Engine Synthetic Oil Use

[gfp55]

I don't think it has anything to do with not having experience using the synthetic because I have used it so being closed minded about it I'm not and new Ideas or being cheap. For me using synthetic is a waste of money because for one I live in Florida and my mowers are kept inside when not in use, so cold weather starting doesn't play a part, Two Oil is dirty at fifty hours in a mower regardless if it conventional or synthetic and I've always changed my oil and filter at or every 50hrs so again there's no benefit to synthetic or extending oil changes. I use the oil recommendations from the manufacturers and there's nothing in the manuals that say anything about using synthetic oil and until there is I'll continue using Mobil Super 5000 10w30 like I have for years without any. problems.

If anyone is really open minded and wants to understand something and are open to new and better ideas they have to try things for longer then just one or two times over a short period of time and then say I don't see the benefit so it must not be true. There are more benefits then just the few that I mentioned. Nothing and nobody is going to change the mind of anyone that has (I made up my mind and thats it) attitude. One just has to look and research with an open mind and see the benefits of something they don't understand instead of trying to find reasons why not to do something because it will make them wrong in want they said before. Being open minded means being willing to except and consider and receive new ideas, being flexible and adaptive to new experiences. I know I don't know everything and I'm OK with that, but if somebody can teach me something new I'm open to learn.

 

[oldyellr]

I would agree with Ric. You shouldn't expect oil costing twice as much to last twice as long, because they all get dirty. As for needing an expensive synthetic because mowers are air cooled and run hot, that's a design problem. A poorly designed, cheap engine needing expensive oil to survive? I can see using synthetic for racing or in a high output turbo sports car, but not a utilitarian tool like a lawn mower. That's like putting Z-rated high performance tires on a mower, if such were available.

 

[gfp55]

I would agree with Ric. You shouldn't expect oil costing twice as much to last twice as long, because they all get dirty. As for needing an expensive synthetic because mowers are air cooled and run hot, that's a design problem. A poorly designed, cheap engine needing expensive oil to survive? I can see using synthetic for racing or in a high output turbo sports car, but not a utilitarian tool like a lawn mower. That's like putting Z-rated high performance tires on a mower, if such were available.

What makes oil dirty, changes the color of oil, what makes oil turn black? Can you answer that?

 

[Raw Dodge]

What makes oil dirty, changes the color of oil, what makes oil turn black? Can you answer that?

The combustion process turns the oil dark, as does contamination from dirty intake air, and high temps that can darken the oil.The more blow by an engine has the darker the oil gets, also diesels darken it very quickly from soot particulates.
This is why I sample my oil , I get samples done on all my equipment that had an engine with a rebuild or replacement cost of over 1000.00.I sample to establish an oil change interval and to ensure that the engine is sound and not in trouble internally.Seeing,smelling the oil, and rubbing it between your fingers and smearing some on a clean plate of glass will only be helpful if there is a serious problem with the oil..

 

[gfp55]

I would agree with Ric. You shouldn't expect oil costing twice as much to last twice as long, because they all get dirty. As for needing an expensive synthetic because mowers are air cooled and run hot, that's a design problem. A poorly designed, cheap engine needing expensive oil to survive? I can see using synthetic for racing or in a high output turbo sports car, but not a utilitarian tool like a lawn mower. That's like putting Z-rated high performance tires on a mower, if such were available.

Who says its a design problem? "A poorly designed, cheap engine" Friction is friction. If I use your thinking then if you can make a "poorly designed, cheap engine" last longer what will it do for a good designed engine?

 

[oldyellr]

Who says its a design problem? "A poorly designed, cheap engine" Friction is friction. If I use your thinking then if you can make a "poorly designed, cheap engine" last longer what will it do for a good designed engine?

Engine design and manufacture is very important. I have a 22-year-old Volvo with over 500,000 klicks on it that uses negligible oil between oil changes. how many other cars with half the mileage are still on the road. How many mowers that old are still running?

 

[Ric]

If anyone is really open minded and wants to understand something and are open to new and better ideas they have to try things for longer then just one or two times over a short period of time and then say I don't see the benefit so it must not be true. There are more benefits then just the few that I mentioned. Nothing and nobody is going to change the mind of anyone that has (I made up my mind and thats it) attitude. One just has to look and research with an open mind and see the benefits of something they don't understand instead of trying to find reasons why not to do something because it will make them wrong in want they said before. Being open minded means being willing to except and consider and receive new ideas, being flexible and adaptive to new experiences. I know I don't know everything and I'm OK with that, but if somebody can teach me something new I'm open to learn.

Ok Lets say as you said, One just has to look and research with an open mind and see the benefits of something they don't understand instead of trying to find reasons why not to do something because it will make them wrong in want they said before. My question is why should I do all that research? Do you honestly believe that the Manufacturer of these mower engines like Kawasaki, Kohler and others haven't already done that and made the determination of what oils are better suited and recommended to use in there engine and put that in the manuals for all to see Oh wait, they already have and there's no mention of Synthetic oils. I mean really if the stuff was better to use in there engines they would recommend you use it in the manuals.

Now lets be a little open minded here, Everyone says you can extend your synthetic oil changes and you can run all these miles like 10 and 15000 in vehicles between changes be cause the stuff works so well. I purchase a new truck Sept 2013 and it had synthetic oil in it, I used it for my business and at 3956 miles my oil light comes on and says change oil soon so back to Ford I go and change the oil and they put synthetic back in it and you know what... if something goes wrong it's on them, not me. It's what the manufacturer wants and says to use in there manuals. I do the same with my mowers, I follow the guidelines set by the manufacturer.

 

[Carscw]

Engine design and manufacture is very important. I have a 22-year-old Volvo with over 500,000 klicks on it that uses negligible oil between oil changes. how many other cars with half the mileage are still on the road. How many mowers that old are still running?

I have a 2000 Mercury Mountaineer
With over 350.000 pulling a 6x12 trailer with 3000 pounds of mowers.
Gets 10w-30 conventional oil from day one.

1985 dodge over 300.000

1980 snapper with a briggs. Let's say over 3000 hours.

I just did a oil change on a 2006 toro with a briggs that does not like to crank when temps are below 40

Put synthetic in it.
First day and still cranks the same.
I will give it two oil changes to see if it helps. So will know in 3 weeks.

 

[oldyellr]

Yes, 0W30 synthetic will crank easier at at low temperatures than, say, 10W30 dino oil. I don't think 0W dino oil is made. But my grass stops growing when it gets that cold.

 

[Raw Dodge]

Engine design and manufacture is very important. I have a 22-year-old Volvo with over 500,000 klicks on it that uses negligible oil between oil changes. how many other cars with half the mileage are still on the road. How many mowers that old are still running?

I agree with this 100% there are several engines that have a poor design ,and portions of the
oiling system or oil galleries are not large enough. Some just sludge up beccause they have portions of the engine that don't run hot enough, or they don't drain correctly. Others have to lower the capacity of an oil pump design that doesn't provide adequate volume at idle with a hot engine, and higher miles.
Being in the automotive repair business I can tell you a few engines right now that have a lot of problems.
The Chrysler built 2.7 v6 from 2001 till 2007 had a lot of problems related to oil passages that were too small which resulted in the chain tensioners not getting enough oil which resulted in cam timing jumping, these engines also sludge up, but if you ran synthetic oil, you would have neither problem. My sister had a 2002 Chrysler Concorde with this engine she traded in with a hundred seventy four thousand miles all on Mobil one, most of these engines failed between 30 and 60 thousand miles. Chrysler even try denying the warranty on customers who had the car dealer serviced at the recommended service interval the engines will still fail below 60 thousand miles. There are class action lawsuits against Chrysler for this engine. To a lesser extent the 3.7 v6 found in the Jeep Liberty and the 4.7 v8 found in the Durango Ram pickup and Van also has the same problem all these engines will live a long life on synthetic oil. By the way most manufacturers now are requiring full synthetic oil for warranty purposes look at GM with the Dexos oil start in 2011 only full synthetic oils meet the requirements. I believe within five years early every new car engine will need to have full synthetic oil because of high specific output combined with longer oil change intervals that customers are demanding.