[AT] B&S engine oil

Sun Nov 11 09:21:44 PST 2012

"Oil is cheaper than parts". Dad beat that into my head. Changing it
regularly is key. Using the right oil for the job can be important too.

For my Camaros (5W-30) and Blazer (10W-40) I run Mobil 1, 3K mile
intervals.
For my Cummins truck and Bobcat I run Rotella at 2/3 factory mileage
interval (though there are folks that think this isn't adequate).
For my air-cooled VW powered sandrail (think dune buggy) I run 20W-50
Castrol and a remote filter (aftermarket) and change it when it's dark.
Small engines use a straight grade though I tend to use detergent based
ones rather than non-detergent.
For my Case tractors (DI, DH, DV) I use a straight grade (something like
SAE 40 or thereabouts) because they don't have a lot of pressure and this
helps bring it up a little when things are hot.
For my 2-stroke engines I use a synthetic 2-stroke oil. (works as a
preservative and a great oil. Stihl extends the warranty if you buy this
with the equipment... that was good enough for me)
For my wore-out 8N that drinks 2 quarts per hour, I use whatever. I KNOW
it's a matter of time before I have to pull the life-support plug on that
one.

Key items: keep them filled. Change them more often than factory
recommendations (they are in the business of selling new engines when
things wear out). Learn the oil that's appropriate and use it.
Our desert heat is tough on oils, especially air-cooled ones. Dry air
usually has more dirt so keep the filters serviced more often. I've seen
the results of engines treated with Mobil 1 (factory crosshatching still on
the cylinder walls after 180K miles on a 4 banger). The Volkswagen
recommendations come from folks who run the hell out of them under my
conditions and have found out how to make them live. I use detergent oils
in small engines and change it a lot more frequently than factory
recommendations as the detergents heat and burn off (as mentioned above).
The detergents do carry more crud out of the oil and I think it's a better
tradeoff. As it is, small engines get abused in ways that astound me ("I
didn't know you could change the oil on that!") and survive.

I cannot identify any problems due to oil failure so far. This isn't for
everyone; this is what I do with the dry heat and dust here. Pick the
appropriate methods and oils for your applications. Humidity in the engine
creates hydrochloric acid if you don't get them warm enough to boil off the
water when you run them so different techniques are necessary when this is
an issue. We see humidity down under 2% RH and up to 80%+ on occasion
(rare). If I was on the coast again, I'd use a different set of parameters
(lighter weight) and less frequent changes for the same workout.

Use what's appropriate and change as required and something else will wear
out before the engine parts do in my experience.
If you're having oil failures with modern oils, you've got bigger problems,
IMHO.

Your mileage may vary!

Ken in AZ

On Sun, Nov 11, 2012 at 8:23 AM, charlie hill <charliehill at embarqmail.com>wrote:

> Yep clean is better than dirty no doubt.
>
> Charlie
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Richard Fink Sr
> Sent: Sunday, November 11, 2012 11:07 AM
> To: Antique tractor email discussion group
> Subject: Re: [AT] B&S engine oil
>
> Charley i hear the same thing from the shop that does service on wives car.
> What oil to use CLEAN
> R Fink
> PA
>
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "charlie hill" <charliehill at embarqmail.com>
> To: "Antique tractor email discussion group" <at at lists.antique-tractor.com
> >
> Sent: Saturday, November 10, 2012 6:31 PM
> Subject: Re: [AT] B&S engine oil
>
>
> >I don't understand the argument at all.  I thought the purpose of
> multi-vis
> > oil was to maintain it's viscosity better over the entire heat range
> > rather
> > than be
> > to thick when it's cold or to thin when it's hot.
> >
> > There was an argument going on around here where a lot of guys were
> saying
> > some change in the oil manufacturing recently related to environmental
> > issues
> > was causing premature engine wear.   A friend of mine has several
> > collector
> > muscle cars and is buddies with a relatively famous drag race engine
> > builder.
> > He asked the engine builder about it, explained what he had heard and
> > asked
> > what he should use in his newly built 396/375.   Garley laughed at him
> and
> > said
> > "oil".
> >
> > Charlie
> >
> > -----Original Message-----
> > From: Larry Goss
> > Sent: Saturday, November 10, 2012 6:13 PM
> > To: Antique tractor email discussion group
> > Subject: Re: [AT] B&S engine oil
> >
> > Some manufacturer's hyper-ventilate over which oil is used and even go to
> > the trouble of testing the residue on blown engines that come back on
> > warranty claims. But I think the bottom line is that if an engine has
> > pressure oiling (has an oil filter) you can use multi-viscosity oil in
> it.
> > If it doesn't, use single viscosity oil.
> >
> > Larry
> >
> > ----- Original Message -----
> > From: John Maddock <agtronixjv at southcom.com.au>
> > To: Antique tractor email discussion group <at at lists.antique-tractor.com
> >
> > Sent: Sat, 10 Nov 2012 15:05:42 -0500 (EST)
> > Subject: [AT] B&S engine oil
> >
> >
> > Noticed yesterday in a shop which sells B&S stuff: a sign saying "Use
> > *only* monograde oil in your B&S engine.  DO *not* use multigrade oils"
> >
> > Why? Anyone know?
> >
> > Which Oil Demon will get me if I use multigrade?
> >
> > JV
> >
> >
> > --
> > Read tasmaniantimes.com... for news and views you won't find in the
> > newspapers
> >
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