Enlighten me!

Straw Boss · May 1, 2012

Ok, so I drop oil in the mower. It has a 31 HP Kawasaki engine.
Out of 10w-30 on the shelf.
No biggie. Must be something around here.
Should be able to use straight 30w.
Check the dipstick as I remember seeing some writing on there.
Dipstick says...Oil API SF, SG, SH OR SJ class SAE 30 10W-30.

OK. Confirms my thought. Just throw some straight 30 in it.
Found a couple of quarts of 30W.
Out of curiosity I check the label.
Says...SAE HD-30 API service SN, SM, SL.
Ah...OK..??? Whats the difference?

Just a minute...I've got an old 2 1/2 gal. jug from CaseIH.
Says...No 1 Sae 30 API CE, CD, CC/SG;
MIL-L-210E & 46152 D; Series 3; CAT TO-2;
MACK EO-J, Allison E-3 & C-4.

Ok I throw some of both in and go back to mowing.
Clean oil is better than dirty oil even if its not the right specs.
My question...is there more than one in a thousand people who actually know what all the specs mean on a jug of oil? Should I be concerned I've angered the powers that be at Kawasaki for not using the PROPER 30 wt oil?

donjr · May 2, 2012

Probably about as much as I am about changing the oil in a tractor in the fall, using it for a few hours, then letting it pretty much sit thru the winter except to move it out of the way a few times, and then using it for spring tillage without new oil. I've also gotten so cheap that I use Mobil 1 in the mower and change it every two years. Kohler hasn't sicced the oil police on me yet---

Philt · May 2, 2012

My uncle was a tractor mechanic for years and he recommended Mobil 1 he said of all the motors he had apart Mobil left the least amount of sludge in the motor.

Anonymous-0 · May 2, 2012

They should be on the net, certainly at the supply depot.
Try putting oil without flyash in a 6v53 and see how you fare.

Gambles · May 2, 2012

Whenever they supposedly improve a specification of oil, they increase a letter. Latest and greatest spec is SN. Your power mower engine was manufactured before the SN spec came out, so it won't specify the SN spec. Actually, to preserve catalytic converters in cars, they have taken out a lot of the zinc and phosphorus for the SN grade, as compared to the SL or SM oils, so a SL or SM might even be better for your mower, even though the SN is the latest. It probably really won't matter, as you said, it's better to change it than not change it.
Just don't put a non-detergent oil in your mower, like the salesman told my mom and she still has the urge to put that stuff in there, despite what the owners manual specifies.

John T · May 2, 2012

I just use Mobil 1 10W 30 in my Kawasiki and change it often, its running perfect and lasted for years so I dont loose much sleep (none actually lol) over all those other grades and specs etc. Similar the last 50,000 miles in the RV (Chevy 454) Ive ran Mobil 1 plus a quart of Lucas Synthetic Stabilizer and it neither leaks nor burns oil so I'm a very happy camper as they say...

John T

dej(Jed) · May 2, 2012

(quoted from post at 04:41:37 05/02/12) Whenever they supposedly improve a specification of oil, they increase a letter. Latest and greatest spec is SN. Your power mower engine was manufactured before the SN spec came out, so it won't specify the SN spec. Actually, to preserve catalytic converters in cars, they have taken out a lot of the zinc and phosphorus for the SN grade, as compared to the SL or SM oils, so a SL or SM might even be better for your mower, even though the SN is the latest. It probably really won't matter, as you said, it's better to change it than not change it.
Just don't put a non-detergent oil in your mower, like the salesman told my mom and she still has the urge to put that stuff in there, despite what the owners manual specifies.

Gambles is correct. The latest and greatest will have a higher letter. API hardly tests anything anymore, so you are at the whim of the jobber who blended the oil. You will be fine.

Anonymous-0 · May 2, 2012

A mower repair shop mechanic told me that air cooled engines run at a hotter operating temperature than water cooled engines. Something approaching 400 degrees, I think he meant oil temp could get that hot. You certainly can't get better oil than full synthetic, so no worry there.But he claimed cheaper grade automotive oil & some multi-weights will sludge up in air cooled engines at those high operating temperatures especially if not changed on very regular intervals. Most operating manuals will recommend straight 30 W, probably holds viscosity better at high temps.Don't know much about API codes but some oil is special manufactured to use in air cooled engines,will say in owner manual.

mkirsch · May 2, 2012

API service ratings are "backward compatible."

SL is "as good as or better than" anything from SA through SM.

Pete in MD · May 2, 2012

Where you said SL didn't you mean to say SN?

Enlighten me!

Straw Boss

Well-known Member

donjr

Well-known Member

Philt

Member

Anonymous-0

Well-known Member

Gambles

Well-known Member

John T

Well-known Member

dej(Jed)

Well-known Member

Anonymous-0

Well-known Member

mkirsch

Well-known Member

Pete in MD

Well-known Member

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