I am a newly registered user of the forums, but have been reading what you guys have to say for several months. I have a new Hustler Super Z zero turn mower. It has the 26 HP Kawasaki water cooled V-twin engine, model number FD731V. It has 10 hours since new on hourmeter and I have the oil drained out and ready to put in new. Would like some recommendations from knowledgeable and experienced members. If this has already been discussed, please point me in the right direction.
Proper oil for water cooled Kawasaki
- Thread starter rphart
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Mobil 1 10W-30 EP would be my choice. What does the owner's manual recommend?
Some other options I was considering on the Kawasaki water cooled mower engine:
Mobil 1 MX4T 10W-40 motorcycle oil. This oil ranks right at the very top of some of the testing I have seen on the internet for 10W-40 oils. The 10W-40 top viscostiy might help on the really hot summer days. Would this be good to use in the mower application?
Shell Rotella T 5W-40 (Blue Jug). I can buy this cheaper than the Mobil 1 10W-30 or Mobil 1 MX4T 10W-40 (cost is not a big concern, the mower cost me almost $10,000.00, and I want to protect my investment!) And are there significant advantages from using an HDEO instead of an PCMO? Apparently from posts I have seen here the HDEO does not have limitations on phosphorous and zinc additives that are placed on the PCMO products like Mobil 1 10W-30. Can I run an HDEO in the mower application? And does Mobil make a synthetic HDEO?
Mobil 1 MX4T 10W-40 motorcycle oil. This oil ranks right at the very top of some of the testing I have seen on the internet for 10W-40 oils. The 10W-40 top viscostiy might help on the really hot summer days. Would this be good to use in the mower application?
Shell Rotella T 5W-40 (Blue Jug). I can buy this cheaper than the Mobil 1 10W-30 or Mobil 1 MX4T 10W-40 (cost is not a big concern, the mower cost me almost $10,000.00, and I want to protect my investment!) And are there significant advantages from using an HDEO instead of an PCMO? Apparently from posts I have seen here the HDEO does not have limitations on phosphorous and zinc additives that are placed on the PCMO products like Mobil 1 10W-30. Can I run an HDEO in the mower application? And does Mobil make a synthetic HDEO?
doesn't have to stick with the big "M" for synthetics for if you go after HDEO, shell rotella full sync is one of the best $$ can buy.
I'd go with the Shell RTS 5W-40, also. As the engine is water-cooled, and with such an oil, I wouldn't think you'd need to have an OCI at less than 100 hours unless you put it under some kind of extreme use. Would, however, change the filter whenever you change the oil.
Mobil makes a synthetic HDEO called Delvac 1 in 5W-40 and also will shortly introduce a Mobil 1 5W-40 called Truck & Turbo or some such label to replace its T&SUV. They all have good reputations and would do in your application. I just prefer the Shell because its viscosity is higher at 100 C, lower at 40 C than Mobil, and it's cheaper. I use the RTS in my John Deere diesel tractor.
Best wishes--sounds like a great mower you've got there!
Mobil makes a synthetic HDEO called Delvac 1 in 5W-40 and also will shortly introduce a Mobil 1 5W-40 called Truck & Turbo or some such label to replace its T&SUV. They all have good reputations and would do in your application. I just prefer the Shell because its viscosity is higher at 100 C, lower at 40 C than Mobil, and it's cheaper. I use the RTS in my John Deere diesel tractor.
Best wishes--sounds like a great mower you've got there!
rphart, plenty of options there ... not sure if you'll ever see a difference between a 10W-30 synthetic, 15W-40 dino, 5W-40 synthetic .... except at start up and if you are only going to fire this up in summer (50F sounds like the absolute coldest it'll ever see).
The recommendations don't sound that different from a number of non Briggs & Stratton manufacturers. B&S seems pretty insistent on some form of 30 weight oil while your machine suggests that 40 weights are appropriate for certain applications.
I don't think straight weights are worth bothering with anymore ... even for outdoor power equipment.
How many hours do you mow per year? I mow and work around 70 with my Honda (same oil interval recomendations) so I change the oil & filter once per year at the end of the season and the motor runs great and looks like new (internally) even after 10 years. Oil consumption is zero.
I use a 15W-40 synthetic blend ... Schaeffer right now.
--- Bror Jace
The recommendations don't sound that different from a number of non Briggs & Stratton manufacturers. B&S seems pretty insistent on some form of 30 weight oil while your machine suggests that 40 weights are appropriate for certain applications.
I don't think straight weights are worth bothering with anymore ... even for outdoor power equipment.
How many hours do you mow per year? I mow and work around 70 with my Honda (same oil interval recomendations) so I change the oil & filter once per year at the end of the season and the motor runs great and looks like new (internally) even after 10 years. Oil consumption is zero.
I use a 15W-40 synthetic blend ... Schaeffer right now.
--- Bror Jace
The Kawasaki engine manual says use API SF, SG, SH, or SJ. Has one of those viscosity/temperature charts with the arrows for ranges. This chart shows 10W-30/10W-40 for temps -4 F to 95 F, 30 wt for 32F to 95F, 40 wt for 68F to 113F, and 5W-20 for -22F to 32F. Has a note at the bottom of the chart that says "Using multi grade oils will increase oil consumption. Check oil level more frequently when using them." Nothing else in the manual about oil except that it should be changed every 100 hrs with filter changed every 200. I will do oil and filter every 50 hours, or could do less if this forum feels 50 is too much.
I am in rural southern Illinois near St. Louis, MO and temps during the mowing season will typically range from about 40F to 95F, with an occasional hot period during the summmer around 100F or rarely up to 105-110F, and an occasional really cold leaf chopping in the fall with temps aroung 32F. Do not see a problem at the lower end, but will the 10W-30 be sufficient for the occasional hot periods?
I use Mobil 1 10W-30 in all of my cars and pickup, and Golden Spectro synthetic or semi-synthetic in the motorcycles, 2 stroke and 4 stroke. Now using 30W air cooled mower oil in the push mowers, tillers, generators, and pressure washer. Used to use Shell Rotella 30W and had some probs with oil consumption so switched to the specialty mower oil.
The air cooled mower oil does not seem like the right thing for the liquid cooled Kawasaki mower. I was considering the Mobil 1 10W-30, but just a little concerned about the short periods of 100F temps. I was wondering what the EP at the end of the Mobil you recommended means? Is that the longer oil change interval oil? Let me know what you think about all of this.
I am in rural southern Illinois near St. Louis, MO and temps during the mowing season will typically range from about 40F to 95F, with an occasional hot period during the summmer around 100F or rarely up to 105-110F, and an occasional really cold leaf chopping in the fall with temps aroung 32F. Do not see a problem at the lower end, but will the 10W-30 be sufficient for the occasional hot periods?
I use Mobil 1 10W-30 in all of my cars and pickup, and Golden Spectro synthetic or semi-synthetic in the motorcycles, 2 stroke and 4 stroke. Now using 30W air cooled mower oil in the push mowers, tillers, generators, and pressure washer. Used to use Shell Rotella 30W and had some probs with oil consumption so switched to the specialty mower oil.
The air cooled mower oil does not seem like the right thing for the liquid cooled Kawasaki mower. I was considering the Mobil 1 10W-30, but just a little concerned about the short periods of 100F temps. I was wondering what the EP at the end of the Mobil you recommended means? Is that the longer oil change interval oil? Let me know what you think about all of this.
Thanks for all the information. Really appreciate the help. Now let's try to pin this down some. With cost NOT being of prime importance, is the HDEO synthetic 5W-40 better overall for liquid cooled outdoor power equipment (mower), or will the synthetic 10W-30 PCMO give me the same performance and long term engine life?
Will be mowing about average of 3 hours per week for about 36 weeks. I will be more likely to wear out the drain plug than to go too long without changing the oil.
Will be mowing about average of 3 hours per week for about 36 weeks. I will be more likely to wear out the drain plug than to go too long without changing the oil.
The only advantage you'd get from a synthetic in an application like this is if you used the unit commercially ~40hrs/wk. You'd be able to extend your drain intervals maybe 200hrs or beyond. With your usage, you could run a $1.25/qt 10w-30 and never ever see a lube related issue with your engine.
Joel
rphart, The HDEO oils (as a class) have more anti-wear additives as well as detergents which should make the oil better at preventing wear, corrosion and sludging.
The primary advantage a 5W-40 (synthetic) will have over a 15W-40 (mineral) is ease of pumpability at start-up, especially on cool mornings (when I won't mow ... not until the dew dries up).
HDEOs are also available in 0W-30 and 10W-30 but they are rare and will require some serious searching.
--- Bror Jace
The primary advantage a 5W-40 (synthetic) will have over a 15W-40 (mineral) is ease of pumpability at start-up, especially on cool mornings (when I won't mow ... not until the dew dries up).
HDEOs are also available in 0W-30 and 10W-30 but they are rare and will require some serious searching.
--- Bror Jace
Bror Jace
Are the SL and SM rated oils backwards compatible to SF, SG, SH, or SJ? Mobil 1 10W-30 says SL SM and Rotella says SJ SL. Kawasaki wanted the older ratings?
Are the SL and SM rated oils backwards compatible to SF, SG, SH, or SJ? Mobil 1 10W-30 says SL SM and Rotella says SJ SL. Kawasaki wanted the older ratings?
I have the same Kawasaki engine on one of my ZTR's. We have been running Kohler 10w-30 oil with Wix filter(51394). I bought this machine in the fall. I have not run it in the summer yet. Yesterday i changed the oil with Delo 400 and the Kohler oil at 50/50. The next change, (monthly), i will use all delo 400 for the summer.
Scotkykins,
Consider the Wix 51396 which is identical to the 51394 except it is 7/16" taller. Hopefully your mower has room for the extra height.
I use Mobil 1 5W-40 in my liquid cooled Kawasaki. This is a good fleet oil, and is used in everything I own. Philip.
philipsearcy,
I like your idea of running one oil in everything, and using Mobil 1 10W-30 EP in a lot of my equipment now. But I am a little worried about the 10W-30 in the Kawasaki mower in the hotter summer months.
Running Mobil 1 10W-30 EP in the mower now. Not able to find Mobil 1 5W-40 locally. Can buy Mobil 1 15W-50 EP locally. Would that be suitable for the Kawasaki liquid cooled mower in the hotter summer months, or maybe even for the 8 month mowing season? Or should I join the ranks of the dreaded oil mixers and combine 10-30 and 15-50 to get a 12 1/2-40?
I like your idea of running one oil in everything, and using Mobil 1 10W-30 EP in a lot of my equipment now. But I am a little worried about the 10W-30 in the Kawasaki mower in the hotter summer months.
Running Mobil 1 10W-30 EP in the mower now. Not able to find Mobil 1 5W-40 locally. Can buy Mobil 1 15W-50 EP locally. Would that be suitable for the Kawasaki liquid cooled mower in the hotter summer months, or maybe even for the 8 month mowing season? Or should I join the ranks of the dreaded oil mixers and combine 10-30 and 15-50 to get a 12 1/2-40?
rphart, I'd merely use a 5W-40 you can find locally ... like Rotella T.
--- Bror Jace
--- Bror Jace
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