Synthetic oil or not?

Doesn't really make a difference since it doesn't extend the oil change intervals unless you are using the new Kohler extended service kit with the synthetic oil and extended life filter, but I am not sure I would want to extend to 300 hours or not.
 
Some ideas...
  • You'll be changing either oil long before it's "worn out" simply to get rid of the water that gets trapped in the cases.
  • Modern motor oils are doped with so many refinements that the difference gap is narrowing.
  • Synthetic will have a slight edge at start-up. If your mower is a lifetime purchase, then synthetic will probably pay off. If you regularly trade in every X number of years then maybe not.
  • Last time I was ay Wally World, the difference in price for 5 gallons of car oil was $1 !!
Hope this helps.
 
That last bullet cannot possibly be correct if comparing synthetic vs. dino oil.
Born2Mow said:
Some ideas...
  • You'll be changing either oil long before it's "worn out" simply to get rid of the water that gets trapped in the cases.
  • Modern motor oils are doped with so many refinements that the difference gap is narrowing.
  • Synthetic will have a slight edge at start-up. If your mower is a lifetime purchase, then synthetic will probably pay off. If you regularly trade in every X number of years then maybe not.
  • Last time I was ay Wally World, the difference in price for 5 gallons of car oil was $1 !!
Hope this helps.
Click to expand...
 
An analogy with the auto industry ...
In my country, I participate in a Chevrolet brand forum, the most frequent question being about replacing it with synthetic oil, thinner or thicker.
Some automakers only recommend the oil itself (as if they made it), but most recommend 1 or 2 types of SAE and leave the free choice for more modern APIs.
The automobile industry has rapidly evolved its engines with greater speed, torque, new materials, reduced internal clearance of the engine and tests them with different and newer oils, taking advantage of the best specifications of modernity.
However, there is no news that any manufacturer has taken an old engine and tested it with new oils, just as it does with new engines.
Many homeowners want to change the oil due to noises that appear with the time of use ...
So there are three consensuses:
1 - Never change the recommended oil (SAE and API) in the manufacturer's manual, as the engine was tested with it ... if any strange noise occurs, the noise is resolved without changing the oil.
2 - Change the oil within the one specified by the manufacturer, maintaining the same SAE and being able to use a more modern API.
3 - Be wary of miracle oils ...
 
Okay, I guess I got my answer and the only reason I posted the question was because one of my friends was claiming that synthetic oils were generally thinner and shouldn’t be used in small engines. Obviously he’s clueless! Thanks
 
I was told by a Cub Cadet mechanic that synthetic oil will make the air-cooled engine run cooler, and smoke less. But do your best to run the recommended viscosity, which will most likely be a multi-grade oil, like 10W-30 (there's a chart in your manual for oil requirements at different temperatures). It should work just fine, but will work fine without an oil change if you operate in cold weather.
 
Rickcin said:
Okay, I guess I got my answer and the only reason I posted the question was because one of my friends was claiming that synthetic oils were generally thinner and shouldn’t be used in small engines. Obviously he’s clueless! Thanks
Click to expand...
Synthetic oils have nothing to do with thinness. That is viscosity which changes with temperature. Yes he is clueless.

And to echo what ILENGINE said, synthetic oils have ZERO to do with extended drain intervals. Extended drains are created by the oil companies selling their oil. Example Amsoil "claims" their wonder oil can run for 25,000 miles. Riiiiiight............

Like was stated by Born2Mow, you will or should change the oil to get rid of all the moisture/water in the sump and carbon blow-by contaminants. When your oil gets black, time to change. Smell like fuel, time to change. Looks like a milk shake, time to change.

slomo
 
Almost clueless.
Just about all synthetics are ashless
So when burned theymake next to no smoke
Thus you don't know thee is a problem till it is too late.
Most of the veteran bike riders run synthetic oil in the total loss systems for this reason.
lot more fun if you are in a line of 40 bikes because you can now see the road
Most of us toss a little castrol R into the fuel tank so we get a little smoke so they look a little authentic.
 
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