Oil for new snowblower

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I picked up a new snowblower this year. After my 5 hour break in. I plan on dropping the oil and putting in synthetic 5w 30. My dealer told me I should stay away from standard Automotive oils and use a good four cycle synthetic oil such as Briggs & Stratton, Amsoil or a few of the others that are intended for small engines. Is their suggestion a valid one? They said something about today's oil being intended for vehicles that are liquid cooled that have catalytic converters.
 
Just avoid energy-conserving oils. Castrol 0w-30, 0w-40, or Mobil 1 0w-40 are easy enough to come across.

I use Rotella T6 5w-40 in mine, because it goes in the Jeep too.
 
I use M1 AFE because it's the easiest-to-find 0w30 around me. No problems with it in a ~8 year old MTD. But realistically any 5w30, even conventional, would suffice.
 
Does it have OHV if so a standard automotive oil will be fine. If it's not OHV then I would suggest a higher ZDDP oil or something like Amsoil 4-Stroke, B&S small engine oil etc.
 
Last edited:
Originally Posted By: NHRATA
My dealer told me I should stay away from standard Automotive oils and use .... a few of the others that are intended for small engines.
.
.
.
Is their suggestion a valid one?


No..... not one tiny bit.
 
Originally Posted By: StevieC
If it's not OHV then I would suggest a higher ZDDP oil or something like Amsoil 4-Stroke, B&S small engine oil etc.


There is no basis for this decision.

Last generation "flathead" Briggs engines used a PLASTIC camshaft!!! (springs pressures are like, 20lbs...)

No need for ZDDP in nearly any part of a flathead engine.
 
Does anyone have experience with the Briggs and Stratton 5w 30 synthetic
 
Yup, as everybody has said, any 5/30 is fine. As was also said, you don't have to work about spring pressures, as I can squeeze most all of them with my fingers.
 
I am sure the Briggs oil is fine, but I was a briggs dealer for 40 years, and never used it or recommended it to my customers. Why pay double?
 
Originally Posted By: Linctex
Originally Posted By: NHRATA
My dealer told me I should stay away from standard Automotive oils and use .... a few of the others that are intended for small engines.
.
.
.
Is their suggestion a valid one?


No..... not one tiny bit.


Well some oils intended for OPE might be better able to handle high heat from a mower where the cooling fins are clogged with grass and its getting mighty hot.
 
I run PPPP 5w30 in my LCT powered Poulan. Next oil change will probably be the left over Castrol Edge black bottle. Snowblower does not care and runs great. The fuel system was the first problem and since that has been sorted out, it runs great. In -30C ambient it starts first pull. Does not burn any oil either.
 
I ended up getting the Briggs & Stratton oil for $5 per quart from a local shop. I figured that was a pretty good price for full synthetic. It's half of what Tractor Supply sells the same stuff for
 
The procedure I use when when I have a new small engine is to fill with Fill with Oil & run for 5~10 minutes then change it. The particulars that drain out will surprise you.
Then refill & use it for an hour or so & drain again up to three times or until oil drains clean before I will consider it ready for duty.
You have one opportunity to break in a new engine.
I would then follow the manufacturer recommend 1st oil change.
Ducati996
 
Originally Posted By: Donald
Originally Posted By: Linctex
Originally Posted By: NHRATA
My dealer told me I should stay away from standard Automotive oils and use .... a few of the others that are intended for small engines.
.
.
.
Is their suggestion a valid one?


No..... not one tiny bit.


Well some oils intended for OPE might be better able to handle high heat from a mower where the cooling fins are clogged with grass and its getting mighty hot.
What automotive full synthetic oil won't handle the high heat from a mower where the cooling fins are clogged with grass and its getting mighty hot? Those full synthetic have been tested to some real high heat levels, higher than your mower will take then there to.
 
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