I was talking to a Honda engineer for their lawn and garden powered engines about an owners manual question. I thought our conversation may relate some how to our engines.

1) THe owners manaul for a four stroke 18hp riding tractor motor says to absolutely not run synthetic motor oil in this engine for any reason. The engineer said this is because synthetic motor oils do not lubricate efficiently at a fixed constant RPM. The riding tractor motor is desinged to be run at full throttle only.

2) This concerend me becasue I use synthetic motor oil (In my Car) and do a lot of freeway driving where my RPM is constant. Granted on the street it is fluctuating with every gear shift, but freeway cruising can have an hour plus of constant RPM>

3) Are these two engines that dissimilar that they can not be compared?

4) Did the guy not know what he was talking about/just speculating.

5) Do any of you have any knowledge of the relation between synthetic motor oil and constant rate RPM engines.

 

Man I would like to here more on this as well. I am assuming the four stroke motors (regardless of manufacturer and use are similar enough since they all operate the same way) can be compared. <TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by asubennett &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">The engineer said this is because synthetic motor oils do not lubricate efficiently at a fixed constant RPM.</TD></TR></TABLE> I think that reagardless of motor typr (4-stroke, 2-stroke, or Rotary) this applies. Now whether or not this is true has yet to be seen. BUT a free bump anyway.

 

Does anybody have input on this?

 

i wanna know too

 

back from the dead for an answer from an oil expert

 

I've never heard of anything like this. Synthetics lubricate better than Dyno oil, period.

 

Yeah, I have never heard of it either.

But, every single riding lawn mower/tractor owners manual I have seen at work with Briggs and Straton, Kohler, and even Honda motors say not to use synthetic motor oil or risk premature engine wear.

I spoke to a B & S rep and he said the same thing as the Honda Lawn and Garden Rep, synthetics do not operate sufficiently at fixed RPM's. Sounds wierd to me, but I am sure there R & D budget is far greater than mine.

 

dont worry dood..lawn mower man scared you with his mower knowledge,hehe...i like to do a mix mobil1/castrol or mobil1 and whatever else looks good..just keep oil clean and full...nothin else you can do..except staying out of the redline

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by spaceman &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">dont worry dood..lawn mower man scared you with his mower knowledge,hehe...i like to do a mix mobil1/castrol or mobil1 and whatever else looks good..just keep oil clean and full...nothin else you can do..except staying out of the redline</TD></TR></TABLE>

Your right Spaceman, but I can't help it. I'm a Honda worry wort!

 

you might want to post this Q over at http://www.bobistheoilguy.com


no seriously, thats a real site.