what a difference!

[harrydog]

I just changed out the original oil in my lawn tractor's 17hp Kawasaki V-Twin at just over 5 hours.
I used Mobil 1 10w30 and what a difference. The engine turns over more easily and seems to idle at a slightly higher rpm. It just souunds like the engine is spinning more freely.
Never noticed this much difference when switching to synthetic in any other engine.

 

[Rexman]

Heh. . . There's a good reason synthetic costs more and it's not just about extended drains and lower pour points!

This stuff is slicker than you-know-what on a hotcake griddle!

Noticed the same kind of improvement going from dino to Mobil 1 5W30 in our 99 Forester. The engine ran quieter, revved more freely, and idled smoother almost immediately.

[ August 13, 2003, 08:46 PM: Message edited by: Rexman ]

 

[harrydog]

You could be right, although the oil that I drained out seemed to be pretty thin stuff. I have no idea what it was, as it was the original factory oil.

 

[Bror Jace]

Harrydog, What was in there before?

I noticed a differnce putting synthetic oils in one of our push mowers. A 3.5hp Honda (15+ years old) the other a Kawasaki-engined John Deere which is even a little older.

The Honda always used synthetic and was always an easy start. The JD/Kawasaki was more troublesome and had a crappy recoil mechanism. When I switched to Mobil 1 about 5 years ago, the recoil became much easier to pull (quickly) and therefore, much easier to start.

BUT!

How much of the difference was because the Mobil 1 is formulated to be a bit thinner? Less hydrodynamic drag might be the sole reason for the differences you noticed.

I made a switch several years ago. Is there really that much of a difference between a modern Group II or II+ base "conventional oil" and Mobil 1? I'm not so sure.

--- Bror Jace

 

[JWRENCH]

I noticed the same thing with my 5.5 briggs back in the spring when I put some old left over Castrol syntec in it to keep from dumping it in with the waste oil.

Now I can practically mow hay with the thing and it won't stall out. That really sold me on synthetics.

 

[Hubjeep]

quote:

---

Originally posted by JWRENCH:
...Now I can practically mow hay with the thing and it won't stall out. That really sold me on synthetics.

---

You noticed a real difference in performance? What would cause this?

-John

 

[Bror Jace]

Hubjeep, probably a combination of two things: coefficient of friction and a reduction of hydrodynamic drag. Both minimize horsepower loss inherent in reciprocating engines.

Some synthetic fluids are slipperier and many are also formulated to be thinner. Combine the two and it is not uncommon to experience a increase in power and fuel economy of at least a couple percent, maybe more.

--- Bror Jace

 

[Al]

That what I use. I had a K-Mart special Tecumseh engine that came complete with a bad rod bearing. Since I was in the hospital-it was too late to take it back (son bought it

) Anyway the Mobil 1 quieted it down considerably and 8 years later the deck disentegrated.

 

[edvanp]

I've used syn.oil (M1 or Castrol) in my John Deere STX since I bought it new 8 years ago. I decided to go w/ Syn. instead of the 30weight because I'm still mowing when the temps get in the 40s or lower. The engine runs great, just like it's new. I change it every spring and the oil looks great, I could probably run it another season, but $8 worth of oil is cheap insurance.

 

[Bror Jace]

"I change it every spring and the oil looks great..."

edvanp, I'd alter your regime just slightly.. Continue changing the oil once per year as you already are ... but change it in the fall. That way, your machine will sit with fresh oil in the crankcase all winter as opposed to the slightly contaminated stuff after a season's worth of use. Microscopic corrosion from old oil can result in a little bit of extra wear.

--- Bror Jace