Best Oil to use

#4
Consult your owners manual, it's the best source of information for your specific engine. I generally use 10W30 in my genuine GX160.
 
#9
I use 15-40 rotella it is a diesel oil and has the best add package . Also I don't let my oil stay in any motor over a couple hours , mini's of course .
 
#12
I don't think it really matters. Oil is oil and as long as you keep it changed regularly, its job is to lubricate. So just run what you want. I bought a quart of autozone 10w-30 and then bought 2 quarts of some unknown brand 10w-30 to break in the new build. Then I'll put back the Mobil 1 synthetic I ran for 45 min before I completely glutted the engine.
 
#16
This should stir things up a bit.
https://540ratblog.wordpress.com/2013/06/20/motor-oil-wear-test-ranking/
Just remember while film strength is important it does not take into account many other variables. The action of zinc-phosphorus-calcium works by a sacrificial process and I do not know if that action is tested or by how much in a film strength test. Because of that I don't use the higher rated mobil1 5w-30 oil (the extended performance version of this oil did much worse) but use Valvoline VR1 regular and synthetic 10-30 because it has a higher zinc content. Bottom line is with our low spring pressure on the cam/tappet interface probably any oil is OK. Now with that said my neighbor asked me about his Yamaha 4 cycle powered generator as it said to use a SJ rated oil and he couldn't find any.
 
#19
I use different oils from this manufacture- Welcome! because I have a cheap local source for it and they keep it all in stock and it is good stuff. Pennzoil 10w-30 when doing work for contractors if they have a bunch of OHV powered small equipment since it is easy to find. Any HP 4-stroke dirt bikes I do get oil from Spectro Oils as well as all my 2-strokes I stick with Golden Spectro-been using this one since 1976. Funny though if you do some research on 2-cycle oils for say those Para gliders and the like they ALL ONLY recommend the Pennzoil 2-cycle.

Funny-last fall I was helping out at a local mower repair shop and we did a new long block on a Briggs powered riding mower. Informed the customer that the oil would need changed after a short period of time due to break-in and that. Well the customer got some hours on the engine and proceeded to the local Wal mart and asked for a "Good" oil to use and explained what for. The employee at wally world must have figured that "Good" was relative to cost so they sold the mower owner enough oil to do their oil change-in the form of 6.4oz bottles of 2-cycle oil. Needless to say that was a very bad choice.

The Briggs rep had tears in his eyes from laughing when he saw the carnage and the customer had tears in their eyes from another $1200 bill.

Funny that new Briggs lasted about 20 minutes with the 2-cycle oil in the crankcase-sad but true.
 

rmm727

Active Member
#20
I use different oils from this manufacture- Welcome! because I have a cheap local source for it and they keep it all in stock and it is good stuff. Pennzoil 10w-30 when doing work for contractors if they have a bunch of OHV powered small equipment since it is easy to find. Any HP 4-stroke dirt bikes I do get oil from Spectro Oils as well as all my 2-strokes I stick with Golden Spectro-been using this one since 1976. Funny though if you do some research on 2-cycle oils for say those Para gliders and the like they ALL ONLY recommend the Pennzoil 2-cycle.

Funny-last fall I was helping out at a local mower repair shop and we did a new long block on a Briggs powered riding mower. Informed the customer that the oil would need changed after a short period of time due to break-in and that. Well the customer got some hours on the engine and proceeded to the local Wal mart and asked for a "Good" oil to use and explained what for. The employee at wally world must have figured that "Good" was relative to cost so they sold the mower owner enough oil to do their oil change-in the form of 6.4oz bottles of 2-cycle oil. Needless to say that was a very bad choice.

The Briggs rep had tears in his eyes from laughing when he saw the carnage and the customer had tears in their eyes from another $1200 bill.

Funny that new Briggs lasted about 20 minutes with the 2-cycle oil in the crankcase-sad but true.
Sad thing is the mower probably wasn't much more than $1200 new but the owner was too dumb to buy a new mower.
 
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