oils back in pre API days(afterall: lack of standardisation and proper, consistent in oil chemistry was what governed the lubricant industries back then.

It's hard not to go with non-detergent oils on OPE and such these days...besides: I've yet seen one single OPE engines failed due to detergent-related lubrication failure, most of them died due to lack of oil changes or run dry.

Q.

 

[tig1]

Originally Posted By: Clevy
30 or 40 years ago that may have held true but today not so much.
I make my living off of gas powered air compressors and generators. I run them 100 hours using rotella 15w40 in the summer. And winter I use the cheapest 5w30 and change it a bit earlier based on fuel dilution.


Thought you used Amsoil in your OPE? What happened?

 

[ScotM]

Thanks: I feel better now. I've been slowly working my way thru my stash of ancient Castrol ND from my air-cooled days. Now I can drop some Rotella T6 in my 'new' riding mower: bet it'll love it.
Happy mowing!

 

[eljefino]

Go half ND and half Rotella for some additives. It'll be like running Valvoline white bottle.

 

[Clevy]

Originally Posted By: tig1
Originally Posted By: Clevy
30 or 40 years ago that may have held true but today not so much.
I make my living off of gas powered air compressors and generators. I run them 100 hours using rotella 15w40 in the summer. And winter I use the cheapest 5w30 and change it a bit earlier based on fuel dilution.


Thought you used Amsoil in your OPE? What happened?


Only the compressor pumps. Nothing beats it in the bitter cold of winter

 

[Chris142]

Not chunks. The thinking was that the detetgent oil would carry dirt in suspension and run it through the bearings.