Air Cooled Oil - your lawn mower knows best....

Uber Kafer Wolfsburg Wizard

414 posts · joined Nov 2009 · 8 Dec 2009, 11:56 am

#751237

Air Cooled Oil....I read an article in HotVW's mag recently and the guy did quite a review of the design and history of the type 1 engine with regards to the oil that was available at the time and what is in the oils nowadays. Anyway to make a long story short, the most similar monograde oil avaliable on the market today, which includes the additives that are not in normal car oils these days is .....Briggs & Stratton SAE 30 Air Cooled Engine Oil.... serious.!
On the container it says its designed for all air cooled angines for use from +5 degC to +38degC. It comes in 4 litre containers, no dearer than most oils.

We are currently running it in our 1800 L Bug. I havent noticed any difference in oil pressure but I havent been through a full summer yet, and I am just about to hook up the oil temp gauge.
Haynes and Gregory's manuals will give information that varies, but generally monograde, SAE 30, SAE 40 max, one Haynes manual states multigrade oil for later super bugs but again its no more than SAE 40.

Its only the later Kombi engines (type 2) that they start to refer to multigrade oils.

I think I would be most happy if the Briggs & Stratton oil was SAE 40 for our climate, but then again if the oil temp and pressure readings are fine them so am I. This summer will tell.

colonel mustard Son of Jim - Creator of Good

2,829 posts · joined Feb 2009 · 8 Dec 2009, 12:07 pm

#751240

there is also ace air cooled oils, which is specifically designed for air cooled car engines. Im sure lawn mower oil works, but the engines arent the same really.
Let us know how it goes.... I wouldn't do it, but thats just me.

Uber Kafer Wolfsburg Wizard

414 posts · joined Nov 2009 · 8 Dec 2009, 1:13 pm

#751256

ACE product is preferable, and probably best, in an ideal world. But its hard to come by.
But if it turns out that Briggs & Stratton Heavy Duty air cooled engine oil is more suitable for the older air cooled engines, than modern multigrades, and you can easily get Briggs & Stratton in most towns in Australia, then perhaps its worth exploring. We dont all live in Sydney/Melbourne/Brisbane.

What needs to be discussed here is the difference between having high oil pressures and reduced oil cooling ability, and compared to having the proper viscosity, better cooling and oil flow, and the additives which were originally included to reduce wear in the alloys which the engine is designed around.

The ideal oil for air/oil cooled engines is quite different to water cooled engines.

h fractals - an ever changing lifestyle

7,671 posts · joined Feb 2005 · 8 Dec 2009, 3:10 pm

#751273

Ive run penrite 30 for many yrs n never had a problemo

fractal geometry; the inner most limits of mind altering abuse

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Z = Z2 + C1/r = 1/0 = infinity

Barrels www.barrelman.com.au

VW Workshop - aircooledgarage.com.au
allcooled.com.au

68AutoBug Beetle Restorer - Experience over 138\% - YIKES --

11,654 posts · joined Aug 2002 · 8 Dec 2009, 3:26 pm

#751277

Uber Kafer wrote:Air Cooled Oil....I read an article in HotVW's mag recently and the guy did quite a review of the design and history of the type 1 engine with regards to the oil that was available at the time and what is in the oils nowadays. Anyway to make a long story short, the most similar monograde oil avaliable on the market today, which includes the additives that are not in normal car oils these days is .....Briggs & Stratton SAE 30 Air Cooled Engine Oil.... serious.!
On the container it says its designed for all air cooled angines for use from +5 degC to +38degC. It comes in 4 litre containers, no dearer than most oils.

We are currently running it in our 1800 L Bug. I havent noticed any difference in oil pressure but I havent been through a full summer yet, and I am just about to hook up the oil temp gauge.
Haynes and Gregory's manuals will give information that varies, but generally monograde, SAE 30, SAE 40 max, one Haynes manual states multigrade oil for later super bugs but again its no more than SAE 40.

Its only the later Kombi engines (type 2) that they start to refer to multigrade oils.

I think I would be most happy if the Briggs & Stratton oil was SAE 40 for our climate, but then again if the oil temp and pressure readings are fine them so am I. This summer will tell.

I believe that oils these days are better than a single grade oil with nO additives... but as said, a liquid cooled engine is much different to air cooled engines... and their temperatures are much more even than the air cooled engine

I have been using SAE 30 in My briggs and stratton lawn mower 5HP which is only 12 months old, and it does use a lot of oil.. then again it doesn't hold much oil... the engine is at constant revs all the time its going... maybe thats a bad thing.

I will be using GTX2 from now on...
same as what I use in My beetle engine...

LEE

- Helping keep Air Cooled VWs on the road - location: SCONE in the Upper Hunter Valley - Northern NSW 320 kms NNW of SYDNEY---

colonel mustard Son of Jim - Creator of Good

2,829 posts · joined Feb 2009 · 8 Dec 2009, 3:36 pm

#751282

you should always use a specified oil for lawn mowers. 1, you void all warranty if you dont use what they specify. 2, it was designed for a certain oil, use it. it is generally red. but, its your ower do what you want. hahahah. Lee.

68AutoBug Beetle Restorer - Experience over 138\% - YIKES --

11,654 posts · joined Aug 2002 · 8 Dec 2009, 4:02 pm

#751295

Hi Jason

Our last 5HP Briggs and Stratton engined mower is still going strong after 10 years

and Castrol GTX2...and mostly Magnatech oils..

LEE

- Helping keep Air Cooled VWs on the road - location: SCONE in the Upper Hunter Valley - Northern NSW 320 kms NNW of SYDNEY---

71-BEETLE-SEDAN AKA Josh

1,058 posts · joined Mar 2009 · 8 Dec 2009, 4:19 pm

#751303

Hi,

mum and dad got a victor mower when they got married, had its first oil change after ten years, and its still going strong.

We had a pajero not to long ago we drove it evrywhere and it went for like nearly two weeks with a dot of oil on the dip stick.

Just thought i would share.

HappyDaze Superannuated

2,887 posts · joined Jun 2009 · 8 Dec 2009, 4:57 pm

#751316

Share what?

I'd rather wear a Beetle out by racing it than by polishing it!

71-BEETLE-SEDAN AKA Josh

1,058 posts · joined Mar 2009 · 8 Dec 2009, 6:34 pm

#751334

Those stories

matberry Moderator Go hard or go home

8,114 posts · joined Mar 2006 · 8 Dec 2009, 9:19 pm

#751362

Uber Kafer wrote:ACE product is preferable, and probably best, in an ideal world. But its hard to come by.
But if it turns out that Briggs & Stratton Heavy Duty air cooled engine oil is more suitable for the older air cooled engines, than modern multigrades, and you can easily get Briggs & Stratton in most towns in Australia, then perhaps its worth exploring. We dont all live in Sydney/Melbourne/Brisbane.

What needs to be discussed here is the difference between having high oil pressures and reduced oil cooling ability, and compared to having the proper viscosity, better cooling and oil flow, and the additives which were originally included to reduce wear in the alloys which the engine is designed around.

The ideal oil for air/oil cooled engines is quite different to water cooled engines.

This is a hugely valid point.

People don't realise the problems associated with using some brands that are too thick and therefore have poor flow rates that appear good on thier gauges but are in fact providing questionable protection.

Ace is putting out a very good product, I think more of us should be using it.

Matt Berry Motorsports...air cooled advice, repairs and mods Ph 0408 704 662
OFF-ROAD,CIRCUIT,DRAG,STREET,ENDURANCE

colonel mustard Son of Jim - Creator of Good

2,829 posts · joined Feb 2009 · 8 Dec 2009, 9:40 pm

#751368

matberry wrote:Ace is putting out a very good product, I think more of us should be using it.

i have a 2.5litre bottle ready to go for my next oil change.... shall buy some if its good.

Uber Kafer Wolfsburg Wizard

414 posts · joined Nov 2009 · 9 Dec 2009, 1:34 am

#751387

thanks MatBerry for bringing the topic back to reality.......sorry that I mentioned lawn mowers....😢

HappyDaze Superannuated

2,887 posts · joined Jun 2009 · 9 Dec 2009, 6:48 am

#751396

Yes, thanks Matt. About 30 years ago I used Mobil Aero Red-Band oil in my Beetle Sports Sedan race car. It was designed for air-cooled aero engines, and worked very well in the 2 litre race engine - although being straight 50 grade meant that it was very 'thick' when cold (not good for road use).
Just thought I would share!

Cheers, Greg

I'd rather wear a Beetle out by racing it than by polishing it!

mnsKmobi Wolfsburg Wizard

589 posts · joined Aug 2002 · 9 Dec 2009, 12:13 pm

#751442

The main issue with modern oils is the reduction in ZDDP in many of them. I'm sure this has been covered before...

68AutoBug Beetle Restorer - Experience over 138\% - YIKES --

11,654 posts · joined Aug 2002 · 9 Dec 2009, 12:18 pm

#751443

mnsKmobi wrote:The main issue with modern oils is the reduction in ZDDP in many of them. I'm sure this has been covered before...

Tell Us again

LEE

- Helping keep Air Cooled VWs on the road - location: SCONE in the Upper Hunter Valley - Northern NSW 320 kms NNW of SYDNEY---