Originally Posted By: lars11
Of course heavy duty is better than light duty if you are pushing things. Most mowers etc aren't really pushed, I mean 45 mins of mowing 25 times a year is below the OCI and at that common level of use the old OPE will last a long time with any oil changed at 25 hr or 1 yr.
However, the same kind of engines are sometimes used in like generators and doing fine for a few hours at the camping site but are totally killed in a couple of days after a Florida blackout. Well, not strange. I can totally get that some people are running them 24/7 only shutting down for refuelling, forgetting that a day or two is actually approaching 50 hrs, in the heat, no oil filters and under load. Water pumps at farm sites, etc, is the same.
So of course, if HD oil stays in grade better, deals with heat better, deals with fuel and dirt better, doesn't burn off as easily, the HD will be better.
Will you notice that with a 25 hr/yr mower with oil changes? No.
Will HD be just as good at the same price as lesser oil? Yes.
Should you use HD for compressors, pumps, generators that run days on end to get both fewer ocis and longer service? Yes.
Then there are different quality HDEO too, but generally it is cost efficient. If farmers and truckers use it by the barrel, it has to be fairly cheap AND HD.
My lawn mower runs for about 3 hrs working time each time the yard gets mowed. My portable generator, while on the semi truck runs about 10 hrs at a time, each night in the winter. More sporadically in the summer. Both get a HDEO 10w30.