Drive you crazy

Stephen Newell · Aug 6, 2017

Not long ago I bought a Toro zero turn mower. The owners manual said to change the oil after the first five hours and to use 10w30 oil. OK so I buy an oil filter and oil to have on hand for the occasion. Then today I go to actually use it and then start reading the fine print on the manual. It says to use API service SF,SG,SH,SJ or SL oil. I look at the bottle of oil I have and I have SN oil. OK, the first thing I think I'm going to have to go to town and get some different oil. Before that I get online and google what is SF oil and find out the brand new owners manual is obsolete. The SN oil supersedes the oil listed in the manual so I got the oil changed on schedule.

kcm.MN · Aug 6, 2017

I just use Quaker State full synthetic and never look back. From my limited experience, engines seem to like the consistency of it better. And while we don't mow in the wintertime, any engines that need to start in the winter start MUCH easier with the 5W30 synthetic oil!! 5W30 'real oil' isn't suitable for the high temps of Summer, but the 5W30 full synthetic can handle temps we never see up here.

Gambles · Aug 6, 2017

"It says to use API service SF,SG,SH,SJ or SL oil."

Here's another thing that irks me. As you now know, all of those oil are obsolete. If you search hard enough, you CAN find some SL oil, but it's mainly for the hot-rodders who are still clinging to the sliding tappets.
What probably happened is that the manufacturer was too lazy to update their owner's manual and the owner's manual was written before 2010, the year SN oil became available. Lawn mower engines have weak valve springs, and the camshaft lobes are even known to be made of plastic. Use your SN oil with confidence.

Stephen Newell · Aug 7, 2017

I practically don't have to mow anyway. Grass grows so slow here I've only had to cut the grass twice since the end of may when I bought the mower. Sure saves time though. It would have taken me three days work with the bush hog now reduced to five hours.

Stephen Newell · Aug 7, 2017

It should teach me a lesson. I never read the owners manual on anything. I've just been needing a finish mower for decades and I bought a new one so I thought I would try to take care of it by the book. The mower didn't come with an hour meter so I bought one just to keep timely maintenance. I sure didn't need them throwing obsolete information at me.

Drive you crazy

Stephen Newell

Well-known Member

kcm.MN

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Gambles

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Stephen Newell

Well-known Member

Stephen Newell

Well-known Member

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