Winter Oil?

[Smokey 30]

I have no doubt this has been discussed, But my attempt at searching didn't bring up what I was looking for.

 What weight oil do you use in your tractors in winter? Straight 30W or 10W30 or ?   My engine is a 1978 or 79 Kohler.

 Here in Arkansas we don't have extremely cold winters, Zero is about the coldest it gets usually.

[DougC 2,642]

I would use 10w30 in winter and 30w in summer if it was mine.

[KC9KAS 4,744]

I use straight 30wt all year long.
The GT's are inside during the winter, but the barn is un-heated.
Just my $0.02 worth!

[pfrederi 18,363]

Kohler recommendations looks lie 10w-30 would be good for you

 

[Smokey 30]

Thanks everyone!

[wallfish 17,549]

30 wt oil will become thick as molasses in freezing temps. It will NOT thoroughly lubricate your splash lubricated engine until it warms up. So basically, it's like running your engine without oil for a while when used in freezing temperatures. Try pouring some out of a bottle when it's frozen and you will definitely notice how thick it becomes and then imagine trying to splash it with a stick. That is what's going on inside your engine, unless your engine is equipped with an oil pump.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oLeXpF1kzDU
 

[Fordiesel69 267]

Shell 5w-40 synthetic diesel oil is about the best.  It will handle the rich fuel, the extra carbon, and the acids that form in the oil from not coming up to temp.  It will also contain stuff to protect the cam lobes.  Most automotive oils no longer have this.  

[Phatboy 565]

My wheel horse dealer here in Pennsylvania says that because it is aroind 30 degrees for 75% of the winter and the oil still splashes well below that , to use 30 weight year round.. I have in my magnum kohler have 1001 hrs on it and still has excellent compression and doesnt burn a drop of oil , and never smokes , so i keep using th straight 30 kohler oil , which to me doesnt seem thick even in the teen degrees weather ,, just my 2 cents..

[Retired Sparky 526]

I realize location is everything in this conversation. Lots of difference in winter temps. between Arkansas and Maine.  But for thirty years I have used #30 above 32 deg. and #5w/30 below 32 deg. Cause we do get below 0 deg.  That's my.    It works in my backyard.

[bds1984 1,466]

If you'd like a good read on oil, http://www.bobistheoilguy.com/ or http://www.pqiamerica.com/  are good sites.  Any 10W30 would be fine in our engines in the winter as long as we're not is sub-zero consistently.  I use 5W40 Rotella as pointed out above and it is great.  The whole protect your cam lobes with zinc because the stuff isn't in modern oil is irrelevant, and outdated, unless one is running an engine with triple valve springs that have high compression.

[DennisThornton 4,771]

Sub-zero is going to beg for a multi-weight but my concern is this strange weather we've been having would have me changing oil weekly!  Near 70F Christmas eve!  -20F a couple days ago and then pushing 50 shortly after!  My luck is a cold front would come in, dump 2ft of snow and then warm up to 50 while I'm trying to cleanup the slush!  Sometimes you have pick your poisons!  If they won't start because the 30wt turns to molasses then 10w or 5w or added heat might be a must!  I don't do it all the time but my current thoughts are 10w30 for the winters up here and 30w for the warm weather.

[erwine13b 27]

Anyone ever use the oil that they make for actual walk behind snowblowers? I use it in my snowblower, but am not sure if I I should put it into my WH for snowblowing as this is my first year using a snowblower.

[Ken B 3,166]

Wallfish is absolutely correct. Try this yourself when its freezing outside, try pouring a quart of 30 wt oil and you will soon find out that it is indeed as thick as molasses. I found this out many yrs ago when I went to crank over a tractor, it wouldn't even turn over....  

[953 nut 58,108]

   Over the past half century lubrication technology has not stood still;   NEWS FLASH   motor oils have improved since the service manuals were written! Any good brand name oil you can buy today is superior to the oil that was used when your old  left the factory. I have been using synthetic blend 5 W 30 year round in everything for several years, that is the whole idea behind multi-viscosity oil, year round lubrication. 

On 2/18/2016 at 7:06 PM, DennisThornton said:

strange weather we've been having would have me changing oil weekly!  Near 70F Christmas eve!  -20F a couple days ago and then pushing 50 shortly after!

Now Dennis won't have to change his engine oil with each passing front!              

[JC 1965 1,532]

  I do the same thing,   

[Walt 339]

2 hours ago, Ken B said:

Wallfish is absolutely correct. Try this yourself when its freezing outside, try pouring a quart of 30 wt oil and you will soon find out that it is indeed as thick as molasses. I found this out many yrs ago when I went to crank over a tractor, it wouldn't even turn over....  

Both my walk behind snow blowers have 5w - 30 oil only molded on the caps.

And as far as what I'll be changing over to for winter in my Wheel Horse I have 5w - 30 in my cabinet since all 5 of the vehicles I do maintenance on take it there's no reason not to just use a couple of quarts of it in the tractor. 

Edited October 27, 2016 by Walt