elliot ness 1,916 #1 Posted February 20, 2016 What is the best wt oil for the onan 20hp ? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
budman2 57 #2 Posted February 20, 2016 I use straight 30w HD in mine and it has never let me down yet! I have a 1993 520H, doesn't leak or smoke either. I use is summer and winter but some folks use the 10w-30 in the winter, works for me,budman2. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
rmaynard 16,082 #3 Posted February 20, 2016 Clipped from the Wheel Horse lubrication chart... 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
cheesegrader 433 #4 Posted February 20, 2016 I've never seen that chart. Thanks. I run on synthetic 10W30 in the winter, at well below zero many days. It seems to start easier in the cold with the synthetic versus regular oil, but it might be my imagination. Sometimes I use 30W in the summer, but summer up here is only a few weeks long. I've never used 5W-20 in any of my engines. It must be the consistency of tar. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Phatboy 565 #5 Posted February 20, 2016 I myself run 30W year round i live in central PA , and on them days it is like 15 or 20 degrees out i put a heating pad ( like for your back) around the front of the engine block to simulate a 30 degree day , so the 30W weight still splashes good.. Thats my 2 cents.. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Theroundhousernr 590 #6 Posted February 21, 2016 6 hours ago, cheesegrader said: I've never seen that chart. Thanks. I run on synthetic 10W30 in the winter, at well below zero many days. It seems to start easier in the cold with the synthetic versus regular oil, but it might be my imagination. Sometimes I use 30W in the summer, but summer up here is only a few weeks long. I've never used 5W-20 in any of my engines. It must be the consistency of tar. 5W-20 would be pretty thin actually. 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
cheesegrader 433 #7 Posted February 21, 2016 Sorry, Too much winter. It makes it hard to think about anything that isn't stiff and frozen! Yes, thinner would work better in the cold. 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Theroundhousernr 590 #8 Posted February 21, 2016 lol, no worries. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
cleat 7,133 #9 Posted February 21, 2016 11 hours ago, rmaynard said: Clipped from the Wheel Horse lubrication chart... I would never think of using 50W in a small engine. That would be thick stuff. I use 30W in all of my older small engines, only my pressure washer and generators with Honda engines get 10W30. My shop is heated so no cold start issues. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
