Engine oils

chieffan said:
WHY ? ? ?
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Well, a few of reasons.

Each engine type has a different spec required with different additives to achieve those specs. Example is oil for my Harley Road King. Twin Air cooled engine requires waaaaay different oil that an automobile. (and actually when I looked this AM, it takes 20W50 syn.) Harley air cooled engine requires JASO MA/MA2 rating. Also, many guys also run this same oil in the Primary and Transmission (since bike has three separate holes). I do not and run separate Primary oil in Primary and Gear Oil in Trans. What I am trying to say is, every different type of engine has different needs. The Harley is extreme.

The Volvo Penta stern drive engine in my boat is a cast iron block (GM 4.3L Vortec block but marine so cast iron) and has some different needs than a regular aluminum block car engine. Plus, it is marine duty, thus has different moisture handling characteristics through additives, and no catalytic converter, hence quite a different rating.

My 2018 F150 takes 5W20 and I use synthetic Mobil1 as it is a very good oil. Why 5W20? Fords says so. These newer engines are built to higher spec standards, better tolerances and require a thinner oil. I use syn because I can.

GTractor with Kohler Command, I use Amsoil syn, again...because I believe it to be a better product and I can.

So, I have a lot of $$ in my engines, vehicles and toys. That boat alone is above $90K so why the hell would I run a cheaper oil in that from what is spec'd? Harley with my mods on it is over $30K. Again, why run cheap one-oil-for-all from a 5 gallon bucket I buy at TSC in it?
 
Factory spec on most old small engines is 30w, so are most old farm tractors, traveler isn't bad oil, that's why I use it, my truck calls for 5w-20, so I use that in synthetic.
 
I run what the factory recommends in my vehicles....My wifes 2015 calls for 5w-30. I usually get Mobil 1 synthetic when it's on sale. .The 97 GMC calls for 5w-30. I have used both synthetic and conventional in it. Only thing with it, with synthetic it has a lifter tick for 30 seconds when first started. Doesn't seem to do that with conventional. This sort of has me puzzled. There is almost 200K miles on it, so not too concerned.

My garden tractors, I use 10w-30 conventional, whatevers on sale.
 
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adamjd200 said:
Factory spec on most old small engines is 30w, so are most old farm tractors, traveler isn't bad oil, that's why I use it, my truck calls for 5w-20, so I use that in synthetic.
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"Back then" there was 3 grades of oil. 10, 20, & 30 weight. Oil has changed. Is there any "BAD" oil out there besides opinion?
 
A few months ago Orchelns Farm & Home had 30 W in gallon jugs. I believe it was Shell. Several years ago Northland went to 30 gal drums of 30 W and the only way I could get it.
 
I can still get 30wt in cases of quarts from local Fisher's Auto, which is a Federated parts store, and Federated branded oil.
 
My wife’s Toyota runs 0W20 year round. Spins over and starts easy even at -40.
I still run dinosaur oil in my ‘91 Toyota, 5W30 in winter, 10W30 when warmer weather arrives
15W40 at work. Gawd that stuff loses all viscosity at -30. Have to about spoon it out of jug ,engine sounds awful when starting but diesels I guess are tolerant
 
I bumped this thread instead of starting another. Only a year or so has passed and things have changed more. After searching for a month for 30w oil for the GT’s I finally found some at Walmart. Call me old school but I have never used Synthetic oil nothing against it just haven’t needed it yet. Most oils on the shelves are Synthetic in one level or another. Has anyone used the S oil in the older tractors.
 
I use 30W in all the older tractors year around. Newer Kohler calls for 15-30 or 30W. Cub Diesel get 15W-50 Diesel oil.
 
I started using 5w30 synthetic in my mini bikes. Manual says 5w30 doesn't specify type. But I was at rural King and all 5w30 conventional was gone and all they had was store brand synthetic. I bought a case so it'll run that for awhile.

The built motor spins up to 9000 rpm and its staying together.
 
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